bootleg core duo in my macbook?

i bought my first mac, the macbook/oven 2gHz core duo in May 2006.
As an IT consultant, i knew better than to purchase the first generation of laptop, but my necessities overrode my common sense.

it started shutting down randomly in August. I sent it back, Apple only
repaired the yellowed keyboard. they said they replaced the logic board. 1 week later it started shutting down again. I called Apple, they said they had no record of the logic board being replaced. hmm.

The Soho Apple store, (NYC) replaced it onsite with a 24 hour turn around.
When i checked system profiler there was no serial number present.
I asked the GENIUS "wtf?". he said they have an app that can alter the serial number, (which is the same location the processor info is located- hmmm).

After this, all was good for a few months until it began shutting down again.
I called Apple and arranged for a box to be sent so i could ship it off again, (this tech must have been only in genius training as it was another par-for-the-course bad bad experience).
Sent it back, got it in less than a week w/ new HD, battery clip and some more non-descript items on the work order.

As an IT tech, I run Windows XP for work. After installing BootCamp, windows, rebuilding the pc to my needs, i decided to run a Belarc report which showed the processor being a "core solo". www.belarc.com
I emailed Belarc and said "wtf?" I figured Bootcamp being beta it may have a factor. Belarc said it should not be a factor and sent me a link to the latest version of their app which yielded the same results. The Belarc support tech was at a loss. Meanwhile, i tested the belarc on 2 other Apple computers running Windows XP Pro under Boot Camp and the reported processors were what they were supposed to be. hmmm.

I then downloaded the Intel Processor Identification Utility for Windows XP which gave an identification of "an engineering sample processor, not a production processor..."

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=385602842&size=o

Intel's support suggested getting in touch with Apple.

My tests again on 2 other systems in the same situation yielded an accurate description of what the processor was thought to be.

The tech i delt with during the last return at Apple has yet to return any calls to me.
A different tech, (level II, product specialist) was curious and a bit dubfounded. He said he would have their lab set up an identical scenario, run the tests, and contact me with the results. I recieved a voice mail from him saying they could not set up the test and they could not support my test results as bootcamp is beta. which is what i expected in the first place.

Intel does not offer their processor ID utility for OSX.
Belarc does not offer a version for OSX.

The last tech at Apple said the only utility other than System Profiler for OSX
was TechTools, the $99 version. I should have asked them to pay for it.

Has anyone else here ever seen this?

or really questioned what you really got for the money you paid Apple?

Are there any applications for OSX that would reveal what is inside my machine? I do not trust System Profiler after the exchange i had w/ the Genius at the Apple store, and I am reluctant to spend $100 if i can help it.
The next step is to go to the apple store and have a Genius crack open my lappy so we can read what the hell is stamped on the bootleg processor.

(also in Windows under 'System' it shows the processor as "1500 @ 2.00GHz, 998MHz.." there is no 'T1500, T2500, T7400, U1500 etc...it used to say T2500)

apologies for the length of this...i have been a huge fan/troller of notebookreviewdotcom for a long time, first time posting- promise the next one won't be an ocean!
thank you!

 

Apple isn't trying to scam you, calm down. Look at the System Profiler and tell us what it says. Also try reinstalling Bootcamp, you may have encountered an error or bad install. Make sure you install all Software updates for the computer before installing bootcamp. Also make sure you have the service pack 2 cd edition, as Bootcamp does not support anything lower.

 

Thanks for the reply- i must reiterate a few points to back up my obvious mistrust: The fact i sent the machine off to have the logic board replaced, they TOLD ME THEY DID THAT, a week later the said "we have no record of that repair.".
The Genius at the Apple store offered to ALTER with "a special application" what the System Profiler says on my machine.
And the next to last tech at Apple that was very eager to set up the test and see for himself, only to completely change his perspective and offer no help, i imagine after speaking with his superiors.

as for your resolutions-

I made sure to have the appropriate updates/firmware etc in OSX before installing Boot Camp. On the Windows side, I'm updated, (with the exception of IE7 of course!)
Reinstalling Boot Camp is an idea. But one that would require a days work to rebuild the Windows side of the machine and it's way too much of a shot in the dark.
I would not have attempted to install XP sp1. I did not slipstream a copy of sp1, i purchased a new SP2 disk.
What i'd really like to know is if there is an application, independent of System Profiler for OSX that 'audits' your computer. At least looks at the processor.
As well as if anyone else has ever seen this before.

and again i have tested on 1 other identical system and 1 other imac/bootcamp/windows system, both with the expected results.

I have been a professional IT director/consultant, primarily for institutional financial firms in NYC for 7 years. I sort of know what i'm doing, and i can usually tell when something is off due to factors outside of my control.
This seems like one of those times.

 

What does it say in the system profiler?

Try running a benchmark and compare with other macbooks. If it's a core solo, then your score will be significantly slower than others.

 

First thing to look at is the Activity Monitor. Look in the CPU area and if you have two little black boxes with activity, you don't have a core solo. Another thing to try is the iStat widget. You could also get CoreDuoTemp and Temperature Monitor. All of these will at least show the number of cores and I believe CoreDuo Temp shows the rated speed of the processor.

In all honesty, the likelihood of what you are claiming is very low. First, I can tell you they probably did not actually change the processor itself as it is soldered to the logic board. Secondly, could you imagine the repercussions of something like that? I just highly doubt Apple is trying to scam you. Maybe an employee, but again, they would not get a real usable chip out of it. My best guess is that Windows will report some the Apple hardware incorrectly. For instance, when I run ATITool I get clock/memory speeds of 0/0. Oblviously they are not running at that speed.

Anyway, try those and at least verify the number of cores since you are thinking you have a core solo.

 

Thanks cashmonee- i do have 2 black boxes in Activity Monitor and running CoreDuo Temp and Temp monitor does look like it is supposed to-
i don't have my hands on another macbook to compare personally but this is beginning to put my mind at ease.
i agree that the likelihood of this is LOW but i was so put off by apple's lack of 'care'...
i'm still not on a 100% trust level.
As a side note, you could open a class for apples product specialist/phone support- in the paragraphs you posted you helped me more than all of the techs in all of the hours i spent on the phone with them.

thank you!

 

If all else fails, not that YOU should do this, but proving if it's an engineering sample is easy. The heat sink must be removed to find the serial.. it will have ES on it at the end of the serial string

 

No problem! I agree that Apple's repair people leave something to be desired. I sent the same notebook to them twice and got a new problem each time.