My 2006 White MacBook (when Apple transitioned from iBook to MacBook) with its 60w Power adapter has a problem.

The MagSafe adapter loses connection and the LED turns off, thus not charging or powering the laptop.

Jiggle the adapter a bit and the light comes back on; but it can go off any time irrespective of whether there is another jiggle or not.

I am not sure if this is an issue with the cable-end or the laptop end. I am hoping it's the cable-end; then I can buy a new cable and be done with it. If it is the laptop end, I may as well junk it and get another laptop.

Does anyone have any experience with this issue? Do you think this is the cable or the laptop that's misbehaving?

If it is the cable, a new cable costs $79 + tax (if it is even available). Does anyone know where I can get a new cable of that old type (T-Connector kind) at a lesser price?

If it is the laptop, I don't think I can even get $500 for the laptop as a trade-in, so I may as well junk it.

Cheers

Really, under $500 so it's junk? What a world we live in now...

Take a few minutes and research the fix, or wait for answers to roll in here. Might be worth a few $ of your time.

Lol check out warren buffet up there, just junking laptops that are worth less than $500 hahaha

Just take it to an Aasp or apple store. They can plug your computer into a known good adapter and if it works you buy a new adapter and you're set.

Sounds like an adapter issue, troubleshoot by trying a different adapter.

I think you can use the newer adapters on the old macbooks as well, but I may be wrong.

you can, with the exception that certain 08 models (and maybe 07) need a firmware update to recognize the new tips 100% of the time

Really, under $500 so it's junk? What a world we live in now...

Lol check out warren buffet up there, just junking laptops that are worth less than $500 hahaha

I stand chastised, and deservedly so. The trouble is, I did not write well enough to convey what I actually wanted to convey, but that no excuse :)

Anyway, I did take the MaBook to the Genius Bar. Out of warranty, out of AppleCare, but they just replaced by old T-Connector cable with a brand new cable (of the new type) and did it for free, just because I had what he called "a vintage MacBook"!!!

So, I am happy now because my wife is happy!

Thank you all :)

Cheers

WOW!!! That's some amazing user Apple support!! Nice touch!

But I wonder if they actually "replaced [the] old T-Connector cable with a brand new cable (of the new type), or just provided you and your wife with a newer power supply.

But regardless, there's sure no room for any complaint. ;)

That's amazing news!

Awesome customer service. Doesn't always work that way, but clearly you had a genius that didn't meet his "wow" quota for the day yet.


I stand chastised, and deservedly so. The trouble is, I did not write well enough to convey what I actually wanted to convey, but that no excuse :)

Anyway, I did take the MaBook to the Genius Bar. Out of warranty, out of AppleCare, but they just replaced by old T-Connector cable with a brand new cable (of the new type) and did it for free, just because I had what he called "a vintage MacBook"!!!

So, I am happy now because my wife is happy!

Thank you all :)

Cheers

WOW!!! That's some amazing user Apple support!! Nice touch!

But I wonder if they actually "replaced [the] old T-Connector cable with a brand new cable (of the new type), or just provided you and your wife with a newer power supply.

But regardless, there's sure no room for any complaint. ;)

He actually took out a new sealed box and opened it in front of me and handed me both portions. Nope, no room for complaint at all!

That's amazing news!

Awesome customer service. Doesn't always work that way, but clearly you had a genius that didn't meet his "wow" quota for the day yet.

Yes, I probably did. This same genius was helping an iPhone customer just before he helped me. The iPhone customer, with liquid damage, was trying to wangle a brand new phone free of charge, saying that two other Apple Stores had promised to replace the phone free and why this store was not doing so. He also had a charging cable that looked like it was dinner for a couple of rats and complained loudly that the quality of the manufacturing was crap. Needless to say, he got neither a phone nor a cable (free). He paid for both.

And this same genius comes to me next and says "Have the adapter and cable on me, since you have such a vintage MacBook"!

Cheers

http://www.ehmac.ca/anything-mac/99760-happy-apple-repair-story.html
My daughter's Macbook wasn't as old as your Mac which make your news even better.

Two months ago I bought two iPhone 4 for cheap on ebay from 2ndturnCanada-AS-IS. The two units had a problem with the home button but were still under Apple warranty until august 2012. I opened them to be sure that they were not liquid damaged units but everything was fine so I went to the Quebec Apple Store to check if I could get them repaired under warranty. One of the two iPhone had sign of water spill on the connector (didn't notice it) but the genius at the Apple Store found out the water damage looking with his small flashlight. There was no problem to replace the first unit but the water spilled one was more problematic. I told him that I was a big Apple fan and owned many Apple products. Finally I walked out of the store with two brand new units....No bad !!

Understatement of the month, below, in bold:

Two months ago I bought two iPhone 4 for cheap on ebay from 2ndturnCanada-AS-IS. The two units had a problem with the home button but were still under Apple warranty until august 2012. I opened them to be sure that they were not liquid damaged units but everything was fine so I went to the Quebec Apple Store to check if I could get them repaired under warranty. One of the two iPhone had sign of water spill on the connector (didn't notice it) but the genius at the Apple Store found out the water damage looking with his small flashlight. There was no problem to replace the first unit but the water spilled one was more problematic. I told him that I was a big Apple fan and owned many Apple products. Finally I walked out of the store with two brand new units....No bad !!