What are the Apple Stores' stance on replacements?

[arcsbite]

is it store's stores' or stores's *shrug*

basically, my iMAc (17" 1.83 intel) was bought from my local apple store in Feb.
yesterday the hard drive died, totally utterly...caput.

I called the store and ended up in tech help, went through all the info with the guy...inserted DVD....held C...disk utility e.c.t.
we reached the same conclusion....HDD = Dodo.

he gave me a number to ring and said I needed to go to this place (it was a didigtal services place, not a store) that they would look at it and confirm it's deadness, they'd call apple who'd ship them a new HDD and they'd instal it for me.
he said not to quote him on it (whoops) but it would be am minimum of 2 weeks.
it's June, I have assignments (needing flash, director, final cut and photoshop) for my final year at Uni due by the end of the month, this machine is my all singin all dancing power work machine, I can't do the work anywhere else (even Uni are using PC's and some eMacs *sigh*)

So, does anyone know what will happen if I take the machine back to the store I bought it at?

I'm not one of those crazy "if I drop my iPod in the toilet can I have anewer model" people, I just want my mac to work or a new one with the same stats that I can work on.

I really don't know what to do or expect, usually over here (UK) a retailer will tell you that the issue is with the store for around 30 days then take it up with the manufacturer...but umm...they're both.

I'm taking it in anyway and praying they can help, but would like any kind of advice, this is my first issue with a mac,

thanks for any input.

 

[calebjohnston]

I'm not sure I understand. Is there not an Apple store that you can take it to? If it's under warranty, they have to fix it. Don't bother with all that phone crap. Just call your local apple retail store, tell them the HD is dead, they'll tell you to bring it in. Do so, and they'll replace it.

Bing, bang, and boom.

 

[arcsbite]

I'm not sure I understand. Is there not an Apple store that you can take it to? If it's under warranty, they have to fix it. Don't bother with all that phone crap. Just call your local apple retail store, tell them the HD is dead, they'll tell you to bring it in. Do so, and they'll replace it.

Bing, bang, and boom.

that's what I said, there is an apple store locally.
but I was told I had to take it to a tech place that wasn't a store and they'd order a hard drive for me and fix it under the warranty (it was Apple's phone support that told me that)

I just want them to replace the machine and in less than 2 weeks, can an apple store replace the HDD on the spot?

 

[calebjohnston]

I wouldn't take it to that tech joint mumbojumbo. Just go straight to the source -- the place you bought it.

They'll most likely fix it within a few days ( 2 or 3 probably).

 

[arcsbite]

I wouldn't take it to that tech joint mumbojumbo. Just go straight to the source -- the place you bought it.

They'll most likely fix it within a few days ( 2 or 3 probably).

fantastic. shall see what they say

thanks.