New hard drive but bookmarks still there

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thehulk2014 Author

Level 1

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New hard drive but bookmarks still there

Is it even remotely possible that a "new hard drive" with Mavericks freshly installed could have my old bookmarks on it?? Are they stored with our Apple ID or something? Because I'm on my 3rd replacement drive within a couple of months from this Apple Certified dealer/repair shop, and I just got my computer back yesterday and they said they replaced hard drive, and installed Mavericks, but my Safari bookmarks from my original replacement hard drive were still there! There was no other trace that I could see from the old drive though.

I'm going crazy because I keep bring my computer to this place and they keep "replacing" the hard drive and I can't WORK. It always ends up completely freezing after bringing it home and using it for less than a day. I spoke to them yesterday and they said when they ran the diagnostics on my machine, everything else checked out ok. But is it possible that some other component is destroying my hard drive, or that maybe its not the hard drive at all? Even though their diagnostics say everything is in check? Or do they keep giving me the same hard drive (I never wrote down the serial number of it unfortunately, so I can't check) after they "fix it" or something? I'm going crazy.

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.6.3)

Posted on Aug 9, 2014 8:59 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

sterling r

Community Specialist

Aug 11, 2014 8:44 AM in response to thehulk2014

Hello thehulk2014,

It sounds like you are wanting to know why you are seeing your bookmarks on this computer that has had the hard drive replaced. You were very close when you said:

Are they stored with our Apple ID or something?

This is a feature that iCloud supports and can be configured in your iCloud settings in System Preferences.

If you turn off the Safari feature, the Safari app keeps a copy of your bookmarks and Reading List, but iCloud no longer updates them.

OS X Mavericks: Change iCloud feature settings

http://support.apple.com/kb/PH14356

Thank you for using Apple Support Communities.

All the best,

Sterling

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Answer 2

K Shaffer

Level 7

34,966 points

Aug 11, 2014 11:53 AM in response to thehulk2014

What build model (identifier) MacBook do you have?

Since this series was manufactured, upgraded, and continued as the main

MacBook model (not MB/Pro, not MB/Air) from 2006 through 2010, you'd

have to specify so replies to technical questions have a specific basis to it.

If not a MacBook basic series, then it may be a MacBook Pro, etc.

•How to identify MacBook models

•How to identify MacBook Pro models

•How to identify your MacBook Air

You may have to consider getting a hard disk drive from a reputable third

party source and if the MacBook is one that isn't too difficult for the user

to upgrade or replace a hard disk drive, use instructions to do so yourself.

An example of such a HDD & upgrade source, with video & other instructions

is OWC or macsales.com, where you match up parts using the Model identifier

or look through their page and read what they say about identifying your MB,

which is helpful if you choose to also upgrade the RAM chips correctly.

A general reference of what a mac-centric reputable vender can offer includes:

http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/powerbook-ibook-macbook/

If you had access to an official retail Apple Store with Genius bar, they'd likely
be able to perform a diagnostic test to see what the problem(s) are with your

MacBook. Then their staff specialist could suggest a course of action, even

if the computer is out of warranty (likely is) they usually do this for free. Where

an authorized reseller may not be set up to do this, without a service fee.

http://www.apple.com/retail/geniusbar/

There may be other Apple Authorized Service Providers not too far from you.

Or there may be a retail Apple Store with Genius bar within half a day away.

The device should have a complete and thorough diagnostic by those who

seek to resolve the issue and not just throw a limited array of parts at it.

For your own security and complete backups of your system & software, you

could get an externally enclosed self-powered hard disk drive that can support

a bootable full system clone (use carboncopycloner or superduper utility) then

you could restore your computer from that, in addition to a separate device for

use with Time Machine, and so on. Be your own first line of tech support. I am.

You could use Disk Utility to see the serial numbers and other HDD info; also

if you can access the system profiler (different name in Mav 10.9 than old OSX)

that too will tell you a cross-section of hardware items and software in the Mac.

Good luck & happy computing! 🙂

edited

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Answer 3

thehulk2014 Author

Level 1

0 points

Aug 12, 2014 8:45 PM in response to sterling r

Thanks sterling! I googled before posting and couldn't find the documentation on it, so cheers.

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Answer 4

thehulk2014 Author

Level 1

0 points

Aug 12, 2014 8:57 PM in response to K Shaffer

K Shaffer,

I have a late 2008 Macbook (13inch).

I thought the place I was going to was reputable, and I still do believe they are. It could be they just got 3 bad drives in a row from the manufacturer and I just happened to get them. I don't doubt that could be the case, but I don't blame myself for wondering if they were swapping in used/the same drives the whole time. I don't know if that is even a normal occurrence or not, but you have to wonder after 3 duds in a very short time span.

Anyways, I did a bit more googling and went and got a hybrid hard drive from Best Buy. Installed it myself, and so far, so good. Though the true test will be, does it last more than a week? The past 2 haven't, and the first one about 6 months if I am recalling this correctly. But this new one I got, something just "feels right," where the last few, its almost like I could feel that they were off. I don't know, we'll see. If this one fails sooner than later, I suppose its off to the nearest official Apple Store.

Thanks for your help & input guys, very appreciated

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