Dropped my beloved aluminium macbook...

BCMH · Mar 26, 2009

HEY everyone,

Recently i was going up the stairs with a bunch of stuff to carry, and i dropped my macbook from chest level, it landed in an opened up position on the stairs... with the screen on one step and the keyboard on the downslope of the step... obviously my heart dropped and i feel really crappy now, but everything seems fine for now, except for the dented left hand corner of the aluminium casing...

Now, i'd just like to ask, has anyone else dropped their macbook before?

Is there a possibility that although it seems fine now, my macbook is going to start acting up in the near future because of some moving parts that were damaged when i dropped it (it was on when it dropped)?

Is the HDD the only moving part in the macbook? or can the other stationary parts get damaged to?

Is there cause for concern?

A lot of questions, but please help quell my fears, and maybe others too who have unfortunately had been through this heart-dropping experience of dropping your macbook.

THANKS!

nickXedge · Mar 26, 2009

As far as dropping your machine, as long as it is currently working, back it up, OFTEN!

That way, when it stops working, you'll be safe as far as data, which is really all you can hope for at this point. Best case scenario, you're computer is fine and you have to delete a bunch of useless backups. Worst case scenario, you need to replace the machine but you don't lose any important information.

I hope for the best for you.

pinoyplaya · Mar 26, 2009

I would go to the Apple Store and tell them that the screen just bent itself. "I think it melted due to overheating"

NewMacbookPlz · Mar 26, 2009

pinoyplaya said:
I would go to the Apple Store and tell them that the screen just bent itself. "I think it melted due to overheating"

They'll laugh you out of the store for saying something r-tarded like that.

Benguitar · Mar 26, 2009

I feel so sorry for you bro, I fortunately haven't dropped my MacBook, but sometimes I want to throw it because it is under AppleCare and I have a small scratch on the screen so then I could get a new computer.

But I probably won't ever do it..

If ANY problems start to arise take it to a near by Apple store asap.

carlosbutler · Mar 26, 2009

lol dont think that would work to be honest

BCMH · Mar 27, 2009

Hey guys, thanks for the replies and reassurances, no thanks for the harsh first reply... my macbook is still fine now, except that small dent, looks like i'm gonna have to learn to live with it, although it really pains me every time i look at it

Benguitar · Mar 27, 2009

bigmanathome24 said:
lol dont think that would work to be honest

Make up story of, "My brother ran into the table and knocked it off, I purchased the Apple Protection Plan so I should be covered?"

But again, I am not one to "intentionally" harm my hardware.

NewMacbookPlz · Mar 27, 2009

Benguitar said:
Make up story of, "My brother ran into the table and knocked it off, I purchased the Apple Protection Plan so I should be covered?"

But again, I am not one to "intentionally" harm my hardware.

Too bad there is no "apple protection plan," there's only applecare, which does not cover accidental damage.

raremage · Mar 28, 2009

NewMacbookPlz said:
They'll laugh you out of the store for saying something r-tarded like that.

I'm pretty sure that was intended as a joke.

Hey guys, thanks for the replies and reassurances, no thanks for the harsh first reply...

And I similarly don't think the first reply was intended to be harsh or sarcastic - it was good advice. So long as it's working be sure to get a good backup often over the next few weeks - if there is any incidental damage that shows up - like the hard drive fails suddenly - you'll be protected.

ethical · Mar 28, 2009

dropped mine down the stairs once, it bounced down about eight stairs from an open position, bounced off a wall at the bottom and sat closed on the floor. although it seemed fine, not damage other than cosmetic, i was also worried about future problems. all id say is back it up with time machine as regularly as possible. nothing's gone wrong with mine so far (been about 6 months), but may as well stay on the safe side.

NRose8989 · Mar 28, 2009

Well how big is the dent?

Because I have a bad feeling where this one is going......IF your MB decides to die someday.

The "geniuses" are going to give you the "all or nothing" answer. Pretty much they will say "Well ya looks like you have a (insert part here) problem but you also have this dent so were going to have to replace your casing as well...... So that brings us to a grand total of (insert ridiculously hugh number here) worth of repairs......."

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but maybe, just maybe, you might get lucky and replace your parts for free. My brothers dog jumped on his girlfriends MBP and broke off a couple keys... She took it in and they happily replaced the broken keys within a hour and they were really busy. She was of course still in warranty though.

clyde2801 · Mar 28, 2009

Not wanting to rehash this debate, but this does sound like an advantage of the best buy replacement plan over applecare.

MistaBungle · Mar 28, 2009

This is a tough lesson to learn. Thankfully it is functional and you didn't end up with a paperweight. But now you know where priorities are when you have to carry things up stairs. Use a backpack? Take 2 trips?

NewMacbookPlz · Mar 28, 2009

raremage said:
I'm pretty sure that was intended as a joke.

I wouldn't be so sure with some of the shlock I see posted around here at times

VSMacOne · Mar 28, 2009

clyde2801 said:
Not wanting to rehash this debate, but this does sound like an advantage of the best buy replacement plan over applecare.

So the Best Buy Replacement Plan covers accidental damage for Apple products also?! Hmm... That's a pretty big plus.

shady825 · Mar 28, 2009

VSMacOne said:
So the Best Buy Replacement Plan covers accidental damage for Apple products also?! Hmm... That's a pretty big plus.

Yea it does. Thats why I wanted to get that plan but didnt have the cash at the time. Unlike AppleCare, you only have a week to purchase Best Buy's plan.

BUT I have heard people really get the "run around" when trying to make a claim through Best Buy... Who knows tho..

Harmless Abuse · Mar 28, 2009

Applecare does not cover accidental damage, regardless. A warranty is only there to cover manufacturing defects, something way out of your control.

If you drop it, throw it, it gets wet, etc. then your Applecare will be void.

Many people tend to get insurance plan and extended warranty mixed up.

To the OP, if there's nothing really wrong now, I doubt anything will happen in the future. I could be way wrong though.

Something like safeware (safeware.com), is a good investment. It's an accidental damage insurance policy meaning it covers drops, theft, etc. and it's not too terribly expensive as you renew it each year and choose your amount of coverage.

macDonalds · Mar 28, 2009

Can we see some pictures of the damage please?

SnowLeopard2008 · Mar 28, 2009

Ouch... be careful next time around. But for now, maybe back up your data? All Mac notebooks have a free fall sensor so it parks the drive head if the sensor senses a drop. This protects your data.

morrisman1 · Mar 28, 2009

i read somewhere that harddrives are tested to survive impacts of 300G while in 'parked' mode. i dont know what sort of impact would have a force of 300G so it could be dropping onto a wooden floor, or a metal floor - i dont know

hoffmant · Mar 28, 2009

shady825 said:
Yea it does. Thats why I wanted to get that plan but didnt have the cash at the time. Unlike AppleCare, you only have a week to purchase Best Buy's plan.

BUT I have heard people really get the "run around" when trying to make a claim through Best Buy... Who knows tho..

One of the things that convinced me to buy a Mac was a crappy Toshiba laptop and the six-month runaround we got at Best Buy trying to get it fixed under their extended protection plan thing. It had stopped working to the point where we couldn't even turn it on, and BB had to send it out for repair. Got it back a week later, and it still wouldn't work.

We repeated that process more than six times--even though their protection plan says clearly and plainly that if anything is needed beyond a third repair, the computer would be replaced. They finally did replace it, but we were basically without a computer for six months. Add to that the fact the the Geek Squad members flat out lied to our faces several times (once they told us that we'd need to speak to a manager who wouldn't be in until that afternoon--when we came back, that "manager" turned out to be a guy that had been standing right next to the Geek helping us that morning).

So essentially, their plan might cover accidental damage, but I still doubt that it would be worth it. I'll certainly never buy any big ticket items from them again.

NewMacbookPlz · Mar 28, 2009

morrisman1 said:
i read somewhere that harddrives are tested to survive impacts of 300G while in 'parked' mode. i dont know what sort of impact would have a force of 300G so it could be dropping onto a wooden floor, or a metal floor - i dont know

Sure the HD's are, but what about everything else in there? Especially the vibration shock of dropping.

BCMH · Mar 29, 2009

Insurance

There seems to be no laptop insurance providers in my country of residence (Singapore). Could i say that it was a manufacturing defect that i only noticed now?

NewMacbookPlz · Mar 29, 2009

BCMH said:
There seems to be no laptop insurance providers in my country of residence (Singapore). Could i say that it was a manufacturing defect that i only noticed now?

No.

Don't try and pass off the personal responsibility. You accidentally did it, and it's done.

Dropped my beloved aluminium macbook...

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