Looking for a little advice... I bought two macbooks back in 2007 (research funding). One went to a colleague, one to me. Beginning to regret which one I chose! It's been a great machine, but i've had nothing but issues with it:
1) Bluetooth issues (dropped connections, bluetooth doesn't exist), wake from sleep problems, macbook wouldn't sleep when closed and turned into a furnace. Solution: Logicboard replaced under applecare, problem fixed. For about a month.
Decided not to use the brand new bluetooth mouse/keyboard I bought for another 4-5 months due to bluetooth issues (I could live without it, hey), then:
2) Bluetooth issues (dropped connections, bluetooth doesn't exist), wake from sleep problems, macbook wouldn't sleep when closed and turned into a furnace. Solution: Logicboard replaced under applecare, problem fixed.
For approximately 5 days.
3) Bluetooth issues (dropped connections, bluetooth doesn't exist), wake from sleep problems, macbook wouldn't sleep when closed and turned into a furnace. Solution: took it to the BRAND NEW apple store to see a genius. They were pretty unsympathetic, took it in for repair and testing.
Called the store 5 days later to see what was happening, was told by the store manager that nobody would be looking at my computer for quite some time as the iPhone 3GS was being released, and all the geniuses were required for sales purposes.
Not happy.
Called Apple in the US, spent an hour on the phone making a detailed complaint. Got off the phone from Apple US, get a phonecall from Apple Australia about 20mins later apologising sincerely (this is ~8pm on a Thursday night, too).
Leading in to Friday morning, the store manager called to apologise (pretty insincerely!) and said I could pick it up that afternoon (~250km round trip).
Solution: replaced Logicboard and BT module.
4) Bluetooth issues AGAIN almost straight after. Gave my mouse and keyboard to a friend, resolved that i'd just have to use wired versions. I can live with that. 2 days after coming back from the store, I get the red headphone jack problem. Tried with a guy at the local apple store to wiggle stuff in there, no solution. Ok, I can live without internal speakers, so be it.
Then, problems with wireless card as described here (https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/540493/). At this point I really am starting to hate Apple - my machine has no sound, no bluetooth and I can't connect to the internet.
Solution: took it to see a genius, who replaced the airport card on the spot (this was the 24th Dec), so I could work over the christmas break. Nice guy, not surprised by the issues, replaced it without even testing.
Worked fine, untill today, EXACTLY the same issue with wireless again. This really doesn't seem like a software issue - it dropped out at 4.02am this morning and won't reconnect. Nothing happened in the interim to affect the macbook.
5) Appointment with a genius on Monday.
At this point i'm keen for some advice. If they take this thing for testing, i'll lose it and my productivity for over a week. It needs a new logic board to fix the bt and speaker issue, and the wireless seems stuffed too. I have exactly 3 months to finish a PhD thesis. Unsurprisingly, I need a machine with wireless to do this.
What is the protocol for a replacement macbook under applecare? Surely by now I qualify for this? I realise the machine is late into it's third year of applecare, but this is getting a little silly.... Does anyone have any experience or suggestions on how to approach this other than pleading or a complete mental breakdown?
1) Bluetooth issues (dropped connections, bluetooth doesn't exist), wake from sleep problems, macbook wouldn't sleep when closed and turned into a furnace. Solution: Logicboard replaced under applecare, problem fixed. For about a month.
Decided not to use the brand new bluetooth mouse/keyboard I bought for another 4-5 months due to bluetooth issues (I could live without it, hey), then:
2) Bluetooth issues (dropped connections, bluetooth doesn't exist), wake from sleep problems, macbook wouldn't sleep when closed and turned into a furnace. Solution: Logicboard replaced under applecare, problem fixed.
For approximately 5 days.
3) Bluetooth issues (dropped connections, bluetooth doesn't exist), wake from sleep problems, macbook wouldn't sleep when closed and turned into a furnace. Solution: took it to the BRAND NEW apple store to see a genius. They were pretty unsympathetic, took it in for repair and testing.
Called the store 5 days later to see what was happening, was told by the store manager that nobody would be looking at my computer for quite some time as the iPhone 3GS was being released, and all the geniuses were required for sales purposes.
Not happy.
Called Apple in the US, spent an hour on the phone making a detailed complaint. Got off the phone from Apple US, get a phonecall from Apple Australia about 20mins later apologising sincerely (this is ~8pm on a Thursday night, too).
Leading in to Friday morning, the store manager called to apologise (pretty insincerely!) and said I could pick it up that afternoon (~250km round trip).
Solution: replaced Logicboard and BT module.
4) Bluetooth issues AGAIN almost straight after. Gave my mouse and keyboard to a friend, resolved that i'd just have to use wired versions. I can live with that. 2 days after coming back from the store, I get the red headphone jack problem. Tried with a guy at the local apple store to wiggle stuff in there, no solution. Ok, I can live without internal speakers, so be it.
Then, problems with wireless card as described here (https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/540493/). At this point I really am starting to hate Apple - my machine has no sound, no bluetooth and I can't connect to the internet.
Solution: took it to see a genius, who replaced the airport card on the spot (this was the 24th Dec), so I could work over the christmas break. Nice guy, not surprised by the issues, replaced it without even testing.
Worked fine, untill today, EXACTLY the same issue with wireless again. This really doesn't seem like a software issue - it dropped out at 4.02am this morning and won't reconnect. Nothing happened in the interim to affect the macbook.
5) Appointment with a genius on Monday.
At this point i'm keen for some advice. If they take this thing for testing, i'll lose it and my productivity for over a week. It needs a new logic board to fix the bt and speaker issue, and the wireless seems stuffed too. I have exactly 3 months to finish a PhD thesis. Unsurprisingly, I need a machine with wireless to do this.
What is the protocol for a replacement macbook under applecare? Surely by now I qualify for this? I realise the machine is late into it's third year of applecare, but this is getting a little silly.... Does anyone have any experience or suggestions on how to approach this other than pleading or a complete mental breakdown?