Apple Launches SSD Service Program for 13-Inch Non-Touch Bar MacBook Pro Sold Between June 2017 and June 2018

[MacRumors]

Apple today announced the launch of a new SSD service program for the 13-inch MacBook Pro sans Touch Bar after determining that the 128 and 256GB SSDs in a limited number of these machines have an issue that can result in data loss and failure of the drive.

Apple says that 13-inch MacBook Pro models with affected drives were sold between June 2017 and June 2018, and Apple will provide service for these drives free of charge.

MacBook Pro owners can submit their serial number on the page announcing the program to see if their machines are eligible for servicing. Apple recommends that affected machines be serviced as soon as possible to avoid loss of data.

13-inch MacBook Pro models with Touch Bar and older 13-inch MacBook Pro models are not affected.

Customers will need to visit an Apple retail location, an Apple Authorized Service Provider, or contact Apple Support for a mail-in repair. Apple says that all machines needing service should be backed up first, with the company outlining the repair steps:

Prior to service, it's important to do a full back up of your data because your drive will be erased as part of the service process.

- A technician will run a utility to update your drive firmware which will take approximately one hour or less.
- Your 13-inch MacBook Pro will be returned to you with macOS re-installed.
- After service, you will need to restore your data from a backup.

Apple also recommends having another device, such as an iPhone, available to view the Apple support article with details about restoring data from a backup since the Mac in question will not be able to access the internet until it is updated.

Apple says that files corrupted due to this issue will not be able to be restored, and any damage to the MacBook Pro that impairs the ability to service the drive will need to be addressed first, possibly at customer expense.

The program covers affected MacBook Pro models for three years after the first retail sale of the unit, but it doesn't extend the standard warranty coverage of the 13-inch MacBook Pro. Customers who already paid for a repair for a drive failure can contact Apple Support for a refund.

Article Link: Apple Launches SSD Service Program for 13-Inch Non-Touch Bar MacBook Pro Sold Between June 2017 and June 2018

 

[Cyberpower678]

And remember kids, always backup your data!

 

[Enclavean]

Read the first part of the notification and got excited lol

“Apple Launches New 13-Inch Non-Touch Bar MacBook Pro...”

 

[Pangalactic]

Reading the news on the phone:

"Apple launches new 13-inch non-toucbar MacBook Pro..." - hell yeah! They finally came to their senses!

"...SSD service program" - oh.

 

[Skeith]

No no no.

We need a refresh, not this.

 

[lec0rsaire]

And remember kids, always backup your data!

If you hate connecting an external drive to back up all the time, go look for a 5th gen 2TB TC. I’m sure there are still plenty of them available.

I must say that out of all the Apple products I’ve purchased, I’ve been extremely satisfied with the TC. The router itself has been rock solid giving me full bandwidth over 5 GHz on all my ac devices and Time Machine backups are so convenient.

 

[cocoua]

Data loss... FEAR!!

 

[Appurushido]

Imagine if you had the cure for aids or some other disease on your computer and it was gone. Bye bye Nobel prize.

 

[HiVolt]

So why isnt this firmware update simply available for the end user to run?

 

[pacmania1982]

Phew! I was worried about my Mac as I bought it in June only to find out about possible issues after the event.

 

[mi7chy]

More reason to offer a replaceable M.2 SSD in a slot versus permanently soldering so the laptop isn't dead weight if it fails outside of warranty.

 

[Eidorian]

I thought they would be replacing logic boards since the SSDs are soldered onto them. Simple firmware update it seems.

 

[Count Blah]

Good thing Apple solders/glues in their SSDs now, so owners CAN’T take care of this themselves

 

[FNH15]

Good thing Apple solders/glues in their SSDs now, so owners CAN’T take care of this themselves

The non tb-MBP has a removable SSD module. Interesting that Apple can't just send out the firmware update for the drive though...

 

[kwikdeth]

you know, i really think this "solder/glue everything" mantra is starting to bite them in the rear. the fact the new MBA has servicable batteries attests to this. the amount of resources they waste with stuff that is difficult to service must be staggering. an hour to update the firmware???? not exactly the kind of hassle-free reputation Apple likes to make for themselves. samsungs update in less than 20 seconds followed by a reboot, and you dont lose your data in the process either.

i think there's a lot more to this story than is being dished out.

 

[dilbert99]

I new Apple was trying to boost its TV offering but I have to tell them this is the wrong kind of program
Seems to be every week a new program, screen here, ssd there, keyboard here,batteries there...

Must be a bitch for Apple to have to replace the whole motherboard just to change an SSD. What a waste. Apple touts its green credentials yet look at this debacle.

 

[KPandian1]

I’ve been extremely satisfied with the TC. The router itself has been rock solid giving me full bandwidth over 5 GHz on all my ac devices and Time Machine backups are so convenient.

The simultaneous existence of Time Capsule and iCloud are contrary to Apple's revenue stream. The one time Apple Tax revenue from a TC is apparently not enough vs the iCloud riches.

In 2007 or so, Steve Jobs walked around talking about wireless service and WiFi access to his products as if everyone of Apple's customers had access to them at the same level as he did. If that was the target customer, Apple will be worth what now? Apple will have about 1 million customers in the USA mostly from the college campuses, and multiples more in Europe and Korea.

Most Americans don't setup a wireless backup network system, even if they have all the ingredients in place - they'd rather have Alexa.

My backup drive is still an excellent 1TB 2.5 HDD; I don't know if the SSDs have caught up in price range and longevity yet.

 

[dilbert99]

Imagine if you had the cure for aids or some other disease on your computer and it was gone. Bye bye Nobel prize.

They get the darwin award instead

In all seriousness, anyone doing research will have the data stored on a backed up network drive. Your measly SSD won't hold much research data.

 

[AppleHaterLover]

Great! It’s like the third recall for this model, not including the suicidal keyboard.

My serial number is not on the list of affected units, but Jesus why the hell are there so many recalls?

 

[pubb]

Why are there so many recalls? Simple: this is an exquisitely engineered piece of hardware. Which can't really tolerate things like crumbs, fingerprints, dust, or light pressure on the backside of the screen.

The fact that my very flat keys put outlines on the display tells me there is not enough clearance between the KB and the cover glass.

 

[MauiPa]

Imagine if you had the cure for aids or some other disease on your computer and it was gone. Bye bye Nobel prize.

Imagine you are smart enough to have the cure for aids, but not smart enough to run a backup?

 

[GuruZac]

My computer may be eligible so, and this is probably a rhetorical question, but I assume I should back up my computer and simply take it in to Apple asap? Will my computer come back wiped clean and I will need to reinstall everything that's been backed up?

 

[MauiPa]

The simultaneous existence of Time Capsule and iCloud are contrary to Apple's revenue stream. The one time Apple Tax revenue from a TC is apparently not enough vs the iCloud riches.

In 2007 or so, Steve Jobs walked around talking about wireless service and WiFi access to his products as if everyone of Apple's customers had access to them at the same level as he did. If that was the target customer, Apple will be worth what now? Apple will have about 1 million customers in the USA mostly from the college campuses, and multiples more in Europe and Korea.

Most Americans don't setup a wireless backup network system, even if they have all the ingredients in place - they'd rather have Alexa.

My backup drive is still an excellent 1TB 2.5 HDD; I don't know if the SSDs have caught up in price range and longevity yet.

That is cynical. Apple only got in the business because there was an opportunity from all the crap router management and hard to use NAS out there. Maybe you are too young to know what you had to do to set up a windows network at home. Even network staff at companies would shy away from it going instead for a "sneaker net", you know when you walk a floppy drive from one machine to the other. Remember when you needed a separate paid program to get a incremental windows backup program? Like 4-5 years ago?
[doublepost=1541814313][/doublepost]

I new Apple was trying to boost its TV offering but I have to tell them this is the wrong kind of program
Seems to be every week a new program, screen here, ssd there, keyboard here,batteries there...

Must be a bitch for Apple to have to replace the whole motherboard just to change an SSD. What a waste. Apple touts its green credentials yet look at this debacle.

Maybe, but I bet the overall failure rates are extremely low in spite of all the negative press, why else would they go in that direction? These were also pre T2 SSDs, I bet putting Ssd management on the T2 chip had something to do with not being satisfied with the third party SSDs out there.

I am actually wondering why this is not a DIY project, glad that apple will do it for you, but running a utility program, recovery the OS, restoring from backup, sounds pretty easy. Pretty normal in the windows world. Is there more to it, like sometimes the boards have to be replaced?

 

[Cycling Asia]

Phew! I was worried about my Mac as I bought it in June only to find out about possible issues after the event.

View attachment 802862

I'm in the same boat - I got mine in September 2017. But mine doesn't need servicing because it was practically replaced a month ago after the USB ports decided they'd be for charging only, the display became adolescent and always wanted an extra 5 minutes before waking up, and the key caps falling off.

So I'm on mainboard and display number 3, keyboard, battery, and other internals number 2, and speakers number 1 (apparently the only things not replaced were the speakers and base cover.

 

[duervo]

My computer may be eligible so, and this is probably a rhetorical question, but I assume I should back up my computer and simply take it in to Apple asap? Will my computer come back wiped clean and I will need to reinstall everything that's been backed up?

Yes, yes, and yes.