[wataru]

I just got a 7200RPM drive for my iBook and I could install it myself (I've done it before), but I don't want to void the final year of my AppleCare. Assuming I did it myself and everything went well, do you think questions would be asked if I had to send it in for an unrelated repair? If you get the installation done by an Apple Certified Technician, do you get some sort of paper proving it was done legitimately?

I know CompUSA does these things, but they're very inconvenient to get to for me, plus they said on the phone it would take 1-2 weeks because they have to send it in to Apple. Otherwise the university computer lab can do it, but they're pretty expensive ($64/hour). Any other good places to get this kind of thing done (with, if possible, minimum cost and downtime)?

[irus]

Originally Posted by wataru

If you get the installation done by an Apple Certified Technician, do you get some sort of paper proving it was done legitimately?

I think it's a myth, as there is no mention of this in AppleCare documentation. Apple can deny AppleCare coverage if they find any prior non-AppleCare intrusion unnecessary.

Originally Posted by wataru

I know CompUSA does these things, but they're very inconvenient to get to for me, plus they said on the phone it would take 1-2 weeks because they have to send it in to Apple.

Depends on the particular store and their tech certifications. Most stores have ACTs at least part-time or on "as-needed" basis.

[amazing]

well, nothing in this forum will every qualify as an ironclad guarantee that your applecare will be OK, if you yourself install the HD. However, any ACT will document their work in the database using the serial number, and everything will still be covered by applecare except for the HD.

Several years ago, the local ACT quoted $80 for changing the HD on the first generation 12" AlPB. If the price is still in that neighborhood, that's perhaps better than installing it yourself--risking leaving traces that undocumented work has been done, work that might be used to deny applecare.....

[wataru]

I didn't realize there was a central database for that kind of stuff. Thanks for the info.

I already paid a lot for the drive; $80 is a lot to tack on. CompUSA does it for $30 apparently. Maybe the extended downtime is worth it.

[amazing]

The repair history is tied to the serial number. Any ACT would enter any repairs or mods into the database.