What's on in Girralong

Discussion in 'Members' Systems' started by helenlee, Nov 6, 2013.

  1. helenlee

    helenlee Junior Member

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    "Curiouser and curiouser!"

    :)
     
  2. helenlee

    helenlee Junior Member

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    Any computer experts here? HELP please!

    Yesterday I noticed several significant scratches on the screen of my macbook. They're on the L hand side (on my left as I look at the keyboard) running roughly from top to bottom. They don't interfere much with visuals, but I am scared shi!tless about the ramifications of them.
    I somehow managed to badly scratch the screen of my last macbook ... blush ... yes I know it's not good to be so rough on computers ... it was a few years old & had other issues by that time too - if it was just the scratches I'd have been suicidal, because the day after the deep scratches appeared, the screen shattered.
    Is this screen going to shatter on my new mac?????
    What now?
    No I haven't rung the mac shop ... no point I don't think ... I know a new screen is going to be $600.00 plus dollars, which I don't have. And this mac is only several months old!
    HELP! I'm so depressed I can barely breath. My laptop is literally my lifeline to the world. Literally. I'm having a heart attack here. Well a heart attack that is indistinguishable from deep depression!
    What now?
     
  3. mouseinthehouse

    mouseinthehouse Junior Member

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    Calm helenlee, calm. :) Have you very gently tried to wipe these scratches with some rubbing alcohol for example to better see if they really are deep? If they are deep scratches, do you have any notion of how they got there? Do you have any home and contents insurance that might cover the macbook if the worst happens? If it is only a few months old, does it still have a warranty? Work through these questions first. If the answer is No to all three then all you can probably do is treat it with kid gloves. It is still in one piece at the moment. Just because the screen broke on your last one (which was old as you said) doesn't mean it will happen again. IF indeed the screen does shatter, do you have access to a local library where you can get on the net and let us know here on the forum?
     
  4. songbird

    songbird Senior Member

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    is it an actual scratch that you can feel in the surface or is it a line in the screen? it might be an artifact from manufacturing, but i can't tell from here... :)

    if it was purchased new you likely have a warantee on manufacturers defects for a year or such (no idea what the laws are down there).

    i don't think flat LCD screens will shatter like the older CRT screens, but i'd still give them a ring to get it noted under the warantee period just in case it does act up later. next time in town i'd be sure to take it by and compare it to other machines to see if they have a similar thing going on.

    certainly if it gets worse, take it back, for that kind of money...
     
  5. helenlee

    helenlee Junior Member

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    The scratches appeared yesterday - they haven't always been there. Not sure what caused them - possibly some sort of grit on the keyboard when the screen was shut?
    The extended warranty doesn't cover accidental damage you do yourself. So if you drop it, scratch it, run over it, too bad.
    I have house & contents insurance ... not sure about claiming for a specific item that is not nominated on the policy ... & I think the excess is $500.00, which if I replaced the screen for $600.00 isn't worth claiming.
    I can see & feel the scratches ... can feel them when I run my finger over them very gently ... not game to put my nail near them or anything to gauge depth for fear of doing more damage.
     
  6. mouseinthehouse

    mouseinthehouse Junior Member

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    Right, hmmm. Seems the kid glove approach might be the only option. :( After some googling...it appears that the 'spontaneous' cracking of the screen is not uncommon and has affected many users. Apple's approach has been to deny that there is any defect in the product. Some people have been fortunate and had their screens replaced as a 'courtesy' but most have not.
     
  7. helenlee

    helenlee Junior Member

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    This is very interesting. I hadn't come across that info - about the spontaneous cracking. While I live on a farm & use the laptop a lot - I am fairly careful with it. Especially after the last one! It might be worth a phone call to the place I bought it in Coffs. Hmm.
     
  8. helenlee

    helenlee Junior Member

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    Oh dear god the cracks have extended across the screen overnight :(
    I guess I'm going to have to call the shop I bought it from & try & pretend to be assertive. I feel sick just thinking about it ... I'm such a sook ... I'd crawl over broken glass to avoid confrontation ... & now it looks like it might be the broken glass from my laptops screen. WAH!!! I wanna cry!

    Fancy thinking I was going to eat the rich songbird :) I couldn't even smack the rich & tell them they were very naughty people, let alone eat them! :) ;) :)

    Bloody hell bloody hell bloody hell .......
     
  9. songbird

    songbird Senior Member

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    you can tell the difference between a scratch from external things and a manufacturing defect. the fact that it got worse overnight without any change on your part points to defect in my book. if you'd dropped it, or ran over it, or ..., well that kind of damage is obvious as would be a scratch from gunk on the keyboard. i don't think that would actually scratch it as much as leave a pressure point. but anyways, wash your mitts before compooting... :)

    extended warantee? if you just bought the machine the original warantee should still cover it. no need to grovel, their product is defective.
     
  10. Grasshopper

    Grasshopper Senior Member

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  11. Terra

    Terra Moderator

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    Yes if its defective it should be replaced consumer laws protect , as we see in car recalls years after manufacture .

    This could go VIRAL lots of very bad publicity for uncooperative sales persons 8)
     
  12. helenlee

    helenlee Junior Member

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    So I rang computer world in Coffs Harbour, where I purchased this mac & the one before it. The guy said to ring the mac warranty people. My computer is still under warranty - I purchased it in August last year, but the warranty doesn't cover accidental damage.
    He said they rarely see a mac laptop with a broken screen - if they do it's from a kid who's dropped it. He said the scratches are almost certainly cracks as there is almost no way the screen would scratch from grit or any material on the keyboard. He said I can ring applecare if I want - but I have buckleys chance of getting them to replace it under warranty. There is no way for me to prove I didn't drop it or run over it or whatever. I guess there is also no way for them to prove I did. What a major pain in the ass. I know who's going to get the rough end of the pineapple here, & it's not them :(
     
  13. Terra

    Terra Moderator

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    Pretty easy for them to fob you off over the phone , take it in and put some squeeze on them , they would know you are from out of town and its a hassel for you to bring it in and they will count on that , chances are you will just "Go away" because its too hard and being a consumer you will just replace it ect ect .

    If you ran over it with your tractor or car it would have compression damage and it doesnt so they couldn't prove that , dropping it is a tougher one .

    If you don't try you will never know

    Rob
     
  14. helenlee

    helenlee Junior Member

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    The place I bought it in Coffs (Coffs Computer World) is only an agency for mac. I'd have to ring macs warranty people & get it authorised to be repaired. And the guy at Coffs Computer World said mac pride themselves on their product & aren't going to agree that it "spontaneously" shattered. It seems a bit odd to me too - but I don't know what did happen to it. It certainly wasn't dropped or anything like that. It's my lifeline - I take pretty good care of it.
     
  15. helenlee

    helenlee Junior Member

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    So long as the screen doesn't shatter & go blank I'll try & live with it. It's mainly the fear that it's going to go the same way as the last one that's terrifying me.
    If it did shatter & blank out I can buy a generic monitor/screen & an adaptor for about $200.00.
    If I pull the car seats out I should be able to find at least 5 bucks, so that's just $195.00 to go .... : /
    :) :) :)
    God life sucks sometimes ....
    And "first world problem" at the same time.
    Hmm.
     
  16. Rick Larson

    Rick Larson Junior Member

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    Are you helen a Permaculture Designer?
     
  17. songbird

    songbird Senior Member

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    actually, you can tell the difference between something that has been dropped or run over. i think you can get this fixed. at least get it on record with apple directly that it has happened. call them up. if you can skin a fox...
     
  18. eco4560

    eco4560 New Member

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    Go and annoy them Helen. You can wear them down with a bit of persistence. Don't give up on it so easy!
     
  19. Terra

    Terra Moderator

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    Yep passive persistence , like we will annoy you until you annoy them .

    Good advice to make a claim while in the warranty period even if unsuccessful , see now you have to annoy them .

    You go girl .
     
  20. songbird

    songbird Senior Member

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    hope things are going ok

    the mystery continues... :)
     

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