Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Weird scratches on the back of macbook

M

Mrs. Brutal

macrumors regular
Original poster
Apr 2, 2008
174
0
Hey,

I got my macbook for 6 months now, and today i've noticed these weird scratches on it's back. below the screen.
Does anyone know why that happens? I didn't drop it or anything like that.
Is it under the warranty? can it be replaced? I mean, just the back plastic part.

Thanks
 

Attachments

  • 20080722_0206.JPG
    20080722_0206.JPG
    274.5 KB · Views: 205
  • 20080722_0208.JPG
    20080722_0208.JPG
    790.5 KB · Views: 151
Mrs. Brutal said:
anyone been through that? does apple fix it?
Click to expand...

That kind of crack is probably regarded as normal wear and tear, I think you'll have to pay to have it fixed, if it worries you, but I'd take it in and see what they say. There's been plenty of accounts of cracks in macbooks, but to my knowledge none of the cracks ever increased in severity to the extent of rendering the notebook unusable so I wouldn't worry too much about it, it's a minor cosmetic thing.
 
It looks like someone dropped it. Maybe they just didn't tell you.

Just use it and don't worry about it.
 
Check to make sure it is put down on a clean surface. I can see a park bench or table with sand or something on it would do murder to the fragile finish of a MacBook.
 
krye said:
Check to make sure it is put down on a clean surface. I can see a park bench or table with sand or something on it would do murder to the fragile finish of a MacBook.
Click to expand...
Given the low clearance on the MacBook I think some dry bread crumbs caused a nasty scratch on the bottom of my MacBook the one day I had the shell off...
 
That's the thing.
No one ever dropped it- I never gave it no one or left it alone with anyone...
and I never set it down hard or anything.
Most of the time it's in my room... could it happen from over-heating or something like that? which doesn't really make sense either- air conditioner most of the time.
:confused:
 
There are loads of posts on here about those "cracks". Apparently theyre not really cracks in the plastic but more like just the lacquer on the casing that has cracked.
I have had a few macbooks and my latest one has the very same marks as yours and these could be caused by poor laquer/plastic in connection with heat from the exhaust ports. have a close look on the base plastic piece just where you put your finger/thumb in when you lift up the macbook lid. Is there one there too? more than likely will be.
My macbook is only just over 3 months old and apparently Apple do replace the whole bottom case for this but as I am not near a store I will take mine in later rather than sooner.

Just book in to see a genius, they may want it for a few days but they will replace the case.
 
johny5 said:
There are loads of posts on here about those "cracks". Apparently theyre not really cracks in the plastic but more like just the lacquer on the casing that has cracked.
I have had a few macbooks and my latest one has the very same marks as yours and these could be caused by poor laquer/plastic in connection with heat from the exhaust ports. have a close look on the base plastic piece just where you put your finger/thumb in when you lift up the macbook lid. Is there one there too? more than likely will be.
My macbook is only just over 3 months old and apparently Apple do replace the whole bottom case for this but as I am not near a store I will take mine in later rather than sooner.

Just book in to see a genius, they may want it for a few days but they will replace the case.
Click to expand...

Wow, are you serious?? My Macbook has these cracks in the bottom, they will replace it?:confused:
 
Looks like that could be a stress fracture from either rough opening/closing or when it was set down unevenly on a table with a little more force then normal.
 
kelving525 said:
Wow, are you serious?? My Macbook has these cracks in the bottom, they will replace it?:confused:
Click to expand...

I would have thought so as long as the rest of your macbook is in good condition, ie it clearly shows they have just appeared and not been caused by stress or physical damage.

Like I said earlier, I ended up selling my previous macbook 2.0ghz as I wasnt happy about the marks on the exhaust port so I purchased a 2.4ghz macbook this year. I have just checked when, and it looks like it was only May, so in just over a month i noticed the very same marks on the bottom of my new macbook. Wasnt really happy but there you go.
I will take mine in soon as you can see the rest of my macbook is pristine (I hardly use it at all as I have a macpro at home) the usage it gets is for maybe 3 days every other week when i work in the office.

here are the pics of mine.


EDIT, talking about this and after looking at my own pics its starting to p*ss me off now, so am booked in today :) will let you know how I get on.
 

Attachments

  • DSCF4246.jpg
    DSCF4246.jpg
    85.5 KB · Views: 111
  • DSCF4247.jpg
    DSCF4247.jpg
    89.3 KB · Views: 91
  • DSCF4250.jpg
    DSCF4250.jpg
    83.9 KB · Views: 96
johny5 said:
I would have thought so as long as the rest of your macbook is in good condition, ie it clearly shows they have just appeared and not been caused by stress or physical damage.

Like I said earlier, I ended up selling my previous macbook 2.0ghz as I wasnt happy about the marks on the exhaust port so I purchased a 2.4ghz macbook this year. I have just checked when, and it looks like it was only May, so in just over a month i noticed the very same marks on the bottom of my new macbook. Wasnt really happy but there you go.
I will take mine in soon as you can see the rest of my macbook is pristine (I hardly use it at all as I have a macpro at home) the usage it gets is for maybe 3 days every other week when i work in the office.

here are the pics of mine.


EDIT, talking about this and after looking at my own pics its starting to p*ss me off now, so am booked in today :) will let you know how I get on.
Click to expand...

Wow... yours looks much cracked than mine. The cracks on my macbook are small... I'll try to fix it too, tell you how it went.
:)
 
Mrs. Brutal said:
Wow... yours looks much cracked than mine. The cracks on my macbook are small... I'll try to fix it too, tell you how it went.
:)
Click to expand...

lol I know!, thats whats prompted me to go take it in. I thought it looks pretty bad seen as though its only just over a month or so old. :(
bloody 1 hr drive now to the store this afternoon.
 
Did you get it replaced?
Forgot to say, but a few days after I got mine back I noticed some similar circular cracks on the bottom of the case, upon closer inspection there was a lump in the bottom of the case! it was near one of the rubber feet and was so bad that when the macbook was on the table this lump was holding it up and the rubber foot on the corner didnt even touch the table!

I was furious, obviously a "genius" had put a new case on my macbook and then put in a wrong longer screw and damaged the case in the process.
I took it back and they apologised, i go back to pick it up on Saturday now.
 
johny5 said:
Did you get it replaced?
Forgot to say, but a few days after I got mine back I noticed some similar circular cracks on the bottom of the case, upon closer inspection there was a lump in the bottom of the case! it was near one of the rubber feet and was so bad that when the macbook was on the table this lump was holding it up and the rubber foot on the corner didnt even touch the table!

I was furious, obviously a "genius" had put a new case on my macbook and then put in a wrong longer screw and damaged the case in the process.
I took it back and they apologised, i go back to pick it up on Saturday now.
Click to expand...

I had my keyboard replaced after i got cracks on the palmrest at both sides.....and in the process of tightening the screws the tech has cracked the bottom case.......

So its back to the repair shop again for mine (3rd time i for repair in 9 months....first a dead fan,second cracked top case, now cracked bottom case)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back