Will I get a refund for a newly purchased Macbook Pro?

[troopstorm]

On the 5th of February I bought a new Macbook Pro from my local Apple store.
On the 13th the hard drive completely died.

My receipt says that the return date limit is Feb 19th - if i box up my MBP (i still have everything) and return it to the Applestore will I get a full refund?

 

[tardman91]

You might get hit with a restocking fee, but I'm not sure. Why not just get it fixed? That won't cost you a dime.

 

[troopstorm]

You might get hit with a restocking fee, but I'm not sure. Why not just get it fixed? That won't cost you a dime.

I'm just a bit concerned that a product would fail so quickly. I honestly wouldn't trust it with my data to be honest.

In all the years of owning computers this has never happened to me - and this is my first ever Mac.

I'm not impressed to be honest. I'd rather say "bye" and move on.

( absolutely gutted by the way - i was really enjoying the experience. but this has scared the bejesus out of me.. total and utter hard drive failure - even disk utility on the install disc doesnt recognise that theres a drive. can't even repair it..)

 

[t0mat0]

Do you want a new machine without charge, or to not get a MBP and full refund?

If you call Apple and get through to customer services, explaining what's happened they'll help. You can get them to send a new machine asap via a courier, prior to you sending the other back in some circumstances (e.g. you have a real need to have a machine asap). They'll sort you out.

If it's not built to order, ie a stock machine you could get it swapped out at an Apple store in all likelihood.

It's not like its an Apple drive. Sometimes drives do fail. Worth planning for this and backing up from DAY 1 regardless of laptop type. Would be a shame you don't use a MBP just because a drive crashed- in the industry there's a certain percentage that do just go pfffft and die within a few weeks of purchase. Hard drives fail - fact of life.

Worth expecting for this to happen, that the drive will go on any machine. No backup = russian roulette with your data.

 

[6-0 Prolene]

Most likely just a bad HD. They'll definitely fix it for you--not sure about exchanging for a whole new machine. Don't give up on your machine just yet.

 

[troopstorm]

Most likely just a bad HD. They'll definitely fix it for you--not sure about exchanging for a whole new machine.

would they be able to recover the data on the HD?

literally what happened was OS X froze with the "spinning beachball". i hit the power off switch after a while, then powered on again and i got the "white screen of death".

kind of gutted with it , as i'd spent about a day mixing up something in Garageband which i've lost.

 

[6-0 Prolene]

would they be able to recover the data on the HD?

literally what happened was OS X froze with the "spinning beachball". i hit the power off switch after a while, then powered on again and i got the "white screen of death".

kind of gutted with it , as i'd spent about a day mixing up something in Garageband which i've lost.

Hard to say. I had a HD crash on my Power Mac 8500 way back when and they were able to recover the data.

Wow--dating myself with that one.

 

[troopstorm]

Do you want a new machine without charge, or to not get a MBP and full refund?

If you call Apple and get through to customer services, explaining what's happened they'll help. You can get them to send a new machine asap via a courier, prior to you sending the other back in some circumstances (e.g. you have a real need to have a machine asap). They'll sort you out.

If it's not built to order, ie a stock machine you could get it swapped out at an Apple store in all likelihood.

It's not like its an Apple drive. Sometimes drives do fail. Worth planning for this and backing up from DAY 1 regardless of laptop type. Would be a shame you don't use a MBP just because a drive crashed- in the industry there's a certain percentage that do just go pfffft and die within a few weeks of purchase. Hard drives fail - fact of life.

Worth expecting for this to happen, that the drive will go on any machine. No backup = russian roulette with your data.

Maybe i've been lucky up till now - owned various computers that arent Mac since the 90s. This is first time ever I've experienced a hard drive failure - and its my first Mac.

As you can imagine, the impression is not a good one. I normally use Linux.

 

[kernkraft]

Here in the UK, there is a 14 days return period. Regardless of any defect, you can return the computer and get a FULL refund. If the computer is faulty, you should tell them and still ask for a full refund.

Everybody expects some MacBook Pro update. Are you sure that you cannot wait a little bit longer? You might not enjoy your new computer when better ones are out for less...

 

[troopstorm]

been really good talking to you folks..

i'm just thinking now about my 7 year old daughter and how over-the-moon and in-love with the Macbook she was. Absolutely spellbound by it.

I'll go the hdd fix first so. She really was into the OS X experience big time.

For the hdd fix , i suppose i just bring the macbook + power supply + receipt? no need for the full box?

 

[troopstorm]

Here in the UK, there is a 14 days return period. Regardless of any defect, you can return the computer and get a FULL refund. If the computer is faulty, you should tell them and still ask for a full refund.

Everybody expects some MacBook Pro update. Are you sure that you cannot wait a little bit longer? You might not enjoy your new computer when better ones are out for less...

thats good to know. the 14 day policy. ties up with the "feb 19th" return date on the receipt.

i really am gutted though - i want to love the Mac.. and had put it off and off and off for ages (normally just get PCs and stick Linux on it).. and then i get one and then THIS happens.

 

[scottness]

Maybe i've been lucky up till now - owned various computers that arent Mac since the 90s. This is first time ever I've experienced a hard drive failure - and its my first Mac.

As you can imagine, the impression is not a good one. I normally use Linux.

Just so you know... Macs use the same hard drives as PCs do... So it's not entirely fair to judge a Mac by a hard drive failure alone. Hard drives will fail, Mac or PC. You just got unlucky.

If you really dig the OS, give it another shot. I've had enough HD failures (2 in 6 years is enough for me) that now I just use SSDs for my laptops.

 

[iLog.Genius]

If you want, the option of exchanging it for a new one is totally yours with no restocking fee. If you decide you want to return the unit, that option is there as well and don't worry about the restocking fee, most likely they'll waive it due to bad hardware.

 

[troopstorm]

Just so you know... Macs use the same hard drives as PCs do... So it's not entirely fair to judge a Mac by a hard drive failure alone. Hard drives will fail, Mac or PC. You just got unlucky.

If you really dig the OS, give it another shot. I've had enough HD failures (2 in 6 years is enough for me) that now I just use SSDs for my laptops.

never had a single hard drive failure since the mid 90s. and i've owned a fair number of machines since then , various makes , and none of them Mac.

thats the gods honest truth.

then again, most folks don't worry about lightning unless you're the unlucky guy to get hit by one.

unhappy coincidence i agree - i work with Mac guys all the time in the web design business and they've had their kit running for years without a problem.

am veering to give it another shot and see if they can do a hdd repair or replacement.

if Adam Curry can do a livestream and podcast of No Agenda from his car in a hotel carpark on a Macbook setup , there must be something to it.

(did notice that the audio handling on OS X is friggin awesome... light years ahead of Linux.. )

 

[scottness]

never had a single hard drive failure since the mid 90s. and i've owned a fair number of machines since then , various makes , and none of them Mac.

thats the gods honest truth.

then again, most folks don't worry about lightning unless you're the unlucky guy to get hit by one.

unhappy coincidence i agree - i work with Mac guys all the time in the web design business and they've had their kit running for years without a problem.

am veering to give it another shot and see if they can do a hdd repair or replacement.

Please do give it another shot. They'll definitely replace the drive if that's what failed.

 

[troopstorm]

If you want, the option of exchanging it for a new one is totally yours with no restocking fee. If you decide you want to return the unit, that option is there as well and don't worry about the restocking fee, most likely they'll waive it due to bad hardware.

thats good to know. i'll see what happens tommorow.

the SSD tip above was a good one - some of the Mac guys i know have moved to those.

 

[troopstorm]

Please do give it another shot. They'll definitely replace the drive if that's what failed.

its like being your teens, getting that 17 year old girl you always fancy, and then two weeks later she dumps you for your best friend.

Gutted..

i'll give it another shot. there HAS to be something to it.

 

[scottness]

its like being your teens, getting that 17 year old girl you always fancy, and then two weeks later she dumps you for your best friend.

Gutted..

i'll give it another shot. there HAS to be something to it.

lol. We've all been there.

 

[troopstorm]

lol. We've all been there.

i'm looking at that unbelievably sexy 13" macbook pro i have and no , she doesnt want to go out on a date with me.

ah well, hopefully the applestore guys will persuade her again.