apple care and SSD removal

[th0masp]

hi,

first post here but a longtime mac user/owner currently on a late 2011 machine with aftermarket upgrades.

i am looking at replacing my current mac sometime later this year with a new 13 or 15 inch macbook pro. now, since RAM and storage are no longer user-replaceable I'm wondering how everyone here handles protecting their data when the machine has to be handed over to support?

is opening the case and removing the SSD by the user prior to handing the machine over voiding apple care? will the support guys in an apple store remove the drive themselves and hand it back to you before taking the machine in if you request it? anybody been there/done that?

i have rather strict confidentiality clauses in my contracts and am not comfortable at all with the idea of potentially having somebody go through my system drive. all my previous machines have been user-upgradeable so the problem has never even come up so far.

 

[yjchua95]

hi,

first post here but a longtime mac user/owner currently on a late 2011 machine with aftermarket upgrades.

i am looking at replacing my current mac sometime later this year with a new 13 or 15 inch macbook pro. now, since RAM and storage are no longer user-replaceable I'm wondering how everyone here handles protecting their data when the machine has to be handed over to support?

is opening the case and removing the SSD by the user prior to handing the machine over voiding apple care? will the support guys in an apple store remove the drive themselves and hand it back to you before taking the machine in if you request it? anybody been there/done that?

i have rather strict confidentiality clauses in my contracts and am not comfortable at all with the idea of potentially having somebody go through my system drive. all my previous machines have been user-upgradeable so the problem has never even come up so far.

Use FileVault.

Problem solved.

FileVault uses XTS-AES128 to encrypt the drive, and the key itself is AES-256 encrypted. Not even the NSA can crack it open.

FileVault is also FIPS 140-2 compliant, meaning that it's approved for use in American and Canadian government departments.

Opening the case will void the warranty.

 

[Android300zx]

Use FileVault.

Problem solved.

FileVault uses XTS-AES128 to encrypt the drive, and the key itself is AES-256 encrypted. Not even the NSA can crack it open.

FileVault is also FIPS 140-2 compliant, meaning that it's approved for use in American and Canadian government departments.

Opening the case will void the warranty.

Thanks for the Filevault suggestion. Noted.

 

[Gav2k]

Thanks for the Filevault suggestion. Noted.

If they ask for access for testing just create a temp admin account for them. Your files will still be protected. More often than not they will boot from a different drive for diagnostic purposes.

 

[Android300zx]

If they ask for access for testing just create a temp admin account for them. Your files will still be protected. More often than not they will boot from a different drive for diagnostic purposes.

That's cool man. I like that. I get paranoid of people looking through my stuff besides I have some sensitive information on there. I'm a habitual serial dater.

 

[th0masp]

Use FileVault.

Problem solved.

FileVault uses XTS-AES128 to encrypt the drive, and the key itself is AES-256 encrypted. Not even the NSA can crack it open.

FileVault is also FIPS 140-2 compliant, meaning that it's approved for use in American and Canadian government departments.

Opening the case will void the warranty.

hey thanks for your tip. that would solve the access problem from the looks of it. it does seem however that the process is a bit flaky in yosemite at the moment (going by google results here) and that it is non-reversible?

so the consequence is that you are basically locking yourself out of manual file restore operations from a computer in target disk mode or a clone of your system drive if i understand correctly?

 

[snaky69]

hi,

first post here but a longtime mac user/owner currently on a late 2011 machine with aftermarket upgrades.

i am looking at replacing my current mac sometime later this year with a new 13 or 15 inch macbook pro. now, since RAM and storage are no longer user-replaceable I'm wondering how everyone here handles protecting their data when the machine has to be handed over to support?

is opening the case and removing the SSD by the user prior to handing the machine over voiding apple care? will the support guys in an apple store remove the drive themselves and hand it back to you before taking the machine in if you request it? anybody been there/done that?

i have rather strict confidentiality clauses in my contracts and am not comfortable at all with the idea of potentially having somebody go through my system drive. all my previous machines have been user-upgradeable so the problem has never even come up so far.

Enable Filevault and have a guest account setup with restricted access to your files for eventual repairs.

 

[yjchua95]

hey thanks for your tip. that would solve the access problem from the looks of it. it does seem however that the process is a bit flaky in yosemite at the moment (going by google results here) and that it is non-reversible?

so the consequence is that you are basically locking yourself out of manual file restore operations from a computer in target disk mode or a clone of your system drive if i understand correctly?

It's reversible.

But make sure you've a backup.

The process isn't flaky.

One thing though, if you forget the password, you have to reformat the entire drive and lose everything.

 

[mlts22]

If the files are very sensitive, I'd consider firing up Disk Utility, and storing your files in an encrypted disk image (I use a sparse bundle). This allows you to have them present when you log on, but if you have another user on the machine, it prevents them from getting access.

Filevault 2, once any admin is logged on, they can see all users' files on the device.

 

[windywalks]

Opening the case itself doesn't void anything by itself, but handing the computer over sans SSD would definitely be frowned upon. Just use FileVault as other posters suggested and you'll be fine.