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Sent in my rMBP for a trackpad repair and...

D

dipm06

macrumors member
Original poster
Jul 28, 2009
88
0
This past week, my rMBP was at Apple because my trackpad was not working. To my surprise, basically all of the components of the rMBP were replaced.

Logic board
Screen - LG to Samsung
Battery and casing

It seems as if the only thing that wasn't replaced was the hard drive...
 
dipm06 said:
This past week, my rMBP was at Apple because my trackpad was not working. To my surprise, basically all of the components of the rMBP were replaced.

Logic board
Screen - LG to Samsung
Battery and casing

It seems as if the only thing that wasn't replaced was the hard drive...
Click to expand...

So they probably swapped your hard drive with a new machine? Costs more money to repair those parts in labor. It could be possible
 
locoboi187 said:
So they probably swapped your hard drive with a new machine? Costs more money to repair those parts in labor. It could be possible
Click to expand...

This could be the case, but I was under the impression Apple has no responsibility for user data so wouldn't they just give him a brand new machine sans the data?
 
lulla01 said:
This could be the case, but I was under the impression Apple has no responsibility for user data so wouldn't they just give him a brand new machine sans the data?
Click to expand...

Maybe it just seemed unreasonable to get a trackpad fixed but with all data gone?
 
Check your serial number. If its different then they most likely gave you a new computer and cloned your drive.

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locoboi187 said:
So they probably swapped your hard drive with a new machine? Costs more money to repair those parts in labor. It could be possible
Click to expand...

I believe the rMBP has the SSD soldered to the logic board, which means they can't just switch drives between computers.
 
Irock619 said:
Check your serial number. If its different then they most likely gave you a new computer and cloned your drive.

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I believe the rMBP has the SSD soldered to the logic board, which means they can't just switch drives between computers.
Click to expand...

The SSD isn't soldered. It uses a proprietary interface though.
 
Irock619 said:
Can apple geniuses replace the SSD without removing the logic board?
Click to expand...

Yep, I think it's just one screw you have to remove and then the SSD slots right out:

macbook-pro-retina-teardown-ifixit.jpg
 
dipm06 said:
This past week, my rMBP was at Apple because my trackpad was not working. To my surprise, basically all of the components of the rMBP were replaced.

Logic board
Screen - LG to Samsung
Battery and casing

It seems as if the only thing that wasn't replaced was the hard drive...
Click to expand...

I had a problem with a MacBook Air.

They replaced everything including the battery and SSD. Why they didn't just replace the computer, confused just about everyone including the store manager who helped me when I was picking up the machine.
 
Irock619 said:
Check your serial number. If its different then they most likely gave you a new computer and cloned your drive.
Click to expand...

That may in fact be the case, but they did not mention it in the billing/repair statement. I'm sure they would have listed it since they listed everything else that was replaced. Also, I was told that Apple does not usually transfer data when they transfer hard drives.

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MaxPower72 said:
the era of disposable computers....
Click to expand...

Exactly! I'm so scarred now because I feel that when my warranty is up and I have another "trackpad issue" they are going to have to replace everything and charge me an arm and a leg for repair costs!
 
alphaod said:
They replaced everything including the battery and SSD. Why they didn't just replace the computer, confused just about everyone including the store manager who helped me when I was picking up the machine.
Click to expand...
Uh... somebody was justifying their job. These warranty "over-fixes" happen all the time, especially in the auto industry.
 
Manufactured Landscape

MaxPower72 said:
the era of disposable computers....
Click to expand...

Well all of the disposed computer parts etc etc etc end up contaminating small villages in China. If they make gadgets that can't be fixed nor kept up by the user - well - there wont be a 'future'.
 
vpro said:
Well all of the disposed computer parts etc etc etc end up contaminating small villages in China. If they make gadgets that can't be fixed nor kept up by the user - well - there wont be a 'future'.
Click to expand...

What makes you think that? The rMBP is recyclable.
 
Krazy Bill said:
Uh... somebody was justifying their job. These warranty "over-fixes" happen all the time, especially in the auto industry.
Click to expand...

Not at Apple. Third-party maybe, but they don't replace things that don't need replacing at the actual Apple centers, and Apple keeps on them about that.

jW
 
Mal said:
Not at Apple. Third-party maybe, but they don't replace things that don't need replacing at the actual Apple centers, and Apple keeps on them about that.

jW
Click to expand...

I was told by the people at Apple that they fix everything that doesn't pass the hardware tests. I'm guessing most of my components might have been partially responsible for the trackpad failure, which is why they replaced them. They do not fix what doesn't have to be repaired, but they do fix everything that is not working properly, regardless of whether or not it was the reason for brining it in for repair.
 
Trackpad = is glued under the battery to the case as per ifixit. LCD is similarly integrated together.

rMBP is essentially a disposable.

Fans, logic board and SSD are the only easy part swaps based on ifixit teardown.
 
dipm06 said:
I was told by the people at Apple that they fix everything that doesn't pass the hardware tests. I'm guessing most of my components might have been partially responsible for the trackpad failure, which is why they replaced them. They do not fix what doesn't have to be repaired, but they do fix everything that is not working properly, regardless of whether or not it was the reason for brining it in for repair.
Click to expand...

Yep. I didn't mean to suggest they wouldn't fix things you didn't say were having problems, but they replace what fails their tests and don't replace what doesn't. That was in response, of course, to the poster who said they would over-replace to justify their job, which is not true.

jW
 
That's really interesting. I'm continually glad that I bought the classic MBP (then again, I had my reasons over the rMBP).
 
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