Q: Upgrading RAM: Documentation that this does NOT void warranty
Hello - I work at a University with a very "by the book" IT director. He is under the assumption that installing third-party parts (e.g. RAM, hard drives, etc) in an Apple product (such as a Mac Pro or MacBook) "voids the warranty" because this apparently is the case with some PC brands.
I know this is not the case and that Apple characterizes RAM as a user-upgradable part -- as long as you don't break anything while installing it, it does NOT void your warranty (case in point: Apple even gives detailed instructions on how to upgrade).
However, being the stickler that he is, my IT director will not take my word for it -- he needs proof from Apple that it's okay for us to upgrade these machines ourselves. Can anyone provide a link on an Apple (or similarly reputable) site clearly stating that this is the case? Does such documentation exist?
Thank you in advance for any help!
Ryan
Minnesota
Mac Pro
Posted on Jul 6, 2012 11:06 AM
twinsfan21 wrote:
Would you say this is documentation enough that doing this doesn't void the limited warranty? The only thing it doesn't explicitly say anywhere on that page that following instructions will not void anything.
In an indirect way, it does. The first three words in "Replacing the Hard Disk Drive" are "You can upgrade..." and under "Installing Addtional Memory" it says "You can add..." That is positive, imperative language that Apple lawyers would not allow if it would create ambiguity about warranty enforcement.
Oh sure, Apple "recommends" that the work be done by a technician, but again, note the word choice. They said "recommends" not "requires."
You and your IT person should know that in the consumer electronics industry, the term "user-serviceable" has a very specific and well-understood meaning. If your blender or TV or laptop says "no user-serviceable parts inside," that is understood by all service personnel and lawyers to mean "if the user opens it, we can deny them service." Now, what happens if you search for "user-servicable" in an Apple manual? In the one for my 2009 MacBook Pro, it says on page 63, "Your MacBook does not have any user-serviceable parts other than the battery and the memory." (I actually think that's inaccurate because Apple treats the hard drive as also upgradeable.) Anyway, that definitely says, in print, that memory IS user-serviceable, and by industry convention it means that if a user services the RAM it does not void the warranty. You might want to search for the term "user-serviceable" in the manuals for your MacBook Pro models.
I realize this will probably not be enough for your IT guy. Maybe it will help to relate real-world experiences. If you send a Mac into Apple for warranty service, and they determine that a problem is not due to the RAM, having the non-Apple-installed RAM in there is not going to stop them from fixing the computer. I have experienced this time and time again. They still fix it. If the problem is determined to be caused by the non-Apple-installed RAM, they will simply say "Not our fault" and send it back, but that's fair if it isn't Apple's hardware that is the problem.
Sometimes I avoid any hassles by actually putting the original drive and RAM back into the Mac before sending it in. Then there can be no argument. If the problem is there, it's all their parts.
Posted on Jul 6, 2012 12:23 PM