[Rev2Liv]

I've been getting the itch to swap out my factory installed APPLE SSD TS256C in my 2011 27" iMac. I have AppleCare on this machine until 2014.

Would this void my AppleCare? I think I could probably get like $300-$400 for the Apple model and then upgrade to something much faster. But I don't want to void my AppleCare and at the same time don't' feel like waiting until 2014.

[SierraDragon]

• Why swap it out? Just add what you need in the second drive bay or in the optical drive slot, replacing the optical drive if you need warranty work, which is unlikely.

• Probably it does void AppleCare, but call 1-800-APPL and ask.

• It may not be feasible on that box. Ask OWC: http://eshop.macsales.com/

HTH

-Allen

[Rev2Liv]

Good call since i'd probably buy an OWC drive anyway. I wouldn't want to get rid of the optical drive for multiple reasons.

1. Don't want 3 separate HD's.
2. Would like sell the factory Apple SSD for current market value.
3. OWC SATA 6Gb is twice as fast as stock Apple in all benchmarks.

OWC 6GB/s SSD

Ideally, i'd sell the Apple SSD, use the 1TB platter as my main HD until Christmas hoping that prices drop, and then buy at reduced price. However, the biggest downside, is having to disassemble the screen twice over.

And all this time i'm also hoping Apple adopts Blu-Ray so I can install a Blu-Ray combo drive in my machine.

[Waragainstsleep]

If you open the iMac to swap the drive, you are voiding Applecare. If you have an AASP do it, you can probably keep the Applecare though if you ever need to use it, its best to take it to the same AASP for repairs.

[Big Mac]

Apple still pulls that crap? I thought the whole "opening your Mac voids its warranty" thing went away long ago and that the only way to void your warranty while operating inside it is if you damage a component as a result.

[Waragainstsleep]

It depends on the Mac. Some parts are user serviceable, others are not. If you can do it without them knowing, or even just without doing any harm, then they won't care. Unlike others there are no anti-tamper mechanisms in place like warranty void stickers etc.

Putting in a 3rd party SSD means they will obviously know someone has been into it though unless you can put an original back in. In the case of the iMac, they are a bit of a pain to get into as it is, mostly due to the dust getting between the screen and the glass panel, though if you live in a nice clean modern (HEPA filtered) house instead of a dusty old place like mine, you might get slightly better luck with that. The SSD is on the back of the logic board I believe and the board has to come out to change it. If that is the case, then amateurs should not really attempt this. It is not the same as switching the disk, RAM, or even CPU or PSU in an ATX tower for example.

Its less of an issue now than it was though. disks and RAM are user serviceable parts in MacBook Pros. MacBook Airs probably don't have any user serviceable parts now and Mac Pros are easy. Mac Minis and iMacs are the only ones that are a little more fiddly to switch the disks in. They probably ought to make the disks easier to switch in those tbh. Especially the Mac Mini Server.