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ICD2k3 · 08:17 PM

Ok, I'm really not usually one to complain, but today I had a huge shock when I called apple phone "support". Support is in quotes because I doubt anyone can call it that UNLESS you pay.

Let me elaborate.

My Powerbook G4 1.33, which I've only had for a year and a half suddenly froze and refused to turn on while making grinding noises under the trackpad. Hard drive failure. Since I've had the computer for such a short time I figured apple would help because they're known for such good customer service right? After all I didn't pay $1,900 for parts that are going to break in under 2 years.

wrong.

Upon calling I was prompted to provide my serial number and name, upon which the gentleman on the other end informed me that I was out of the 1 year warranty and asked if I had applecare. No. THEN he tells me that I have to PAY $50 for 5 days of phone support to help me fix a 1 and a half year old powerbook!!!

Since when does any company charge for phone support... I guess if you're outside the warranty apple could give a **** about you. They should learn to back up their products a bit more. From now on when people ask me about apple I'll be sure to include that they have terrible support service.... unless of course... you pay for it.

mduell · Jan 22, 2006, 02:23 PM

The standard warranty includes 90 days of phone support (an industry low) and 1 year of parts and labor coverage. If you wanted a longer warranty (they offer 3 years of phone support and 3 years of parts and labor coverage), you could have purchased it any time within the first year of owning your PowerBook. It's a good idea to buy the extended warranty with laptops since they're more prone to failures (carried/thrown around much more).

ICD2k3 · Jan 22, 2006, 02:27 PM

Again, AppleCare isn't the point... every other computer company I've delt with has always had free phone support. What do they tell people that are out of warranty and don't have acess to another computer to TRY and search for a solution online (which is what they suggested)... sorry? you should have gave us the extra $300 for AppleCare...

that's just not acceptable. I mean, when I spend $1,900 for a computer I expected to have a company that backs it without asking me for $50 to talk to someone on the phone about my problem.

I wasn't asking them to fix my computer for free... i was just asking them to help me figure out what the problem was.

does that make sense to anyone else but me? lol

GuyWithACamera · Jan 22, 2006, 02:53 PM

What computer company gives you free phone support for a laptop after your warranty expires? Look on the bright side, you spoke to someone in the US and not India.

ICD2k3 · Jan 22, 2006, 02:57 PM

hahahaha that is true...

I just really had to vent.
for my next mac, I will be purchasing apple care

ICD2k3 · Jan 22, 2006, 02:59 PM

by the way...

I'm actually using my powerbook right now... I got it to turn on and I backed up a lot of stuff, but I still think the HD is dying... has anyone else been able to start up their computer like I did while it's in it's final days?

mduell · 03:52 PM

Originally Posted by ICD2k3

Again, AppleCare isn't the point... every other computer company I've delt with has always had free phone support.

Forever? No way. For every OEM I've dealt with, after the warranty ends you can only get pay-per-incident support.

Originally Posted by ICD2k3

What do they tell people that are out of warranty and don't have acess to another computer to TRY and search for a solution online (which is what they suggested).

Head to a public library, pay for phone support, or go to an Apple Store and hope to get a time slot with a "Genius."

Originally Posted by ICD2k3

that's just not acceptable. I mean, when I spend $1,900 for a computer I expected to have a company that backs it without asking me for $50 to talk to someone on the phone about my problem.

If you wanted them to help you with your problems for 3 years you would have paid $2250 instead of $1900. That was your choice.

Originally Posted by ICD2k3

I wasn't asking them to fix my computer for free... i was just asking them to help me figure out what the problem was.

They're a business, not a charity. If you want service from them above and beyond what you've already contracted for, you need to pay for that service.

JKT · Jan 22, 2006, 03:36 PM

What is the SMART status of the drive (use Disk Utility to find out - either while booted if you can get that far, or boot from the installer CD and use Disk Utility from there)? If it says anything other than Verified you are looking at getting a replacement hard drive.

Depending on your location, if you have an Apple Store nearby, you can get free tech support at the genius bar there (to diagnose the problem, not to replace things).

JKT · Jan 22, 2006, 03:36 PM

Grrr, shitty forum software... double post.

ICD2k3 · Jan 22, 2006, 04:08 PM

hey, JKT thanks for the reply... I don't really know what you're talking about with the SMART status... where can I find that in disk utility?

anyways, disk utility saw my HD fine, and it verrified with a few errors which is supposedly repaired... however, earlier when my computer was making the loud grinding noises and wouldn't start up, my HD was no where to be found on Disk Utiltiy... so I guess that still means I should replace it, cause I really don't want that happening again, and it can only get worse right?

cold aspiration · Jan 22, 2006, 04:28 PM

that happened to me.. My HD died within 24 hours after i got it to boot up and attempt to backup the most recent stuff (which it failed to due) lucky i back up on a regular basis. my backup is only a few days old

ICD2k3 · Jan 22, 2006, 04:53 PM

eeek... the weird thing, I've had my computer on for about 4hrs now with no odd noises and no slowdown... i think I'm still gonna order the HD, but its a little weird after all the problems I had yesterday it would seem so fine today.

aneurysm · Jan 22, 2006, 09:40 PM

Originally Posted by mduell

you could have purchased it any time within the first year of owning your PowerBook

just to clarify, you can aquire the plan after you have recieved your machine? so long as it's within the first year? i tried to confirm this on apple's site but came up dry; just want to confirm this as possible.

-aneurysm

ICD2k3 · Jan 22, 2006, 09:54 PM

yea i think my problem was, I thought applecare was just for repairs, I didn't know it was for phone suport as well.

mduell · Jan 23, 2006, 12:47 AM

Originally Posted by aneurysm

just to clarify, you can aquire the plan after you have recieved your machine? so long as it's within the first year? i tried to confirm this on apple's site but came up dry; just want to confirm this as possible.

http://www.apple.com/support/products/acra/
Apple recommends that you purchase the AppleCare Repair Agreement when you purchase your Apple systems, but you can purchase it at any time while your systems are still under their original one-year limited warranty.

Originally Posted by ICD2k3

yea i think my problem was, I thought applecare was just for repairs, I didn't know it was for phone suport as well.

JKT · Jan 23, 2006, 03:46 AM

Originally Posted by ICD2k3

hey, JKT thanks for the reply... I don't really know what you're talking about with the SMART status... where can I find that in disk utility?

anyways, disk utility saw my HD fine, and it verrified with a few errors which is supposedly repaired... however, earlier when my computer was making the loud grinding noises and wouldn't start up, my HD was no where to be found on Disk Utiltiy... so I guess that still means I should replace it, cause I really don't want that happening again, and it can only get worse right?

If your hard drive supports it, you will see it in the bottom left of the Disk Utility window:

jamil5454 · Jan 23, 2006, 09:55 AM

Originally Posted by JKT

If your hard drive supports it, you will see it in the bottom left of the Disk Utility window:

Uh-oh, someone doesn't know their left from their right!

AppleCello · Jan 23, 2006, 10:13 AM

Originally Posted by jamil5454

Uh-oh, someone doesn't know their left from their right!

It is left-of-center...

maybe just in your quote image though.

ajbaker · Jan 23, 2006, 11:27 AM

I am not sure about the States, but in the UK in addition to a standard warranty, you are entitled to repairs if the product does not last as long as should be reasonably expected from a piece of equipment.

Admittedly you usually have to fight for the right (and so few people do), but a hard disk breaking after 18 months would probably be covered. Even if it was a court deciding that!

JKT · Jan 23, 2006, 02:26 PM

Originally Posted by jamil5454

Uh-oh, someone doesn't know their left from their right!

Uh-oh, someone can't read. I said the bottom left of the Disk Utility window. The image is cropped to show that region of the window.

Dork. · Jan 23, 2006, 02:51 PM

Did you buy your PB using a major credit card? Many of them have an automatic warranty doubling program, so the original Apple 1-yr warranty gets extended an additional year by the CC company. Call your credit card company and ask what the procedure is.

moodymonster · Jan 23, 2006, 03:47 PM

CC is the best way to buy things like that (inc holidays), c'ause you're buying from the CC company so if anything goes wrong, they're liable - at least in the UK.

jdogg99 · Jan 23, 2006, 06:27 PM

I've seen two Powerbook drives fail without any indications from the SMART reading. Also, both failed intermittently. One would crash the OS after the computer warmed up, and the other refused to boot periodically. Definitely back up and order a new drive. If you're nervous about installing it yourself, local independent mac repair shops will do it for about $75.

ICD2k3 · Jan 23, 2006, 08:47 PM

hey jdogg, yea I'm actually on my mac right now... it's been working fine for a day, but I did back up all important stuff, and I ordered a new hard drive... Seagate 100GB 5400 ( 5 year warranty wooo!)

thankfully my campus offers a free repair service for student's computers, so I don't have to pay anything to have them swap it out, I just have to wait about 5 days. However, I don't have to wait a month for apple, and I dont have to pay $400 to replace my HD