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BJD21

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 16, 2009
13
0
So I spilled coffee all over my MacBook Pro and since it is not covered by AppleCare it will cost $1,200 to fix. I can still turn it on but most of the keyboard isn't working properly. I got it back in July 2007 (15" 2.4ghz 160gb) and I think I'm going to buy a new one. I managed to get all of my school work off of it even thought it took awhile and was very frustrating. My question is, is there anyway to completely wipe the hard drive then sell it? I was trying to look on eBay but it is tough to find a laptop on there with the same exact problem. Thanks.
 
Startup on an OS-X install disk and run Disk Utility. From there, you can erase the drive, with the option of writing zeros and/or doing a DOD multi-pass erase.
 
Thanks a lot for the help. I feel like an idiot but it happens I guess. I've sold many things on eBay but never a laptop. Can I actually get something for this even though it is kinda broke? How should I describe it in the auction?
 
I'd called Apple up and get a refund on your AppleCare and then sell the computer as is for parts or something. Just be truthful… but don't expect to get a lot for the parts are definitely dead.
 
You can get a new keyboard for $22.

$1200. wow. :(

If it still turns on, it's likely the logic board doesn't need to be replaced. But any sort of corrosion or oxidation does get worsened by time, even after it's been dried. Get the logic board into an ultrasonic cleaner with the proper chemical bath and you'll have a fully working machine, that you can sell in working order. dry it out with rice or a hairdryer and you'll have a doorstop in three months.
 
If it still turns on, it's likely the logic board doesn't need to be replaced. But any sort of corrosion or oxidation does get worsened by time, even after it's been dried. Get the logic board into an ultrasonic cleaner with the proper chemical bath and you'll have a fully working machine, that you can sell in working order. dry it out with rice or a hairdryer and you'll have a doorstop in three months.

I don't know what you are suggesting, but this is exactly the reason some of us are weary of eBay auctions.

The logic board may not need immediately replaced, but it is almost a certainty that it will corrode in a matter of weeks/months regardless of the amount of cleaning. Even if the machine didn't need a new LB, AppleCare policy is to ONLY do that repair before any others if water damaged is reported/discovered.
 
I don't know what you are suggesting, but this is exactly the reason some of us are weary of eBay auctions.

The logic board may not need immediately replaced, but it is almost a certainty that it will corrode in a matter of weeks/months regardless of the amount of cleaning. Even if the machine didn't need a new LB, AppleCare policy is to ONLY do that repair before any others if water damaged is reported/discovered.

I'd say we're more wary than weary, but even still, being completely truthful would be nice. You'll still get something for it.
 
I don't know what you are suggesting, but this is exactly the reason some of us are weary of eBay auctions.

The logic board may not need immediately replaced, but it is almost a certainty that it will corrode in a matter of weeks/months regardless of the amount of cleaning. Even if the machine didn't need a new LB, AppleCare policy is to ONLY do that repair before any others if water damaged is reported/discovered.

Nope!

The ones that do die after three months were either

a) Cleaned with a toothbrush and listerine.

b) Not tested with somethinglike prime or memtest for days after.

If it's too corroded, it's too corroded, and I don't try to replace anything, but if it's not, no reason to toss the whole thing away.
 
for the naysayers, as long as the coffee was black, no sugar, no milk, it may be fine for much longer than 3 months outside of the keyboard issues.

since coffee is mostly water and acid, there isn't all that much corrosion when spilled on electronics.

In fact, I had a dell laptop that had black coffee spilled on it numerous times (by the same end user), that only needed the keyboard replaced. the system is still in use, despite having been subjected to large coffee spills while on several times.
 
if that happened to my umbp 17" i wouldnt be able to post lol i woulda tossed my self off my balcony.
 
Let me know if you want to sell it and how much.

sgaar (at) hotmail (dot) com
 
It's not dead, Jim

Try a soak in isopropyl alcohol, followed by gentle swabbing. This worked when my wife spilled wine on her mobile phone. You'll just have to learn how to crack the case--I'm sure there are resources out there.

BB

So I spilled coffee all over my MacBook Pro and since it is not covered by AppleCare it will cost $1,200 to fix. I can still turn it on but most of the keyboard isn't working properly. I got it back in July 2007 (15" 2.4ghz 160gb) and I think I'm going to buy a new one. I managed to get all of my school work off of it even thought it took awhile and was very frustrating. My question is, is there anyway to completely wipe the hard drive then sell it? I was trying to look on eBay but it is tough to find a laptop on there with the same exact problem. Thanks.
 
Try a soak in isopropyl alcohol, followed by gentle swabbing. This worked when my wife spilled wine on her mobile phone. You'll just have to learn how to crack the case--I'm sure there are resources out there.

BB

Soaking all of the induvidual internal components one by one (logic board, RAM, etc) isn't for the faint of heart. If you are going to take that route, make sure you print out a guide beforehand, buy appropriate tools, and remove the parts sensitive to liquid damage (speakers). You will also most likely have to reapply the thermal paste on both the GPU and CPU, so make sure to have that on hand as well. Like I said, not for the faint of heart.
 
You might get more money if you sell it as parts (though I don't know for sure). Here's what you can sell:

The case (all aluminum parts)
screws
LCD
isight assemby
heatsinks
RAM (memtest it in another computer)
airport and bluetooth cards
magsafe sub board
superdrive
hard drive
heatsinks
internal ribbon cables
speakers
battery


Please don't sell any electrical parts if they got any coffee on them, unless you have a clear disclaimer. Mechanical parts like the heatsink, screws, and case should be just fine as long as you clean them.
 
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