I have a 15″ macbook pro which I use for work. Its about two years old now and was well over 2grand. I’m covered with apple care.

I use it on a day to day basis for video editing and rely on it to allow me to produce on the move. Any down time on the machine really slows me down and impedes my capability to earn.

Six months ago it started spontaneously powering off. Apple replaced the motherboard.
Since then the computer keeps freezing. It’s as bad as the computer powering off. This issue has been ongoing for six months now, the computer has been back to various Apple stores, back to Apple, four or five times. Apple normally fob me off with some bullshit about it being my hardrives/software/version of the operating system or replace a cable or two (seemingly at random), just to pacify me. They claim that their hardware tests show that there aren’t any problems with the machine, but concede that the computers log shows that it is freezing.

I’ve spent hours messing with it, hours going to and from the Apple store and hours reinstalling my software or creating various time machine backups.

I’m completely at the end of my tether and don’t know what to do. Apple have now suggested running a completely blank copy of snow leopard on the machine for two weeks, using the computer daily without any other software. I don’t really understand how this is reasonable or if they simply think i’m a complete **** idtio?

Does anyone have any advice? I just want the computer repaired or replaced this week, and am starting to think that Apple should just replace the bloody thing.

I’m fuming.

Rather than post here I’d be in the Apple store ‘demanding’ of the Manager a replacement (would accept a temp). Don’t be fobbed off and let them know in no uncertain way that they are impedding your ability to earn.

As b r says, go to you local Apple store. Don’t be fobbed off with any of the regular ‘geniuses’ and demand to see the manager. Really kick off.

….and I mean a just a smidge down from this level of kicking off:

Nope.
Bypass the local store and use your wordsmith skills to write to the MD / President of the UK operations. Provide all of the info that you’ve included above.
He’ll get one of his minions on to it …

TBF you didn’t buy any kind of business-critical cover so I don’t see why they should cover you. Don’t you budget for hardware failures if it is a business? Not trying to found an arse but just trying to see it from a business perspective.

or if they simply think i’m a complete **** idtio?

Shouldn’t that be an iDtio?

Shouldn’t that be an iDtio?

Nope, don’t think so.

I have asked about business cover before, but I don’t have enough machines (I only have two) which means I can’t get apple to cover me. Apparently I don’t really count as a ‘business’ as a freelancer/sole-trader.

Sounds very poor – they’re normally pretty good. I’d try another store and see what they say. The graphics card just died on my 20 mth old iMac – I didn’t take out the Extended warranty as I’ve never claimed on it for any other machines in 15 yrs. Typically this is the one to pack up

Doesnt not fit for purpose come in here..

Doesnt not fit for purpose come in here..

Not after two and a bit years. And difficult when the OP has (as we all do) put all manner of stuff on there.

wysiwyg – Member
Doesnt not fit for purpose come in here..
POSTED 1 HOUR AGO # REPORT-POST

It has worked for long enough. Stuff breaks, they are trying to help, they can’t just give stuff away, let’s get perspective.

So it’s a heavily-used two year old laptop, running a slightly funky version of Unix. Why would it be any different than any other IBM compatible laptop?

I’m using a brand new MacBook Air. It will be abused rushing about between airport lounges etc. I’ll be happy if it lasts more than two years, but I won’t be surprised if it doesn’t. Pretty much every laptop I’ve owned has shown some signs of unreliability after two years – simply a fact that if you rattle lots of soldered joints about, eventually some will come slightly loose. Loose solders do not make for reliable computers….

over two years old. You have to show its a manufacturing fault and even then you would only be able to claim a part refund

You say it’s business critical and costs you money when it’s down

I’d buy another one but still push like **** to get that one repaired/replaced – then you’ll have a spare

Would it be worth maybe upgrading to a Mac Pro? We had them at uni and they got constantly abused by students, and they seemed to last pretty well.

uplink – Member
You say it’s business critical and costs you money when it’s down
I’d buy another one but still push like **** to get that one repaired/replaced – then you’ll have a spare
POSTED 35 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST

Is what I was thinking and what we do – then we have spares for freelancers/emergencies/students on placement etc.

Mate,
If its business critical gear you should be upgrading it before it dies. Our Macbook Pros are expected to last 2 years then regardless they will be replaced
If you’re editing every day you’re hammering the thing. Have you thought about leasing the laptop??

Computers are the cheapest items in my manufacturing business,but unfortunatly just as critical as £100k+ machining centres. If they are more than 2 years old and they play up, I just change them. As much as it must p**s you off to have all this aggro, I’d just buy another one, you’ve probably lost more than £2K with all you’re running around and reboots (nodoubt each time it freezes it loses some new work that you hadn’t saved right up to date)If another make of machine will do the job and you are not happy, vote with you’re feet and buy elsewhere. If your next lap top only last 2 years, then you need to factor in a new laptop purchase every 2 years into your business plan. time as they say, is money.JMHO.

Apple have sold out. Customer satisfaction is no longer important to this most succesful company. They just want your money!

I already have a mac pro for editing on a day basis. It’s just for when i’m moving about or abroad. Maybe its only 18 months old, I can’t remember. Regardless, i paid extra for a three year guarantee. When the three years are up, i’ll replace it.

I don’t think i’m being unreasonable.

imo that’s fair, if you’ve paid for 3 years of cover then they should be able to keep it going for 3 years!

As others have said, try to escalate your problem within the organisation.

Just go and buy a £300 laptop from pc world or whatever, it will be as powerful as your mac but will actually work

A £300 laptop from PC World will not have the graphics or processor to edit HD video. To edit HD reliably you need an i7 quad or equivilent and at least 1gb of dedicated graphics card.

this^ even with the bottom macbookpro 13in i can work on native hd footage without generating a proxy, even grading/retiming clips in FCPx only takes a few seconds.

ok £600 then

Get a Mac, they just w…. oh.

Joe – Member
I already have a mac pro for editing on a day basis. It’s just for when i’m moving about or abroad. Maybe its only 18 months old, I can’t remember. Regardless, i paid extra for a three year guarantee. When the three years are up, i’ll replace it.

I don’t think i’m being unreasonable.

Totally agree, and this really pisses me off about Apple. Been bitten by it a few times before.

Matt24k – Member
A £300 laptop from PC World will not have the graphics or processor to edit HD video. To edit HD reliably you need an i7 quad or equivilent and at least 1gb of dedicated graphics card.

Are you comparing that to what a two year old macbook pro has?

http://support.apple.com/kb/sp544

retro83
Not comparing to macbook as they generally use their graphics card and processor more efficiently than a PC. My point was that to edit HD video on a PC you will need to spend more than 300 quid at PC World.
I note that R J has revised his figure to £600.

I don’t think i’m being unreasonable.

I don’t think Apple are either. They are trying to help but they cannot identify the problem and are running through a series of tasks to identify what it is. Their plan appears to suggest they think the problem might be software-based (it could be a simple incompatibility issue after an update) and if it did turn out to be that, why should they provide you with a brand new machine?

It does suck a bit, agreed, but they do seem to be trying to help.

Standing in the store is probably your best bet for a quick resolution.

A blank laptop with just OS would narrow it down to hardware, but I would consider it unreasonable to ask a warranty covered customer to do this – they should offer a loan PC to you, and run yours on a bench (maybe booted off a firewire disk with clean OS).

My experience of phone support was good though, they couriered my Macbook Pro to and from repair for nowt simply by staying on the phone and politely but firmly saying I couldn’t get to a repair center in a reasonable timeframe, and my IBM Thinkpads of similar value all came with a collect/return warranty.

They didn’t have to do it, but they did <shrug>.

why should they provide you with a brand new machine?

Because they took his money for the support contact to guarantee him peace of mind and a working Mac Book for 3 years. If they cant provide that service by fixing it they should give him a new one. He bought an insurance policy from them they should honour it or not take his money in the first place.

Because they took his money for the support contact to guarantee him peace of mind and a working Mac Book for 3 years. If they cant provide that service by fixing it they should give him a new one. He bought an insurance policy from them they should honour it or not take his money in the first place.

But what does it say on the contract for the extended warranty he took out? Does it say it covers on a new for old, business-critical basis?

I don’t think it does.

EDIT: Just found the T&Cs on the Apple site…

Limitations The Plan does not cover:
The provision of replacement equipment during the period when the Covered
Equipment is being repaired

Bit of insider info that might help. I can’t definitely speak for Apple but most manufacturers have a procedure known as “Safety Capture” to remove potentially unsafe equipment from the field.

If the laptop was to develop a fault that was say causing you minor electrical shocks then they might be more willing to issue a replacement

But that’s not the point is it, its the fact they have not been able to repair it ? I agree if he has given it to them to repair and everything was great and it worked fine. He has given them the opportunity to repair it a couple of time and they have not done so.

I agree if they COULD repair it then they don’t need to replace it but if they cant they should as I bet the T&C’s don’t say we will try and repair it and if we cant tough titties !!

you should have got a PC mate!

But that’s not the point is it, its the fact they have not been able to repair it ? I agree if he has given it to them to repair and everything was great and it worked fine. He has given them the opportunity to repair it a couple of time and they have not done so.

I agree if they COULD repair it then they don’t need to replace it but if they cant they should as I bet the T&C’s don’t say we will try and repair it and if we cant tough titties !!
But they are still trying to repair it. If they had said ‘nope, it’s beyond repair’ then yes he should get a replacement. But I can’t be bothered to read the T&Cs again to see what their policy is on that score. Perhaps the OP should 😉

But they are still trying to repair it.

For Six months !!!! Is that really acceptable ?

replace and then get this fixed as a spare.

It’s a business so you will be amortising the cost anyway?

It’s business critical so having a spare is a good idea anyway.

How much have you lost with it being down already?