Hey everyone,

Just a quick question/request.

Can somebody check this for me: If you have a new MacBook (aluminium) or Pro, can you check to see if the black plastic area on the hinge (for the wireless) moves?

I have a 1-2mm gap which I'm able to slide the black plastic edge up and down on (e.g. if pushed up, it'll be flush with the aluminium but expose a gap, if pushed down, the reverse: flush with bottom but exposed gap on top).

I'm just wondering if this is normal or not - I was wiping the black area and felt it move.

Thanks!

Hi Huy,

Just checked on my new MBP, and I can't get the black plastic hinge part to move. It does depress slightly when I push down on it, but it's more like the plastic's flexing a bit, and I wouldn't say it moves a millimetre.

Just to check –*you're talking about the part of the hinge you can see when the machine is open, yes? (i.e. the part between the top of the keyboard and the MacBook/MacBook Pro logo on the monitor casing you can see when the machine is open, not the flat rectangular part you can see from outside when the machine is closed)

You mean the clutch?

No - I would not expect that this should be moving other than as part of the hinge mechanism.

Although, I haven't had a chance to verify but I can say that most likely it should not be moving at all.

Not to hijack your thread-

But does anyone else with a Macbook Pro (unibody) have a loose battery chamber cover?

Mine moves about 3mm back and forward if you jiggle it.

No movement that I can feel or see with my 2.4 Al MacBook Huy.

*edit* No movement when the laptop is closed either Huy and Phase my battery cover isn't loose although it is about 1mm curved so that the seam doesn't sit exactly flush all the way along the battery.

Originally Posted by poisontofu

Just to check –*you're talking about the part of the hinge you can see when the machine is open, yes? (i.e. the part between the top of the keyboard and the MacBook/MacBook Pro logo on the monitor casing you can see when the machine is open, not the flat rectangular part you can see from outside when the machine is closed)

The latter I'm afraid. Flat rectangular part you see from the outside when the machine is closed.

Originally Posted by thorevenge

You mean the clutch?
No - I would not expect that this should be moving other than as part of the hinge mechanism.
Although, I haven't had a chance to verify but I can say that most likely it should not be moving at all.

Clutch? What is this part?

Apologies for not being clearer.

This is what I am referring to:



On the back of the MacBooks, you can see a black strip, highlighted inside the red box.
Using the green arrows, this strip (on mine) is able to slide sideways in the direction of the green arrow, to the left or to the right. Slightly (1-2mm) but there is definitely a gap on the end/s.

To further illustrate this:



This is not my MacBook but I found the image on the net. Basically with this black piece of plastic (strip), you can see a gap on the end. One end (e.g. the left) will be absolutely flush with the aluminium, while the right end (say) will expose a gap (I have indicated this with the red arrows and lines). If you want to make the right side flush, then you 'slide' the black piece to the right -- which makes the left side expose a gap.

So I was just wondering whether this is normal behaviour or not, or whether others can do this too? (If so, it's not just me, no DOA, etc).

Nope, mine won't budge no matter how hard I push either way =\

Thanks pwnT.

Any others? I'm in exam season so I'd rather not have to go back to the Apple Store and ask for a replacement.

I have another week before my return date expires.

My black bit does not move.
My battery cover is flush and will not move.
and now that I have swapped my MB for MBPro my screen in great.

If i were you i'd get it back asap and use your desktop

AfterBurner_1, I'm thinking that's what I'll do. Cheers. I'll see what they say about it though, before I go and bring the box in.

I'm pretty sure they won't give me any trouble with it, but it is a pain to box it all up again (and wipe the machine down), then return it to the store and get another one.

I'm on my desktop right now - the laptop only gets used at uni when I'm out. Sometimes in bed but not often since I'd rather be productive at a table than uncomfortable.

Well if it isn't "normal" to have this happen, then I wouldn't want to keep the machine.

I don't have another new MacBook to compare it to, so I'm asking those who have one to check for me, so that it'll save me a trip to the city.

I'm also well within my return period so if I can get it replaced for free, I don't see why I shouldn't be allowed to have a completely working machine, without any problems or defects. I'm sure you would be feeling the same if you had a part that was not supposed to be moving around, move around.

I only just discovered it while cleaning the machine a few days ago.

yeah, the lid on my macbook doesnt sit flush... it sticks out by a millimeter or so and it can semi slid up and down Ah well, it doesnt really bother me

When did you buy it?

You could get that replaced on those grounds. If you don't find it an inconvenience to format the machine then repackage it up again the way you got it.

I bought it from JB HI-FI at the start of this week. Do you think they'll let me return it? I asked them about the 14 day take back policy and the guy serving me said they didn't have anything like that. They only took things back if there was something wrong with the machine. Could this be classified as a DOA?

Hmm.

JB HiFi has a different policy I think. The JB thread has people saying they don't take returns/exchanges.

If you bought it at an Apple Store, it would be DOA/defective.

Ahhh, okay... Ignore my PM then :P Can I take it to a genius still while I'm in sydney? Or... I do I have to deal with JB?

Originally Posted by pwnT

Ahhh, okay... Ignore my PM then :P Can I take it to a genius still while I'm in sydney? Or... I do I have to deal with JB?

You should be able to take it to a genius and have them look at it.

But I'm not sure if they'll replace the machine for you, since you bought it at JB.

Originally Posted by mab

No movement on mine

Thanks. Now I'm pretty sure that this shouldn't be happening...