to the core. If you haven't the stomach, don't read this.
First, I APOLOGIZE FOR THE LENGTH, BUT NECESSARY. I am sorry for being so wordy and repeating, but I guess once I got going, I must have experienced some sort of diarrhea from consuming shiny coated rotten apples. And do know, this is not easy as I had been a happy Apple consumer for two decades, as well as a strong advocate. This is a sad time as loyalty with Apple is one-sided and theirs turned out to be a worm.
You can imagine how disappointed I was when (almost 2 yrs ago) my new MacBook Pro showed up straight out of the box with an ill-fitted case, recessed power button, clicker bar and broken latch. All I could think was what happened to Apple quality? Back it went, then again. I also paid for AppleCare on this MacBook Pro and for my iPod.
Immediately the iPod seemed to have issues and back it too went, but my brand new iPod, was replaced with a refurbished iPod that had a damaged screen that looked like an oil slick.
The next replacement had the same problems as the first. What really threw me was one particular call to AppleCare for my iPod issues. The woman asked for all my personal and iPod information then began to try to assist me. I got concerned when she asked me to conduct a search by clicking on start and select my computer. I interrupted and asked if she worked for Apple? When she wanted to know why I asked, I suggested using Spotlight in the upper right corner of my Mac to do a search. Whats Spotlight? was her reply. She then admitted that her dad worked for Apple but he wasnt home. She said that all she could do was issue a return for my iPod. I declined and discontinued the call.
I called Apples corporate office to report this AppleCare call; they thanked me and offered to assign a high level tech to assist me with the iPod and the MacBook Pro issues. The MacBook Pro, after the physical hardware problems were addressed, started to display inappropriate cursor behavior that overlapped all open applications - diagonal or horizontal two-sided arrow while in Mail or Safari, then highlighting single words, entire paragraphs or pages left spaces and gaps. Also when the I bar was placed in prose for editing it remained even after placing it in another area, and remained in the second spot, and the third and so on until I had I bars all over the place. (Save, quit, restart.)
Oddly, after an automatic software update for Airport came in, that is about when the cursor issues started so did other things especially involving Mail, Airport Express, and my column view windows, if even viable, showed gaps in the file names and the lists overlapped and gapped, I had pop-ups that were white blank squares, experienced constant freeze-ups, unexpected quits, including the OSX system ... I can go on but I think you get the idea and I'm sure I'll say more as it comes to mind.
Initially in working with the high level tech I believed he was really trying to find a solution. Among the various fixes were an alias user account, reinstalls, clean installs, purchased upgrades and new software applications, followed by more of the same. Finally they offered to send a new OSX Leopard for the next clean install. Following this install, I was asked for various bits of information from my hard drives system profiler so he could see what was happening to help find a solution. I also stayed in communication by sending screen shots of oddities and problems as they showed up, but as I inquired as to what he "saw", all of a sudden he disappeared, no answer to my emails or phone messages.
Immediately following that latest clean install, other peoples computers, wireless or not, were now mounting on my computers desktop. When I called to find out about this, I was told it was not possible (and this became their mantra for months). However, I assured them that I could not only see these computers hard drives mounted on my desktop, but when the tech suggested I wouldnt be able to access them and I tried it was indeed possible. Months into this, as well as all the other issues, they had me mail the computer in to replace the Airport card than the video card, yet my MacBook Pro returned "hacker-able" if I chose - good thing I am an honest person.
More calls to deal with all the chaos on this computer - my iPod long left in the dust, yet still ticking away on my paid for AppleCare for both. On yet another AppleCare tech call for the issue of other peoples computers mounting on my desktop, the tech had me check all settings and once past thats impossible he put me on hold several times while he checked for a solution. Finally he declared it was an easy fix and in just a couple clicks and mere seconds, I was completely locked out of my computer.
My hard drive icon immediately changed into a blue file folder icon with "cancel" symbol over it, (a red circle crossed with a diagonal line), and from there, things only got worse, much worse. Over the next week and dozens of hours on the phone with more high level AppleCare techs (one who flatly told me they had no record of any of my previous calls to AppleCare - I am so glad I had all these correspondences safely backed up long ago and had the wherewithal to video and take still shots with my camera as well as notes and phone logs, and that another person was sitting with me while the techs were on speaker phone so I could have my hands free to work throughout this long locked out phase).
With hired outside help, a borrowed iMacbook, and with another purchased external hard drive we were eventually able to back up a dmg file of my entire locked out hard drive from which my data was slowly retrieved over time. Another complete clean wipe of this computers hard drive before more long hours over many days to reinstall applications, many of which had now created their own issues due to the repeated reinstalls. After Apple squashed me, I contacted Adobe and explained in detail what the last year with AppleCare had created and they handled things with professionalism, customer care and understanding then kindly corrected my CS3 Design Premium Ext. Bundle re-registration issues that were created due to the constant reinstalls while bobbing with Apple.
Now, I am happy to say that other peoples hard drives no longer mount on my computer. However, some of the other oddities have continued. I am no longer an advocate for Apple, in fact am quite disappointed in them over all. I wrote a letter to Mr. Jobs (sent express mail) explaining all of this in detail, and sent samples of the emails, screen shots, videos, etc., to help him understand how crazy this has been, but sadly I was told he is too busy running two corporations to deal with this. I have lost confidence in Apple; I no longer trust their judgment or help, and am still paying for their useless AppleCare. (They should refund it all 100% at the very least.)
A call from latest high-level tech informed me he had been assigned to deal with my letter to Mr. Jobs, but when he told me he was on Google Earth looking at my house as we spoke, I got the green-apple-quick-step. (An attempt at intimidation?) Has Apple joined the ranks of other greed-monger bully corporations? What exactly does AppleCare mean, and for whom? Customers pay for the product, then pay for AppleCare, then sit in queue with all other calls to spend an enormous amount of down time with paid employees or their kids, for what?
I love(d) Mac(s) and when things used to work, they worked well, and I want it to work with the quality one using Apple products and tech support for decades expects. I want the AppleCare I pay for and not a run around of busy work by untrained employees or their children. I surely do not want my computer to have the ability to have access to others hard drives and I especially do not want to be locked out of my own computer by ill-advised AppleCare techs. What the heck was going on as the rotting apple; it is beginning to stink.
Again, I am glad I have good notes and back up of all. They did eventually acknowledge that these tech calls and correspondences did exist, as did the non-existing tech I'd work with for months, but only after I gave them proof. Then they added, that some techs don't keep good notes or any notes at all and that many are just lost. Maybe if it is the children of AppleCare techs that will be answering the phone for dad when he's away, they need get better training for the job, and if it's not a child labor issue, get paid by Apple for their work. I am strongly opposed to paying for AppleCare tech support when the person is someone filling in for daddy.
Regarding the software applications, they were upgraded or replaced throughout the fix attempts, and even with Adobe, I worked extensively when things began with the cursor. Using PS everyday, at first I figured it must be a PS/tool issue. I shared my thoughts with Apple and said I would start with Adobe first and would let Apple know the outcome. The tech I'd been working with expressed he doubted that the problem was this application as many things were involved and appeared directly tied to other areas such as Mail, Safari, Airport Extreme, and even a 'sticking' trackpad to which I then purchased an external Apple keyboard and mouse to get away from that problem, though the issues continued.
Not all the problems happen at once and I cannot "make" them happen. Historically it appears to show a pattern that may first be noticeable with the cursor or oddities on the screen or desktop. One fix that seemed to work for short term for a Mail/Airport issue (and also showed the cursor issues in other open applications), was to save all, quit all, turn off Airport, then turn Airport back on, open Safari first, and then open Mail, then all would be fine, though at times a restart was needed or just to shut down for several hours, then this issue seemed well with the Mac, until the next time. This is the loop I've been in for many months, the lock out and mess created by it was just a cherry on top of a rotting apple pie.
I truly thought we were all working to find a solution, that is until my inquiries as to why other's (very accessible) hard drives were mounting on my desktop, then came the unexpected lock out. This is why I am seeking input from this forum and others. I was in the middle of projects and many were lost, some had to be redone, or I needed to send customers elsewhere as my Mac was not dependable.
Im still waiting for Mr. Jobs and Apple to do the right thing, but Im not holding my breath. BitingThrough
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