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Apple Launches Extended Repair Program for Hard Drives on Early MacBook Models
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Argh, crap. My dad was using my old MacBook from this period when his harddrive suddenly died. We figured there was no warranty left anyway, so we popped out and got a new one without considering any manufacturing flaws (I mean, jeez, HDD's die a lot, especially in a laptop)
Oh well.
Oh well.
Wow reading all these horror stories I'm glad that I replaced mine with a Seagate Momentus 500GB 7200RPM 16MB Cache the day I got the MB.
I don't think this affects me at all but should I be worried?
Is it the drives specifically that are messing up or is it something to do with seagate drives in general?
I don't think this affects me at all but should I be worried?
Is it the drives specifically that are messing up or is it something to do with seagate drives in general?
Do people keep the receipt for a computer they bought nearly 4 years ago, and the receipt for the replacement hard-disk they bought 2 years ago to replace the POS they had to replace?
My Apple store account only has a list of purchases up to 18months ago.
Nice of Apple to come out the woodwork once most purchasers have likely already moved on to some other (hopefully more reliable) machine.
My Apple store account only has a list of purchases up to 18months ago.
Nice of Apple to come out the woodwork once most purchasers have likely already moved on to some other (hopefully more reliable) machine.
As per usual, loads of misinformation on these boards.
-the drive that was problematic was the Seagate drive (80GB or 60GB) with the 7.01 firmware. It looks like the REP is covering other drives too, but that was the key model of drive that was failing.
-if your larger 100GB+ drive failed, chances are it was just because a lot of hard drives fail. That's just what they do. Being a moving part, sooner or later they all fail. If Apple covers it, you're lucky, but there was no specific problem with these drives, it's probably to engender goodwill.
-if you dropped your computer, that is why the drive failed.
-back up your data to several hard drives. If you don't do this, more fool you.
Some links that may be of interest
http://www.dailytech.com/Study+Hard+Drive+MTBF+Ratings+Highly+Exaggerated/article6404.htm
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Minimizing_Hard_Disk_Drive_Failure_and_Data_Loss
-the drive that was problematic was the Seagate drive (80GB or 60GB) with the 7.01 firmware. It looks like the REP is covering other drives too, but that was the key model of drive that was failing.
-if your larger 100GB+ drive failed, chances are it was just because a lot of hard drives fail. That's just what they do. Being a moving part, sooner or later they all fail. If Apple covers it, you're lucky, but there was no specific problem with these drives, it's probably to engender goodwill.
-if you dropped your computer, that is why the drive failed.
-back up your data to several hard drives. If you don't do this, more fool you.
Some links that may be of interest
http://www.dailytech.com/Study+Hard+Drive+MTBF+Ratings+Highly+Exaggerated/article6404.htm
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Minimizing_Hard_Disk_Drive_Failure_and_Data_Loss
mine died a few days before making its first year of life so it was repaired under warranty fortunately...
Weird. I called the support number for the Philippines and I'm on the phone to a tech support person now. I told him that the late 2007 MacBook's hard drive failed and I replaced it myself. He said that a hard drive replacement isn't showing on the system. I told him of course it wouldn't because I simply had the computer checked at a service center and did all the replacing myself (bought my own drive, installed it). Then he told me it wouldn't be covered because Apple doesn't recommend I open up the computer and replace the hard drive.
I immediately thought it was bull because they're user replaceable parts. Am I wrong in thinking I can still get a replacement hard drive even after I replaced it myself already?
I told him it was user replaceable and now he's checking with a product specialist while I'm on hold. Odd.
I immediately thought it was bull because they're user replaceable parts. Am I wrong in thinking I can still get a replacement hard drive even after I replaced it myself already?
I told him it was user replaceable and now he's checking with a product specialist while I'm on hold. Odd.
Apple seem to be masters of doing this.
Put off a full scale fix for a problem until a class action suit seems likely.
It's good business practice, although it can backfire if you get it wrong (RROD).
P.S Just to be clear, I'm not saying this is "Apple's fault", I'm just saying they are very resistant and delayed in admitting problems.
Put off a full scale fix for a problem until a class action suit seems likely.
It's good business practice, although it can backfire if you get it wrong (RROD).
P.S Just to be clear, I'm not saying this is "Apple's fault", I'm just saying they are very resistant and delayed in admitting problems.
...and 20" imac video cards.... Ridiculous!
I have a g3 ibook that still works, but all the stuff since the ipod has had shoddy quality in comparison! Is it the difference between made in Taiwan vs made in China? That little bit of extra freedom must show up in the product.
Pfft. Who cares? How about they announce a program to replace the crap motherboards in these models?? My HDD was the LAST thing to fail in my Macbook, bought on the 3rd day of their existence. I was kinda glad at that point, considering the machine basically didn't function already.
Too Late
My hard drive failed a few days before an important presentation. I got the hard drive replaced under warranty, and the replacement drive failed a few months later. Rather than let apple "fool be twice" I replaced the drive myself with a 250GB Western Digital drive. I think people that replaced the drive themselves should be compensated. I think I threw out the old drive about two months ago when I moved!
My hard drive failed a few days before an important presentation. I got the hard drive replaced under warranty, and the replacement drive failed a few months later. Rather than let apple "fool be twice" I replaced the drive myself with a 250GB Western Digital drive. I think people that replaced the drive themselves should be compensated. I think I threw out the old drive about two months ago when I moved!
I chuckled when i read your postI saved that STUPID faulty hard drive*from way back when it died, just in the hopes that they would have a stupid program! Whose laughing now???? Call me crazy…
Yep. First and second gen Macbook Pros should be covered as well. Many of them had the faulty Seagate 7.01 drives in them.
Extended Repair program for flickering on late 2008 MBP?
Does anyone know whether apple has or plan an extended repair program for the flickering on late 2008 MacBook Pro?
Does anyone know whether apple has or plan an extended repair program for the flickering on late 2008 MacBook Pro?
My hd crashed 2 months out of warranty (July 2008). I reformatted it and reinstalled everything, but a few months later I replaced it with a larger drive, just to be safe.
The original drive is on my desk in a case, and it still works.
I called Apple yesterday and talked to tech support and customer relations. Both people understood why I did not return my out-of-warranty unit to Apple for repair and instead opted to do it myself, but neither could offer even a partial reimbursement for the new drive I purchased. (I didn't expect that I could be reimbursed for the retail cost of the new drive.)
However, customer relations did offer to compensate me in some way for the trouble and for the effort I'd made in calling. I use a standard keyboard and a trackball with the laptop, and Apple is sending me a Magic Mouse.
The original drive is on my desk in a case, and it still works.
I called Apple yesterday and talked to tech support and customer relations. Both people understood why I did not return my out-of-warranty unit to Apple for repair and instead opted to do it myself, but neither could offer even a partial reimbursement for the new drive I purchased. (I didn't expect that I could be reimbursed for the retail cost of the new drive.)
However, customer relations did offer to compensate me in some way for the trouble and for the effort I'd made in calling. I use a standard keyboard and a trackball with the laptop, and Apple is sending me a Magic Mouse.
Out of Pocket Expense
I just tried to call Apple Tech Support and they confirmed that if you replaced the hard drive out of pocket without paying Apple or the out-of-warranty repair they are not authorized to reimburse your fee. (I have a <$100 drive from NewEgg w/ reciept and they can't refund it).
On my case I started at an Apple Store and the genius agreed I would be much cheaper doing my own replacement. Phone rep offered 2 choices, put my old drive back into the mac book and take it into the store allowing them to replace it and just have an extra drive laying around, or ask store managers to try apple data recovery for $99 since I don't need a drive replacement and replaced on my own at their suggestion. Phone rep agreed data recovery will most likely not work but hey anything is worth a shot.
I just tried to call Apple Tech Support and they confirmed that if you replaced the hard drive out of pocket without paying Apple or the out-of-warranty repair they are not authorized to reimburse your fee. (I have a <$100 drive from NewEgg w/ reciept and they can't refund it).
On my case I started at an Apple Store and the genius agreed I would be much cheaper doing my own replacement. Phone rep offered 2 choices, put my old drive back into the mac book and take it into the store allowing them to replace it and just have an extra drive laying around, or ask store managers to try apple data recovery for $99 since I don't need a drive replacement and replaced on my own at their suggestion. Phone rep agreed data recovery will most likely not work but hey anything is worth a shot.
I think there are three groups of people on this:
1) Everything handled at an Apple Store or authorized rep and replaced with from-Apple hardware: These people are the most likely to get fully reimbursed.
2) Self repairs with not-from-Apple hardware: You used you god-given abilities (tech and wallet sense) and did it yourself, and while you were at it, you picked up 500GB 7200rpm screamer. And now your punishment is that you're in the least likely group for reimbursement.
3) Everything handled at an Apple Store or authorized rep, but with not-from-Apple hardware: This is where I fit and I'm still waiting to hear back from corporate. My original 120gb drive died about 8 months in and was replaced no problem. That drive then died out of warranty and while I was living abroad. I took it in to an authorized rep (no Apple Stores in the area) because it wasn't totally clear it was the hard drive. Once the HD was determined to be the culprit, I just let the rep keep it for replacement. The issue was that he didn't have the original 120gb drive, so I had him put in a 250gb 7200rpm drive. So it was a legit Apple replacement... but with a non-original drive. Like I said, I'm still waiting on a response.
I think the most fair thing to do for those in the second group, which seems to be the majority of the people in this forum, is to reimburse those people for the replacement price of an Apple drive the same size as whatever was original to the machine.
Think of it this way. A car company issues a warning about wheels falling off and says they'll replace them and reimburse people who already paid out of pocket for new wheels. Well, just because I replaced my wheels with 20" spinners when the originals fell off doesn't mean that it wasn't the car companies fault when they fell off in the first place.
So it should be with Macbook hard drives. If it died, it's Apple's fault. It's not fair for them to pay for your super fancy new HD, but it's also not fair for them not to pay you just because you switched out their slow and unreliable drive for one that might actually work.
In my case, I'll be happy if they pay the replacement price for the 120GB drive, and for the labor (because it was done by an apple technician). That said, this was awhile ago, and I had already mentally accepted that out of pocket payment. At this point, anything is a bonus.
1) Everything handled at an Apple Store or authorized rep and replaced with from-Apple hardware: These people are the most likely to get fully reimbursed.
2) Self repairs with not-from-Apple hardware: You used you god-given abilities (tech and wallet sense) and did it yourself, and while you were at it, you picked up 500GB 7200rpm screamer. And now your punishment is that you're in the least likely group for reimbursement.
3) Everything handled at an Apple Store or authorized rep, but with not-from-Apple hardware: This is where I fit and I'm still waiting to hear back from corporate. My original 120gb drive died about 8 months in and was replaced no problem. That drive then died out of warranty and while I was living abroad. I took it in to an authorized rep (no Apple Stores in the area) because it wasn't totally clear it was the hard drive. Once the HD was determined to be the culprit, I just let the rep keep it for replacement. The issue was that he didn't have the original 120gb drive, so I had him put in a 250gb 7200rpm drive. So it was a legit Apple replacement... but with a non-original drive. Like I said, I'm still waiting on a response.
I think the most fair thing to do for those in the second group, which seems to be the majority of the people in this forum, is to reimburse those people for the replacement price of an Apple drive the same size as whatever was original to the machine.
Think of it this way. A car company issues a warning about wheels falling off and says they'll replace them and reimburse people who already paid out of pocket for new wheels. Well, just because I replaced my wheels with 20" spinners when the originals fell off doesn't mean that it wasn't the car companies fault when they fell off in the first place.
So it should be with Macbook hard drives. If it died, it's Apple's fault. It's not fair for them to pay for your super fancy new HD, but it's also not fair for them not to pay you just because you switched out their slow and unreliable drive for one that might actually work.
In my case, I'll be happy if they pay the replacement price for the 120GB drive, and for the labor (because it was done by an apple technician). That said, this was awhile ago, and I had already mentally accepted that out of pocket payment. At this point, anything is a bonus.
That's my story except labor was free, so the receipt only says I bought the drive.
Bugger mine was a fujitsu but it still died after clicking, not yet replaced it as I also have a unibody, wonder if they'd take pity?
What do you mean by 'components' though? Every electrical item has silicon chips.
PC's have standard form factors. Macs have custom motherboards with very high component densities. So you're incorrect to say they're exactly the same as a PC apart from the case.
Yes they're the same component wise (with the exception of an EFI instead of a BIOS), but they're 'superior' in terms of space and size.
But an interesting side point though is that they do seem to be very fast motherboards. Every mobo is different and brands such as Asus usually perform well, with other manufacturers performing more slowly in benchmarks. So there is 'superiority' in motherboard speed terms. And we know the MacPro came out top in a Windows motherboard test a year or so back.
Are Mac's 'superior'? Well it's fair to say Apple motherboards are amongst the fastest and up there with Asus / MSI etc.