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Thanks for the info! How possible (or how common) would it be that the whole mainboard would have to be replaced?

And being the DC-IN (it was plugged in when it got hit) wouldn't that not possibly fry other things since it's all being powered by that?
 
Kinneas said:
Thanks for the info! How possible (or how common) would it be that the whole mainboard would have to be replaced?

And being the DC-IN (it was plugged in when it got hit) wouldn't that not possibly fry other things since it's all being powered by that?

Hold on, looking it up, will edit this in about 10 minutes.

Ok, looks like in this model you have a 50/50 chance because of where things are located. You could have fried either the logic board or DC-In. I couldn't tell you which unless I troubleshot it.
So, my prayers are with you!
 
Well I guess that's good and bad to hear.

I hear that the LCD assembly is one of the most expensive parts and nothing got onto the screen to run down in to it. I'm just hoping it'll be under $1000 total. I'm not too sure but you can fry multiple things at once right? I didn't think it was too uncommon for it to be an isolated problem.

Thanks again for your input. :)

EDIT: AHHHH I just realised that it's been sitting in the shop over the weekend with the battery in. Haha Oh man I might aswell just start filling out the form now =P
 
Kinneas said:
AHHHH I just realised that it's been sitting in the shop over the weekend with the battery in. Haha Oh man I might aswell just start filling out the form now =P
What kind of shop is this anyway? Oh well, I did remember you mentioning the tech wasn't going to be in until tomorrow. That sucks. Hopefully it will be ok though. If the DC board is bad, it wouldn't matter about the battery anyway, it wouldn't be able to power anything.
 
Yeah. Let's just hope that's the only issue. It's a store called Carbon Computing where I live near Waterloo. They're pretty much the only authorised retailer/service for macs in the city.

I'm learning a lot from what you're telling me. I have a lot of experience with computer hardware and software. A+ cert in high-school. I just have pretty much no experience with Apple laptops when it comes to the hardware. I pulled a Mac Mini apart once but that's far different; a lot of desktop components.

From what I can tell, generally when a part along the series dies, that pretty much creates a sort of a barrier between other components and the electrical. ie, if the DC cannot power anything, and it died first, the other stuff just needs a thorough cleaning, correct?

I had 2 gigs of ram in that thing that I took out and replaced with the original since well, they can't really replace the RAM I added at a resonable price so what's the point of them having it while diagnosing and repairing?

Ah if only this was a PC. I would have probably just disassembled it and cleaned it myself. But I didn't know much about the hardware to want to risk it. Didn't know if there were any warranty stickers, etc.

I'm thinking too much.
 
Well in conclusion to all this. The logic board needs replacing, along with a few other smaller components on it. It's more cost effective to just completely replace it so that's what we're going to do. After tax, paying for the labour of the diagnostic, and the insurance; I'm looking at about $511

At least I get a free Hard Drive. Heh.
 
Kinneas said:
Well in conclusion to all this. The logic board needs replacing, along with a few other smaller components on it. It's more cost effective to just completely replace it so that's what we're going to do. After tax, paying for the labour of the diagnostic, and the insurance; I'm looking at about $511

At least I get a free Hard Drive. Heh.

Sorry for your loss.

Have you considered parting out the rest of it. Mainly the LCD and case elements. You might get much of that $511 back.... The HDD and RAM are easy.

B
 
Well I was planning on a cremation. I don't know what the insurance guys want, if anything. Sometimes THEY want the stuff to refurbish and recover their end of the insurance claim.
 
quigleybc said:
Glad you're so cheerful about this....I'd be freakin out......

Well there's really no gain freaking out about it. Other than feeling upset about it for a while.

My dad's on the phone right now with the claims dept. for American Express. I'm hoping to get the $1000 and keep the old computer. Selling parts would be nice. It'd also be nice to open it up and learn more about the Macbook.

What's nice is even though after the $1000, there's about $400 I have to pay from my pocket. However there's a deal through my school's store that gives me a free iPod for the purchase. Not to mention more brownie points with the local Apple Store.

This is also a learning experience for all this, so in the end, I'm only out a few hundred dollars that I can make back in about 4-5 hours of working.
 
Kinneas said:
TI'm only out a few hundred dollars that I can make back in about 4-5 hours of working.
So even the extra $1K would only have been another 8-10 hours... Nice job!

B
 
Is this a special AmEx card (Platinum, etc?) or do they all offer such good "accidental damage" benefits?

Sounds like I could use one of these cards :D
 
Kinneas said:
This is also a learning experience for all this, so in the end, I'm only out a few hundred dollars that I can make back in about 4-5 hours of working.

Crap, son! Where are you working?!? Aren't you still living with your parents? :confused: :p
 
notjustjay said:
Is this a special AmEx card (Platinum, etc?) or do they all offer such good "accidental damage" benefits?

Sounds like I could use one of these cards :D


It's A VERY good card. It's an American Express Platinum Costco Card.

Basically the two major benefits are:

Purchase Protection: Within 90 days if it's accidentally damaged, stolen, vandalised, anything that usually won't be covered by regular warranty. It will cover up to $1000 for the repair or replacement.

Purcahse Assurance: Items purcahsed on the card will have their warranty DOUBLED to a maximum of an extra year. (We used this once on a Think Pad. The thing got repaired, ironically costing more than a new Think Pad. They covered the costs completely)

Of course there's hoops to jump through to get the claim, but it really does work as we've proven once and soon to be twice.

I'm off this afternoon to purcahse another laptop, since the lady on the phone said the claim will be looked at in a week or so and a cheque sent out soon. So it's done like a reimbursement.
 
elfin buddy said:
Crap, son! Where are you working?!? Aren't you still living with your parents? :confused: :p

I live with my family (I'm a 19 year old student). I'm VERY poor because of my University program, however I get all that money back eventually through my RESP (Registered Education Savings Plan). For now though, the money comes out of my own pocket.

And yes I know I make a lot of dough for being 19. I make about $30-50/hr doing technical support for residences but mainly doctor's offices (ie. reception computers)
 
Kinneas said:
I live with my family (I'm a 19 year old student). I'm VERY poor because of my University program, however I get all that money back eventually through my RESP (Registered Education Savings Plan). For now though, the money comes out of my own pocket.

And yes I know I make a lot of dough for being 19. I make about $30-50/hr doing technical support for residences but mainly doctor's offices (ie. reception computers)

Well done! It had never even occurred to me that doctors' offices might need tech support...haha :) I take it most of the work is on Windows machines, eh?
 
Kinneas said:
This is also a learning experience for all this, so in the end, I'm only out a few hundred dollars that I can make back in about 4-5 hours of working.

The learning experience being that you (or your girlfriend) shouldn't drink out of a graduated cylinder?

Sorry, I just felt I had to say that. It seems like everything has turned out more or less OK for you. Lucky break, if it had been me, I would have been out the entire cost of the repair.
 
gonyr said:
The learning experience being that you (or your girlfriend) shouldn't drink out of a graduated cylinder?

Sorry, I just felt I had to say that. It seems like everything has turned out more or less OK for you. Lucky break, if it had been me, I would have been out the entire cost of the repair.


That sounds pretty funny. The learning experience is just all the red tape through the insurance, not to mention opening a macbook up and learning more about the hardware.

I am currently on my new Macbook. I took it out of the box, took the battery out, put my good RAM in and switched the H.D.D. This literally took two mintues and my mac is EXACTLY the way it was before. It was just that fast. Had this been a PC, Windows would be bitching about hardware and crap.

So yeah, everything worked out and I got a free iPod Nano because of a promotion. Heh. :rolleyes:
 
elfin buddy said:
Well done! It had never even occurred to me that doctors' offices might need tech support...haha :) I take it most of the work is on Windows machines, eh?


It's actually mostly on Macs. In Waterloo, most MDs use a piece of software called Mac Medical. It runs on OS 9 so I get to have the absolute joy of supporting Mac Classic running on OS X. I tell you, when it comes to old programs that are expecting Serial printers, you just want to scream sometimes.

"SHIFT FOR EXTENSIONS, YAYYYYY"
 
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