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Battery Update 1.2 for MB+PRO

2553 Views 19 Replies 9 Participants Last post by  joyjoy, 
Macaholic
It's in Software Update. No specifics from Apple as to what it does, which I'm really getting to hate.

All seems quiet so far at Apple's boards regarding this. Not much at Macintouch, with a little bit at Macfixit with some negative reader reports...

HA! Looks like we got ourselves a DAWG of an update! There are some problems from Macfixit readers... and Apple posted some resolutions. Seems this update is weeding out some MORE bad batteries, perhaps??

Suffice it to say that I am NOT applying this update until my current project is COMPLETE.
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HowEver
Welcome to yesterday.

I believe your thread bumped that thread from page 1.

Edit: it's a fairly safe update by all accounts.
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Macaholic
Sorry. I looked back through the threads but I guess I didn't go back far enough or maybe missed it. Story of my life these days.
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HowEver
Macaholic said:
Sorry. I looked back through the threads but I guess I didn't go back far enough or maybe missed it. Story of my life these days.
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np, and good advice about the update.
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Captstn
I stumbled across this after reading an article in the Toronto Star

http://www.apple.com/ca/support/macbook_macbookpro/batteryupdate/
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dona83
Don't think that's the Toronto Star you've linked to. :)

Quick google for Toronto Star Macbook battery turns up this:

http://www.thestar.com/Business/article/208115
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Captstn
dona83 said:
Don't think that's the Toronto Star you've linked to. :)

Quick google for Toronto Star Macbook battery turns up this:

http://www.thestar.com/Business/article/208115
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I didn't say that linked to the Star but gave the link to Apple AFTER reading the article.
but thanks for the link to the article ( I read newspapers the old-fashion way, sorry)
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kloan
My battery seems unchanged after the update... except there are a few quirks I've noticed.

In 'About this Mac' my memory shows up as '1GB 0Mhz RAM' (whereas it used to be 667Mhz)

The Full Charge Capacity and Remaining Capacity are now exactly the same at 5524.
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TrevX
kloan said:
My battery seems unchanged after the update... except there are a few quirks I've noticed.

In 'About this Mac' my memory shows up as '1GB 0Mhz RAM' (whereas it used to be 667Mhz)

The Full Charge Capacity and Remaining Capacity are now exactly the same at 5524.
Click to expand...
Mine says the same, but it said it before the update as well. Not sure why its saying 0.

Trev
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A
TrevX said:
Mine says the same, but it said it before the update as well. Not sure why its saying 0.

Trev
Click to expand...
I have had the same thing with my MBP from day one. Not sure why it doesn't give the proper speed.
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P
Ouch! According to the Apple article, my battery cycles should be at 300 but I JUST calibrated my battery and it's fully charged and system profiler has my battery at 234 cycles :( . Let's see if this update helps.
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HowEver
Pat McCrotch said:
Ouch! According to the Apple article, my battery cycles should be at 300 but I JUST calibrated my battery and it's fully charged and system profiler has my battery at 234 cycles :( . Let's see if this update helps.
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No. Your cycle count is less than 300.* It shouldn't be "at" 300. Cycling a battery refers to how many times you have unplugged and re-charged. Sometimes a temporary unplugging will count as a cycle. For example, the battery in my MacBook (new last fall) is at 20 cycles.

So you're fine, battery-wise (unless it doesn't hold a charge, which you would have indicated). Although I kind of see what the general problem is.


Apple said:
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.
Click to expand...
*Unless you've recharged exactly 300 times of course.
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J
Darn it. My full charge capacity dropped so much after I did the update. I used to be at 91% and now I'm at 78%. Wth??? I'm at 98 cycles. I did the update through Software update and I also downloaded it from the site.
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Macaholic
I think there's a link in this thread somewhere back regarding in-store exchanges for such an occurrence...

Like... this is a Sony (maker of battery) thing. Isn't it, gang? I think that this update is intended to weed out more bad batteries... plus fix any good ones... I think...
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P
My roomies 1-2 year old iBook would get about 5 minutes of bat. life on a full charge so he got a new battery from some special 3rd party company that specializes in Mac battery replacements. Now he has a good 4-5 hours of battery life. He claims his new 3rd party battery works better than his original battery EVER did.
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dona83
My friend's iBook battery which was replaced two years ago under the recall is still at 85% health. Are you people using your batteries correctly? Lithium batteries don't like to be fully discharged often although fully discharge and recharging once a month is recommended to calibrate the battery.
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HowEver
dona83 said:
My friend's iBook battery which was replaced two years ago under the recall is still at 85% health. Are you people using your batteries correctly? Lithium batteries don't like to be fully discharged often although once a month is recommended to calibrate the battery. If you're going to keep your laptop plugged in all the time, charge it/discharge it to 50% capacity, remove it, and keep it in a cool dry place, rememberring that you need to charge it, fully discharge it, then charge it again to full, and discharge it to 50% every month before putting it back into storage. That's just the nature of Lithium batteries.
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Wrong. Very wrong, in fact. At least for the MacBook&Pro (subject of this thread).

MacBook and MacBook Pro: Mac reduces processor speed when battery is removed while operating from an A/C adaptor

The MacBook/Pro will throttle down to 1Ghz if you remove the battery and run off A/C exclusively:

Apple said:
MacBook and MacBook Pro: Mac reduces processor speed when battery is removed while operating from an A/C adaptor

If the battery is removed from a MacBook or MacBook Pro, the computer will automatically reduce the processor speed. This prevents the compuer from shutting down if it demands more power than the A/C adaptor alone can provide.

Additional information
Important: It is strongly recommended that you do not use your MacBook or MacBook Pro while the battery is removed. Accidently bumping the A/C adaptor could disconnect power and shutdown the computer. Any information that was not saved on your computer would be lost.
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Macaholic
Krieky! Can this BE any more complicated??
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dona83
Oh, I guess I better tell the MacStation guys that. :p

I always keep my battery in anyway. If the power goes out, I often don't find out until I figure out that my internet's dead.
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J
Yes I calibrate my battery at least once a month. I just finished calibrating it after I installed the update and I'm still at 78% full charge capacity.

There's no Apple store in Calgary. If I had to call in to Apple support, would I have to buy the Applecare right then (1 year is in Sept) just to be able to speak with them?
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