Question on optibay and warranty

[2hvy4grvty]

So I'm about to finally bite the bullet and pick up a Crucial M4 128gb drive, going for a HDD+SSD set up -- SSD in the main drive, HDD in the optibay.

However, obviously the optical drive isn't a user serviceable part, so that would "void" warranty. But it's to my understanding that by removing the optibay and reinstalling the optical drive before sending it in for warranty/repairs would be alright?

Would I have to replace the original Apple drive in the main drive bay, or can I just leave my third party SSD in there? If I have to move the Apple drive back... how would it boot, since the OS would be on the SSD?

Also, it states here: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1200593/

For its part, Apple does not consider hard drives to be user-replaceable components on most machines and would expect users experiencing failures of their hard drives to go through Apple for replacement during the one-year warranty period

 

[maflynn]

What ever you break while installing the optibay will not be covered by apple. Your entire warranty will not be voided but only localized to the area of where you did your work.

 

[Dark Void]

I guess it's one of those things that comes down how deceptive you are willing to be. If you want to toss your optical drive back in and act like you never took it you, I suppose you could do that without them knowing, sure.

Why not just leave the Apple drive in the main bay and just swap out the optical drive with the SSD so it's just one installation?

 

[Naimfan]

What ever you break while installing the optibay will not be covered by apple. Your entire warranty will not be voided but only localized to the area of where you did your work.

Legally that is incorrect. The warranty is technically voided the instant you remove the optical drive. As a practical matter, there's no way for Apple to know if the optical drive has been removed and then re-installed.

There is no need to remove the SSD drive from the HD bay as it IS a user-replaceable part.

 

[akhbhaat]

Regardless of what it might do to your warranty status, I wouldn't advise leaving your expensive third party SSD or any other modifications or upgrades in the machine (e.g. RAM, Optibay mount) when shipping it away, unless you want to risk the possibility that those components will be damaged or replaced in the process. It wouldn't be unheard of.

Return it to stock for peace of mind, at least.

 

[maflynn]

Legally that is incorrect.

I disagree. The wording on apple's warranty states that only the area to which is damaged by only the damage/work done by the an authorized party.

This warranty does not apply: (a) to damage caused by use with non-Apple products; (b) to
damage caused by accident, abuse, misuse, flood, fire, earthquake or other external causes; (c)
to damage caused by operating the product outside the permitted or intended uses described
by Apple; (d) to damage caused by service (including upgrades and expansions) performed by
anyone who is not a representative of Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider (“AASP”);
(e) to a product or part that has been modified to alter functionality or capability without the
written permission of Apple; (f) to consumable parts, such as batteries, unless damage has
occurred due to a defect in materials or workmanship; (g) to cosmetic damage, including but
not limited to scratches, dents and broken plastic on ports, that does not otherwise affect the
product’s functionality or materially impair your use; or (h) if any Apple serial number has been
removed or defaced.

Apple states its not covering damaged parts but it does not go to the point of voiding the entire warranty.

 

[2hvy4grvty]

Why not just leave the Apple drive in the main bay and just swap out the optical drive with the SSD so it's just one installation?

SATA III connector for a SATA III drive.

Also, if I do return parts to stock, the Apple HDD would merely be a media drive, containing no OSes. It wouldn't boot. Ideas?

Before I ship, can I let Apple know I have "important confidential files in the HDD", therefore I'd remove it and ship the machine back with no HDD?

 

[getz76]

I agree in principle with everything maflynn has posted. However, I would not want to get into the argument with Apple.

If I was going to return my machine for service, I would return it to stock, sans the memory upgrade.

If you were going to return the stock drive into the machine, clone the drive and then do a fresh install over top of it. I usually keep the factory image of a drive on my backup NAS.

 

[Naimfan]

I disagree. The wording on apple's warranty states that only the area to which is damaged by only the damage/work done by the an authorized party.



Apple states its not covering damaged parts but it does not go to the point of voiding the entire warranty.

You are incorrect. You need to read the entire warranty, specifically this part:

(g) to a product or part that has been modified to alter functionality or capability without the written permission of Apple.

You also need to understand how warranties work--companies do everything possible to exclude them. As I noted, as a practical matter it would be difficult for Apple to prove a computer was "modified." However, if someone leaves an optibay conversion in, they have "modified" the product without the written permission of Apple. Hence, the warranty has been voided, and there are plenty of cases (yes, under Magnuson-Moss) upholding the right of a company to completely void a warranty if the originally warranted product was modified.

Really, why take the chance? I've practiced in consumer protection law, and to claim that installing an optibay does not void the limited Apple warranty is simply incorrect.