The saga of my dead ibook
Two weeks ago my ibook (800Mhz/30GB/Combo) at the grad age of 4 months old, died the display flickered random pixels everywhere and then it locked up.
I managed to get it to boot up and get my stuff off of there onto my trusty Lacie FWHD.
So I call apple to ask what I can do, not much but I tried it, without luck. So another call and it was booked in for repair. I gave PC World a call (as I got it from there) to make sure that getting it repaired by apple would not affect my rights etc. I was told no have to use PC wold. so I go in there to get patronised by some idiot ("I have had macs for 4 years, mate" so what I have been using macs professionally for 7 years and had macs for 12 years but WTF?) Anyways this guy says book it in so I call up to book it in and get told "ill give you this number for Apple" can anyone see the joke here (I couldn't at the time).
So my ibook went to Apples UK agents on Friday and came back today! pretty cool I thought considering the bank holiday it was great until I tried to boot the sucker! dead, dead, dead! So I call Apples agents and ask what's going on. "Oh we replaced the logic board, try plugging it in to a power adaptor" (I did and it worked) "Ok it sounds like a faulty logic board" I ask "so you replaced my faulty logic board with a faulty one?" to which he replies "yes I'll get it picked up tomorrow".
I can figure out if I should cry or laugh. sorry for a long venting post and thanks for reading folks.
I managed to get it to boot up and get my stuff off of there onto my trusty Lacie FWHD.
So I call apple to ask what I can do, not much but I tried it, without luck. So another call and it was booked in for repair. I gave PC World a call (as I got it from there) to make sure that getting it repaired by apple would not affect my rights etc. I was told no have to use PC wold. so I go in there to get patronised by some idiot ("I have had macs for 4 years, mate" so what I have been using macs professionally for 7 years and had macs for 12 years but WTF?) Anyways this guy says book it in so I call up to book it in and get told "ill give you this number for Apple" can anyone see the joke here (I couldn't at the time).
So my ibook went to Apples UK agents on Friday and came back today! pretty cool I thought considering the bank holiday it was great until I tried to boot the sucker! dead, dead, dead! So I call Apples agents and ask what's going on. "Oh we replaced the logic board, try plugging it in to a power adaptor" (I did and it worked) "Ok it sounds like a faulty logic board" I ask "so you replaced my faulty logic board with a faulty one?" to which he replies "yes I'll get it picked up tomorrow".
I can figure out if I should cry or laugh. sorry for a long venting post and thanks for reading folks.
Comments
(could also be they replaced something other than the logic board, but the logic board was toast too. although they should have tested it unplugged)
The courier could not belive it was going back and said "oh well this is going to be one of other back and forth ones isn't!"
Peace
Looks as if we have the same model iBook and mine too had the logic board fail prior to 9 months old.
Lately it has acted up again.
Something about iBooks and logic boards...
Nahh... what was I thinking...
Fellowship
An error came up while using SWU so I thought no problem I cleared the error and tried to switch to ie to download the 10.2.6 combo update, only to have the dock disappear and the finder restart on me. After a further two tries I called the repair company (which Apple claims to be the only and best in the UK) I spoke to the guy who repaired it and discussed the problem he suggested some stuff and to try again and if that didn't work to reinstall the system software!
I tried it and guess what still the same problem. So I called explaining that I was not happy and that I shouldn't have to spend my time reinstalling the OS as after 21 days in their hands that machine should be A1 not crapping out on me. So yesterday it was picked up AGAIN to go back for what the guy describes as "through" checking.
Peace folks
sorry for the trouble you're having, hope it gets resolved quickly this time.
software (mac os) is never covered by your warranty.
i would software-restore the ibook myself. it saves time and you know what's on your drive.
get applecare. it's worth it!
after your 12 months hardware-warranty, repair's are very expensive.
3 years hw-warranty is gooooood.
it also covers your other gear you use with your ibook (airport bs etc).
things break on this planet. no matter how good they should be.
(ever wondered why there are roll royce repair-guys?).
even a tested good logic board can fail on you.
no offence - but this planet is not perfect
I noticed that the problem was intermittent (if I bended the case a little, the screen would come back, though frozen). I took it to a guy I know and he checked it over for 2 days and found nothing. He installed a piece of insulation under the MoBo and that fixed the problem temporarily.
After 3 weeks of it working fine. It started again. I'm now bending the case every time I restart until the screen comes on.
I know this is not a proper solution, and my iBook is/was still under warranty. But, I don't have an Apple reseller where I live and calling Apple Care didn't offer any options but to ship it to the US.
If I do decide to ship it, I still have to remove the insulation. But now that I see someone else with the same problem (I thought my kidz had droped it), I think Apple should honor its warranty.
Originally posted by Aftershock
I know this is not a proper solution, and my iBook is/was still under warranty. But, I don't have an Apple reseller where I live and calling Apple Care didn't offer any options but to ship it to the US.
If I do decide to ship it, I still have to remove the insulation. But now that I see someone else with the same problem (I thought my kidz had droped it), I think Apple should honor its warranty.
Sounds like Apple will honor its warranty, if you'll let them.
Originally posted by peve
my thoughts:
software (mac os) is never covered by your warranty.
i would software-restore the ibook myself. it saves time and you know what's on your drive.
get applecare. it's worth it!
after your 12 months hardware-warranty, repair's are very expensive.
3 years hw-warranty is gooooood.
it also covers your other gear you use with your ibook (airport bs etc).
things break on this planet. no matter how good they should be.
(ever wondered why there are roll royce repair-guys?).
even a tested good logic board can fail on you.
no offence - but this planet is not perfect
Sure the OS is not under warranty but when it has been if for repair twice I shouldn't have to re-install the OS. If you had your car breaks serviced would you expect to have put the wheels back on yourself? Also it is bad enough that I have to reload all my other apps let alone the OS again.
Apple care is another £199 which frankly I don't want to have to pay but I might pick it up just before the 12 month warranty runs out. To be honest I paid too much for all this agro already.
The Logic board wasn't tested before it was sent out - that was my main gripe. I am sure that in laptop repair for dummies it says test does it work on batteries before retuning.
Sure things break and I wasn't particularly worried it will get repaired no problem. Thus begins the Saga.
Yes Rolls Royce do have repair people as do other high class car manufactures like Aston Martin (who are near where I live) the service is second to NONE. its all about quality and quality control. If it has to go back because of a fault then there should be no faults when it is returned to the owner, be it the original fault or anything cause by the repair.
I didn't mind it needing a repair but its been going back and forth for 27 days now (not counting the 2 weeks trying to find out who's responsibility it is), even the lady at Apple (I called yesterday) said I was extremely patient. Frankly I don't think that it is good enough from a Apple approved repair service.
I received my ibook back again with (yet) another logic board and a new (toshiba) hard drive. Great except, the case looked like the guy had fixed a ford first, it was filthy and there was a gap along the ports big enough for me to run (what is left of) my fingernail down. Also there was paint scratched off near the battery.
So I called Apple to get basically fobbed off about how it had not go through them enough times and that there policies had changed and the lady who said that she would help if anything else when t wrong had left, how convenient. I was also told that the repair company was not there only supplier and I could have the casing fixed by the other company. This is odd because I was told the guys "fixing" my ibook was the ONLY Apple certified company in the UK.
SO the retailer stepped up and offered me a replacement. I didn't want another ibook after all that, so I added some cash and got myself a 12" powerbook. So I am sitting in my garden typing this with a big grin.
The airport card that i got for my ibook, will fit in my old imac and the extra ram will go on ebay.
Thanks for listening and your support.
Jon-e-orange
My girlfriend's iBook has been in for this repair twice in 9 months. It is a manufacturing defect having something to do with how the display cable attaches to the logic board. Since your machine is a newer one, clearly Apple has not addressed the manufacturing issue.
I've had it with the iBook so now will ask Apple to exchange it for a new 15" AlBook when it comes out. I'm hoping for next week but will be really pissed if it's only a revised TiBook.
toss in a bit of extra cash and get a 12" PB.
much better overall computer. hope this one is trouble free. something seems to be seriously wrong with a small number of iBooks.
problem is, once whatever it is goes wrong, it doesn't seem that it ever likes to get fixed.
Originally posted by mrmister
One could, but one would have very little non-anecdotal evidence to stand on.
You are correct, but I believe the substantial number of reports on the subject speaks to more than isolated incidents. You simply don't hear about the same failure rate in regard to any of the other machines.