Just Got my unit back with Apples Genius Bar apps on it.....

[iMacoo7]

WOW! This is going to be a fun one. Ok , so I have a late 2014 Mac mini that has been running real sluggish (As if it has a memory leak causing the system to simply hang). I purchased it to have a device streaming to a flat screen, nothing more. That changed when we opened a new office and wanted to use the device in the new office... Normal web surfing, or using the device to type documents would cause the device to hang....

Steps Taken:
I factory reset the device to the original OS that was originally on the unit. Tested for 15-20 minutes (Without anything else installed) and the device would eventually hang....

Ran the built in diag. Test and it passed, but knowing there has to be an hardware issue for the device to hang even after a clean install and using the device with only the software That comes on the unit.

I set up an appointment to take the device in to be looked at (13 days ago)at the Apple Store Mall of Millinium... I get a call last Thursday that a new logic board was ordered for the unit and they will install and test the unit again to make sure the board solves the issue...

Receive a phone call this Thursday From the Apple Store Mall of Millinium , but I did not get to the phone in time and figured they would call back.... Well no one ever did (1st time this has ever happened in over 20 years of me dealing with apple). I ended up calling them yesterday (Saturday 12/17) and asked was my unit done, still in progress or if there were any updates , since whomever called did not leave a message... I was told the unit was in fact ready for pick up, and then I proceeded to ask why didn't the status change online, someone call me back to let me know? They did not have an answer to any of these questions.. Just a few mumbles, giggles and " Well your unit is ready! Make sure you have an ID to pick the unit up!" .....

It took me less than 10 minutes to pick my unit up which is a good thing, but also very weird seeing how busy the store was and how many other people were there checked in before I was that still were waiting (Roughly 6 people were checked in to pick their devices up).

Got home and fired it up to check it and low and behold! Apples Diagnostics Stress test tools were left on my desktop! Also My Test logs on the desktop....
I immediately called Apple and while waiting for them to get on the phone, I went to the preference pane to type my information and my iCloud was there but without the passcode.... Also the admin name was changed to "Test" and passcode protected... Well Apple had 2 different people tunneled into the unit and was baffled... On paper it says that Apple Mall of Millinium had changed the board, but why would the test log dated for the day I brought it in be left on a desktop of a brand new logic board...? Along with all the tools used to work the unit??

Well after rebooting the unit.. Its currently locked with the admin as "Test" and Apple has "0" passcode on file from the Tech/Genious notes.. Go Figure....
I also had TWO Apple Care support advisors tunnel into my Mac (Via my permission and for them to see for themselves first hand) Mini and baffled , nervous and at a lost for words on how to nullify this situation , which has proven to be one of the most un professional experiences I've ever had owning Apple Products... I PAY THAT PREMIUM FOR A REASON!

In all the years Ive owned apple products, Ive never seen this sort of Slop go down.. Ive attached photos for your inspection...
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[Crosscreek]

I hope you have a backup disk or time machine back up.

If you do then you can erase your disk and do a fresh install and then restore your files from there with the migration assistant in the other folder.

Apple is breaking down from the top down as far as I'm concerned and the past year has been terrible in hardware and software quality control and services.

This is not the Apple that Jobs had created that made sure everything just works.

 

[aristobrat]

I worked as a Specialist (sales) in an Apple Store during the holidays for three seasons (all while Steve Jobs ran the company).

As someone who had to help customers pick up/drop off repairs, the Genius Bar was always bonkers busy, but ridiculously so during December when college kids are home and bring in their Macs for repairs.

Doesn’t surprise me that a Genius could have marked your repair as complete but then get pulled from the repair room — usually to deal with a screaming customer on the sales floor who showed up without a reservation and demands to be seen — before cleaning the OS. Another Genius could come along behind in the repair room (while the orig Genius was still on the floor), sees the unit marked as complete, and then puts it on the customer pickup shelf ready-to-go.

Shouldn’t happen, but even if they’re running with a 98% “satisfaction rating”, that still means they’re messing up on 2% of the repairs. They’re not perfect people, and they will never be, no matter how much of a premium anyone pays.

If you get a survey, mark your satisfaction as low (below 5). At the store I worked at, a manager had to investigate these and follow up with the customer.

 

[iMacoo7]

I worked as a Specialist (sales) in an Apple Store during the holidays for three seasons (all while Steve Jobs ran the company).

As someone who had to help customers pick up/drop off repairs, the Genius Bar was always bonkers busy, but ridiculously so during December when college kids are home and bring in their Macs for repairs.

Doesn’t surprise me that a Genius could have marked your repair as complete but then get pulled from the repair room — usually to deal with a screaming customer on the sales floor who showed up without a reservation and demands to be seen — before cleaning the OS. Another Genius could come along behind in the repair room (while the orig Genius was still on the floor), sees the unit marked as complete, and then puts it on the customer pickup shelf ready-to-go.

Shouldn’t happen, but even if they’re running with a 98% “satisfaction rating”, that still means they’re messing up on 2% of the repairs. They’re not perfect people, and they will never be, no matter how much of a premium anyone pays.

If you get a survey, mark your satisfaction as low (below 5). At the store I worked at, a manager had to investigate these and follow up with the customer.

Ive never seen a unit with a brand new board have to be stress tested...

I did not include the following... The test results left on the unit are from the 8th, I was called on the 10th and told that a new logic board was going to be placed in the unit...
There are still test results on what appears to be my original Logic Board.. Why are there files from the 8th on what is supposedly the new logic board... ? They dropped the ball big time.. I can understand about having to deal with angry/yelling/un satisfied customers, but this particular Apple store always has more than enough staff.. In fact, I believe too much staff. Some of the employees are typically standing around talking to one another..
[doublepost=1513590261][/doublepost]

I hope you have a backup disk or time machine back up.

If you do then you can erase your disk and do a fresh install and then restore your files from there with the migration assistant in the other folder.

Apple is breaking down from the top down as far as I'm concerned and the past year has been terrible in hardware and software quality control and services.

This is not the Apple that Jobs had created that made sure everything just works.

I have everything backed up.. This unit wasn't a production unit at the time of purchase, so I never had anything of importance on it... I don't plan on wiping it clean or restoring (Although it would be simple to do , but do not want to because of the current software/files on the unit). I want the unit to be shipped out exactly how I received it...

 

[belvdr]

Ive never seen a unit with a brand new board have to be stress tested...

They said they were going to test it once the new board was installed, so it makes sense.

I did not include the following... The test results left on the unit are from the 8th, I was called on the 10th and told that a new logic board was going to be placed in the unit...
There are still test results on what appears to be my original Logic Board.. Why are there files from the 8th on what is supposedly the new logic board... ? They dropped the ball big time..

I don't know the internals of the 2014 Mini. Is the storage included on the main logic board? If so, I agree. If that's the original board then, does the machine lock up still?

EDIT: Looking at iFixIt's teardown, it looks like the storage is separate, so replacing the logic board would leave the old files intact after a swap.

 

[iMacoo7]

They said they were going to test it once the new board was installed, so it makes sense.
I don't know the internals of the 2014 Mini. Is the storage included on the main logic board? If so, I agree. If that's the original board then, does the machine lock up still?

EDIT: Looking at iFixIt's teardown, it looks like the storage is separate, so replacing the logic board would leave the old files intact after a swap.

The device was supposedly wiped clean in order to run the tests... The unit was dropped off with the DEV. version of OSX ... They called me 2 days after dropping it off and asked if they could wipe the unit clean and I agreed...It does make sense to test a new board for functionality, but I don't see the point if the board is new... I could see ,testing boot to post, but not stress testing an entirely new board for issues..
Also, why would the log files from the original unit be left on the desktop and "0" Log files after the supposed new Logic board?
The machine still locked up.. Theres a twist to this whole situation.. The device was left connected before and since my initial post... The machine has been locked with the "Test" username and passcode since yesterday...

None of it makes sense...

 

[hallux]

left on a desktop of a brand new logic board

The storage on a Mini is not soldered to the board. Someone forgot to delete files from your original drive that was reinstalled once the repair was completed.

 

[belvdr]

The device was supposedly wiped clean in order to run the tests... The unit was dropped off with the DEV. version of OSX ... They called me 2 days after dropping it off and asked if they could wipe the unit clean and I agreed...It does make sense to test a new board for functionality, but I don't see the point if the board is new... I could see ,testing boot to post, but not stress testing an entirely new board for issues..
Also, why would the log files from the original unit be left on the desktop and "0" Log files after the supposed new Logic board?
The machine still locked up.. Theres a twist to this whole situation.. The device was left connected before and since my initial post... The machine has been locked with the "Test" username and passcode since yesterday...

None of it makes sense...

Sorry, I missed the part about them wanting to wipe it. Also, new boards can be bad too. It happens more times than you would think; also it could have been storage or something else causing the hang, so it makes sense to test.

Again, storage is separate from the new board. One possibility is they copied over the original logs after the wipe to compare after the new board. I agree, though, that this is not what you want a customer seeing.

 

[hallux]

I can tell you that Apple is pretty strict about requiring diagnostic tests before AND after repair, to prove the repair was what was required. However, the tests that I am aware of (which seem to be different from those run on your Mac) do not require anything be saved on the storage of the system.

 

[iMacoo7]

The storage on a Mini is not soldered to the board. Someone forgot to delete files from your original drive that was reinstalled once the repair was completed.

Im aware of that. Forgetting is one thing.. But to forget to 1. Wipe/Delete the old files from the Supposed Original Drive (Which I was told This morning that it should have been changed with the board to solve any sort of issues) 2. Leave the device passcode protected 3. Leaving the Device with a Firmware lock is just a mere ***** up... Yes there is a firmware lock on the unit , along with a passcode on the unit that was not left in the notes.... Ive talked to several Senior Advisors (Which all have been helpful), but at this stage of the game, im losing daylight on projects and have a machine that is not being used....
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Sorry, I missed the part about them wanting to wipe it. Also, new boards can be bad too. It happens more times than you would think; also it could have been storage or something else causing the hang, so it makes sense to test.

Again, storage is separate from the new board. One possibility is they copied over the original logs after the wipe to compare after the new board. I agree, though, that this is not what you want a customer seeing.

Sorry, I missed the part about them wanting to wipe it. Also, new boards can be bad too. It happens more times than you would think; also it could have been storage or something else causing the hang, so it makes sense to test.

Again, storage is separate from the new board. One possibility is they copied over the original logs after the wipe to compare after the new board. I agree, though, that this is not what you want a customer seeing.

Im well aware storage is separate from the new board... I am a Tech for a major repair company , so I am well knowledgeable on the ins and outs of the unit... I have kicked the possibility of copying over new log files also. I had decided to wipe it completely clean to have a working production unit, but that was a fail once I ran into the firmware lock screen
[doublepost=1513706793][/doublepost]

I can tell you that Apple is pretty strict about requiring diagnostic tests before AND after repair, to prove the repair was what was required. However, the tests that I am aware of (which seem to be different from those run on your Mac) do not require anything be saved on the storage of the system.

Yep, Im aware of that too.. Ill just spill the tea now.. I worked for Apple 15 years ago.. ACMT certification for 14 years... I do know how strict they used to be on testing... Also the test files were never placed on a customers system... There was always a DIAG drive..
All in all.. Im still awaiting the box to ship it off to them.. We will see where this goes... Ive been told this is nothing that they have ever seen done @ this particular Apple store.. So 1 out of millions aint bad... I just had to be the lucky SOB to be the "1"

 

[bopajuice]

Please update us once the issue is resolved.

 

[iMacoo7]

Please update us once the issue is resolved.

I will.. I had to call them today about the return shipping box not arriving yesterday...
They are going to send a repair technician out.... Hopefully ill have some better news to report back

 

[GeniusAdvisor]

Yep, Im aware of that too.. Ill just spill the tea now.. I worked for Apple 15 years ago.. ACMT certification for 14 years... I do know how strict they used to be on testing... Also the test files were never placed on a customers system... There was always a DIAG drive..
All in all.. Im still awaiting the box to ship it off to them.. We will see where this goes... Ive been told this is nothing that they have ever seen done @ this particular Apple store.. So 1 out of millions aint bad... I just had to be the lucky SOB to be the "1"

Then you of all people should understand the pressure the staff are under.
If you have the ACMT certification, why are you sending your machine to apple for a restore?
I must admit, whatever Genius was running that test - That is not an Apple Official test.
ASD OS, EFI and MRI are the normal tests that are run after a repair is completed.
This is to make sure that the part that has been installed is working correctly. The parts that are put into the machines are 9/10 refurbished parts - and you wouldnt believe how many times these are DOA. (Dead on Arrival) - You should know this.