Hello All,
I would like to add my voice and experiences in support of the many cries for help and reasonable or just service from Apple expressed in this thread:
In Sept 2008 I purchased a MacBook Pro 15-inch A1260, SNo: W88341YVYK0, cost £1730. It has only ever had very light use and hardly even left the house, but a few days ago it started having sleep/startup problems and then died completely: as in when trying to start it up:-
Fans run, no chimes, white latch light ≈ 0.2 secs then fades /flashes, no keyboard input or backlights, tried PRAM reset - no change, tried SMC controller reset - no change, tried run as Target Disk - no chance, completely unresponsive & useless ever since failure.... pretty dead huh?
This Mac is fitted with the NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics processor , subject of a $200 million lawsuit between Nvidia and Apple and acknowledged by Apple to be faulty and thus subject of the 4 year replacement program listed here <http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2377>
Unfortunately, since the video chip is soldered to the logic board then often the logic board is also damaged by failure , details here
<http://www.mobilemag.com/2011/04/12/confirmed-apple-policy-fails-to-determine-el igibility-of-macbook-pro-nvidia-gpu-problems/>
Tech reports from service outfits that HAVE dismantled the machine and found that the heat transfer /solder material from the video chip has melted and shorted out the motherboard - well, Duh, it is soldered to it and you can’t easily change one without the other.
AN AASP rold me “Although there is a Warranty Extension Program running to cover the replacement logic board under warranty, the unit needs to be less than 4 years old to qualify (which it is) and needs to FAIL the NVIDIA Graphics Test.”
However, if, as in very many cases, the machine can not be started the test can not be run. So Apple reckon they can then wash their hands and say “ no, its not the faulty video chip, so give us the money for a new logic board unless you’re still covered by service care or warranty in some way”
? Hang on: in the last few days I’ve seen literally hundreds, maybe even a thousand, posts from very unhappy customers with identical problems: there appears to be a ≈ 3 year threshold of these major failures now reaching epicemic proportions!
SO, hoping it helps:
my diagnosis – video chip has failed and taken out logic board:
my problem - how to get it repaired by Apple ?
As a struggling solo business I am left with an £1800 paperweight after 3 years of very light use: hardly seems fair, does it?
I shall be writing to the Apple dealer I bought it from, as in the UK we have legislation regarding goods being “ fit for purpose “ when sold. Of course thats a big struggle and I might not win even if I am in the right, so I would prefer that Apple admitted there was a problem and simply agreed to replace logic boards with faulty Nvidia 8600 Grafix chips soldered to them.
I have turned dozens of people on to Apple computers since I started using them in 1983: but if this kind of blind corporate theft is really what Apple have come to then it is sadly time to re-evaluate that enthusiasm and loyalty.
I’m sure Mr. Jobs would be Spinning Steve if he was around to read this!
I hope this helps: God knows we need it when struggling with one of the world’s richest Companies
These attached links provide further relevant info:
<http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/feedback/MacBookPro_video_failure.html>
<http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1095332>
<http://macbookprofail.wordpress.com/2011/09/28/macbook-pro-nvidia-chip-failure-a pple-owes-me-a-logic-board/>
<http://gigaom.com/apple/is-apple-blind-to-nvidia-related-macbook-pro-failures/#c omments>