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Apple Store putting in a new HDD

matt9013

matt9013

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 27, 2013
333
16
If I go to the Apple store to get a new HDD for my iMac and have them put it in Do they look over the old one or just take it out and give it to me? Throw it away etc? Have some important files on it. Read somewhere that Apple may look over the old drive to see if they can save it or something.

Thanks
 
You paying them to replace it or is this a warranty replacement? If a replacement they will keep the drive.
 
Spink10 said:
You paying them to replace it or is this a warranty replacement? If a replacement they will keep the drive.
Click to expand...
I'd be paying them to replace it. No warranty. Personally I'd rather get it back and just have them replace it. No snooping around or anything. I know I can just encrypt the important documents but some have been deleted etc. Just a little paranoid I guess. Just read somethings that say Apple may snoop around the old HDD and see if they can fix it or something.
 
Tell the shop when you drop off your iMac that you are not interested in recovering anything on the old hard drive, but you do want the old drive returned to you. Have them enter your request in your service paperwork.

An Apple store would not allow the time to "snoop around the old HDD", unless you want them to recover files from the old hard drive. Old hard drives will go in a recycle bin somewhere.
There's lots of service fables about techs. Most are just that - fables or myths.
 
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DeltaMac said:
Tell the shop when you drop off your iMac that you are not interested in recovering anything on the old hard drive, but you do want the old drive returned to you. Have them enter your request in your service paperwork.

An Apple store would not allow the time to "snoop around the old HDD", unless you want them to recover files from the old hard drive. Old hard drives will go in a recycle bin somewhere.
There's lots of service fables about techs. Most are just that - fables or myths.
Click to expand...
Thanks, Will do.
 
If you bring a new HDD or SSD to the Apple store, they will NOT install it for you due to warranty issues. If something is wrong with the new drive, Apple would have a difficult time - where do they get fixed? I've asked the Apple genius about it, but they don't do upgrades other than memory on a system where the memory is not soldered in place.

The genius suggested taking it to authorized apple reseller.
 
old-wiz said:
If you bring a new HDD or SSD to the Apple store, they will NOT install it for you due to warranty issues. If something is wrong with the new drive, Apple would have a difficult time - where do they get fixed? I've asked the Apple genius about it, but they don't do upgrades other than memory on a system where the memory is not soldered in place.

The genius suggested taking it to authorized apple reseller.
Click to expand...
Really? So I can't buy a new HDD at the Apple store or get a replacement and have them install it? That kinda sucks as it's a lot harder to replace the HDD on an iMac than it is for an Macbook.
 
matt9013 said:
Really? So I can't buy a new HDD at the Apple store or get a replacement and have them install it? That kinda sucks as it's a lot harder to replace the HDD on an iMac than it is for an Macbook.
Click to expand...

They don't support upgrades like this at all.
 
stevierg said:
They don't support upgrades like this at all.
Click to expand...
Wow, I thought they would. All I wanted was the same HDD as the one I got with my iMac once it dies or breaks as eventually they all do. Wish they would have made it easier putting a new one in but I guess with the slim design that was hard to do.

Would I be able to get an external drive and just run the iMac on that?
 
matt9013 said:
Wow, I thought they would. All I wanted was the same HDD as the one I got with my iMac once it dies or breaks as eventually they all do. Wish they would have made it easier putting a new one in but I guess with the slim design that was hard to do.

Would I be able to get an external drive and just run the iMac on that?
Click to expand...

If your HDD fails, you can pay them to repair the existing drive. I.e. they would replace it with a matching replacement. So if you had a 1 TB fusion drive, they would swap it with another 1TB Fusion drive. You would also have to pay full cost of that replacement if it's out of warranty. Which means it can be expensive and way more than aftermarket prices.
 
matt9013 said:
Wow, I thought they would. All I wanted was the same HDD as the one I got with my iMac once it dies or breaks as eventually they all do. Wish they would have made it easier putting a new one in but I guess with the slim design that was hard to do.

Would I be able to get an external drive and just run the iMac on that?
Click to expand...

You can run your imac off of an external drive of course, but we don't know which model you have so if you don't have USB 3 or thinderbolt it will be slow. I would get a third party apple authorised place to replace you drive if I was you and take the oppurtunity to have an SSD installed it will speed your machine up considerably to say the least.
 
Paying them to replace it why?

If it's faulty they should replace it for free (they did for me when mine failed, and it was a 5 year old iMac)
 
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