Timecapsule has given up the ghost :-(

[shomenno]

Hello everyone,

Last night my Timecapsule must have failed and is now non operational, basically the front light is not on, there is no noise inside from either the hard drive or the power transformer. This would suggest to me the transformer is at fault, and I note that from forums that there is a fault with the original production Timecapsule which mine is.

Problem is it is out of warranty and I have no other apple computer product with a current warranty that it could be fixed under. When I phoned the local reseller and computer repair shop they indicated that the transformer and other electronics are all integrated, thus it is a case of a whole unit replacement (internals wise).

My options would seem to be:
1) write a letter to Apple to see if they will fix it free out of warranty as there is a common fault in the early production model, two years for something to go bust that is meant to be a back up device is not good. Some out of warranty have had theirs fixed. If Apple should fix it and do indeed replace the innards, do I still keep my hard drive? there is actually a lot of my work backed up on there and given I where I work this would not be too cool if it were not destroyed (and no I don't mean there is porn on there!).
2) Wait until I purchase my next apple iMac and get the Timecapsule fixed under its warranty.
3) Bin the Timecapsule. If I bin it am I able to plug any standard stand alone USB harddrive to the computer to use with timemachine to do backups?
4) How feasible is it to take it to the local electronics repair shop and ask them to trace the blown component and replace it thus getting my old Timecapsule up and running again?

What are peoples thoughts on this matter? Is my fault diagnosing sound right, what option sounds the best way to go? Any thoughts?

Ta, Shomenno

 

[ascender]

Phone Apple and give them the serial number, they'll tell you if its one that's eligible for replacement due to the faulty PSU. Won't matter if its out of warranty or not if its on their list.

 

[AdamA9]

As them to fix it, and if they refuse (and if you're in the UK) quote the Sale of Good Act 1979. Some info I found on the net:

... the key time span is six years. That's how long goods may be covered by the Sale of Goods Act. It all depends on what "sufficiently durable" means. If a light bulb goes after 13 months, the consumer is not going to be overly gutted. If their washing machine goes after the same time span they are going to be livid.

The government's guidelines say: "Goods are of satisfactory quality if they reach the standard that a reasonable person would regard as satisfactory, taking into account the price and any description."

...The Sale of Goods Act says that your MP3 player must be fit for purpose.

"It must be as described. It must be of satisfactory quality, sufficiently durable, free from any defects," says Dr Christian Twigg-Flesner, a consumer law expert at the University of Hull.

If you've ignored the manufacturer's warnings and have been leaving the player out in direct sunshine and wearing it in the bath, then you probably haven't got much of a case.

But if the player has been lovingly treated and has still conked out that suggests something may have been wrong with it at the very beginning...

Good luck

 

[keeper]

Mine did the same i'm in the UK.
I simply phoned Apple support provided serial number, and they sent a new one, i had it within a few days. It was 18mths and no other Apple products.

Having said that, I dumped it and got a QNAP NAS, 2 drives in raid one.
The time capsule is going on ebay shortly.

Cheers Phil

 

[shomenno]

Hello everyone,

Last night my Timecapsule must have failed and is now non operational, basically the front light is not on, there is no noise inside from either the hard drive or the power transformer. This would suggest to me the transformer is at fault, and I note that from forums that there is a fault with the original production Timecapsule which mine is.

Problem is it is out of warranty and I have no other apple computer product with a current warranty that it could be fixed under. When I phoned the local reseller and computer repair shop they indicated that the transformer and other electronics are all integrated, thus it is a case of a whole unit replacement (internals wise).

My options would seem to be:
1) write a letter to Apple to see if they will fix it free out of warranty as there is a common fault in the early production model, two years for something to go bust that is meant to be a back up device is not good. Some out of warranty have had theirs fixed. If Apple should fix it and do indeed replace the innards, do I still keep my hard drive? there is actually a lot of my work backed up on there and given I where I work this would not be too cool if it were not destroyed (and no I don't mean there is porn on there!).
2) Wait until I purchase my next apple iMac and get the Timecapsule fixed under its warranty.
3) Bin the Timecapsule. If I bin it am I able to plug any standard stand alone USB harddrive to the computer to use with timemachine to do backups?
4) How feasible is it to take it to the local electronics repair shop and ask them to trace the blown component and replace it thus getting my old Timecapsule up and running again?

What are peoples thoughts on this matter? Is my fault diagnosing sound right, what option sounds the best way to go? Any thoughts?

Ta, Shomenno

Thought I had better post an update on this old post of mine. Indeed the TimeCapsule was faulty, I found on the net the power supply was a known issue they were sometimes fixing out of warranty. So, called Apple via toll free number, the guy I spoke to was super friendly and in turn after talking to someone above him gave me a reference number and asked me to take it to the nearest Apple Dealer and they would cover it!

So all love and roses here as Apple came through. Must say it sure did make me feel warm about buying Apple products, great to know that quality extends from the machines to their support ethos.

Thank you Apple

Shomenno