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whatevrnvrmind · Apr 9, 2002, 01:11 PM

Why does Apple not support their precious iPod after 90 days and offer no AppleCare for it?! Something isn't kosher there. I just don't get it. I'm so frustrated I can barely keep from taking a sledge hammer to my dead iPod. I have tried every single suggestion on the Apple site, your site and a couple of others, all to no avail.

When I try to reset the device, I get a folder with an exclamation point. When I try to force it into FireWire mode, I get a disc icon with a magnifying glass and then a sad iPod icon. I've drained the battery, disconnected the battery, disconnected the drive, plugged it all back in, and still get the same results.

I spoke with Apple this morning about my dead iPod issue. My issue got escalated to tier 2 support where I was told with no ifs ands or buts that I would have to pay for the repair. No exceptions. The woman would not even hear what I had to say, though Apple Customer Relations was more than happy to "note my dissatisfaction" with their iPod support policy.

So it all comes down to essentially paying $655 for a refurbished iPod, which may or may not work after the period for support of that unit is up. I want an iPod, but I refuse to pay $255 for a refurbished unit that may or may not crap out, leaving me in the same predicament. I would rather buy a brand new one at Comp USA with an extended warranty.

Sorry, I'll get to my question now. What do I do with my dead iPod? Can I used the drive in a different enclosure? What would you do?

Arg,
Brad

G-mac · Apr 9, 2002, 01:23 PM

Sorry to hear about your iPod predicament. Sounds like a horrible situation and indeed quite odd that Apple offers no long term warranty. I've read that people actually take out the 5 GB drive and place it in another case (check out Lacie's $120 5 GB pocket drives). Perhaps if the drive is bad, you could just buy a 2.5" drive (I think?) or someone selling an iPod drive only and put it into your iPod. I'm not sure how to do this, but lots of MacNNers will be sure to know. Maybe it'll just be some software bug, but hopefully you'll find some help soon.

Mastrap · Apr 9, 2002, 01:33 PM

Man, this really, really sucks. Do you know exactly what is wrong with it?

All I can say, I have started buying all my stuff in Germany - 2 years mandatory warranty on every purchase.

whatevrnvrmind · Apr 9, 2002, 01:34 PM

G - I appreciate the suggestion, though I fear that it's the firmware that's bad. I don't know if I want to risk purchasing a new drive for it and not having that work.

Hopefully someone out there has a good solution or some helpful hints that I haven't tried yet.

whatevrnvrmind · Apr 9, 2002, 01:37 PM

Nope, I have no idea what is wrong with it. I didn't drop it, disconnect it without putting it in the trash first or anything. I plugged it into a mac that it has been plugged into plenty of times, and it just didn't work. Apple had no one to help diagnose the problem. All they offered was to repair it for $255!

Mac Zealot · Apr 9, 2002, 05:23 PM

Like I said before, apple has the worst service in the industry and I'll never buy another hardware product from them again.

Right now I'm working on getting 'the rest' of my $7,000 purchase replaced by them for selling me lemons. First I had a monitor with a bunch of dead pixels now a g4 with cracks and so many hardware problems you can't even count....

All along the way I get lied to by apple syaing nothing's wrong with my machine and I'm abusing it.

If only I could have bought a gateway

whatevrnvrmind · Apr 9, 2002, 05:37 PM

While I won't go so far as to say they have the worst in the industry, it is pretty poor. The key in dealing with the tech support people, I have found, is that you know what you are talking about, anticipate what they are going to ask you to do, etc. If at all possible make it seem like it's a serious problem that needs to be escalated. I have the advantage of working for a reseller and can usually talk my way through the first couple of support people and I just hang up and call back if I have problems. I certainly am not abandoning Macs as I just prefer them to PCs.

But back to my topic, what do I do? Just buy a 2.5" FireWire enclosure and buy a new one from Comp USA with an extended warranty? I just hate the fact that I don't have many options if I want an iPod, which I do. They are amazing devices, when they work.

What I may try to do is buy a new one from Comp USA with the extended warranty, wait a few days, then take the broken one back for a refund or credit or something. At least that way I wouldn't be out as much money.

Cellery · Apr 9, 2002, 05:48 PM

Actually, Apple has some of the best tech support and customer satisfaction numbers, have a look...

"Apple Computer: Winner of ZDNet's Support Star Award - Satisfaction and technical support? Apple Computer successfully makes its customers happy with courteous and prompt technical support service."

In my experience with them it hasn't been horrible, but not that great either. About the iPod, it's a special 1.8" drive, so it won't work in the 2.5" external enclosures, since the connector is less like a mini IDE connector and more like a PCMCIA connector.

whatevrnvrmind · Apr 9, 2002, 06:05 PM

All I can do is speak from personal experience, and I can tell you, especially where this iPod issue is concerned, their support is nothing short of deplorable. I know I'm not the only one with this problem and the fact that they will not do anything except offer me a referbished unit for a little over half the price of a new one is disgusting and infuriating.

[ 04-09-2002: Message edited by: whatevrnvrmind ]

phantomdragonz · Apr 10, 2002, 10:48 PM

apple support is awesome, I had a problem w/ my iPod after I got it and I went to apples web site and within 3 days I had sent in my iPod and already gotten a brand new one back. I was amazed, bu the 90 dau warranty is crap! I wish i had gotten the compusa warranty, 2 years and you DID NOT! have to buy it from them.

P.D.

Apr 11, 2002, 10:50 PM

Have you tried to take into an apple store? They are really helpful there when I could not get any help over the phone without paying through the a** i went into the store and they fixed my problem for me. So i would give that a try. PS I live 60miles from the store so it was a bit of a long shot but it worked.

whatevrnvrmind · Apr 11, 2002, 11:17 PM

I'm going to try and see if I can get a warranty from Comp USA for it. People keep saying they will sell you a warranty even if you didn't buy the unit there. I find that a little hard to believe, but it's better than paying for a brand new one. I'll try the Apple store if that doesn't work.

I'm sorry, but Apple tech support was the lamest I have ever experienced. It's not the first time either. With all of the people that have dead iPods out there, I'm really surprised someone has not brought a class action lawsuit against them or something.

Apr 13, 2002, 08:15 PM

I tried getting an extended warranty from Comp USA for my dead iPod. Not only were they quick to sell me a two-year replacement warranty for $29.99, despite my not having bought the unit there, but one of the customer service clerks, who was obviously on to what I was doing, told me to wait a few days before I tried to use the extended plan. She also encouraged me to go to a different Comp USA. I highly recommend anyone who buys an iPod, get it at Comp USA and pay the extra $30 for a two-year replacement plan.

I find this all rather pathetic that Apple won't sell you an extended plan, but Comp USA will. I don't work for Comp USA, nor am I affiliated with them in any way.

whatevrnvrmind · Apr 15, 2002, 01:08 PM

Comp USA sold it to me. I told them the Apple Store sent me over and they didn't even flinch. I think I'll wait a few days to take it back. Thanks everyone. I'll let you know how it turns out. One other thing to note is that with the replacement warranty, I can now pay the difference and get the 10 gig iPod. And you can bet I will pay $30 dollars more for another replacement warranty.

Cheers,
Brad

whatevrnvrmind · Apr 22, 2002, 12:58 PM

The Conclusion

Saturday I went to two different Comp USA stores without success because, although I had the receipt for my replacement warranty, they both needed the original receipt for my iPod. Finally, I went back to the Comp USA store where I purchased my replacement warranty and the customer service person that sold it to me was there and remembered me. I told her I tried the other stores without success and practically begged her to help me out. This person had to go talk to a manager and she came back and said she could do the replacement.

So I paid the difference and got a new 10 gig iPod and another 2-year replacement warranty ($133). Sure beats getting a refurbished iPod from Apple for $255 with a 30-day warranty. I don't think I need to tell anyone this, but if you are thinking of getting an iPod, do not buy it from Apple and make sure you get a replacement warranty.

[ 04-22-2002: Message edited by: whatevrnvrmind ]

Todd Madson · Apr 22, 2002, 03:48 PM

Sorry to hear of your problems.

My wife and I both have macs as well as another mac I had down in the
basement. This stuff is on 24 hours, 7 days a week and it never blinks
(unless the power drops of course). I have no complaints.

� · Apr 22, 2002, 04:51 PM

I am fairly happy with my macs as well, but maybe that is because I buy everything secondhand, I have no risk at buying a deadpixel-powerbook or LCD, because I have the opprtunity to check that. The price I pay is mostly half that of the current topmodel. If hell breaks loose, I just buy another one and use the old one for parts.

Now, about your iPOD
You can still use the harddisk yes. Don't buy a new one, just go for one secondhand. I know a guy who had one with a broken firewireport, it becomes pretty useless then, too.
Seems like your iPod has no OS anymore, cant you hack it, force a new OS onto it? Maybe the MOD- forum can help. Some people there know so much about hacking systems, maybe someone knows how to fix one too.
Can't you exchange the HD with one from a working one? Copy all the data from one to another? Then place it back.
I know everything posted by me here is quite useless, but maybe it will inspire you to fix your problem one way or another. Don't let a broken gadget ruin your day. Success,

whatevrnvrmind · Apr 22, 2002, 05:12 PM

Someone isn't reading. I have a new iPod now. Read the original post and you'll find that I got quite a deal. A little social engineering and patience goes a long way.

As for getting things second-hand, I'd rather pay the extra bucks and have a two-year replacement warranty.

� · Apr 23, 2002, 04:00 AM

yo. this is a great site for iPOD stuff, I came across it reading www.powerpage.org
http://www.wired.com/news/mac/0,2125,51586,00.html

slider · Apr 23, 2002, 08:51 AM

Nice one whatevrnvrmind, I want an iPod very much, if I get the cash for one you can bet I'll get it a CompUSA. Never thought I would say that.