Q: Macbook Air SSD failure?

You must be the guy I saw on WeiPhone BBS!

Hi.

I have macbook air 13 mid 2012 (drive APPLE SSD TS128E Media). I opened app store and install drive firmware 1.1. After update i turned on mac and saw message about successfully update. My ssd is normal?

Probably. Apple is covering SSD for three years from original purchase date. Do frequent backups just in case if you have important data on your Mac.

My 128GB SSD on my 2012 Macbook Air died 8 days ago.  Saw an Apple Genius immediately and he confirmed that the hard drive needed to be replaced.  He told me there were none readily in stock so he had to order one which would take 3-5 business days.

Two days later, Apple released firmware for the 2012 macbook air to test whether the SSD needed to be replaced (how timely...).

Edging onto the 6th business day, I called the Apple Store to follow up and they said that there's a worldwide shortage of these replacement SSDs so the ETA to get one of them was indefinite.

I use my computer for work every day so not having it for a week was tough, but not having it indefinitely is not acceptable.

I'm wondering why nobody else has been offered a replacement mac altogether, they offered me one without me having to ask..

It even says on my replacement sheet that the reason for replacement is the backorder of service parts

Did they offer that to you right away or did you have to ask for it/fight for it?

Did you get a replacement 2012 macbook air or a newer 2013 macbook air?

I called Apple technical support and they said that it is up to the discretion of the store manager to "loan" you a replacement until your part ships in.

What happens is you purchase a brand new mac and Apple will agree to extend the return period for the duration of how long it takes to get the replacement part in.

Did you get a new mac outright or is this a "loaner"?

Got a 2013 Air, with a core i7 (as they wanted to match the clock speed - core i5 2013 is only 1.3ghz I think)

Phoned up 4 days after (as I was told it would be 3 days turnaround time), got told that it wasn't here and should be here in a few days. I think I waited an extra week or so before phoning to check the status.

I asked her how long it would be she went to check and came back to me and said we are going to replace the laptop for you, no fighting for it, no asking for it, not even hinting for it.

Got a phone call later that day with the engineer explaining the differences to me, and said the problem was the replacement laptop would day 2-3 weeks, or I could have my 2012 repaired which the SSD was due in in 2 weeks plus fitting time

Naturally I took the replacement Macbook

Definitely ask for a loaner or replacement.

Hi, when you request a loaner please present your position as courteously and respectfully as possible. Explain the computer is essential to your livelihood.

Good luck!

Sorry, I can't tell if this represents a 2012 MBA or a 2013 MBA version replacement. What did you end up getting?

And I take it was a full replacement and not a loaner?

They just volunteered this replacement for you?  No "wait a week and let us see what we can do for you."?

Maybe it's a different (better) policy in the UK...

I'm in the UK, Meadowhall store...(Didn't read that right haha, your from Canada) It's a 2013 I got as a replacement (Look at the box you can see the dual mic ) and no it's not a loaner its a perminent replacement.

If you search the Z0NZ model number it does bring some 2013's up of different specs on random websites

Haha , I am. I wasted money going further to get MBA fixed just before Apple's announcement.

I just back from Chengdu MIXC, they changed a new Toshiba for me, with new firmware, and 1 hour on electricity only. Still happy.

You can get a refund for this.

Read more here http://www.apple.com/support/macbookair-flashdrive/

Yea... Gotta say my experience in the UK has also been brillinat too - they replaced the first one - which was prior to it being officially recognised as a problem... then when It was recognised, and I ran the firmware test - I had another soon-to-be-doomed SSD... so went in and they replaced it again - no questions, no fuss - they were fantstic in fact. And yes, like you Hotur, I ended up with a much better spec MBA in the end.

This was my first ever Mac - and I gotta say I was pretty disappointed in the whole SSD failure thing and initially it made me feel very unlikely to purchase a Mac again... But the way they've handled it every step of the way in the store has just been soooo good, that I now get why peeps support Apple so much. If they read these comments - amazingly handled, thanks guys : )