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Ashley

MacBook Woe

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Lately noticing my Macbook (circa Mid 2007) battery is flying down. I know with any rechargeable battery you're supposed to let them die down every once in a while and I haven't lately but twice today it has run down to zero and I've not been using it that much.

 

Anyone got any ideas on how (if) to fix it. I'm hoping I won't need a new battery as no doubt that will require a small loan being taken out as its Apple.

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Don't think you'll have much luck fixing it, mine went the same way eventually. Do you know how many 'cycles' it's done, and the battery health?

 

If you need a new one here is a good website for Apple parts Link

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I had to replace the battery on my PowerBook a year ago or so. The cost wasn't that bad to be honest.

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Don't think you'll have much luck fixing it, mine went the same way eventually. Do you know how many 'cycles' it's done, and the battery health?

 

If you need a new one here is a good website for Apple parts Link

 

No idea. Anyway I could find out?

 

But cheers for the link. Not too bad. I was expecting at least £100.

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A friend replaced their battery recently and commented that it wasn't that bad! Possibly cheaper than buying the cable charger haha.

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Try iStat Pro

 

It's a dashboard widget, gives you a rundown of everything on your mac, including battery life, the number of cycles you've used battery health etc. Pretty useful.

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Try iStat Pro

 

It's a dashboard widget, gives you a rundown of everything on your mac, including battery life, the number of cycles you've used battery health etc. Pretty useful.

 

Oooh thanks for that, I can use that too heh.

 

How many cycles can a battery go through before it kinda dies? I'm on my second battery now and its health seems to be at 89% with 516 cycles. I very often just keep it plugged in though, as I need it all day. That's probably not good heh... >.>;

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I don't think it's that bad. Mine, which is now probably around 4 1/2 years old has 90% health on 512 cycles, and I use it almost exclusively plugged in. When it is unplugged the battery health tends to drop, I assume cause it's so old.

 

I looked it up a while ago and apple suggest you let your battery run down to 0 once every now and again, I try to do it every month or so and I think that usually helps.

 

I don't think it's that bad. Mine, which is now probably around 4 1/2 years old has 90% health on 512 cycles, and I use it almost exclusively plugged in. When it is unplugged the battery health tends to drop, I assume cause it's so old.

 

I looked it up a while ago and apple suggest you let your battery run down to 0 once every now and again, I try to do it every month or so and I think that usually helps.

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Haha my battery is only like, a year old. =P

 

I rarely let it run down to 0 though... I probably should. I don't know enough about all this technical stuff really. I just plug it in whenever it's about to run out (10 minutes left) or I keep it plugged in.

 

*will try to pay more attention to her battery*

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Try iStat Pro

 

It's a dashboard widget, gives you a rundown of everything on your mac, including battery life, the number of cycles you've used battery health etc. Pretty useful.

 

Beat me to it there. I have the same widget, it is pretty useful. You can get the number of cycles by going through system profiler as well.

 

The older batteries should have 80% capacity after about 300 cycles, and the newer ones I think 80% after 500.

It also doesn't matter if it's always plugged in as long as you calibrate it every couple of months. Which is let it drop to 0%, leave it off for 6 hours, then fully charge it and leave it at 100% for 6 hours.

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Wow that sounds like a faff. But I may do it next time...I can think when to do it with least disturbance to general life. Cheers :)

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It can be a bit. It is especially if you need your computer. I tend to do it over night and then leave it plugged in during the day.

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Tried it and...doesn't seem to have done anything. Battery power has gone down 8% in about 10 minutes. Guess its time to get a new battery :/

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