Dust inside the bezel plate

[phaedarus]

Hi everyone,

My late 2011 17 inch Macbook Pro has a dust accumulation problem.

While cleaning the anti-glare matte screen, I noticed a few crusts of dirt drop into the bezel plate where they remain wedged inside.

I tried a number of small tools in an effort to extract these crusts but to no avail.

The bits of dirt are sizeable enough that they have caused the bezel on the right side of the screen to convex out a little thus, creating a larger opening for more dust to accumulate.

The linked photo clearly shows the slight deformation of the bezel as a result of the white spec of dirt trapped inside (which is also visible).

While I have extended Applecare, I'm not too keen on parting with the laptop for the week or so it would take to have it serviced; although I may do this as a last resort and before I install the Samsung 840 pro I just purchased (replacing optical drive with the original Hitachi apparently voids the warranty). This, of course, assumes that the Apple store will even take it in just to fix this problem.

Has anyone successfully dealt with this in a do-it-yourself fashion?

Also, are there any accessories for the matte screen which would guard against this from occurring again but without compromising the display quality?

Thanks.

 

[johnnnw]

I doubt Apple would service it just for dust, but I could be wrong.

The best thing I have found for this crack area at the bottom is compressed air. Doesn't scratch and gets in really small areas.

PS: Were you painting with white paint while using your Macbook? Haha...

PSS: Excellent choice of SSD. Your warranty wouldn't be voided as long as you replace them back to stock before you take it in

 

[phaedarus]

I doubt Apple would service it just for dust, but I could be wrong.

The best thing I have found for this crack area at the bottom is compressed air. Doesn't scratch and gets in really small areas.

PS: Were you painting with white paint while using your Macbook? Haha...

PSS: Excellent choice of SSD. Your warranty wouldn't be voided as long as you replace them back to stock before you take it in

Hmm, wouldn't compressed air be more likely to further wedge in the dirt? I guess I can try that later tomorrow.

As for the white paint thing, are you referring to the discolouration of the moshi clearguard?

Those white blotches appeared after I washed the clearguard in soapy water as per Moshi's instructions. I've tried rinsing it out numerous times but was never able to get rid of the blotches. It's not really a big deal though, it does an excellent job of keeping out all sorts of crud from falling through the keys. In fact, if I lift up the clearguard, the keys below are in pristine condition - as if they had never been used.

 

[johnnnw]

Hmm, wouldn't compressed air be more likely to further wedge in the dirt? I guess I can try that later tomorrow.

As for the white paint thing, are you referring to the discolouration of the moshi clearguard?

Those white blotches appeared after I washed the clearguard in soapy water as per Moshi's instructions. I've tried rinsing it out numerous times but was never able to get rid of the blotches. It's not really a big deal though, it does an excellent job of keeping out all sorts of crud from falling through the keys. In fact, if I lift up the clearguard, the keys below are in pristine condition - as if they had never been used.

I've always considered one. I like to keep my Macbook in pristine condition. I currently use a palm rest protector and trackpad protector but held off on the keyboard protector.

Does it still seem clicky? I like the click feeling and am not able to type on "mushy" keyboards. The tactile feedback is necessary for me. If it still does I'd be all over this thing. Just tonight I was cleaning my keyboard because my fingers were unknowingly sticky.

 

[phaedarus]

I've always considered one. I like to keep my Macbook in pristine condition. I currently use a palm rest protector and trackpad protector but held off on the keyboard protector.

Does it still seem clicky? I like the click feeling and am not able to type on "mushy" keyboards. The tactile feedback is necessary for me. If it still does I'd be all over this thing. Just tonight I was cleaning my keyboard because my fingers were unknowingly sticky.

I would definitely get one.

I can't comment on what the experience is like without one because one of the very first things I did before even using the macbook was buy a moshi palm guard, moshi trackguard, moshi clearguard and moshi codex sleeve (some of these items are actually hard to get for the 17 inch).

From my own experience with the moshi clearguard, you do have to exert a little more force to make sure the keys depress. You'll get use to it though. You will be able to feel the keys depress underneath you. The clearguard is a very soft thin plastic. The other keyboard protector solutions from what I've read are a lot worse in terms of look and feel.

If nothing else, get it to protect your investment from spills. I make it a habit not to eat or drink around my laptop but as I'm always on the go, bad stuff can happen at anytime and often stemming from situations out of your control. All you have to do is read the horror stories here and on other forums about people who have had liquid poured on their macbooks and as a result, are now just expensive paperweights.

Besides, I have full layout keyboards for my PCs that I use. If you have one, try lifting up the keys caps and with a flashlight, peak inside to see all the bits of food, hair, dandruff etc. It's absolutely gross what you can find in a keyboard. Now just imagine that happening to your macbook and not being able to do a damn thing about it.

Heck, my moshi clearguard and palm/trackguard actually have this yellowing greasy colour on the surface if you shine a bright light (can't simply rinse it out). Presumably it's from the oil transferred from sweaty palms when the macbook gets hot. I sure as heck would rather have that on my moshi accessories than on the macbook itself!

The irony though, is that despite the time and investment I poured into protecting my macbook pro, it seems in the end I was defeated by specs of dust making its way into the screen bezel.