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mikeylebeau · Feb 28, 2003, 12:28 AM

I've had my 12" now for 8 days, and I've known for a while now that the VGA out seemed to be having a problem. The external display was always pinkish and blurry, even after I tried a few different VGA cables and monitors. So I took it to the Apple Store and they tried a different dongle cord (the one from mini to regular VGA) and *same* problem. Guy says it is probably the motherboard and needs to go back to Apple for repairs.

I have finals coming up in the next 2 weeks and need the laptop so I am keeping it on me for now but after that I will be back in California (I go to school in Chicago) for 3 weeks and I will drop it off at the store in Palo Alto while I am home and hope that they get it back to me by the time I need to fly back to Chicago.

The Apple Genius said turnaround is usually 5-7 days; does anyone have experience? I really hope I can get it back within the 18 days that I am home on spring break... Also, the guy said to back up my data but I don't have a place to back up all the 30GB of things I have accumulated on my 12" since I received it, and he said they might CHARGE me $50 for data transfer (although it seems to me unlikely they would need to put in a new HD given the problem).. If they did have to do data transfer, though, it seems ridiculous to me that they would try to charge me for that. I have a problem with my laptop that is caused by them and they want to charge me just to keep all my data on there? No way.. If this becomes an issue I will bitch until I get my way on this one.

-mikey

Mac Zealot · Feb 28, 2003, 12:39 AM

With my experience I can tell you, without doubt, that unless you are very lucky, you will not get your powerbook back in 5-7 days.

You'll most likely be told "We cannot reproduce the problem" and then get it back with a few scratches.

Then after some moaning and groaning apple will offer to fix (insert small, unrelated part here), and then finally you'll get fed up, they'll take you through one too many times, and you'll get a new powerbook.

torifile · Feb 28, 2003, 12:42 AM

Originally posted by Mac Zealot:
With my experience I can tell you, without doubt, that unless you are very lucky, you will not get your powerbook back in 5-7 days.

You'll most likely be told "We cannot reproduce the problem" and then get it back with a few scratches.

Then after some moaning and groaning apple will offer to fix (insert small, unrelated part here), and then finally you'll get fed up, they'll take you through one too many times, and you'll get a new powerbook.

FUD. I've had nothing but extremely good experiences with service, particularly when taking it directly into the apple store. 2 days and it was back when I had a trackpad problem. My brother had to get his screen replaced on his ibook. Also 2 days. In previous years, I've also been extremely happy with the turnaround time. It should be back in plenty of time.

mikeylebeau · Feb 28, 2003, 12:49 AM

Originally posted by torifile:
FUD. I've had nothing but extremely good experiences with service, particularly when taking it directly into the apple store. 2 days and it was back when I had a trackpad problem. My brother had to get his screen replaced on his ibook. Also 2 days. In previous years, I've also been extremely happy with the turnaround time. It should be back in plenty of time.

I'm inclined to believe you, too, torifile.. I have heard pretty decent things, and can't really believe Mac Zealot, given my situation.. It's not like they can't see that the VGA out is totally hosed.. That'd be great if I got it back as quickly as 2 days.

-mikey

vmarks · Feb 28, 2003, 12:51 AM

Originally posted by Mac Zealot:
With my experience I can tell you, without doubt, that unless you are very lucky, you will not get your powerbook back in 5-7 days.

You'll most likely be told "We cannot reproduce the problem" and then get it back with a few scratches.

Then after some moaning and groaning apple will offer to fix (insert small, unrelated part here), and then finally you'll get fed up, they'll take you through one too many times, and you'll get a new powerbook.

Actually, when I had one in, it came back in under 5 days.

Although, it has happened that machines come back with scratches. Repair centers employ humans. Humans are fallible.

Don't settle if you aren't satisfied with the repair.

iBorg · 04:36 PM

Originally posted by Mac Zealot:
With my experience I can tell you, without doubt, that unless you are very lucky, you will not get your powerbook back in 5-7 days.

You'll most likely be told "We cannot reproduce the problem" and then get it back with a few scratches.

Then after some moaning and groaning apple will offer to fix (insert small, unrelated part here), and then finally you'll get fed up, they'll take you through one too many times, and you'll get a new powerbook.

iBorg, this word was really inappropriate. (My bad, vmarks - should have used the initials "BS," - just so people don't think my language was severe!)

I've never waited longer than 3 days turnaround, and that included Airborne Express (or Fed Ex) from my door, to Houston, Tx, and back again. That includes fixes on a Wallstreet I in 1998, iBook in 2002, and my Ti Gigabook this year! (this last one took less than 48 hours turnaround, from my front door to TX and back, fixed flawlessly, as usual!) (YMMV, of course, if a part is back-ordered.)

And never have they damaged or scratched anything I've sent in - never!

MacZealot, you must have a little, black cloud follow you around!

iBorg

mikeylebeau · Feb 28, 2003, 01:00 AM

Thanks for the info folks. And yeah, I definitely *don't* plan on settling for any new damage caused by the Apple people.

-mikey

scott brown · Feb 28, 2003, 10:13 AM

when i had an ibook, i had to send it in 2x. both times the ibook was back in my hands in 3 business days

PBG4 User · Feb 28, 2003, 10:58 AM

I had to send my Rev. A PBG4 in for repair (HD failed during MWNY while I was refreshing websites), and it was back in 5 business days. They were quite nice while I was on the phone as well.

They will charge $50 if you want the data transferred. That does take time, and time costs $$. If you can't afford to lose the data, back it up. I've worked as a computer consultant in the past, and I've seen too many people pulling their hair out because they lost their customer database or billing data or accounting data or whatever and they had no backup.

If you have nightmares of losing certain things, back it up now. Besides, the VGA problem may be just the beginning. What if the problem is in a voltage regulator, and the VGA out just happened to be the most electrically sensitive part on the motherboard? Wouldn't it suck if another part of the motherboard fried tomorrow and corrupted your hard drive?

Voch · Feb 28, 2003, 11:39 AM

I sent in my iBook/500 a few months after purchase because the hard drive was getting a bit whiney. Apple didn't replace the drive but replaced some of the holder stuff around it and it was like-new quiet again. Total turnaround time was three days.

Voch

urrl5201 · Feb 28, 2003, 11:58 AM

Turn around time was great for me; 3 to 5 days, but my little Ti had to "turn around" 5 consecutive times before Apple got it right.

1> paint issue
2> paint issue unresolved
3> they broke a USB port
4> they fixed USB but gave the top lid a hideous scratch
5> all problems were resolved and they gave me a free iLife.

Don't tell me about Apples impeccable repair service. WHAT A BUNCH OF BALONEY!!! Maybe you guys lucked out but not me. I got screwed 4 times over.

jmatero · Feb 28, 2003, 11:59 AM

we send in a LOT of powerbooks for repair and the process is simple... a box comes, you put YOUR book in it. If you send it back on a Monday, you should have it the following Monday. Even when I sent my Cinema display in on a Tuesday, I got it back on FRIDAY.

Oh, and NONE came back with scratches.

urrl5201 · Feb 28, 2003, 12:10 PM

Yeah, well, I'm just happy after all those Apple operations on my little Ti that it didn't come back looking like Micheal Jackson.
With persistance they will get the job done right, got to hand it to them there...

nsxpower · Feb 28, 2003, 12:12 PM

I've had the whole red/purple tint issue with my iBook600, but at the time I thought it were a crap 3 y.o. Dell CRT that was broke and not my 5-6 month iBook. I never had the need to connect my iBook to external CRTs since then (it just mirror + no spanning, hence no benefits really) and my iBook is now RIP.

But I guess I should have contacting Apple then.

Getting back to the topic. I think it is reasonable to expect Apple to return the machine to you in 5-7 BUSINESS days, which may end up being 9 CALENDAR days ... and 9 days often feels like 10 days ... and 10 days is awfully close to two weeks

But seriously, getting through your finals is the mission critical task here! And that is what I would be concentrating on if I were you.

Best of luck with your finals and getting your 12" PB fixed

mikeylebeau · Feb 28, 2003, 12:36 PM

Most of the reports sound good. I will be sure to back up the *really* important stuff, but I don't just need a back up of my data, I have a living, breathing OS which I have now set up the way I want it, and I don't plan on having to do that again because Apple ****ed up. I don't care whether it takes Apple TIME to fix my computer and transfer my data to a new drive, I am *not* paying for that. It is *their* problem, so don't anyone continue to tell me that I should be expected to pay anything more than I already have for this machine -- I paid for a working machine, and I didn't pay for one that I would have to re-setup two weeks after getting it.

-mikey

msykes · Feb 28, 2003, 04:22 PM

Originally posted by mikeylebeau:
new drive, I am *not* paying for that. It is *their* problem, so don't anyone continue to

Begin Preaching Rant:

Well I hate to say it, but in this case it is most definitely *your* problem. This is your data we are talking about, which is by far the most precious part of the computer.

I'm not saying that you shouldn't *nicely* ask for them to back it up for free (and maybe if you catch them when they aren't busy they will), but if you really have 30 gigs of stuff (most of that I assume is apps which don't need to be backed up because you have the CDs) or anywhere near that much then 50$ is a small price to pay. In fact, if CD's aren't large enough to be an option for you then you should invest in some kind of backup solution, maybe an external firewire hard drive, regardless of if your laptop needs repairs.

The Apple Store should really never have to back up your data for you because this is something that every user should be doing themselves.

And Mac Zealot, while I generally sympathize with the "We Cannot Reproduce the Problem" issue, this sounds like one that is constant. Intermittent optical drive problems are the worst, sounds like you might have had some of those in your day!

finalfantasy · Feb 28, 2003, 05:12 PM

30 freaking gigs?

thats like 45 cd-r's and 6-7 DVD's. That takes a long time and costs money.

Mac Zealot · Feb 28, 2003, 05:13 PM

Ok. Fine. Woopee. Tell that to apple when they send back my monitor for the 3rd time with "no defect found"

mikeylebeau · Feb 28, 2003, 05:32 PM

Originally posted by finalfantasy:
30 freaking gigs?

thats like 45 cd-r's and 6-7 DVD's. That takes a long time and costs money.

LOL.. right, because Apple backs up their data by putting it on optical media...

-mikey

jasong · Feb 28, 2003, 06:01 PM

When I sent my Pismo in for repairs a few months ago, I called on a Wednesday, got the box on Thursday, sent it in Thursday night, and had it back first thing Monday morning. When my iPod batter died, Apple sent me a new one 48 hours later. I also had a defective power adapter for my Pismo, which Apple sent me a replacement ahead of returning the part, so that was about a 15 hour turnaround.

And Mikey, sending your laptop in and not making a backup is about the dumbest thing you can do. In fact the paperwork Apple sends you states very clearly that they take no responsibilty for your data, and they do not guarantee that your data will be on the computer when you get it back. Not backing it up is asking for a major disaster and you will not have a leg to stand on. Somehow I doubt you managed to fill your entire hard drive in 2 weeks, so it is likely to be a lot less than 30 GB you need to backup. Also, if you are using OS X (and if this is a 12", then you must be) you most likely only need to backup your Home Directory.

Do the smart thing, back it up. It will take you a lot longer to recreate your data when it is gone then to back it up.

-- Jason

mikeylebeau · Feb 28, 2003, 06:29 PM

Originally posted by jasong:
When I sent my Pismo in for repairs a few months ago, I called on a Wednesday, got the box on Thursday, sent it in Thursday night, and had it back first thing Monday morning. When my iPod batter died, Apple sent me a new one 48 hours later. I also had a defective power adapter for my Pismo, which Apple sent me a replacement ahead of returning the part, so that was about a 15 hour turnaround.

And Mikey, sending your laptop in and not making a backup is about the dumbest thing you can do. In fact the paperwork Apple sends you states very clearly that they take no responsibilty for your data, and they do not guarantee that your data will be on the computer when you get it back. Not backing it up is asking for a major disaster and you will not have a leg to stand on. Somehow I doubt you managed to fill your entire hard drive in 2 weeks, so it is likely to be a lot less than 30 GB you need to backup. Also, if you are using OS X (and if this is a 12", then you must be) you most likely only need to backup your Home Directory.

Do the smart thing, back it up. It will take you a lot longer to recreate your data when it is gone then to back it up.

-- Jason

Can everyone who continually tells me to back up please go back and read that I am already planning on doing so? But I am only doing so in case Apple goes and ****s up the hard drive before they could manage a data transfer. If they need to change the hard drive and can transfer my data for $50, I am going to make them do it for free. But I am keeping my really important data so that if they're *really* stupid, I still have the actual hand-made stuff I need. The other kind of stuff I am concerned with is modifications to the OS, self-compiled apps, etc, that I don't want to go through the entire hassle of reinstalling, etc. That should not be my problem when there is something wrong with the hardware they sold me.

And, no, I didn't fill my entire hard drive. I filled half of it -- 30GB. About 20 of those are MP3's, so those would be no big deal to re-import, but the rest of it is pirated software and a bunch of other random little things I don't want to have to bother doing again.

-mikey

TheBum · Feb 28, 2003, 08:45 PM

I wish my experience was as positive as most of you have had.

My 12" PB has been in for repair twice already. I've had possession of it for a grand total of 7 out of the 25 days since it was first delivered.

The first time it was in for a sleep problem and it took 9 calendar days (6 business days) to get it back. Not only did the problem not get fixed but the SuperDrive came back dead (it worked before I sent it in).

It has now been sitting at the repair depot for 8 calendar days (7 business days since I sent it in) waiting for a part. What's frustrating is that nobody at the AppleCare call center seems to know what part the repair depot is waiting on. They just assume it's a SuperDrive.

Both repairs have been coordinated through my local Apple Store and I must at least commend the folks there for keeping me apprised every two days of whatever status they're privy to (which is about the same as what I get by calling AppleCare).

If this had been my first experience with an Apple computer, it would have likely been my last.

tgrundke · Feb 28, 2003, 09:14 PM

While I was extremely upset that my Pismo failed seven days outside of warranty and Apple refused to cover me, they were extremely efficient and quick on the turnaround and repair work.

Melchizedek · Feb 28, 2003, 10:22 PM

Speaking of frustrating repairs,

Well, my AC Adapter died this last Sunday. I called on Monday and the rep said they would send me a new one Tuesday through Airborne Express via 2-day air to arrive on Thursday. Here it is Friday, and still no sign of it... Now I have to wait all the way till Monday.

C'mon Apple, I've got important things to get done and I'm down to my last battery with only 1.5 hours left on it!!!

peternj · Feb 28, 2003, 10:36 PM

Originally posted by TheBum:
I wish my experience was as positive as most of you have had................
it would have likely been my last.

I bought mine from an Apple store. I'm now on my 3rd. As they replaced it due to my finding fault within 12 days.

I'm glad I hadn't bought it from a reseller or online.

But the quality control is ghastly. One wobbly screen, then one bend lid and now the 3rd had a faulty install of OSX but is now working fine after a clean install.

Nice book but you know they should be perfect for the price.

Sorry ot hear all the problems.

mrtew · Feb 28, 2003, 11:33 PM

I like to say good things about Apple service, because when my Ti400 had to go in for a new motherboard it came back in about 3 days all the way across the country, but recently I sent my TiGz in and it was gone for 12 days and now it has to go back for the same problem... AND it did get scratched right on the front between the trackpad and the keyboard and pretty badly. And my Ti667 finally went in for the paint problem and they didn't do the hinges so it had to go back again too, and the second trip took almost two weeks because it got put on hold for approval and forgotten even though I called about it every day. Apple has got to do a little better there.