Frustrated with MacBook issues and Time Capsule

[swingerofbirch]

I'm not a newb swearing off Apple. Quite the opposite. I've just been annoyed with issues my MacBook has had.

The problem is that it needs to go in for repair, but I use it for work. Ironically, I am an independent contractor who is contracted by a teleservices company which is contracted by Apple to provide telesales staffing. So basically, I sell Apple products from home, which is great for me, because I am disabled and can't work outside of the home.


Working from home has meant that my Social Security disability income has been cut, and so I NEED the money coming into me to help my parents with expenses. When I called Apple and told them I was curious how long it would be if I sent it in, the representative told me that if I had a business, I should have a back up computer always ready. I was about to chew them out telling them that if they forced their contractors to pay their contractors decent wages, I might be able to afford that!

That's not the only reason I don't send it in--without my computer I am pretty much disconnected from any social or entertainment life as well.

I just get frustrated because I've had to send iBooks in before which go to Flextronics, come back unfixed, and it's like you have to start world war 3 with customer service to get something done.

I love Apple--but why does MY MacBook have to be acting the fool?

The other thing is that it's completely usable, but I know I should send it in because it's stupid not to get problems fixed.

Basically, the problems (still occurring after an erase and install and numerous tech support calls) are kernel panics, QuickTime Pro crashing fairly often, safe sleep mode not working at all, the computer sounds like a hair blower when flash or quicktime are being used, and it gets super hot, and the fans spin like crazy. Oh, and the palm rests are discolored, but I don't really care about that. Oh, and the screen is a lot dimmer than when I got it.

Besides that, I've had a lot of bad advice from AppleCare. After I re-installed OS X, my computer wouldn't index Spotlight, and the agent I spoke to told me I had to do another erase and install to push it to do the indexing. Fortunately, I found a MUCH easier solution by searching online. Plus I've had so many problems with Time Capsule, I won't go into them. I need to return it as well as it sounds like it's making popcorn when the drive runs, and when I put the phone up to the Time Capsule the agent didn't even ask me to have it repaired, he said the drive will stop working soon and I need to send it in. Well, that's fine, but what should I send in first? If I send in the Time Capsule, then I have no back up of the data on my MacBook, and can't send the MacBook in, if I send in the Time Capsule, I'll have to buy another hard disk to use for Time Machine (I'm definitely buying wired this time). Plus I have to set up my old wireless router.

My first MacBook was DOA, so I was hoping they would replace this one the way they did the DOA model.

I guess I'm not looking for any advice, because I don't know that there's anything to do other than bit the bullet, buy an external hard disk, back up my MacBook and send in the MacBook and Time Capsule!

Or is there something else I could get them to do? If I got what I wanted in my heart of hearts it would be to just have my MacBook swapped out and return my Time Capsule for cash back (I'd rather just use a firewire drive with all the probs I've had with the time capsule).

Does anyone think if I took a sojourn to a store (about an hour and a half from here) they would do something better for me than send it in for replacement?

 

[cyclingplatypus]

With the kernel panics you might just have a bad stick of RAM, pop in your disc and restart and run the hardware test to see if anything pops up there.

 

[swingerofbirch]

Thanks for the advice. Yeah the hardware tests run clean.

I actually called Apple today to ask if they would give me a refund instead of repair, but no dice as I expected.

To be honest, in my experience, when an Apple portable starts having problems, sending it in doesn't get it fixed. What gets it fixed is that it comes back three or four times and Apple eventually agrees to replace it (that's what happened with my iBooks at least). And they're still using Flextronics.

I just feel unhappy with my MacBook, thinking of selling it instead now. I know this is pessimistic of me, but I just doubt that sending it in would fix the issues I have, and I hate having to go through the whole thing of sending it in multiple times.

 

[swingerofbirch]

Apple wants me to do another erase and install to fix Spotlight, which doesn't work at all (won't index, and won't find anything), and I have just done another erase and install. Mail is mysteriously eating my messages. It will crash as I am drafting an e-mail and when I re-open Mail it's not there. They still insist I am not entitled to a refund, even though the warranty says a refund is one option Apple can grant instead of repair.

 

[swingerofbirch]

Well my Time Capsule's hard disk is not working, but if I send it in for repair, our family is out of wireless internet until the new one comes, and I can't even think straight with all the problems and constraints I have. I basically have two Apple products that need repair, and I can't send either of them in because I work every day for Apple (indirectly)! There's no way I can ask for as much time off as I would need to wait to get the MacBook back.

Then just today the power adapter stopped working. I called and they said the earliest the replacement will come out is next Monday. I let it cool down and it's thank god working again if i leave it still and let it cool down after it gets hot. (It seems like it overheats, stops working, and then will work again after it cools down for some amount of time).

I was showing my dad something on my MacBook today and he couldn't believe how loud it is. When I am using QuickTime, the computer sounds like a hair drier. It's just the irony of ironies that I don't have free time to send this in because I need the computer to provide services to the company that would fix it.

The people in customer relations I spoke to didn't know much about the warranty at all. They said AppleCare only ever offers repairs. The warranty states that it offers repairs, replacements, or refunds. They told me refunds are only through the Apple Store where you can get a full refund within 30 days of purchase--I was told this by both a corporate customer relations rep, and her supervisor! Neither even knows the policy of the company which is that it's a 14 day return policy with 10% restocking fee, which has nothing to do with Apple giving a refund for a product showing hardware defects that are covered by the warranty. I even asked them if they would mind looking at the warranty and they said they didn't need to.

Sorry, I just need a place to rant. At least, I'm lucky that the power adapter is somewhat working. At first I thought I was going to have to drive an hour tonight to find a store that sells one. (That was AppleCare's reccomendation: to buy another one).

I was also told by the customer relations agent another day that if I were really running a business I would know to have a second computer. If they forced their contractors to pay their subcontractors decent wages I could maybe could afford that.

 

[swingerofbirch]

Two more crashes in the last two days, so I'm giving up and sending it in...