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any warranty effects of non-apple RAM?

C

cutcopypaste

macrumors regular
Original poster
Nov 28, 2008
176
29
I am running 6 GB on my 17-inch, Late 2008 Mackbook Pro.. 2GB of the original apple Ram and 4GB of Patriot like so.

My battery just bulged up and I took it out as it was making it impossible to use the trackpad properly.. I'm still under applecare, I'm just wondering if the fact that I have offbrand RAM will be an issue at all.

I'm assuming these two conditions are independent, although the Ram switch was fairly recent.
 
cutcopypaste said:
My battery just bulged up and I took it out as it was making it impossible to use the trackpad properly.. I'm still under applecare, I'm just wondering if the fact that I have offbrand RAM will be an issue at all.

I'm assuming these two conditions are independent, although the Ram switch was fairly recent.
Click to expand...

It shouldn't matter. Apple made the RAM user-serviceable, so unless you broke something in there (and it doesn't sound like you did), there shouldn't be a problem. :cool:
 
Excellent. That's what I thought/hoped.. just wanted to be totally sure if I should try and put the original RAM back in or something :p
 
Well.. never mind that! I just called my local apple store type retailer (no official 'apple store' in my city) and the guy said that batteries are only covered for the first year and it would be $175 CAD to buy a new one even if I'm under applecare.

That's really kinda disappointing. Batteries are kinda an integral part of the computer far as I can tell...

He said if I called apple they may make an exception, but what a dumb policy.
 
cutcopypaste said:
... the guy said that batteries are only covered for the first year and it would be $175 CAD to buy a new one even if I'm under applecare.
Click to expand...
That's not true. Read the following link for details.

Where is the nearest Apple Store? Apple employees have been known to replace bulging batteries, even if they're out of warranty, which yours isn't, for the case of defects.

This should answer most, if not all, of your battery questions:

cutcopypaste said:
...I'm just wondering if the fact that I have offbrand RAM will be an issue at all.
Click to expand...
It's not an issue, because all RAM is "offbrand", including the RAM that came with your Mac, since Apple doesn't manufacture RAM.
 
GGJstudios said:
That's not true. Read the following link for details.

Where is the nearest Apple Store? Apple employees have been known to replace bulging batteries, even if they're out of warranty, which yours isn't, for the case of defects.

This should answer most, if not all, of your battery questions:
Click to expand...

So from what I gather from that link, a bulging/swelling battery would fall under 'manufacturers defect and therefore should be covered by applecare?
 
Hm. I guess I should call the guy back then.. they are nearby and have many batteries in stock so that would be ideal. the nearest proper applestore is about 3 hours drive away in another city.
 
cutcopypaste said:
Hm. I guess I should call the guy back then.. they are nearby and have many batteries in stock so that would be ideal. the nearest proper applestore is about 3 hours drive away in another city.
Click to expand...
You might want to call the Apple Store and talk to someone there. Explain that your battery is bulging and that you have AppleCare. See if they'll tell you that it should be covered. Then when you call your local shop, you can tell them that the Apple Store said it should be covered. More ammunition.
 
On my last mac, a 2006 Macbook I upgraded the RAM with third party RAM which was fine. Applecare ended up replacing part of the laptop casing, the hard drive, and the battery all with no issues.

Third party RAM does not void your Applecare warranty it seems.
 
On the phone with apple right now.. guy said that batteries normally bulge at the end of their life so it's potentially normal. but had me put it back in and check the battery information and i'm at 245 cycles (and they expect at least 300) so he put me on hold to see if they can do anything else in this particular case
 
The apple dude said because my battery was at 245 cycles it sounded like a manufacturer defect so I should be able to get a new one no charge.

Well the place I called first and another place in town stopped answering their phones.. now one is about to close and the other one already closed. The third option which is somewhat further away do not have any on hand but can order one for me and have it in tomorrow or the next day.

It's really weird looking around and seeing all the different treatment of this issue. It seems like the best luck is to be got at an actual Apple Store.. too bad there aren't too many in Canada.
 
cutcopypaste said:
The apple dude said because my battery was at 245 cycles it sounded like a manufacturer defect so I should be able to get a new one no charge.

Well the place I called first and another place in town stopped answering their phones.. now one is about to close and the other one already closed. The third option which is somewhat further away do not have any on hand but can order one for me and have it in tomorrow or the next day.

It's really weird looking around and seeing all the different treatment of this issue. It seems like the best luck is to be got at an actual Apple Store.. too bad there aren't too many in Canada.
Click to expand...
I had a feeling you'd get better treatment at an Apple Store than you would at another retailer. I'm glad it worked out for you!
 
I had been wondering about user upgradeable parts myself... thanks for answering a question I had been rather concerned about. Been thinking about switching from pc to mac for my new laptop, but I'm a DIY kind of gal. :cool:
 
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