When I run low on power my MacBook powers off without warning

I've noticed that when I'm running low on battery my MacBook will power off without warning, I'm pretty sure it used to go into sleep until I charged it.
Is just powering off the correct behavior and if not are there ideas on why it's not going into sleep?
Thanks!

This seems to be a growing problem.
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=635785&tstart=0
I had my MacBook "repaired" when it developed the problem a few weeks ago. The day after I got it back from Apple it did the same thing. THey are replacing my MacBook (I had my computer in for repairs 4 times in 4 months). Some people have gotten replacement batteries but have not posted whether that resolved the problem.

Similar Messages

My battery drains really fast and my macbook shuts off without warning when disconnected from power, what is wrong and how can I fix it?

My battery drains really fast and my macbook shuts off without warning basically everytime it is disconnected from power, what is wrong and how can I fix it? also whenever an application is opened the computer freezes and the application will either shut down or make the macbook run really loud.

Charge Information:
Charge remaining (mAh):          1450
Fully charged:          No
Charging:          Yes
Full charge capacity (mAh):          1739
Health Information:
Cycle count:          379
Condition:          Poor
Battery Installed:          Yes
Amperage (mA):          196
Voltage (mV):          12573
I have the 13inch macbook and it is 2 years old (bought august 2009)

MacBook turn off without warning

My 4-year-old MacBook start turning off without low power warning while on battery.
I checked the battery level, it's usually around 20~30% once I plug it back on and restart.
Any one have any idea? I got a new battery last summer, and I really don't want to pay for another one.
The following is the information of the battery and my MacBook.
Model Name:          MacBook
Model Identifier:          MacBook2,1
Processor Name:          Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 2 GHz
Version 10.4.11
Battery Installed:          Yes
First low level warning:          No
Full Charge Capacity (mAh):          3989
Remaining Capacity (mAh):          1409
Amperage (mA):          1584
Voltage (mV):          12028
Cycle Count:          152

Your battery info doesn't look bad. Have you ever calibrated your battery? This is necessary not so much for the health of the battery, but rather to make sure the battery and your MacBook are in sync. Calibrating your battery is what allows your MacBook to estimate how much of a charge is remaining. Over time, without calibrating, they can become out of sync. When this happens, your computer may think you have a 20% charge, when the battery only has a 1 or 2 percent charge. Since your computer "thinks" it has plenty of charge remaining, it doesn't alert you or go into sleep... but then the battery just runs out. Here are the instructions for calibrating your battery:
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1490
You might want to reset your SMC first as this is a fairly quick process and see if that resolves your problem first (although you should still calibrate your battery if you haven't done so):
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3964

MacBook shuts off without warning

The MacBook I use at work suddenly shuts down without warning after running for about 60 seconds. This only happens when the battery is in. If I use the MacBook with the AC power alone, it is fine.
Is this a battery problem or could it be a problem with the MacBook itself?

Hi! Well, i work @ the Apple Store in San Diego and this issue has been a rpoblem for the last month or so. The good news is that in most cases the sudden shutdown was caused by a lack of software update of Firmware. So i thought I recommend taht you guys check for updates every single day, its critical to the performance of ur equipment. Dont get me wrong, I said most cases were fixed with the upgrade and there is a possibility that the battery is damaged. For that, I would recommend calibrating your battery about each month in order to have the best battery performance. Instructions for calibration can be found online or in your user's manual. I hope this helps and last but not least, go to the Apple Store if you have any questions, talk to any employee and they will find the help you need! Good Luck and again hope this infromation is useful.

MacBook powers down without warning

My Macbook just shuts off while Im using it. The screen flickers out and it dies. Sometimes it takes multiple attempts of hitting the power button to get my laptop to restart afterwards. And occasionally, it will beep at me when it does power up. After restarting the computer never registers an "unexpected quit".
Do I have a virus or a hardware problem?
What do I do?
macbook Mac OS X (10.4.7)

My Macbook just shuts off while Im using it. The
screen flickers out and it dies. Sometimes it takes
multiple attempts of hitting the power button to get
my laptop to restart afterwards. And occasionally, it
will beep at me when it does power up.
I have the exact same problem as you do, and my MacBook is being repaired now. Here's what I recommend you do:
Back up your files (if you have problems starting the coputer up to do the backup, try pressing and holding the power button until you hear a beep). Perform the steps described by guykuo in http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=577462&tstart=45 . If the problem doesn't go away, call Apple. Your computer will probably need its logic board replaced, so be prepared to be without it for a while.
MacBook 1.83 Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Computer turns off without warning on battery power

Starting a few weeks ago I've found that my Macbook Pro has been turning off without warning while on battery power. The first time this happened it was after about an hour of use and now it happens within a half hour or less. If I try turning it back on it shuts off before OS X is fully loaded. According to CoconutBattery my battery's health is at 97%, so the battery isn't losing overall charge capability. When I'm on battery power it says I have 2-3 hours of battery life left. Sometimes I notice this will drop between 1-2 hours after 20-30 min of use (if it'll stay on that long) but it never drops and gives me a warning of low battery. It just shuts off without warning. If I press the button on the battery after this happens I do get 4 out of 5 lights. This never used to be a problem. My computer is 14 months old. I've replaced the battery once about 8 months ago (under warranty) because my original battery was losing capacity very quickly. Because 14 months have passed I can't simply get a new battery under warranty. According to Cocoanut Battery and the Finder my battery should last near it's full capacity. I can't figure out why it's randomly shutting off. I have had all the latest updates including the recent battery patch. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I will award "solved" for a solution and "helpful" for posts that contribute to the solution. thanks!
Message was edited by: Vegabondsx
Message was edited by: Vegabondsx

Because 14 months have passed I can't simply get a new battery under warranty.
Actually (and fortunately), that's incorrect. Apple extended the warranty for all Core Duo notebook batteries to *2 years* from date of purchase. Details are here:
http://www.apple.com/support/macbook_macbookpro/batteryupdate/
Your full charge capacity is fine (as you noted). But one of the symptoms listed on the linked page is +"Battery exhibits low charge capacity/runtime when using a fully charged battery with a battery cycle count (as shown in System Profiler) of less than 300."+ The word runtime in there applies, so I would call Apple or make a Genius Bar appointment and head into a store. (I did the latter, they replaced mine - free of charge - 15 months after purchase, no AppleCare, and no hassles).
Hope this helps...

I have an hp a6130n desktop that will shut off without warning. power button turns orange

I have an hp a6130n desktop that shuts off without warning. The fan goes ballistic and the power button turns orange and the only way I can get it back on is to shut off the power strip it is plugged into. Any ideas?

jigsaw1
Your system was released back in May of 2007 so I suspect you've had it for a while. I know that the CPUs have self preservation modes that will react if the processor gets overtaxed. Try cleaning out the system with some of that air in a can stuff. Blow out the heatsink and processor fins and make sure there's not a lot of dust around the vents and inside. Make sure it's got plnty of air flow into the box. When the fan goes crazy it's the system trying to react what it feels is an excessively warm temp inside. It can also happen when you've got a lot of different programs running that strains the system. The information on the webpage for your system (See here) reflects a base memory of 3GBs If you want, another GB of memory might help the system if it's a 32Bit OS or as much as 8 if it's a 64 bit system. I hope this helps address your issue. Regards
I work for HP. When your problem has been solved, accept the solution by clicking the "Accept as Solution" button to help other members in the future!

My MacBook shuts down without warning. Recently installed snow leopard. Battery is fine. Any ideas?

My MacBook shuts down without warning. I recently installed Snow Leopard and increased my RAM/Memory. My battery is fine. When I took it to the Genius Bar and they ran a diagnostic, nothing showed up. It appeared fine and did not shut down during the time I was in the Apple Store. Of course, once I made the two-hour drive home, my computer shut down within two minutes of using it. Any ideas? Do I need a new computer? This one is about 5 years old.

Sounds like a buggerd battery chip. If the MacBook turns off at a certain percent all the time, then your battery's status chip is damaged and is (quite literally) lying to Mac OS X.
If it is actually hitting 0%, then temperature could be an issue or a there may be an issue with the battery itself.
My advice: you may need to get a new MacBook as a new battery for 2006-model MacBook may be hard to come by (and defintiely no warranty support from Apple).

Macbook Battery dies without warning (indicator says life left)

Ever since upgrading to Leopard my macbook battery dies without warning. The whole computer goes dead and I have to plug it in and restart. Obviously bad for the computer. Really annoying.
How do I fix this?
also... I can't use Software update anymore for some reason because it says I'm not connected to the internet--even though I obviously am.

Check and see if you have battery update 1.3 installed. You should find it at the location listed. Right click on the bundle and check *Get Info* a window will open and you can check the version there.
MacBook/System/Library/SystemConfiguration/BatteryUpdater.bundle
Leopard(10.5.1) and Tiger(10.4.11) installs it. It is the MacBook Pro update.
If it is 1.3 drag it to the trash and then reboot. After you reboot you will be able to empty the trash. Once you have done that run software update and it should install Battery Update 1.2. You could also download from here. Apple: Battery Update 1.2
You should reset the SMC (System Management Controller) after doing this.

My Macbook Air (circa ~2008, used) keeps shutting off without warning.

Hi, guys. I'm back again with the same issue. My aluminum Macbook Air (circa late 2008, used) keeps shutting off without warning. It comes back on as if nothing has happened, and I can even unplug as soon as I press the power button (twice, once to do...something, and the second to turn it back on). I have a brand new battery, so I know it's not that, nor is it an overheating issue. This is becoming very frustrating for me.
Before you recommend: I cannot possibly get to a Genius Bar appointment, because, unfortunately, Apple has no stores in West Virginia.
Thank you all for your help!
Battery Information:
Model Information:
Manufacturer:          LIKK
Device Name:          ASMB015
Pack Lot Code:          0
PCB Lot Code:          0
Firmware Version:          0
Hardware Revision:          0
Cell Revision:          0
Charge Information:
Charge Remaining (mAh):          2046
Fully Charged:          No
Charging:          Yes
Full Charge Capacity (mAh):          3745
Health Information:
Cycle Count:          49
Condition:          Normal
Battery Installed:          Yes
Amperage (mA):          2056
Voltage (mV):          11848

And have you already tried to reinstall the OS and you put in a new battery?
cant be monitor or fan, only possibility is onboard Ram / logic board or the SSD is going bad.
If the logic board / memory is bad,...the cost of which would make repair a bit counterintuitive to replace given the age of the unit.
Does it does this plugged in or only on battery? Does it hold a full charge.

My MacBook Pro turns off without warning

My MBP (13 inch, purchased mid 2010) turns off without warning. It is a 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 4 GB Memory running OS X Version 10.9.4. It happens after periods of both short and long use and has been occurring for the last few months. I keep it updated regularly. I have yet to receive a report when I turn it back on that explains the shut down. So far I have reset the SMC and PRAM as others have mentioned that it helps. No luck though. My battery lasts all day, and I don't use my computer heavily. It doesn't feel hot when it turns off either. There is simply an audible "click" and a black screen. Can anyone help explain this? It is getting very frustrating having to constantly worry that it could crash at any second.

These instructions must be carried out as an administrator. If you have only one user account, you are the administrator.
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Paste into the Terminal window by pressing the key combination command-V. I've tested these instructions only with the Safari web browser. If you use another browser, you may have to press the return key after pasting.
Wait for a new line ending in a dollar sign ($) to appear below what you entered.
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If any personal information appears in the output, anonymize before posting.

Macbook air turned off without warning?

Hi! Last night my macbook air turned off without warning and wouldn't turn back on until I tried again this morning. A few weeks ago I had my battery and logic board replaced and since then it the screen has gone blue for a few seconds and then back to normal a few times, (in case this is related at all). Is there something I should do to make sure this doesn't happen again.

As you say it is just been repaired I would take it back to the place that repaired it and ask them to look at it.

Instead of going to sleep macbook turns off when it runs out of power

Sometimes (not all the time-- I'd estimate 50% of the time) when I am running my macbook from the battery, and I run out of power, my computer shuts itself off instead of going to sleep.
B/c I use my macbook a lot from the battery to write etc., the shutting off is getting annoying.
Has anyone else had this happen, or know what I can do about it?
I am running the most updated version of 10.5.1

First Magus wrote:
This problem affects pre Santa Rosa MacBooks so you need to check the following.
Check and see if you have battery update 1.3 installed. You should find it at the location listed. Right click on the bundle and check *Get Info* a window will open and you can check the version there.
MacBook/System/Library/SystemConfiguration/BatteryUpdater.bundle
Leopard(10.5.1) and Tiger(10.4.11) installs it. It is the MacBook Pro update.
If it is 1.3 drag it to the trash and then reboot. After you reboot you will be able to empty the trash. Once you have done that run software update and it should install Battery Update 1.2. You should reset the SMC (System Management Controller) after doing this.
Where is this "bundle" located at?

Audio popping when battery run low. Help !!

Hi there,
I have a macbook pro 13" late 2011 with OSX Lion, 8 Gb Ram and 2,4 Ghz i5 cpu.
I'm a producer/composer so I use mt mac a lot for audio.
My problem is that whatever I'm doing, if I'm using ableton or maschine or logic, when battery is low and the low battery message appears on the screen,
my cpu meter goes very high (red) and it's impossible keep on working: audio starts popping and running slow so much that is impossible even understand what track is playing.
So when I start to charge it it comes back and starts working properly.
I don't understand why it happends only when the battery low message on the screen appears.
It happends even if I use vlc playing an mp3.
Any help please ???

sanjampet wrote:
Roblars,
As Csound1 said keep the battery charged, or better still, use the power supply.
I do production as well, and I think that Csound1 does as well,
Yes, I do.
I would not even think of working on any project on battery for more than :30m.
No power from battery= all kinds of artifacts and errors.
I never work on battery, performance is reduced.
Hi there

MacBook shuts down without warning during calibration (39% battery power)

My MacBook has been shutting down without warning during recent calibrations (which I've done approximately every two months). Most recently it shut down after 2 hours and 20 minutes on battery power with a battery reading of 39% -- i.e., nowhere close to the 0% of a fully rundown battery.
The result is that:
I'm not seeing the 'low battery' warning dialog before the computer shuts down; and
(ii) I'm not able to save current work and close all applications when the battery's charge gets low, before the computer goes to sleep (because it just shuts down without warning)
Can I do anything about this? Is it just an unavoidable indication of declining battery performance?
My MacBook is 15 months old. Current 'battery information' is listed below.
Thanks. Replies appreciated.
Battery Information:
Battery Installed: Yes
First low level warning: No
Full Charge Capacity (mAh): 4792
Remaining Capacity (mAh): 4790
Amperage (mA): 0
Voltage (mV): 12477
Cycle Count: 23
------------------------------

stevenray1 wrote:
1. I'm not sure how to match the path you listed re: the '1.3 battery update' to what's on my MacBook. Maybe I just don't understand how to interpret it, but I don't have a root folder (or any other folder) identified as 'MacBook.' When I used Spotlight, I also didn't come up with a BatteryUpdater.bundle. A file named BatteryUpdate2007001.pkg was all that Spotlight turned up.
On my MacBoook my hard drive that I boot from is named Mort's MacBook. Yours may be similar I don't know. It is the drive you boot from. Mines shows in finder as the top level drive. The next level in column view. Then you find the System file and go from there.
If your not sure what you named your drive or which one it is click the apple in the upper left corner and then pick *About This Mac* You then should see *Startup Disk* and next to that the name is what you refer too when you look for the folder path I gave.
2. You recommended resetting the SMC. However, the info file you provided a link for says it shouldn't be "necessary except as a last resort in cases where a hardware failure of the power management system is suspected." Does that accurately describe the condition I reported? Also, the problems listed as possible reasons to reset the SMC don't include the one I posted about.
The reason I suggest resetting the SMC is that your changing one of the components that is controlled by the functions of the SMC. The battery is a big part of the system which the battery update changes. To get it to be sure to recognize the new bundle you reset the SMC. The instructions linked are not all inclusive but if you don't want to reset it that is up to you.
3. Similarly, re: the 1.2 Battery Update, it's not clear to me that any of the listed 'symptoms' of a faulty battery apply in my case -- unless what I reported indicates a "+low charge capacity/runtime+." Does it?
The battery update instructions are again not all inclusive. If you don't want to do it that is fine. All I know is you have a MacBook Pro update installed at the moment. You don't have a MacBook Pro. This suggestion of mine has helped many people with problems as reported by you. You do not have to do anything you don't want. That is your choice. Is your battery cutting off at 39% considered normal operating or capacity to you? I personally would call it a faulty battery, but thats just me.
What would be your definition of a faulty battery?
4. Apparently, you had a faulty battery which Apple replaced. I wasn't sure from your message whether you had other things going on that made it clear you had a faulty battery, or only the same symptoms I reported. Were there other power-related problems in your case, or only, as you wrote "the same thing as yours except mine cut off at 28%"?
I guess I misunderstood your original post, everything yours was doing mine was doing except mine cut off at 28% not 39%. I can only give advice on what you post. Are there other things happening that you didn't mention?
My idea of a faulty battery must be different than yours. If I don't get warnings I should and the battery does not work like it used to then that is a faulty battery in my opinion.
If your not comfortable with any of my suggestions contact Apple support and maybe they can help you. Possibly one of the other posters on here can give you different advice that you agree with. Never do anything advised in the forums unless you agree with it.

When I run low on power my MacBook powers off without warning

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