macbook died: Harddrive backordered

I bought a new macbook about a month and a half ago.

Last sunday, as I was trying to send an e-mail, firefox closed repeatedly. I restarted and a flashing question mark came up and my harddrive was no where to be found. After talking with apple... and them having me try all the things I had found to do online... they determined the HD was shot and said I'd have a new one in 3-5 days.

So I wait

In the mean time, apple updates the macbook with new processors and more memory

on the 5th day I check my tracking number and the harddrive hasn't shipped.

I call and they inform me the harddrive is backordered until the 17th.
They don't offer to help speed that up in any way.

I've lost data for my thesis that I hadn't had a chance to backup. Its my main computer as I spend very little time at home and basically my academic life is put on hold.

Do I have any right or leverage to try to get at least the harddrive upgraded now if its in stock? Can I swing an updated computer or am I screwed by apple? I need to submit an abstract by dec 1st and everything has come to a grinding halt.

Sorry to hear about your problem.

I think you might be out of luck and you'll have to wait for your back ordered hard drive. From what I've read and heard you would only really have leverage if you tell your story on your wildly successful Mac related blog/podcast/website.

Are you near an Apple store? Perhaps you could get faster services if you took it in?

let me just say that apple is feeding you a load of grade A bs.

There is nothing special about a mac hardrive (or hardware at all for that matter). If they wanted to get you a hardrive, they would have no trouble getting one. My advice? Go to a place like newegg.com, buy a laptop hard drive for 75 bux or so and sell the mac hardrive on ebay when they finally get around to sending it.

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Originally Posted by XtrPickels

I've lost data for my thesis that I hadn't had a chance to backup. Its my main computer as I spend very little time at home and basically my academic life is put on hold.

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It's an oldie but a goodie -- take the hard drive, put it in a ziplock, and put it in the freezer for the night. Plug it in and it may run long enough to boot and recover your precious data (assuming you have someplace to back it up).

On the other hand, A Windows PC will boot from the CD system disk and the hard drive may be accessable. I'd hope that Macs are the same.

Bummer man......


my new mac book gets here in a couple days, and hopefully I dont run into any problems (mine has the new Intel Duo 2 processor)

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Originally Posted by MOHSHSIHd

Bummer man......


my new mac book gets here in a couple days, and hopefully I dont run into any problems (mine has the new Intel Duo 2 processor)

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Yeah, Goodluck with that one. The new ones a pretty sweet, which is why I am upset that mine died right when it did.
I think I might try the freezer method tonight
The harddrive was not accesable when I booted from the cd. Seems like normally its supposed to be, but the window where I was supposed to choose it was blank

new harddrive came today (surprising), installed. Still no workie. Did all the things they are going to ask me to do over the phone and no luck

I think its time to demand a new computer

yeah, I usually tell my friends to steer clear of laptops unless portable computing is a necessity in their life and not a convenience. Mac or PC, laptops just don't cut it for me in the reliability column.

Sucks that the new harddrive doesn't seem to work, definitely work the new laptop angle with the apple people.

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Originally Posted by XtrPickels

new harddrive came today (surprising), installed. Still no workie. Did all the things they are going to ask me to do over the phone and no luck

I think its time to demand a new computer

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If you have an apple store nearby, try taking it there. I've read they are starting to do some repairs in the store to speed up repairs. You're not likely to get a new computer if this is the first issue you've had with it. Yentna got a new ibook after I think the 3rd repair.

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Originally Posted by Ski Monkey

If you have an apple store nearby, try taking it there. I've read they are starting to do some repairs in the store to speed up repairs. You're not likely to get a new computer if this is the first issue you've had with it. Yentna got a new ibook after I think the 3rd repair.

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I'm pretty pleased with the "genius bar" service. Brought my ibook in sunday afternoon. They had the hard drive today (tuesday) as of 3ish, I think. They called at 5:30 and it was ready to go.

the intel chips make macs very unrelible from reports I've heard to backup data throw in your system startup disk and hold down c (I think its c) as you turn on the computer, its should start up from the DVD rom and you can hopefully throw what you need on a jump drive

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Originally Posted by ak_powder_monkey

the intel chips make macs very unrelible from reports I've heard

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That's just crazy talk.

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Originally Posted by ak_powder_monkey

the intel chips make macs very unrelible from reports I've heard to backup data throw in your system startup disk and hold down c (I think its c) as you turn on the computer, its should start up from the DVD rom and you can hopefully throw what you need on a jump drive

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But on the upside, the new macs allow you to use capitals and periods!

edg

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Originally Posted by golden powder

yeah, I usually tell my friends to steer clear of laptops unless portable computing is a necessity in their life

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Are you people jizzing in your expansion slots or something?
I've got a couple laptops sitting here that are off racing sailboats.
One has been around the world. Another has spend 4 years (every single summer) on another.

And they both work fine?!
(They're both Dells fwiw.)