I understand that with a dead battery in a legacy mbp pro like mine can cause freezing issues; regular 30 s duration freezes in my case. I’ve read the battery is called on for heavier tasks and if dead leads to these freezes. Does anyone have any knowledge about this? And where i can buy a genuine new Apple certified A1281 replacement battery?
MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 13.3
... i would like to see where you have referred to that tells you this is the syndrome ‘y’ caused by this issue ‘x’.
I understand. Nearly everything (or perhaps literally everything) macOS does is predicated on operable hardware. It presumes everything is working. It will offer very little if anything to suggest such a correlation, other than what you already know: its battery icon will indicate "service battery" or words to that effect, and using Apple Hardware Test is going to report a problem with the battery.
That's all we can do, and it's all an Apple Store or AASP would do. Their diagnostic troubleshooting flowchart, if there were such a thing, would terminate at the same endpoint: Replace the battery.
... i would like to see where you have referred to that tells you this is the syndrome ‘y’ caused by this issue ‘x’.
I understand. Nearly everything (or perhaps literally everything) macOS does is predicated on operable hardware. It presumes everything is working. It will offer very little if anything to suggest such a correlation, other than what you already know: its battery icon will indicate "service battery" or words to that effect, and using Apple Hardware Test is going to report a problem with the battery.
That's all we can do, and it's all an Apple Store or AASP would do. Their diagnostic troubleshooting flowchart, if there were such a thing, would terminate at the same endpoint: Replace the battery.
The symptoms you describe are consistent with a dead battery.
These batteries have been out of production for a long time. Aftermarket batteries are available but their quality tends to be poor or at least unpredictable. Since you have no other choice though, the only source of aftermarket batteries that I have used an can recommend are sold by OWC / MacSales. Their website has instructional videos that you can view to determine if it's a task you want to do yourself. Otherwise, a competent Apple repair shop can also perform the replacement.
To find an AASP start here: Apple Repair and Repair Status Check - Official Apple Support
Apple does not sell parts to individuals. You'll need to take it to Apple, or a certified Apple repair shop, for Apple warrantied repairs.
Third party batteries an no where as good as Apple's and you can buy Apple's.
Replacing the battery is as easy on legacy macs. It’s pre-soldered to the board era. In my case, as I’m in the UK, it would be the NewerTech NuPower 58W Battery from flexxmemory as recommended on everymac website.
I cannot find any information on the specific nature of the duration of the freezes being exactly 30 seconds every time! I have used Instruments within Xcode and at the time of the freezes it dies make battery references. This is the kind of detail you don’t get in Activity Monitor nor, from what I can tell, in Console. Does anyone know of where i can get more detailed information around the circumstances and relationship between the extra power draw for heavier tasks and the 30 seconds freeze period?
Activity Monitor is what I would use. Leave it open so that you can determine if there is a process that stands out at the time. Since the Mac is freezing though, so will Activity Monitor.
It's sort of a moot point since many things just won't work with a dead battery, so it has to be replaced regardless of whether it's the direct cause of the unresponsiveness.
A NewerTech battery should be ok.
In this instance Activity Monitor does not report the deeper problem in any way, shape or form. Even at 60% CPU usage the mac can freeze. It usually occurs when changing browser window size and multiple clicking - the fans whizz up and then freezes. Only Inspector is revealing corresponding battery power reports at the moments of the 30 second duration freezes. I would like get more detailed information around the circumstances and relationship between the extra power draw for heavier tasks and the 30 seconds freeze period if anyone can help with that.
You're beating a dead horse. Attempting to draw meaningful information from a device that cannot keep up with the most basic power demands is an exercise in futility.
When a Mac demands excessive power from a battery lacking the capacity to supply it, it essentially stops functioning. The next step is for the SMC to command an instantaneous shutdown event.
The problem is a dead battery. There is no deeper problem. Fix the problem.
No question, you are right of course. I am just interested to see what is determining/specifying the exact 30 seconds duration. Also because there is just little to nothing I can find on the internet about it.
You say it is down to the battery, and i 100% accept that, but i would like to see where you have referred to that tells you this is the syndrome ‘y’ caused by this issue ‘x’. Not because I doubt what you say (i don’t). I want to see it documented as a known syndrome. e.g. is it on a diagnostic troubleshooting flowchart?. Hope i’m making a bit more sense.
Dead battery & power management issue MBP5,1, 2.53Ghz, late 2008
