AppleCare Support Question

[india349]

Well, I've got a new edition to the family: a refurbished black Core Duo MacBook! (this time around, with AppleCare)

This thing was supposed to come with 512 MB of RAM and 80 GB of hard disk space. After booting it up, Tiger counted 2 full gigabytes of RAM and 120 GB of hard disk space.

While this was most definitely a pleasant surprise, D) I would like to know if my AppleCare plan still covers the larger hard drive and larger amount of RAM, because I guess "technically" speaking I wasn't supposed to have it in the first place. I'm afraid to call Apple and ask them or they might ask me to send it back.

Thoughts?
Thanks.
india349

(My apologies in advance if this in the incorrect forum!)

 

[termina3]

Go ahead, call Applecare. They can't/won't make you send it back.

The RAM is no biggie as far as Applecare--upgrading won't void anything so they won't care. The HDD, though, you must make clear came direct from Apple--you didn't install it.

 

[india349]

I'll give them a call sometime after the holidays, I suppose. I'm just afraid that if my hard drive ever were to fail, they'd be like "Sorry, this isn't our drive meaning we can't cover it" or "Your warranty is void." especially after I paid the full $250 for AppleCare (didn't know eBay was an option, I didn't realize it was a physical package)

 

[trainguy77]

This happens semi-regularly as the build to order machines are sent out as they come back in. So its all standard apple parts and will be covered don't worry about it. The HD will be apple rebranded as i think that was a BTO option. Its one of the perks of ordering refurb.

 

[india349]

Good to know. When you say 'rebranded', does that mean like a literal Apple-made hard drive? Because it says Toshiba on the System Profiler and vendor is Intel.

But anyway, I can't imagine the hard drive will be too much of an issue since I've now got a backup external (yay Christmas!) and Time Machine.

Thanks
india349

 

[termina3]

Good to know. When you say 'rebranded', does that mean like a literal Apple-made hard drive? Because it says Toshiba on the System Profiler and vendor is Intel.

Rebranded as in someone else made it, Apple now calls it an Apple hard drive.

So Apple won't call your HDD a Toshiba, they'll call it an Apple.

 

[trainguy77]

Basically if you were to look at the drive it would have the apple logo on it. It still would say toshiba on it. But it would also have the apple logo on the sticker.

EDIT: example: http://www.amug.org/amug-web/html/amug/reviews/articles/intel/macpro/wd.jpg

 

[india349]

I haven't opened this machine to check yet but I did call AppleCare. I was told by the representative that the AppleCare Protection Plan insures the 'machine' itself and isn't broken down into parts of the machine. So because the MacBook's RAM and hard disk are considered user-replaceable and don't violate the warranty, if anything stopped working, Apple would be able to service it because it is the machine and its serial number that are part of the plan.

I thought it was a roundabout way of saying "We sold it to you this way, so we'll cover it."

Thanks, guys!

india349