Genius Bar Macbook Pro Problems :(

[Chrispy88]

Hey Everyone!

So my mom visited an Apple retail store this morning to get help at the genius bar. My sister was burning a DVD last night on the MBP and this morning, my mom went to the computer and while her files were still there her settings were all messed up. For example, when she opened iTunes, the library was unpopulated, but she could access her music fine via Finder.

Anyway, the Genius Bar guy said that he would create a new account, drag everything over, and then everything should work again...but after he finished, EVERYTHING WAS GONE. ALL HER FILES ARE GONE.

My mom does backup occasionally, but it's been a few months. The Genius Bar tried to convince her to pay for 'data recovery,' but it was really expensive. We have AppleCare on the machine (we bought the 3-year plan)...what should we do?

 

[AndyK]

...what should we do?

The cynic in me is telling me to answer this with something along the lines of "Back up more & take this as a valuable lesson learnt."

The more helpful person in my says that if he created another account and just copied information over, there should be a copy of the data left somewhere on one of the accounts.

Anyone that cut copies is a tit since it's much easier to dick it all up and loose data.

I'd perhaps find out exactly what the Apple guy did and provide us with more information, you're being a little vague.

I also fail to see how your laptop, while being left alone to burn a cd has managed to delete half of its self, are you sure that's all that happened?

 

[Chrispy88]

The cynic in me is telling me to answer this with something along the lines of "Back up more & take this as a valuable lesson learnt."

The more helpful person in my says that if he created another account and just copied information over, there should be a copy of the data left somewhere on one of the accounts.

Anyone that cut copies is a tit since it's much easier to dick it all up and loose data.

I'd perhaps find out exactly what the Apple guy did and provide us with more information, you're being a little vague.

I also fail to see how your laptop, while being left alone to burn a cd has managed to delete half of its self, are you sure that's all that happened?

Yeah, I'm sure. I actually used to work for Apple - while my status says 'newbie' I've been on these forums for a VERY long time (under a different name, of course).

I'm not really sure how the Genius Bar could've deleted the data. My best guess is that the hard drive was on its way out anyway - I mean, my mom turned it on this morning and everything in iTunes, TaxCut, etc. was missing. I bet the hard drive is toast - but Apple should be able to replace that!

I've got Time Machine in all my computers - I was just about to install it on hers...damn!

 

[AndyK]

I bet the hard drive is toast - but Apple should be able to replace that!

Then use your knowledge of how the Apple system works to get it done.

If that is the case the data is gone, so there is nothing we can say / offer to bring it back.

What makes me think though, is if the drive is "toast" I don't really get why only your personal data was lost & non of the system files were corrupted / lost preventing boot up.

 

[Chrispy88]

Then use your knowledge of how the Apple system works to get it done.

If that is the case the data is gone, so there is nothing we can say / offer to bring it back.

What makes me think though, is if the drive is "toast" I don't really get why only your personal data was lost & non of the system files were corrupted / lost preventing boot up.

We figured it out - we took it back to the Genius Bar. Looks like all we needed to do was to 'repair permissions.' Where is mad jew when you need him!?

 

[tagtagnc]

We figured it out - we took it back to the Genius Bar. Looks like all we needed to do was to 'repair permissions.' Where is mad jew when you need him!?

I never trust the Mac "Geniuses" anyway as they mostly look like that guy who won the VJAY job on MTV back in the 80's named Jesse Camp and certainly not of genius stature.