Macbook problems..

[m0dded]

I bought a macbook back in May or June of '06, and since then I've had to get my hard drive replaced 3 times, and one more time coming up on Monday. The first two times it was replaced, the hard drive decided to quit working, but luckily i had a backup of my data. So each time I sent it in to apple, and they replaced the hard drive. The third time it got replaced (I didn't have a backup anymore), which was about a month ago, they gave me a 60gb instead of a 100gb. So on Monday I have to take it in to the apple store near me so they can replace it (hopefully for the last time). Should I be content with them constantly replacing my hard drive? Or should I be demanding that they replace the macbook entirely since it obviously doesn't agree very well with the hard drives it gets? There are several flaws in the casing, such as the top half not lining up with the bottom when it is closed, the casing around the isight isn't secured all the way, i can make a clicking sound by squeezing it together, and the plastic around all the ports on the sides is very loose, I can bend it in, and I'm finding more flaws all the time. Also, after the third hd replacement, the underside of my macbook had a variety of scratches and marks on it which made me mad because I always took very good care of it.

Pictures of the flaws (taken from my phone, so sorry about the quality):

By the power button:
Showing the flaw - http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23/m0dded/0218071258a.jpg
How it should be - http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23/m0dded/0218071259.jpg

Side casing:
Flaw - http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23/m0dded/0218071257.jpg
How it should be - http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23/m0dded/0218071258.jpg

iSight:
wtf - http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23/m0dded/0218071254.jpg

Not lined up when closed:
Different angles - http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23/m0dded/0218071321.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23/m0dded/0218071321a.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23/m0dded/0218071321b.jpg

I couldn't get pictures of the scratches, those are impossible to take with my cell phone.

 

[docss26]

for some reason i have alignment issues with my macbook too. it wasnt like that when i first got it so im curious as to how that happened. if neone can tell me how i may be able to fix it i would greatly appreciate it. thanks

 

[DaLurker]

The side casing on the left side below the ports will always be "softer" because of the design. If you open it up you'll notice the battery is situated right next to there and because of the way the case is designed, there is space between the battery and the case. This space is where you're seeing the flex. This will always happen on all Macbooks.


As the the case by the power button, its hard to judge since the picture showing the flaw has you pulling the top casing up and the picture of the way it should be has you pushing it down. What is its natural state?

The iSight and the case not lining up is definitely a problem.

I will tell you that Apple will replace a machine after 3 major repairs. Hard drive replacement is a major repair. Also considering they screwed up and gave you a smaller drive, I'd suggest you nicely suggest to them that they replace your computer.

 

[yojitani]

Just curious if anyone has had this alignment problem fixed under warranty. I just sent my MB in for a screen problem (dead px) and overheating. Unfortunately, when I was on the phone to apple rep I forgot to mention the alignment issue until after he had filed the report (or whatever). He said I should send a letter with the MB, which I did, but it's still not straight - I'm pretty sure they didn't look at it. The problem is exactly the same as in the OP's pics. It doesn't seem to affect the performance, but it's driving me nuts all the same.

YT

I bought a macbook back in May or June of '06, and since then I've had to get my hard drive replaced 3 times, and one more time coming up on Monday. The first two times it was replaced, the hard drive decided to quit working, but luckily i had a backup of my data. So each time I sent it in to apple, and they replaced the hard drive. The third time it got replaced (I didn't have a backup anymore), which was about a month ago, they gave me a 60gb instead of a 100gb. So on Monday I have to take it in to the apple store near me so they can replace it (hopefully for the last time). Should I be content with them constantly replacing my hard drive? Or should I be demanding that they replace the macbook entirely since it obviously doesn't agree very well with the hard drives it gets? There are several flaws in the casing, such as the top half not lining up with the bottom when it is closed, the casing around the isight isn't secured all the way, i can make a clicking sound by squeezing it together, and the plastic around all the ports on the sides is very loose, I can bend it in, and I'm finding more flaws all the time. Also, after the third hd replacement, the underside of my macbook had a variety of scratches and marks on it which made me mad because I always took very good care of it.

Pictures of the flaws (taken from my phone, so sorry about the quality):

By the power button:
Showing the flaw - http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23/m0dded/0218071258a.jpg
How it should be - http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23/m0dded/0218071259.jpg

Side casing:
Flaw - http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23/m0dded/0218071257.jpg
How it should be - http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23/m0dded/0218071258.jpg

iSight:
wtf - http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23/m0dded/0218071254.jpg

Not lined up when closed:
Different angles - http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23/m0dded/0218071321.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23/m0dded/0218071321a.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23/m0dded/0218071321b.jpg

I couldn't get pictures of the scratches, those are impossible to take with my cell phone.

 

[BlackMax]

Should I be content with them constantly replacing my hard drive? Or should I be demanding that they replace the macbook entirely since it obviously doesn't agree very well with the hard drives it gets?

Normally I would say you can't ask Apple to replace your entire MB because the hard drive fails, but four hard drive failures in less than a year screams another problem somewhere. Perhaps it is heat or perhaps it is electrical, but there is definitely something causing all these hard drive failures other than the hard drives themselves.

I would politely ask for a new system.