I've been writing about continuous improvement, habits and productivity since 2007.

How I got a “new” MacBook Pro at no cost

[dropcap1]A[/dropcap1]bout two weeks ago, my old Macbook Pro (a 15 inch Intel Core 2 Duo 2.2 Ghz unibody circa 2008) suddenly heaved signs of distress. The LCD screen showed color distortions on boot up.  The hard drive is warm to touch. Shutting down the unit and then restarting allowed me to boot and then log in. After about 4 cycles of restarting, my mac screen went blank and I couldn’t boot anymore, even if my hard drive is churning active! What the? All of a sudden?

I felt stunned. I was a firm believer Macs are indestructible breed of PCs. Thus, I never searched  for “bugs” on my model of Mac when I bought it. A universally stupid presumption!

I searched  the net  for a diagnosis to this kind of mac problem. An Apple article implied that a defective GPU packaging possibly toasted my MBP’s logic board.  The culprit is a batch of  NVIDIA 8600GM GPU soldered to the logic board of an MBP similar to and  manufactured at the same time as my MBP.

Allegedly, such “defective” GPU melts on average, warm temperatures  (other non-defective GPUs do not) and possibly short circuit the MBP’s logic board. If an MBP shows video distortion like what’s described in this article, manufactured around this year (late 2007-2008), and has this specific GPU, Apple offers an extended replacement program.

I called up Apple support (thru their toll free hotline) and the personnel instructed me to bring my MBP to the nearest apple authorized service provider (AASP). Should my MBP “pass” the diagnostic tests made by the techs at this AASP, my MBP would be repaired at no cost. Heaven knows how stringent these diagnostic criteria could be. But I don’t have any other choice either. The outlook of me shelling some 20-30K for logic board repairs is out of the equation.

The tech at this AASP performed a series of tests on my MBP as per instruction of Apple. His preliminary diagnosis was lethal, something that might not be just limited to my MBP’s GPU. It’s a logic board problem. Logic board repair or replacement outside of its warranty period is expensive, not to mention impractical. You might be better off buying a new, faster and higher valued mac than replace a an old MBP’s logic board. Worst, logic board replacement will not be covered by the GPU recall’s extended warranty or trade in. The GPU recall extended warranty and trade in program covers only up to 3 years from the date of purchase. My MBP is 4 years old. Bad news, but I’m not giving up just yet.

I called back the tech at AASP and explained  why the logic board possibly got affected. I’m no better techie than the tech at the AASP but you don’t need to be a genius to understand the logic behind this logic board problem.  If the GPU is soldered  to the logic board, and is defective , melts at high temperatures, chances are, it short circuited and destroyed the logic board too.

If this is the case, my MBP qualifies for Apple’s Extended Warranty program because the defective GPU toasted the logic board. The tech was helpful enough to refer back again my “case” to Apple. He gave case number and asked me to call Apple support and talk about my concern. After several discussions with Apple’s customer support and them interviewing me several times, plus the shuffling between me and the tech at AASP, Apple made me one surprising decision.

They’re going to make an exception in my case and replace my logic board with a new one. They’ll send a new logic board to the AASP and then the AASP will do the repairs, all at no cost to me.

I was speechless. Replacement at no cost. A new logic board meant an almost new MBP. Hence, I have a “new” Mac Book now. 🙂

 

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RAWR! Lion in my iDesktop!

After four, sleepless days of “hackintoshing” I’ve been able to mount a “tamed” Lion. One that works 99% of a time. I never thought installing Mac OS X 10.7.2 (Lion) of my desktop would much difficult than installing a Snow Leopard. Thanks to Time machine back ups.

OS X 10.7.2 known as Lion installed on my hackintosh

So far its running good and fast. Didn’t have kernel panics or boot problems. All my hardware peripherals worked out of the box, and I’m slowly adding up some more gadgets. Some of my apps don’t work with this version of OSX though. The icloud bug is also hounding me. I know a fix is coming right up.

I’d be posting my install method next time. For now, I’m just getting myself oriented by this beast. Or is it the other way around???

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Is blogging right for you?

I’ve been asked a few times about blogging. I offered bits of information here and there but nothing close to actually churning out a 60 minute blabber. To jumpstart the orientation, I gave  an intro talk on blogging for professionals. Guess who are my audience for this talk- people  on mainstream media

Frankly, I made a mess in that tutorial. I got the audience more confused after the tutorial. But guess what? That mess piqued the minds of my audience. They never ran out of questions! Which is a good thing!

I think.

For techie guy like me, an intro tutorial to blogging is ironically, super technical. The real challenge is translating the technical gibberish into understandable concepts. To think, I was talking to mass communication people entrenched in mainstream media!

So I’m writing this post not as an excuse for that messy tutorial, but as a prologue to that tutorial. I’m drawing similarities between blogging as an alternative media and that of the mainstream media.

So is blogging right for you?

Let me answer that question with three traits I noticed with great  bloggers and/or great writers. I’ve  been blogging since 2006. While this doesn’t make me an expert on blogging, I fairly had a head start noticing passionate bloggers and those that just blogged overnight and left.

Bloggers read a lot.

They read everything their mind could absorb. Even with topics that aren’t in their list of interests. These blogger’s cerebrum have grey matter gyrations  that can hold bazillion of information. Their thirst for information is unquenchable. They’re like informations “sponges”. How they process these information is really up to the blogger.  What I’m sure is, they read a lot- a lot more than an average individual does. This is why internet is like booze to them. They are a fan of information explosion. Bloggers are voracious reader.

Bloggers write a lot

Of course. They match what they read with writing. It may be on a scratch paper, a tissue paper, on ticklers, or on notepads, ipads or what have they.  Their mind is just spewing ideas every moment. Most people worry about grammars, spelling and so many things. Yes, these are valid concerns.  Write first, then edit after. I’ve learned blogging this way, and every friend I have knew how much I suck with english spelling and composition. Not that blogging has greatly improved my grammar now but at least I can write with greater confidence than before. Seriously, gramar, spelling and composition is important too, but first, write. Then you worry about these stuff when you have something to edit!

Bloggers are very passionate individuals

Their passion is unstoppable. This is what drive their persistence, their determination and sense of fulfillment. Yes, you can write dis-interestingly, but with blogging, every good reader will know if your writing just for the sake of writing. Don’t ask. Blog readers are an intelligent crop of information-getters mind you. So again, a blogger should bevery passionate about blogging. Otherwise, I would recommend you stick with just writing stuff in your mind.

Last thing.

Don’t get into blogging with moneymaking as your first, main reason

I said first, because I personally knew a blogger who went into blogging for money, and suceeded. But they’re what? upper one percent? You’re chance of making it big the first time you blog is slimmer than you getting hit by a lightning. Of course you can earn money while blogging but that will come in later. Personally, I’ve spent more money on blogging that what I’ve earn from it in six years. This does not include the perks and freebies I get sometimes (that’s a different topic ), but less than more, I’m spending for it. I came to the conclusion years ago, that blogging is not my source of income anyway, or in the future.

So is blogging right for you? Try asking yourself if you’ve got the traits I mentioned above and you’ll get your answers.

Fellow bloggers, what can do you think is the best tip you can give to these new bloggers? Please comment below for your answers.

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My house got hacked!

They took away what’s most valuable to me – Privacy. I bade goodbye to  “safety inside your home” cliche.

The robbers broke in by removing window jalousies, sneaking in unnoticed despite having to hurl themselves 5 meters up, tiptoeing through a maze of litter and the glaring kitchen light. Here’s one of the footprints  I discovered. You need not be SOCO or CSI just to say this is not mine nor some bigfoot out there.

footprints in the sand...toed in to hurl himself up the 5 meter high wall.

Luckily, I fell asleep on the sofa watching tv and with all the lights is still on. The would-be robbers got scared of my snore, rather than the bone drill I was recharging! Whatever , I’m glad nothing happened to me. They took nothing but my precious privacy. They walked out of the door unnoticed just like that! So do you think you’re really safe inside your own home?

I highly urge everyone to be extra careful now that the “ber” months is here and christmas is fast approaching. Some people view this gift giving season as the fertile time for robbing someone else just  to splurge on their worldly wants. And don’t forget, these Facebook and  location updates, some “hackers’ might just be one of your followers doing the “casing” on you and then rob you when you least expect it!.

To those hackers who broke inside my house, I know you. I got your footprints photograph and scanned. Hopefully with CSI  technology, our SOCO might be able catch you . If you’re lucky enough, we’d meet one day in my OR table  with me, cutting your bones WITHOUT ANESTHESIA. In fact , I really knew where pain is most painful but least deadly when inflicted on human body!  Oh, don’t worry. We wouldn’t reach that far should you decide to come back here.I’m ready for you.

Imagine this APC's machine gun barrel right in front of your face, freakin robbers!

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