Apple support call

Apple support call

Since getting my MacBook on 05-June-2007, I have not used it much, aside from watching the odd DVD, chatting with friends and family on iChat, and surfing the net. The reason for this was because my old Thinkpad running Ubuntu Linux seemed to keep chugging along and had all the tools I needed freely and readily available. This made it easy to put off getting all the tools I needed on the MacBook. So the MacBook simply remained a machine for communication and entertainment. But that all changed...

The Thinkpad's hard drive died so it was time to promote the MacBook to main machine status. Unfortunately, I have now started to notice a few glitches as I work with the MacBook on a regular basis... and it is just past the 30 day return mark for the thing!

Starting the MacBook after a shutdown, I was simply getting a grey screen, nothing else. So, after a 12 minute support call with Apple tech support, I learned some fancy PRAM refresh strokes (much like yoga for the hands) and was able to get the MacBook back up and running.

Apple technical support gave me the address of an Apple authorized dealer and told me to drop the MacBook off there for repairs. Upon checking it in, I told the staff member about the blue screen of death issue and that the screen flickers after it has run for a bit. I also told him that PRAM refreshing will fix the problem for a few hours but the issues returns soon after so PRAM refreshing is not the solution.

*SIGH* Even though I told the person when I dropped the MacBook off that PRAM refreshing is not a cure but merely a temporary treatment, I was a bit perturbed when reading the comments on the invoice "Reset PRAM, computer is fine now." I told them that it is not fine and it will be flickering and blue screening within a few hours and that I would see them tomorrow with it again...

As I told them on the 27th, I would be seeing them today with the same problems... I emphasized that PRAM refreshing will not solve the problem. I then spoke with the Apple technician at the shop who informed me that the MacBooks are very poorly engineered. He said there are problems with the logic boards and heat sinks. He said he has six others waiting on logic boards from Apple. So now I realized I am being punished for being an early adopter and went on my way, confident in the fact that at least I would be getting a new and better logic board, whenever it arrived...

Finally got a call from the shop, the logic board has been replaced and I can pick up my MacBook. I was told by the technician that it was like a 'brand new computer now'. I pointed out that it IS a brand new computer and hopefully it would behave like one now.
The invoice reads "Replaced the Logic Board. Computer is absolutely fine now."

Thankfully Apple is getting the tab for this because the bill came to $1,138.28!

One of the first things I did on my 'like new computer' was pop in a DVD. Prior to the logic board replacement, dvds slid in the Super Drive with ease, now it seems a bit cluncky. I wasn't too happy with this so called and pointed it out, but, at least the MacBook seemed to be working.

I informed the Apple technician that the screen was flickering and the DVD drive is not a smooth as it was prior to the logic board replacement.
The technician said that if he had known that the screen was flickering he would have also looked at the invertor board. The work order does state the screen flickers, but que sera sera, now he knows, lets get on with it.
I have to leave the MacBook with them yet again to have the invertor board replaced...

Invoice reads "Verified problem with inverter board. Replaced the board. Computer is perfect now."
I must admit, the 'Computer is perfect now' kind of statements are really loosing their merit at this stage of the game.

Picked Up MacBook From The Repair Shop For the Third Time.

From the invoice:
"Verified problems with Logic Board. Ordered the Board. Replaced the Logic Board. Computer is perfect now. Sound is working fine."

[sarcasm]I am bursting with confidence about the perfectness of my computer.[/sarcasm]