annpetrocco

Q: HELP!!! Spilled tea on the bottom of the MacBook and now it won't turn on

I accidentally spilled tea on the bottom on my boyfriends MacBook Pro 13". It didn't hit the key board or anything on top of the device, however it now won't turn on. Did I destroy the battery? Or is the whole system down for the count? He tried holding down the power button and also the power indicator on the side but neither registered. It was only in the water for maybe two seconds. His grad papers are on there. I need to fix this problem ASAP! Please help!!!!

MacBook Pro, iOS 7.0.2

Posted on Oct 19, 2013 7:40 AM

Close

Q: HELP!!! Spilled tea on the bottom of the MacBook and now it won't turn on

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by Allan Jones,Helpful

    Allan Jones Allan Jones Oct 19, 2013 7:54 AM in response to annpetrocco
    Level 8 (35,131 points)
    iPad
    Oct 19, 2013 7:54 AM in response to annpetrocco

    It's doubtful you can fix this without professional help and, if the liquid damaged internal components, the repairs will likely be a significant percentage of the cost of a new MacBook Pro. Contact an Apple retail Store or Authorized Service Provider ASAP to see what your options will be.

     

    Stop trying to start it. The attempts so far may well have finished the path of destruction the tea started.

     

    The hard drive containing his important files is likely NOT affected and can be removed from the computer and attached to a working one for file recovery.

     

    If your BF has homeowners'/renters' insurance, contact them immediately and report a potential loss. Many people in this situation find that their policies cover accidental computer damage. If so that will give you a fair bit of relief from the full cost of a replacement computer, which is a real posibility at this point. The policy covers repair or replacement, subject to the usualy deductible. of course.

  • by ds store,

    ds store ds store Oct 19, 2013 8:10 AM in response to annpetrocco
    Level 7 (30,395 points)
    Oct 19, 2013 8:10 AM in response to annpetrocco

    It's done for. AppleCare and warranty void. 

     

    Liquid triggers acivated inside.

     

    Macbook Pro vulnerable to liquid spills

     

     

    All that can be done is the drive extracted, a SATA to USB adapter and using Migration Assistant on a new Mac to transfer files/accounts.

     

    My computer is not working, is my personal data lost?

  • by LowLuster,Helpful

    LowLuster LowLuster Oct 19, 2013 8:10 AM in response to annpetrocco
    Level 6 (12,074 points)
    Oct 19, 2013 8:10 AM in response to annpetrocco

    About the only thing you can do is to take the hard drive out of the dead system and connect it to another Mac with a SATA to USB adapter and copy his work off it. If the drive wasn;t affected by the spill.

     

    Mac notebooks don't do well with liquid spills anywhere near them. The air intake is near/on back bottom of the system, at the screen hinge area. So if the tea got all the way to the back of the system the fans sucked in that liquid and spread it around the inside.

     

    Once you get the data he needs, if the drive wasn'r affected, then you should take it to an Apple store to be looked at.

  • by PlotinusVeritas,

    PlotinusVeritas PlotinusVeritas Oct 19, 2013 10:01 AM in response to annpetrocco
    Level 6 (14,806 points)
    Oct 19, 2013 10:01 AM in response to annpetrocco

    Take it apart and extract the HD for the specific file you need.

     

    2 seconds is about 1.99 seconds too much, necessary to cause damage from an liquid spill in a complex electronics device.

     

     

    Contact Apple about service on the REST of the unit after you extract the HD for that file.