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My MacBook Air is on its 4th hard drive

C

cbwillow

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 9, 2010
3
0
So in the past 6 months, my hard drive has been replaced 3 times on my early 2008 MacBook Air. Unsurprisingly, I just put it in the mail again today with it booting to the question mark folder. I think this is the hard drive again because I could boot from an external drive, but I couldn't access the drive to repair the permissions or reinstall the OS.

I have lost faith in this particular machine, and I am afraid my professors are growing weary of the my-computer-just-broke excuse even though I have documentation. How do I approach apple about getting this machine replaced? Also, since I was never planning on getting another MacBook Air, what are the chances that I can convince Apple to give me a credit on a different computer? The Air just wasn't designed for the amount of use I put on it.

For the record, I have Apple Care, It is the original MacBook Air (early 2008) with 1.6 GHz processor and the 80 GB drive.

Thanks in advance for any help.
 
How did you place an order to repair your MBA?
Are you talking to tech department?
 
cbwillow said:
So in the past 6 months, my hard drive has been replaced 3 times on my early 2008 MacBook Air. Unsurprisingly, I just put it in the mail again today with it booting to the question mark folder. I think this is the hard drive again because I could boot from an external drive, but I couldn't access the drive to repair the permissions or reinstall the OS.

I have lost faith in this particular machine, and I am afraid my professors are growing weary of the my-computer-just-broke excuse even though I have documentation. How do I approach apple about getting this machine replaced? Also, since I was never planning on getting another MacBook Air, what are the chances that I can convince Apple to give me a credit on a different computer? The Air just wasn't designed for the amount of use I put on it.

For the record, I have Apple Care, It is the original MacBook Air (early 2008) with 1.6 GHz processor and the 80 GB drive.

Thanks in advance for any help.
Click to expand...

Here is my advice.
Take it in to your local apple store. Tell them that this is the 4th repair for the same problem, and you would like a replacement.

Same thing happened on my wife's macbook 2007. 3 hard drive replacements, and the manager offered me a new machine.

I really think they have some sort of "lemon" internal policy. Lastly, don't loose faith in that product, I have hardly ever heard of MBA drives going bad, and lastly- get an SSD.

Good luck, I bet 9/10 you'll walk out with a new product.
 
tigres said:
Lastly, don't loose faith in that product, I have hardly ever heard of MBA drives going bad, and lastly- get an SSD.

Good luck, I bet 9/10 you'll walk out with a new product.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I really intended to imply that I am losing faith in that particular machine not MBAs as a whole. However, I bought a 3G iPad when they came out so I not longer need the portability of the Air.

My intention was to get 15 inch MacBook Pro with a ssd first time it crashed after applecare expired (I was hoping the prices had become reasonable for ssd by then. I am a college student). However, I am wondering if apple will give me a credit towards a Pro if I explain this situation to them.

As far as the shipping goes, I took it to the Apple Store, but they were under construction and insisted on shipping it off.
 
It seems that replacing the hard drive isn't solving the problem. The unit needs a new logic board either the connector or controller is shot.
 
I agree with tigres.

Instead of complaining here, go into an Apple Store and/or get a supervisor on the phone at Applecare, and explain that the same part has faulted 4 times.

The Apple policy is usually 3 replacements on the same part = replacement.

They've give you a BRAND NEW MBA (current gen).

If you ask SUPER NICE, they'll probably let you upgrade to a MBP 9and pay some money for the difference in price).

Post back with your results!
 
fyrefly said:
I agree with tigres.

Instead of complaining here, go into an Apple Store and/or get a supervisor on the phone at Applecare, and explain that the same part has faulted 4 times.

The Apple policy is usually 3 replacements on the same part = replacement.

They've give you a BRAND NEW MBA (current gen).

If you ask SUPER NICE, they'll probably let you upgrade to a MBP 9and pay some money for the difference in price).

Post back with your results!
Click to expand...

I wasn't complaining. I was trying to figure out how to get this accomplished.

To answer my questions for others, the way to get you computer replaced is to direct ask for a replacement either by calling Apple Care or in the Apple Store, and if you have had issues like this, they be very pleasant about replacing your computer. You have to directly ask the question or they won't do it.

They do allow you to "upgrade" your replacement computer.

I received a credit towards a 15 inch macbook pro. Unfortunately, it wasn't the 1799 I originally paid, but rather the replacement cost for a 13 inch MacBook Air (1299). In the end, I had to cover the 700 dollar difference between the replacement computer and the original Air. I am happy with the process overall though.
 
Very late question to add to this thread

Is that 3 failures of the same component = replacement thing true? because I asked point blank about this after my 3rd hard drive failure in 6 months (2007 macbook 13" -- not air), and they said no, they never heard of anything like that. The failures occurred in 2009-early 2010 while I was still under 3 year AppleCare.

If it's true and those asshats lied to my face, I am going to become way more upset with this company than I was before.
 
lidador said:
Is that 3 failures of the same component = replacement thing true? because I asked point blank about this after my 3rd hard drive failure in 6 months (2007 macbook 13" -- not air), and they said no, they never heard of anything like that. The failures occurred in 2009-early 2010 while I was still under 3 year AppleCare.

If it's true and those asshats lied to my face, I am going to become way more upset with this company than I was before.
Click to expand...

It's not a set in stone rule that 3 repairs = replacement. It all depends on the Manager/Supervisor that you are working with. It's a case-by-case basis.

GENERALLY speaking, yes it's roughly 3 times. Guaranteed? No.
 
so you're saying i shouldn't stick an ssd in there myself and turn this into a linux machine? (I have no copy of any version of Mac OS at hand)

Edit: I talked someone at apple into replacing the hd a 4th time, after the warranty expired because there was a known problem with hd's in 2007 macbooks -- which I didn't find out about until the 4th failure. Escalated the case and asked about a replacement again (nicely!)

At the 5th failure, they told me I should buy a new mac.
 
Last edited:
Just walk in to the apple store and ask, nothing ill can come from asking. Just do not be rude and you may get what you seek.
 
In fact, I asked several different people (genius bar, service people on the phone, one manager by email who got the 4th hd covered) at several different points while the whole saga was ongoing, but the response was basically always a flat "no, we don't do that." Hence my first astonished post to this thread.
 
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