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Was your Seagate 1TB drive recalled?
- Thread starter nightfly13
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Results of this poll are likely to be skewed toward the positive. Those who qualify for a replacement are more likely to partake in the poll than are those who do not qualify. The option, "I had another brand of 1TB hard drive", is likely to represent the largest segment of the iMac population. The results should be interpreted with skepticism.
I wouldn't necessarily say that any BTO iMac is safe. Keep in mind that BTO iMacs also suffer from display issues.
Though, I do have to admit that my iMac was delayed during the building process (you can read about that here, Running the iMac gauntlet). It is possible that the delay was due to Apple discovering the issues surrounding Seagate hard drives, though that is purely a guess on my part.
mine was recalled .. received the email .. figured why not .. made an appointment .. they swapped it out .. got it back last night and it was replaced with a wd 1tb black .. and now all i feel on my desk is the humming and its noisy .. my hard drive before was dead silent .. sucks
What do information do you base your quote on? I realize that people even coming to this sub-forum are more likely to be here due to having an issue, but it looks to me that 4:1 people had 1TB Seagate drives over other brands. I think that number is pretty solid, thus around 80% of 1TB orders were Seagate. Those with 'good' Seagate drives are no more likely than non-Seagate drive owners to come, no reason I can think of to doubt that.
I'd agree that the breakdown within the two categories of Seagate drives is skewed toward the problematic side. People would more likely come here after getting the email and vote accordingly, but I still think the poll is helpful to see that it's really not a 'very small percentage' who had recalled drives. What the number is, only Apple knows, but it's an issue for a large percentage (probably not 40%, but not 4% either).
Just to let you know that the new HD's model is WDC WD1001FALS-403AA0 - only a tiny bit noisier than the Seagate but nothing really of concern.
Besides, my local AASP installed a Vertex 3 and everything seems perfectly fine as well - no dust in the screen or dents in the aluminum either..!
Besides, my local AASP installed a Vertex 3 and everything seems perfectly fine as well - no dust in the screen or dents in the aluminum either..!
To those whining about the noise of the new hard disk - what on are you going on about? apart from hearing the odd bit of sound on the odd occasion quite frankly I think you're imagining things - get back to work and focus on more important things.
Anyway in regards to the following post:
I too would be pretty pissed off if my iMac came back in such a state - it isn't Apple's fault but I would report that said authorised service centre to Apple though so that the Apple can given the vendor the hard word. At the end of the day Apple relies on authorised third parties to make repairs and if they're not doing their job then you as a customer need to tell Apple so then Apple can take corrective action - complaining on this forum, as much as it gives a great place to vent frustration will never change what happened (and prevent it from happening in the future).
Anyway in regards to the following post:
I too would be pretty pissed off if my iMac came back in such a state - it isn't Apple's fault but I would report that said authorised service centre to Apple though so that the Apple can given the vendor the hard word. At the end of the day Apple relies on authorised third parties to make repairs and if they're not doing their job then you as a customer need to tell Apple so then Apple can take corrective action - complaining on this forum, as much as it gives a great place to vent frustration will never change what happened (and prevent it from happening in the future).
They've had my iMac for over a week now. I'm sure there is a general backlog but YEESH! A week to replace a hard drive?! And normally I've gotten great service but when I called to inquire the last time the guy on the phone was pretty rude. Refused to check on the status, just said "We'll call YOU when its done."
Replacing a hard disk in an iMac isn't a simple operation unfortunately - I do wish though that Apple would make hard disk replacement a matter of sliding out the old hard disk from the side (the frame is screwed onto the hard disk but can be unscrewed) so then upgrading is like upgrading a hard disk on a laptop. With that being said, although the guy was rude you also have to accept that he probably has had a dozen people like you ring up and inquire - the people in said places are working as fast as they can to get things done so have a little patience.
Notes from my experience getting the Hard Drive swap done
Look over the "Genius Bar Work Authorization" form before signing it. Mine said "Cosmetic Condition: Fair. Minor Scuffing and scratches." Even though my machine was in brand new & flawless condition (it was just over a month old).
I didn't even realize that until I had to take back my computer after they swapped the drive because they marked up the inside of the glass and display with all sorts of smudge marks. Plus the new WD HD was much louder and there was a tiny nick in the aluminum bezel.
They ended up trying to clean the display again but the signed form that said "scuffing and scratches" made the nicked aluminum complaint pretty mute. Luckily they weren't able to get the display cleaned (bring a flashlight and shine it at the glass, you should be able to see if there are any smudges, or residue left behind very easily) and I was given a new machine.
There is more to the story but the above is probably the most pertinent info. Overall everyone was very nice to deal with at the Apple store. Luckily I live 5 blocks away from the San Francisco store. (carrying a 30lb gigantic box around gets old after awhile though)
Look over the "Genius Bar Work Authorization" form before signing it. Mine said "Cosmetic Condition: Fair. Minor Scuffing and scratches." Even though my machine was in brand new & flawless condition (it was just over a month old).
I didn't even realize that until I had to take back my computer after they swapped the drive because they marked up the inside of the glass and display with all sorts of smudge marks. Plus the new WD HD was much louder and there was a tiny nick in the aluminum bezel.
They ended up trying to clean the display again but the signed form that said "scuffing and scratches" made the nicked aluminum complaint pretty mute. Luckily they weren't able to get the display cleaned (bring a flashlight and shine it at the glass, you should be able to see if there are any smudges, or residue left behind very easily) and I was given a new machine.
There is more to the story but the above is probably the most pertinent info. Overall everyone was very nice to deal with at the Apple store. Luckily I live 5 blocks away from the San Francisco store. (carrying a 30lb gigantic box around gets old after awhile though)
Here's my update...
I called the store after about 4 days and got kind of a snotty tone about how they'd call ME when they were done. I called again a couple days later and they said they were almost done and were running the post fix diagnostics.
Today was the 9th day so I called again despite having been treated kind of poorly on the phone last time. The guy says he'll leave a note for the Genius Admin since he was at lunch. Right before he hangs up he says let me go check if its in the "ready to be picked up cage". He comes back and said it was.
I had mixed feelings because I was glad it was done but a bit miffed after being told not to call that they didn't actually call when it was done.
I went to the store after work to pick it up. The guy brings it out and I ask to boot it up and make sure there's nothing on/behind the screen. He gives me dagger eyes and says they check for that but goes and gets a power cable.
I get it home and when I set it on my desk I notice two things. I never would have seen anything in the store because all the dust and lint is more clear when the screen is off... and I HAD dust and lint. A LOT. The second thing I notice is they obviously had to PRY the glass off and left an (admittedly tiny) chip in the aluminum frame and scratch on the side edge of the glass. I was PISSED. The damage wasn't terrible but the dust was really quite bad. I gut a sick feeling in my gut. This was going to be a battle.
So I call the store and tell them what's going on. They offer to clean it and replace the aluminum frame. I argue forcefully but politely that looking at what they've done, I don't really have much confidence that they can fix it. I ask if the person I'm talking to has the authority to replace the machine. He says no and I get escalated.
I explain the situation again and get the same attitude. It can be cleaned, they have a "special tool" from Apple. I ask why they didn't use that tool during the original repair? He basically says they can't really control that, sometimes there is dust in the room. I say so how can you be telling me you can for sure fix it? Either you didn't use this "special tool" the first time or you DID and there is nothing you can really do. I also tell him if they're going to make me bring it in any way, I want the aluminum chip fixed. He says that's fine they can order a new frame.
Then I drop the bomb... I continue to argue that I don't really think this is something they can fix but if this is the level of service I can expect, I'll bring it in and give them one more shot but I'm also bringing in the 13" MBA I bought Thursday and returning it as this is not the level of service I signed up for. He kind of ignores that comment and I ask him how long the repair will take since they already had my computer for 9 days and THEY did this and I can't be without my computer.
He said once I bring it in it will take 30 minutes to clean inside the screen. I asked how long to replace the aluminum frame (at this point I'm realizing this isn't a frame, this is a unibody, they're going to have to move the ENTIRE GUTS of my iMac to a new unibody since they chipped this one. He puts me on hold to check on parts. He comes back and as if we were not just arguing and I was completely pissed and says it will take more than a week to fix and he understands that's too long and they'll replace it. Again, mixed feelings because I think that's the right thing to do but I had to THROW A FIT to get to that point.
So I box it up and lug it back to the Apple store. I get there and go back the Genius Bar and tell the check-in guy I have a return... its a repair I picked up today that I'm not happy with and the manager agreed to exchange it out. He logs me in and moves me the corner. I wait for about 2 minutes and a sales floor guy comes over and asks how he can help. I explain the SHORT version and that the manager said I can exchange it. OH, I forgot on the drive there I realize I didn't get the managers name and there's a possibility I could get there and they could deny knowing what I'm talking about which would pretty much result in me going ******* in the store... So he whips out his little point of sale handheld thingy and starts processing the return. He asks if I just want the same thing. I say yes. He says he needs a manager approval walks over to a lady in her late 30s. She's helping another customer so after a brief exchange which I couldn't hear, she enters her code into the point of sale device. He walks back over and says someone will be bringing my new machine out.
At this point I feel a total disconnect. I've been treated like crap and had to argue my way into a return I feel totally entitled to and this sales guy is being nice and acting like its no big deal. While we're waiting for a stock runner to bring out the new iMac, this lady who approved the return walks over. She asks if there's anything I need. I giver her the short short version and then focus more on how I've been treated and how I think that even though they agreed to the right resolution, I felt like I had to throw a fit and that's not the level of service I expect from Apple. She apologizes profusely, points out that she hadn't talked to me and that the genius manager let her know I was coming in but that she had no idea I was upset and unhappy about the repair and service. Turns out she's the store manager. She apologizes again and gives me her card. I reiterate that I appreciate that they arrived at the right resolution told her, thank you for coming to check on me and letting me explain my concerns. She thanked me again and I left with the new machine.
So in the end, Apple's reputation is a bit tarnished in my mind at this point but the store manager made a huge move towards polishing it back up. Hopefully my luck changes.
A couple side notes. I think there are three possible factors contributing to the final resolution.
1) I've bought FOUR Macs (27" highest non-BTO, Mac Mini, 15" base MBP, and 13" base MBA) just since February. Prior to that I've bought 2 iPads, 2 Apple TVs, 2 iPhones in the last year and a few iPods before that. I think at some point someone probably finally saw my purchase history and went... oh, maybe we should help this guy.
2) I think when the guy on the phone went to check the parts system he finally realized that it was going to be a major mess trying to replace the case because it would involve basically an entire transplant.
3) The iMac I returned will have to go back to Apple to be refurbished. That's probably a pain in the butt for the retail store. But when I finally said I'd return the MBA if I didn't get a better resolution, they probably realized they were in a no-win situation, they'd have to refurb the MBA if not the iMac so it made no difference at that point.
Sorry for the long post, one final closing note. My bad experience with dust and scratched case is just one of a few I've seen posted. I would question whether its worth even having the repair done frankly. I mean if this were a failure where the part has to be replaced or the machine doesn't work, fine, but a preemptive part swap??? knowing what I know now, I probably would take my chances and do good backups rather than let someone open my iMac.
I called the store after about 4 days and got kind of a snotty tone about how they'd call ME when they were done. I called again a couple days later and they said they were almost done and were running the post fix diagnostics.
Today was the 9th day so I called again despite having been treated kind of poorly on the phone last time. The guy says he'll leave a note for the Genius Admin since he was at lunch. Right before he hangs up he says let me go check if its in the "ready to be picked up cage". He comes back and said it was.
I had mixed feelings because I was glad it was done but a bit miffed after being told not to call that they didn't actually call when it was done.
I went to the store after work to pick it up. The guy brings it out and I ask to boot it up and make sure there's nothing on/behind the screen. He gives me dagger eyes and says they check for that but goes and gets a power cable.
I get it home and when I set it on my desk I notice two things. I never would have seen anything in the store because all the dust and lint is more clear when the screen is off... and I HAD dust and lint. A LOT. The second thing I notice is they obviously had to PRY the glass off and left an (admittedly tiny) chip in the aluminum frame and scratch on the side edge of the glass. I was PISSED. The damage wasn't terrible but the dust was really quite bad. I gut a sick feeling in my gut. This was going to be a battle.
So I call the store and tell them what's going on. They offer to clean it and replace the aluminum frame. I argue forcefully but politely that looking at what they've done, I don't really have much confidence that they can fix it. I ask if the person I'm talking to has the authority to replace the machine. He says no and I get escalated.
I explain the situation again and get the same attitude. It can be cleaned, they have a "special tool" from Apple. I ask why they didn't use that tool during the original repair? He basically says they can't really control that, sometimes there is dust in the room. I say so how can you be telling me you can for sure fix it? Either you didn't use this "special tool" the first time or you DID and there is nothing you can really do. I also tell him if they're going to make me bring it in any way, I want the aluminum chip fixed. He says that's fine they can order a new frame.
Then I drop the bomb... I continue to argue that I don't really think this is something they can fix but if this is the level of service I can expect, I'll bring it in and give them one more shot but I'm also bringing in the 13" MBA I bought Thursday and returning it as this is not the level of service I signed up for. He kind of ignores that comment and I ask him how long the repair will take since they already had my computer for 9 days and THEY did this and I can't be without my computer.
He said once I bring it in it will take 30 minutes to clean inside the screen. I asked how long to replace the aluminum frame (at this point I'm realizing this isn't a frame, this is a unibody, they're going to have to move the ENTIRE GUTS of my iMac to a new unibody since they chipped this one. He puts me on hold to check on parts. He comes back and as if we were not just arguing and I was completely pissed and says it will take more than a week to fix and he understands that's too long and they'll replace it. Again, mixed feelings because I think that's the right thing to do but I had to THROW A FIT to get to that point.
So I box it up and lug it back to the Apple store. I get there and go back the Genius Bar and tell the check-in guy I have a return... its a repair I picked up today that I'm not happy with and the manager agreed to exchange it out. He logs me in and moves me the corner. I wait for about 2 minutes and a sales floor guy comes over and asks how he can help. I explain the SHORT version and that the manager said I can exchange it. OH, I forgot on the drive there I realize I didn't get the managers name and there's a possibility I could get there and they could deny knowing what I'm talking about which would pretty much result in me going ******* in the store... So he whips out his little point of sale handheld thingy and starts processing the return. He asks if I just want the same thing. I say yes. He says he needs a manager approval walks over to a lady in her late 30s. She's helping another customer so after a brief exchange which I couldn't hear, she enters her code into the point of sale device. He walks back over and says someone will be bringing my new machine out.
At this point I feel a total disconnect. I've been treated like crap and had to argue my way into a return I feel totally entitled to and this sales guy is being nice and acting like its no big deal. While we're waiting for a stock runner to bring out the new iMac, this lady who approved the return walks over. She asks if there's anything I need. I giver her the short short version and then focus more on how I've been treated and how I think that even though they agreed to the right resolution, I felt like I had to throw a fit and that's not the level of service I expect from Apple. She apologizes profusely, points out that she hadn't talked to me and that the genius manager let her know I was coming in but that she had no idea I was upset and unhappy about the repair and service. Turns out she's the store manager. She apologizes again and gives me her card. I reiterate that I appreciate that they arrived at the right resolution told her, thank you for coming to check on me and letting me explain my concerns. She thanked me again and I left with the new machine.
So in the end, Apple's reputation is a bit tarnished in my mind at this point but the store manager made a huge move towards polishing it back up. Hopefully my luck changes.
A couple side notes. I think there are three possible factors contributing to the final resolution.
1) I've bought FOUR Macs (27" highest non-BTO, Mac Mini, 15" base MBP, and 13" base MBA) just since February. Prior to that I've bought 2 iPads, 2 Apple TVs, 2 iPhones in the last year and a few iPods before that. I think at some point someone probably finally saw my purchase history and went... oh, maybe we should help this guy.
2) I think when the guy on the phone went to check the parts system he finally realized that it was going to be a major mess trying to replace the case because it would involve basically an entire transplant.
3) The iMac I returned will have to go back to Apple to be refurbished. That's probably a pain in the butt for the retail store. But when I finally said I'd return the MBA if I didn't get a better resolution, they probably realized they were in a no-win situation, they'd have to refurb the MBA if not the iMac so it made no difference at that point.
Sorry for the long post, one final closing note. My bad experience with dust and scratched case is just one of a few I've seen posted. I would question whether its worth even having the repair done frankly. I mean if this were a failure where the part has to be replaced or the machine doesn't work, fine, but a preemptive part swap??? knowing what I know now, I probably would take my chances and do good backups rather than let someone open my iMac.
The plot thickens. The BRAND NEW iMac I brought home last night won't boot with 4 sticks of ram. It will boot with two or three in ANY combination of positions EXCEPT two in the right side. It will boot with two in the left, left/right and even two in the left, one in the right, but it won't boot with two in the right. ARGGGGGGGG!!!!!
since i dropped it off.
I should know better than to read all the problem stories with this replacement, it makes me worry about my mac that is going "under the knife" tomorrow.
I called the Apple Store as soon as they opened this morning. I'm already getting push-back that this is Crucial RAM. I said fine, if I install both sticks of Apple RAM in the left hand side, it boots, if I install the same RAM in the right hand side it won't. He said he'd have a higher level tech call me. Keep in mind this is a brand new sealed iMac. I know it was an exchange but NO ONE should have to deal with a machine that has a clear hardware issue straight out of the box!
Wow the other part of my story was the new replacement I was given had a issue out of the box as well. The brightness was blindingly bright and the icon would show the screen brightness was being adjusted but nothing was happening. Ending up getting another new machine and this one is (knock on wood) perfect.
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My replacement ended up being OK. It was a RAM seating issue, so I have to eat a little crow there.
But I have a few issues from having restored from a backup. My mouse settings are all messed up and I can't figure out how to fix them. I started a new thread but if I enable middle click, nothing works right.
But I have a few issues from having restored from a backup. My mouse settings are all messed up and I can't figure out how to fix them. I started a new thread but if I enable middle click, nothing works right.
Bad Segate 1T drives
Hi, where can I find the serial numbers of the defective Seagate 1T hard drives? I'm thinking of buying a used iMac but it has a 1T drive. The seller kindly sent me the serial #.
Thanks for your time.
Cali
Hi, where can I find the serial numbers of the defective Seagate 1T hard drives? I'm thinking of buying a used iMac but it has a 1T drive. The seller kindly sent me the serial #.
Thanks for your time.
Cali