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AppleCare on removed HD

Z

Zortrium

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 23, 2003
461
0
I have a first-gen i7 iMac still covered under AppleCare. Over a year ago, I manually removed the HD and replaced it with an SSD, and have been running the original HD in an external enclosure ever since. Just recently, the HD appears to have bitten the dust as HDs are prone to do (no, I didn't damage it in any way during the extraction, and it's been stationary on my desk ever since).

Is there any way I can get Apple to replace the HD under AppleCare given that it's not housed in the original machine any more? I assume that if I transplanted the dead HD back into the iMac, then schlepped the whole machine into the Apple Store, they'd identify the HD as the bad component and replace it, except 1) the original HD transplant was difficult and nerve-wracking enough that I don't wish to repeat it, and 2) hauling the entire machine into the store over just the HD seems like a big waste of effort.
 
Hard to say, but you can try to be anonymous and give your local AppleStore a call. If they refused your claim, try to attach the HDD back in by yourself and bring it to the store.

Then tell them you had problems with your HDD and tried to format it completely but no good comes out of it.
If you did a decent and untraceable job. They might not find out you opened the machine yourself. Replacement would be easy that way.
 
iSayuSay said:
Hard to say, but you can try to be anonymous and give your local AppleStore a call. If they refused your claim, try to attach the HDD back in by yourself and bring it to the store.

Then tell them you had problems with your HDD and tried to format it completely but no good comes out of it.
If you did a decent and untraceable job. They might not find out you opened the machine yourself. Replacement would be easy that way.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I think I did a good job with the first swap, but I'd probably rather just eat the cost of the HD than have to do it twice more (once to put the dead HD back in, then again to put the SSD back in after getting the new HD). I'll try calling and just asking if I can bring just the HDD in to avoid having to move the whole machine. Probably a long shot but worth a try at least.
 
Zortrium said:
Yeah, I think I did a good job with the first swap, but I'd probably rather just eat the cost of the HD than have to do it twice more (once to put the dead HD back in, then again to put the SSD back in after getting the new HD). I'll try calling and just asking if I can bring just the HDD in to avoid having to move the whole machine. Probably a long shot but worth a try at least.
Click to expand...

Yeah. Good luck. Though I don't think they will agree with that. You need to bring the whole machine since they need to check your machine serial number and confirm its eligibility for HDD replacement. Otherwise one can bring any damaged HDD and claims it was their failed iMac HDD.

EDIT:

Here's another idea. Attach your HDD back in. Keep your old SSD. Bring the machine back to the store, and hopefully they replace your HDD. Now just before they're finished with the repair job. Ask the technician to put your old SSD (don't tell them of course) as secondary drive inside your iMac. I believe 27" iMac can keep 1 HDD + 1 SSD without busting the ODD out.

Well I'd do that if I were you. Kill two birds with one stone I think. Yeah you might need to pay for labor, and also for some parts and cables for your SSD installation. Just slip across my mind.
You might wanna consider it :D
 
Last edited:
You have already answered yourself the question. You do not want to perform the disassembly yourself and you don't want to drive your computer anywhere.

Just get a new HDD, they are cheap.
 
comatory said:
You have already answered yourself the question. You do not want to perform the disassembly yourself and you don't want to drive your computer anywhere.

Just get a new HDD, they are cheap.
Click to expand...

Well...they certainly were cheap. ;) Still pretty pricey now compared to what they used to be. Sure, I'll probably get a new one, but doesn't hurt to spend 10 minutes to try to recoup $100+.
 
Zortrium said:
Well...they certainly were cheap. ;) Still pretty pricey now compared to what they used to be. Sure, I'll probably get a new one, but doesn't hurt to spend 10 minutes to try to recoup $100+.
Click to expand...

Agree that hey were cheaper but still, getting regular 3.5" 1TB HDD is affordable.
It's just that I am almost sure they are not going to help you because YOU ALREADY VOIDED the warranty by opening the iMac yourself, you are supposed to do this via authorized repair center.

So just saying, you want your HDD to be covered by Apple Care warranty, yet you acted against the rules. If you don't want to spend $ on new HD just bite the bullet and put it back in and send it to the store.
 
comatory said:
Agree that hey were cheaper but still, getting regular 3.5" 1TB HDD is affordable.
It's just that I am almost sure they are not going to help you because YOU ALREADY VOIDED the warranty by opening the iMac yourself, you are supposed to do this via authorized repair center.

So just saying, you want your HDD to be covered by Apple Care warranty, yet you acted against the rules. If you don't want to spend $ on new HD just bite the bullet and put it back in and send it to the store.
Click to expand...

Eh, I think this is kind of a grey area. The AppleCare agreement clearly specifies that any damage caused by unauthorized service is not covered, but I didn't damage anything. It also states that equipment isn't covered that has been "modified to alter its functionality or capability without the written permission of the manufacturer"...seems kind of a stretch to say that replacing the hard drive constitutes such a modification, but that's the only term I can see for arguing that the warranty is void.
 
Zortrium said:
Eh, I think this is kind of a grey area. The AppleCare agreement clearly specifies that any damage caused by unauthorized service is not covered, but I didn't damage anything. It also states that equipment isn't covered that has been "modified to alter its functionality or capability without the written permission of the manufacturer"...seems kind of a stretch to say that replacing the hard drive constitutes such a modification, but that's the only term I can see for arguing that the warranty is void.
Click to expand...

Well you can try my idea in the 4th post. If it works, I think it could be great. Save you quite a lot of time and efforts. Don't get your hopes too high though. They still may find out about your DIY jobs.
 
Not covered bro. If you open your iMac, you void the warranty. That means everything. So unless you can put it back and not make it obvious, than you're beat.

Source: Ex-Mac Genius, currently working as a tech for an AASP.
 
Zortrium said:
Eh, I think this is kind of a grey area. The AppleCare agreement clearly specifies that any damage caused by unauthorized service is not covered, but I didn't damage anything. It also states that equipment isn't covered that has been "modified to alter its functionality or capability without the written permission of the manufacturer"...seems kind of a stretch to say that replacing the hard drive constitutes such a modification, but that's the only term I can see for arguing that the warranty is void.
Click to expand...

I'm quite positive that replacing any part that is not user-replacable (iMacs: RAM only, Macbooks: RAM and HDD, Mac mini: RAM) voids the warranty. You could ask around or send an email to Apple what they have to say about it but I'm pretty user that there is an extent of things that you can and can't do to your computer.

iSayuSay has pretty good suggestion. Everytime I want to change something that is not user replacable I go to official repair center (doesn't have to be Apple exclusively) and they usually do it for a fee. Way less hassle and you're not breaking any warranty or anything.
 
bizzle said:
Not covered bro. If you open your iMac, you void the warranty. That means everything. So unless you can put it back and not make it obvious, than you're beat.

Source: Ex-Mac Genius, currently working as a tech for an AASP.
Click to expand...

Well, I'll keep that in mind in case something serious ever goes wrong.
 
Zortrium said:
Eh, I think this is kind of a grey area. The AppleCare agreement clearly specifies that any damage caused by unauthorized service is not covered, but I didn't damage anything. It also states that equipment isn't covered that has been "modified to alter its functionality or capability without the written permission of the manufacturer"...seems kind of a stretch to say that replacing the hard drive constitutes such a modification, but that's the only term I can see for arguing that the warranty is void.
Click to expand...

It's probably the "unauthorized modification" that'll get you excluded. Too bad; you'd think they could afford to make people happy in this situation. They must have a bazillion used drives that are fine mechanically, but that are borked due to software problems. I suppose they just test, reformat and install these in repair and refurb units, so I don't think it would cost them that much to help you. I think it's more that they want to discourage people from performing their own repairs and mods.
 
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