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JUST making sure - Does the Apple store do this for you?
- Thread starter klb028
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Yeah, I just wanted to know if they could do it or not in general. How long does it usually take to do that?
No, they don't do it, and they can't order the parts to do it either on a new machine..
But generally, they don't order parts in and upgrade things. You will need to order it online.
RAM can be done in-house.
Shouldn't think it would be too long all it really is is opening up the case and replacing the hard drive and moving files over...
I actually asked about HD options today in store while I was buying my new machine.
They don't upgrade at all. Applecare is dead if you do. And if a certified repair facility does it they do not cover the drive but continue to cover the rest of the machine.
They don't upgrade at all. Applecare is dead if you do. And if a certified repair facility does it they do not cover the drive but continue to cover the rest of the machine.
Uhmmm, where do you get that info from? They will do hard drive upgrades for you. You can bring in a hard drive and they'll install it for their ludicrous $80/hour charge.
I know because Apple told me that was the only way to not "possibly" void my warranty and I was pretty upset.
RAM can be done yourself.
Yeah, they won't cover the drive, but you should have a manufacturer's warranty.
There are tons of Apple Certified repair centers. CompUSA works.
They don't - I just called AppleCare directly and 2 local Apple Stores - they do not offer a service to upgrade the hard drive in a MacBook Pro. (I was going to do this as well...)
The guy at AppleCare was nice enough to tell me that there are 3rd party companies which will do it for you, but it WILL void the AppleCare protection.
I'm going to be ordering online now.Probably too late now - but it's cheaper to buy the RAM third-party and install it yourself.
Weren't you previously buying a MacBook? If that is the case, installing a new drive yourself is easy and as it's a user-installable part, doesn't void the warranty.
Weren't you previously buying a MacBook? If that is the case, installing a new drive yourself is easy and as it's a user-installable part, doesn't void the warranty.
Do you really think that $80/hour is ludicrous? I think that is a fair price. I charge something close to that for freelance web & print design. Look at how much the "Geek Squad" and Circuit City's equivalent. That's just the price for tech support. Companies charge even crazier amounts for out of warranty support.
It's my opinion that $80/hour to work on a machine is not insane, but rather in line with the corporate tech support industry. When you consider how small the laptop is and how many things need to be taken out exactly right, and how many things need to be put back in exactly right. It isn't that crazy.
Wait...I think the OP meant could he upgrade the HD at the time of purchase?
The answer to that question is yes, they do it in the factory, but after you receive the laptop, if you want to upgrade it down the road, what these other kind forumers have said holds true.
The answer to that question is yes, they do it in the factory, but after you receive the laptop, if you want to upgrade it down the road, what these other kind forumers have said holds true.
How can one avoid breaking the warranty? I've swapped my hdd myself, and I don't think I've done anything drastically wrong..but just want to be sure.
No, the question was whether they would do it as part of the purchase when you bought a machine at the store. They won't. They also will not order in hard drives, either, which you nicely confirmed. You walk into my local Apple Store with a third-party hard drive and theyll be referring you to our local Mac shop
My local store will not install third-party items either, so while it may not be a set in stone policy, most Apple Stores are not in the business of doing upgrades. They fix things.
Look, the way the AppleCare program works is if you install something yourself and damage some other component, they wont cover that problem under warranty. So if you put in a hard drive and mess up the logic board in the progress its not covered. If you put in a hard drive and the screen stops working later (unless youve damaged some screen component in the process), its covered.
The HD in MacBooks is a user-replaceable part, the one in MacBook Pros isn't. If you've got the latter, not installing a new HD will not void the warranty, intstalling one will.