BROKEN - one month old Air

[Topher15]

This just happened about 30 minutes ago.

I was browsing the web. Heard a pop (and what looked like a small flash) and the screen went black... and nothing! Wont turn on; can't do anything.

The popping sound/flash came from the top-left area of the keyboard near the Expose/LaunchPad keys and I smelt burning.

Did it just overheat?
Anyone had this happen to them or heard of this happening?

I've booked a Genius appointment for Thursday to hopefully get a new replacement. Will they be able to mirror the drive to the replacement?

[adamtheturtle]

Doesn't sound like an SSD issue, but you never know what gets ruined in these kinds of situations.

Good luck with getting your data back.

[KPOM]

It sounds like a shorted logic board. It certainly isn't common, but it can happen. Hopefully they will be able to mirror the SSD. Normally they don't do data recovery, though. However, if they send it out and fix the logic board, usually they do put the old SSD back in. Last year, I had a logic board replaced for water damage and it came back with all the data still on it. At 30 days, they might ship it out, or they might swap it for a new one. You are likely to get more help with the data if they ship it out, actually.

[Topher15]

That sounds promising. I got it on the 6 January, so just over a month.

So if they fix it, I get the same SSD, but it they replace it with a new one it'll have a new SSD.

It was a custom build i7/4GB so I don't think they can pull one off the shelf.

If they do give be a brand new one I guess I can pressure them to restore my data given how new it is. (It's so new there's hardly anything on it.)

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Originally Posted by Shadow2k

DC-In board.

What's that?

[Shadow2k]

Thats the little circuit board that hosts the mag safe port and left hand USB port. There are some pictures on ifixit.com.

Edit:
seems to be called I/O Board instead of DC-In:
http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Installi...O-Board/6310/1

[Scepticalscribe]

Originally Posted by Topher15

That sounds promising. I got it on the 6 January, so just over a month.

So if they fix it, I get the same SSD, but it they replace it with a new one it'll have a new SSD.

It was a custom build i7/4GB so I don't think they can pull one off the shelf.

If they do give be a brand new one I guess I can pressure them to restore my data given how new it is. (It's so new there's hardly anything on it.)

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What's that?

Well, it's still under warranty, so I can't see you having any problems as Apple are normally very good about honouring such contracts.

Let us know what transpires and the very best of luck with it.

[kleykenb]

Originally Posted by Scepticalscribe

Well, it's still under warranty, so I can't see you having any problems as Apple are normally very good about honouring such contracts.

Let us know what transpires and the very best of luck with it.

So how did this end and what did they have to do to repair it?

I've also got a Macbook Air 11inch with the i7 + 4Gb and since last saturday I seem to have the same problem. Unfortunately no Apple Care and 2 weeks out of warranty so I'm looking into the solution on my own.
After some research I've concluded that it has to either be caused by the Logic Board or the IO-Board (aka MagSafe board). I've excluded Battery from the list as this should not impede the system to work with the MagSafe adapter plugged in. Of course there's always the possiblity that 2 parts are broken (IO-Board + Logica Board) or that I've overlooked something.

I've ordered a replacement IO-board from a web-store (Apple part 922-9972) as this is the cheapest possible culprit and also because this board is situated in the Upper-Left corner of the system where the noise appeared to come from.
Did they give you any information on what they had to do to repair your system?

greets,
Benny

[Shadow2k]

Someone posted a similar incident on a german board and his AASP apparently replaced the logic board and DC-In board.

Here is a google translator link to the topic: Apfeltalk

[calvol]

Benny, this sounds like a cap shorted in the power circuit. Hopefully no other damage was done on the logic board. The I/O board should be plug and play, prob a 4pin connector.

[Nightarchaon]

Ahh, the patented "you havent upgraded to this years model" feature .. i know it well it effected my Time Capsule (died after 18months) MacBook Pro (died after 14 months) and iMac (Died after 7 months, lucky, still in warranty)

and people STILL site build quality as a bonus over PCs, Next time I Hackintosh, at least that way i can upgrade incrementally and replace failed parts myself, probably keep the iMac as a Thunderbolt display now that PC Motherboards are starting to appear that can use it.

[stchman]

Originally Posted by Nightarchaon

Ahh, the patented "you havent upgraded to this years model" feature .. i know it well it effected my Time Capsule (died after 18months) MacBook Pro (died after 14 months) and iMac (Died after 7 months, lucky, still in warranty)

and people STILL site build quality as a bonus over PCs, Next time I Hackintosh, at least that way i can upgrade incrementally and replace failed parts myself, probably keep the iMac as a Thunderbolt display now that PC Motherboards are starting to appear that can use it.

I've had quite a few homebrew PCs, and (knock on wood) have never had a hardware failure.

My current homebrew is a C2Q I built in 2008 is still my main rig, and my old homebrew (Athlon 64) I built in 2005 is chugging along as we speak (dual booting Ubuntu 12.04 64 bit and Windows XP Pro).

IMO, homebrew PCs will give you the best quality out there for your money.

[KPOM]

Originally Posted by Nightarchaon

and people STILL site build quality as a bonus over PCs, Next time I Hackintosh, at least that way i can upgrade incrementally and replace failed parts myself, probably keep the iMac as a Thunderbolt display now that PC Motherboards are starting to appear that can use it.

Build quality and reliability are different. PCs (including Apple) are made from mostly the same internal components, and so reliability of major components tends to be the same. Build quality refers primarily to fit and finish. Considering my luck with non-Apple brands, build quality is pretty good. My 2-year old HP Elitebook from the office has plastic falling off and significant discoloration, as well as misaligned panels. I had a Dell Inspiron 600m whose power button started wearing out about 6 months after I purchased it (it also needed a new motherboard along the way).