Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

yoesh · Feb 10, 2008, 10:22 PM

sorry for long title.

short version of story: fall of '06 bought a mac mini as a second computer. was going to set it up at xmas for the family. got a surprise gift of a macbook at xmas -- so just re-dedicated my old computer as the family one. I didn't return the mac mini (1.8 CD), but kept it on the shelf (unopened, never booted) -- thinking of it as a backup in case my newly rededicated computer died in the near future (which it hasn't).

fast forward to xmas 2007. decide to re-gift the still new mac mini to my younger computer-less sister. well, she had a problem this week and tried to call apple support for help (she booted the mini for the first time shortly after the holidays in Jan after she got it all set up).

as you can guess from the title -- apple says the computer is out of warranty

despite just having been activated for the past month or so. the sales receipt (i probably have the order email archived) is well over a year old, but shouldn't the apple servers be able to ascertain that the computer had never been registered? I know they are probably engaging in covering their ass logic, but....are we SOL? any info or suggestions?

PS: the problem that precipitated the call to apple is minor -- and i am pretty sure i can talk my sister thru over the phone but it was the surprise that apple contended the computer was out of warranty that made me perplexed.

F_Elz · Feb 10, 2008, 10:44 PM

do you have apple care ?

Full-Auto · Feb 10, 2008, 11:04 PM

Most warranties start at the date of purchase.

turtle777 · Feb 10, 2008, 11:16 PM

Originally Posted by yoesh

PS: the problem that precipitated the call to apple is minor -- and i am pretty sure i can talk my sister thru over the phone but it was the surprise that apple contended the computer was out of warranty that made me perplexed.

Call Apple and ask what their policy is on when the warranty starts.

Although it is likely they'll say it starts at the date of purchase, maybe you can talk them into giving you a break here. Trying doesn't cost you a thing aside from a couple of minutes of your time.

-t

iREZ · Feb 11, 2008, 12:41 PM

imagine buying a new computer from the store and being told by apple that it's out of warranty because the shop bought it a year ago.

this happened to an ex of mine a few years ago with an ibook purchase from the ucla book store.

ibook_steve · Feb 11, 2008, 12:52 PM

This is exactly what happened to me but with an Infocus digital projector. I got a good deal on one in '06 (Woot to woot.com!!) but didn't have the place to put it until this past January. It worked fine for the first 17 hours of lamp life, then the screen just died. Thankfully, I got a good CSR on the phone and he felt my pain and did an in-warranty repair for my out-of-warranty device.

I'm not sure how lenient Apple may be on this issue, but if you stay calm and be nice to the CSR (you may have to call a few of them), you may get lucky and be able to get a warranty repair done.

But maybe you should first tell us what is wrong with the machine. Maybe we can help.

Steve

vmarks · Feb 11, 2008, 02:56 PM

Apple has rarely been lenient on this issue.

I have a macbook that apple thinks was purchased in june 06. I got it in October 06. I called them in September 07 for an issue, and they said "out of warranty, so sorry."

They have a mechanism for dealing with this when it comes to refreshed/refurbished computers that have obviously got two original-date-sold type dates, but they don't acknowledge there's such a mechanism for anyone else.

So, what's the mini doing or not doing?

turtle777 · Feb 11, 2008, 04:41 PM

Originally Posted by vmarks

I have a macbook that apple thinks was purchased in june 06. I got it in October 06. I called them in September 07 for an issue, and they said "out of warranty, so sorry."

How did you get it ?
Don't you have any proof of purchase ?

Dents in the box from falling off of a truck don't count

-t