Holy CRAP: clearing PRAM actually worked!

[unpopular]

For those windows folks, clearing PRAM is like resting the bios on a PC, only it never actually fixes anything. Whenever you troubleshoot a mac, us mac users always are advised to reset PRAM as one of the steps. It doesn't really matter what the problem is, but you always do the little PRAM song and dance, and it NEVER fixes anything.

Over an lifetime of using mac, resetting the PRAM has never, not once, ever fixed a single problem. Until tonight.

After reinstalling a new DVD-RW in my macbook pro, the wifi card went awol and the computer wouldn't turn off. I'd go to shut down, and it would just come back to life. So. I checked the motherboard for loose connections, and, as every good mac user does, reset the PRAM expecting nothing.

What do you know, it actually fixed the problem. A first in Apple history.

 

[cgipson1]

For those windows folks, clearing PRAM is like resting the bios on a PC, only it never actually fixes anything. Whenever you troubleshoot a mac, us mac users always are advised to reset PRAM as one of the steps. It doesn't really matter what the problem is, but you always do the little PRAM song and dance, and it NEVER fixes anything.

For the first time in a lifetime of using mac, resetting the PRAM has never, not once fixed a single problem. Until tonight.

After reinstalling a new DVD-RW in my macbook pro, the wifi card went awol and the computer wouldn't turn off. I'd go to shut down, and it would just come back to life. So. I checked the motherboard for loose connections, and, as every good mac user does, reset the PRAM expecting nothing.

What do you know, it actually fixed the problem. A first in Apple history.

I thought Apple didn't have problems?

 

[unpopular]

Now. If Kyocera made a Contax Laptop....

 

[molested_cow]

You are never supposed to touch anything beyond the outer casing of an Apple computer. Now expect to get sued big time!!!!!

 

[unpopular]

The original DVD drive wasn't the same model as the one I put in. Can they use this in court?

 

[rexbobcat]

You mean they don't a proprietary code that only their men in black-esque team of developers knows?

I imagined it was like the matrix under that sexy metallic finish.

 

[unpopular]

Oh no. You can work on a Mac. You just need itty bitty screw drivers and Torx wrenches. Apple always loved itty bitty Torx screws. They probably have a proprietary thread or something.

I'm sure if I needed to replace one, they'd be $35/screw.

 

[MK3Brent]

"It just works."

 

[2WheelPhoto]

No product is perfect, but few are as far from it as winders!

(I'm a "reformed" mac hater)

 

[unpopular]

"It just works."

LOL.

Well, yeah. Macs are reliable, and high quality. The machine is four years old and we don't own a TV, and we like watching DVDs. It's been banged around in dusty backpacks a lot, so the fact the DVD drive failed doesn't really surprise me much. If all that ever goes wrong is a $35 DVD-RW, I'm ok with that.

The weirdness with the wifi though is pretty strange. I don't know why the PRAM had to be reset. I did have to remove a cable connecting one side of the mother board with the other. I'm guessing something must have frazzled when I did that. I was pretty nervous that I'd have to replace the motherboard. In any case, I really doubt that is the norm when replacing a DVD drive, just some kind of freak occurrence.

 

[480sparky]

............What do you know, it actually fixed the problem. A first in Apple history.

What? The first time in history there's been a problem with an Apple?

 

[unpopular]

LOL. NO! I'm not a fanboy.

 

[PhotoWrangler]

I thought Apple didn't have problems?

Pc's have problems after a month. Macs have problems after a decade. They aren't invincible, but damned near...

 

[Majeed Badizadegan]

I thought Apple didn't have problems?

Pc's have problems after a month. Macs have problems after a decade. They aren't invincible, but damned near...