Diagnosing a MacBook Pro ... goto an apple store, and unscrew 1 screw from 4 different macs, while your buddy keeps the salesgeek busy.hahaKIDDING, dont be ...

TheStu · 06-19-2007, 09:51 PM

My buddy asked me to take a look at his MBP for him since his screen is not working correctly.

My best guess is that the backlight is out on it, but I am not sure how to go about seeing which part exactly of the backlight is dead. I figure that it is the inverter. He has the 2.0 GHz Core Duo MBP, so I think that is rev2, but i'm not positive. I do know that he is still covered under AppleCare though.

So, should I bother opening it up to verify that it is the inverter that is fried, or should we just hop in the car and drive to the nearest Apple Store (100 miles or so)?

Kakaze · 06-20-2007, 03:01 AM

Go to the store.

If you open it up and leave any kind of evidence that you did so they will say you broke it and turn you away.

444 · 06-20-2007, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kakaze

Go to the store.

If you open it up and leave any kind of evidence that you did so they will say you broke it and turn you away.

QFT

The only reason to open it up is when there's no longer a chance for Applecare, and this sounds too new for that to be the case...

TheStu · 06-20-2007, 08:31 AM

Well, I think that I have to open it anyway... As it turns out he opened it (after the backlight died), but didn't put all the screws back in their proper places, so I need to take it apart to make sure that it goes back together properly.

D*mn, I told him to call Apple and send it in...

Kakaze · 06-20-2007, 02:07 PM

If they notice that it was opened he's screwed. :/

-Empty- · 06-20-2007, 08:45 PM

sounds like me - dismantle first, ask questions later

i always have to fight the urge to fix things myself when it comes to in service repairs. i have heard rumors with palm that if they even see marks on screw heads they will try to screw you out of a repair.

TheStu · 06-20-2007, 09:48 PM

Well, I just got done investigating it... he lost 4 screws by my count. So even if under a cursory inspection they think it is ok, as soon as they fully open it to fix it, they will notice that things are missing. There are no other visible signs... but that would probably be enough.

So the two of us are going to go to an Apple Store anyway since my backlight is flickering, but I don't hold out much hope that they will fix his machine.

Oh well, now he knows at least.

Kakaze · 06-21-2007, 03:24 AM

Well, if you can't tell that anything is missing by looking at it play dumb when you get there.

TheStu · 06-21-2007, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kakaze

Well, if you can't tell that anything is missing by looking at it play dumb when you get there.

Good call... now the only problem that we will have is that we are going down next weekend... and my friend reminded me what next weekend is.... iPhone cometh. So now I have to drive to Maryland, fight through the mall to get to the Apple Store. Fight through the iPhone crowds, and then show them the laptops.

Gah, stupid huge amounts of hype surrounding the phone that I desperately want but cannot have. So now I will be bitter and mean.

triadone · 06-21-2007, 02:32 PM

make sure to schedule an appointment ahead of time, per the iPhone congestion.

TheStu · 06-21-2007, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by triadone

make sure to schedule an appointment ahead of time, per the iPhone congestion.

Good advice, I didn't realize you could do that. But apparently I have to wait until next Friday to schedule an appointment for next sunday

kgeier82 · 06-23-2007, 08:03 PM

goto an apple store, and unscrew 1 screw from 4 different macs, while your buddy keeps the salesgeek busy.

haha

KIDDING, dont be dishonest

look online maybe you can find the screws.

06-19-2007, 09:51 PM	#1
TheStu Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 372 Credits: 68	Diagnosing a MacBook Pro My buddy asked me to take a look at his MBP for him since his screen is not working correctly. My best guess is that the backlight is out on it, but I am not sure how to go about seeing which part exactly of the backlight is dead. I figure that it is the inverter. He has the 2.0 GHz Core Duo MBP, so I think that is rev2, but i'm not positive. I do know that he is still covered under AppleCare though. So, should I bother opening it up to verify that it is the inverter that is fried, or should we just hop in the car and drive to the nearest Apple Store (100 miles or so)? __________________ MacBook 1.83 GHz Core Duo Combo Drive 1 GB RAM 100 GB HDD

06-20-2007, 03:01 AM	#2
Kakaze ******* Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Orlando, Fl Posts: 3,303 Credits:** 5,070	Go to the store. If you open it up and leave any kind of evidence that you did so they will say you broke it and turn you away. __________________ Cogito ergo es...I think therefore you is!--solipsism is great, isn't it? 17 inch PowerBook: 1.5 GHz G4, 512 RAM, Radeon 9700@128, 80 GB 5400 RPM HD

06-20-2007, 08:31 AM	#4
TheStu Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 372 Credits: 68	Well, I think that I have to open it anyway... As it turns out he opened it (after the backlight died), but didn't put all the screws back in their proper places, so I need to take it apart to make sure that it goes back together properly. Dmn, I told* him to call Apple and send it in... __________________ MacBook 1.83 GHz Core Duo Combo Drive 1 GB RAM 100 GB HDD

06-20-2007, 02:07 PM	#5
Kakaze ******* Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Orlando, Fl Posts: 3,303 Credits:** 5,070	If they notice that it was opened he's screwed. :/ __________________ Cogito ergo es...I think therefore you is!--solipsism is great, isn't it? 17 inch PowerBook: 1.5 GHz G4, 512 RAM, Radeon 9700@128, 80 GB 5400 RPM HD

06-20-2007, 08:45 PM	#6
-Empty- Starship Captain Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 213 Credits: 18	sounds like me - dismantle first, ask questions later i always have to fight the urge to fix things myself when it comes to in service repairs. i have heard rumors with palm that if they even see marks on screw heads they will try to screw you out of a repair. __________________ - XPS Gen 2 - PM 2.13 - 2Gigs of trancend memory via newegg - Bluetooth - 40% off Coupon - new LCD, new GFX (thanks dell ) - White MacBook - Core 2 Duo 2.0 Ghz - 1 Gig of memory - 80 gig HD - Homebrew - AMD Athlon XP 2800+ - 512 megs of memory - 60 gig HD - Nvidia 5900 XT

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06-20-2007, 09:48 PM	#7
TheStu Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 372 Credits: 68	Well, I just got done investigating it... he lost 4 screws by my count. So even if under a cursory inspection they think it is ok, as soon as they fully open it to fix it, they will notice that things are missing. There are no other visible signs... but that would probably be enough. So the two of us are going to go to an Apple Store anyway since my backlight is flickering, but I don't hold out much hope that they will fix his machine. Oh well, now he knows at least. __________________ MacBook 1.83 GHz Core Duo Combo Drive 1 GB RAM 100 GB HDD

06-21-2007, 03:24 AM	#8
Kakaze ******* Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Orlando, Fl Posts: 3,303 Credits:** 5,070	Well, if you can't tell that anything is missing by looking at it play dumb when you get there. __________________ Cogito ergo es...I think therefore you is!--solipsism is great, isn't it? 17 inch PowerBook: 1.5 GHz G4, 512 RAM, Radeon 9700@128, 80 GB 5400 RPM HD

06-21-2007, 02:32 PM	#10
triadone Moderator Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 1,761 Reviews: 1 Credits: 334	make sure to schedule an appointment ahead of time, per the iPhone congestion. __________________ Laptops: Apple iBook G4 1.2Ghz 12.1" LCD 1024x768 Radeon 9200 32MB 1.25GB RAM 60GB 7200rpm Hitachi 7k60 MacBook: White OS X Leopard 2.2Ghz Core 2 Duo 4GB RAM 500GB Seagate 5400rpm Intel GMA x3100 Desktop: Homebrewed Dual Boot: - WinXP Pro - Vista Ultimate Athlon 64 4000+ Radeon 9800xt 256MB MSI nVidia nForce 410 1.5GB DDR 400 RAM Dual Channel Seagate 160GB 8MB cache WD 1600JB 160GB 8MB cache Maxtor Maxline III 250GB 16MB cache Pioneer DVR-108

06-23-2007, 08:03 PM	#12
kgeier82 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 917 Credits: 4	goto an apple store, and unscrew 1 screw from 4 different macs, while your buddy keeps the salesgeek busy. haha KIDDING, dont be dishonest look online maybe you can find the screws. __________________ *MBP* 2.4 Penryn 4GB RAM 256 8600gt

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