Rolling Computer Crashes?

[stevekenson]

I've heard of rolling blackouts, but this morning while checking my e-mail, my computer mysteriously crashed twice: just blinked off, like somebody yanked the plug out of the wall (in fact, I checked the power cord connection, just to make sure). I needed to hit the power button to restart it. Right now, I can only assume it's the heat: since I've turned the AC on in the office, it's been fine. Still, I backed everything up today (rather than tomorrow, my usual backup day) just to be on the safe side. Anyone else ever had a similar problem with a Mac (mine's a G5 iMac) overheating and crashing in especially hot weather?

Speaking of Macs, I visited the Apple store in Salem, NH, a couple days ago, really just to look around and fantasize. I love all the neat new toys, and the new MacBook laptops are so nice looking! The displays in particular are amazingly clear. ::sigh:: Ah, if only I was a techno-geek with the resources to match...

Comments

[wyrdo.livejournal.com]

Er, hello. I'm not a Mac expert or even a computer expert... however, I did have a laptop which suffered from a dead fan. It was an insidious problem to track down. The machine would run for a while and then turn off. If would turn back on, when I pressed the button, and then shut down. It would just depend how long it took to get too hot again.

If your fan has been going at full speed (perhaps due to extra external heat) then it might be suffering.

Er, um, Mac's have fans? Right. I now have a faint memory that some fancy-dancy Macs do without.

[foxbat.livejournal.com]

I lust -- seriously lust -- after one of the new MacBooks. I've decided that I don't need a laptop for games; I just want one for email, web surfing, writing, etc., and those shiny white MacBooks are just the ticket. Small enough to carry around everywhere, large keyboards, lovely screens, thin... I'm amazed I haven't purchased one yet.

[joannahurley.livejournal.com]

If it was a PC I'd suspect the fan/heat problem as well. That was happening to a friend's machine; turns out the bracket holding the fan in place had broken and it wasn't cooling right.

[xomec.livejournal.com]

I lust -- seriously lust -- after one of the new MacBooks.

Yeah, like I said, if I had the means right now... well, I would have picked one up at the Apple Store the other day. :)

Funny thing is, I originally thought I'd like the black model better but, seeing them up close, I actually prefer the white one.

[drakematrix.livejournal.com]

I can almost guarantee it was the heat. My laptop crashes constantly. I doubt macs are as immune to heat waves as they are to virii

[evan-sass.livejournal.com]

I have a G5 iMac as well, and I don't think it has ever crashed. It has, however, turned off (or perhaps gone to sleep?) twice when I reached out with my right hand to pivot the display and my finger inadvertently pressed the power button. Something to test out, perhaps.

[evan-sass.livejournal.com]

I just saw this link and determined that my iMac isn't affected, but yours might be. http://www.apple.com/support/imac/repairextensionprogram/

To check your serial number against the list, click on the apple in the upper left, then About This Mac, then More Info... This will open System Profiler, and the serial number appears on the Hardware Overview. (Beats having to shut down and tilt your iMac onto its screen to read the serial number on the bottom of the silver foot.)

[xomec.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Ev! As it happens, my iMac is on the potentially affected list, so I think I might need to make an appointment at the Apple store to get it looked at!

[evan-sass.livejournal.com]

Just trying to do my part to keep Mac users from deserting to Windows. ;)