MacBook Air Rev A repairs

[USAF - 1]

Hi all. This is my first post to the forum and I am a new Mac user, starting with a 27 iMac I bought in the fall. I am 35 and have never used a mac ever prior to this, always having self-built PCs, which served me well until Vista and surprisingly Windows 7 (another story for another time.) In the last few months, I have grown to really like macs, so I got a used Rev A Air on eBay with 14 months of Applecare remaining.

First, I really like the Air, it does what I need and has a super cool form factor. I bring it into work and people just love to see it. Anyway, I have been reading the forums and the overheating issues surrounding the Rev A, and mine would overheat as well, not terribly where it would shut down, but it definitely gets hot. So having applecare, I took it in to see what could be done. I took it to the Apple flagship store in San Francisco and the genius there was extremely nice and helpful. I told them it was getting pretty hot and that the hinges had some play in them and asked them to try to address these issues.

Got a call today from them and they are replacing the thermal module, replacing the clamshell and my superdrive which had a frayed cord. So the question is - is this thermal module better than the original? Second, does the replacement of the clamshell and hinges include the actual display itself, or is it just the casing? Anyway, I have been extremely impressed with Applecare and all this work they are doing - no questions asked really. And my name isn't even on the Applecare.

And although this isn't related, I used Applecare to replace my 27inch imac for display problems as well. After a firmware update, it produced a pink line vertically on the display - replaced the entire computer no problem. Awesome. Really happy with Applecare!

 

[ayeying]

Hi all. This is my first post to the forum and I am a new Mac user, starting with a 27 iMac I bought in the fall. I am 35 and have never used a mac ever prior to this, always having self-built PCs, which served me well until Vista and surprisingly Windows 7 (another story for another time.) In the last few months, I have grown to really like macs, so I got a used Rev A Air on eBay with 14 months of Applecare remaining.

First, I really like the Air, it does what I need and has a super cool form factor. I bring it into work and people just love to see it. Anyway, I have been reading the forums and the overheating issues surrounding the Rev A, and mine would overheat as well, not terribly where it would shut down, but it definitely gets hot. So having applecare, I took it in to see what could be done. I took it to the Apple flagship store in San Francisco and the genius there was extremely nice and helpful. I told them it was getting pretty hot and that the hinges had some play in them and asked them to try to address these issues.

Got a call today from them and they are replacing the thermal module, replacing the clamshell and my superdrive which had a frayed cord. So the question is - is this thermal module better than the original? Second, does the replacement of the clamshell and hinges include the actual display itself, or is it just the casing? Anyway, I have been extremely impressed with Applecare and all this work they are doing - no questions asked really. And my name isn't even on the Applecare.

And although this isn't related, I used Applecare to replace my 27inch imac for display problems as well. After a firmware update, it produced a pink line vertically on the display - replaced the entire computer no problem. Awesome. Really happy with Applecare!

The thermal module is basically replacing the entire heatsink. The real issue is how much thermal paste they use, but from my tests, it seems that unless you cover the entire board with thermal paste, the system shouldn't have a problem with a little bit of extra paste.

Replacing the clamshell should be replacing the entire top cover, I think.

 

[Scottsdale]

I don't really understand all of the interpretation of the parts being replaced, but new parts probably are better parts. If it is the heatsink being replaced, I don't know that it will change anything. The inherent problems with the original MBA were due to an overheated 20W Merom CPU and overworked Intel 3100 graphics. Neither of those will be replaced.

I would say if you keep having problems with the heat, COMPLAIN. Try to get it upgraded to a rev 2,1 MBA! The 2,1 MBA is incredibly superior in every way to the original MBA except looks which are the same. Not to say that your MBA will not get what you need it to done... just that the v 2,1 MBA is incredibly superior and, if you could get one by just complaining, you would benefit not just now but years down the road when the v 2,1 MBA is still capable and relevant when the original may not be so capable or relevant.

If you cannot get a free upgrade to a newer MBA, I would consider removing the heatsink and removing the thermal paste and reapplying using instructions in a video somewhere like YouTube (I know that's not very specific but I have seen some great videos on reapplying thermal paste on YouTube. Also, definitely, AND ONLY AFTER YOU HAVE REQUESTED APPLE REPAIR YOUR MBA, buy Cool Book and undervolt the CPU. For only $10, Cool Book will undervolt the CPU and make it run cooler (like the 17W Penryn CPU in rev 2,1 MBA).

Good luck and congrats with your new iMac and MBA!

 

[archipellago]

Hi all. This is my first post to the forum and I am a new Mac user, starting with a 27 iMac I bought in the fall. I am 35 and have never used a mac ever prior to this, always having self-built PCs, which served me well until Vista and surprisingly Windows 7 (another story for another time.) In the last few months, I have grown to really like macs, so I got a used Rev A Air on eBay with 14 months of Applecare remaining.

First, I really like the Air, it does what I need and has a super cool form factor. I bring it into work and people just love to see it. Anyway, I have been reading the forums and the overheating issues surrounding the Rev A, and mine would overheat as well, not terribly where it would shut down, but it definitely gets hot. So having applecare, I took it in to see what could be done. I took it to the Apple flagship store in San Francisco and the genius there was extremely nice and helpful. I told them it was getting pretty hot and that the hinges had some play in them and asked them to try to address these issues.

Got a call today from them and they are replacing the thermal module, replacing the clamshell and my superdrive which had a frayed cord. So the question is - is this thermal module better than the original? Second, does the replacement of the clamshell and hinges include the actual display itself, or is it just the casing? Anyway, I have been extremely impressed with Applecare and all this work they are doing - no questions asked really. And my name isn't even on the Applecare.

And although this isn't related, I used Applecare to replace my 27inch imac for display problems as well. After a firmware update, it produced a pink line vertically on the display - replaced the entire computer no problem. Awesome. Really happy with Applecare!

so another explanation of this is that the 2 Apple computers mentioned have both needed major repairs inside of 2 years...??

I know you have Applecare but you think this is good.>?

 

[samh]

so another explanation of this is that the 2 Apple computers mentioned have both needed major repairs inside of 2 years...??

I know you have Applecare but you think this is good.>?

Every manufacturer's computers fail. At least the OP has had a good experience with apple getting the issues resolved.

 

[archipellago]

Every manufacturer's computers fail. At least the OP has had a good experience with apple getting the issues resolved.

well, only because he paid the extra for Applecare, which for a machine of this price and perceived quality shouldn't be needed.

 

[archipellago]

dup. sorry.