just purchased a used macbook need help

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Ok i got a used macbook for 450 off cl. these are the specs and there is i slight crack on the palm rest something i will try to fix I am hoping everything i would like to do to this macbook i can do on my own any help or suggestions would be greatly
I already upgraded the os to snow leopard
processor 2GHz intel Core 2 duo
Memory 1 GHz ddr2 sdram

Model Name: MacBook
Model Identifier: MacBook3,1
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 2 GHz
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 2
L2 Cache: 4 MB
Memory: 1 GB
Bus Speed: 800 MHz
Boot ROM Version: MB31.008D.B00
SMC Version (system): 1.24f3
Serial Number (system): W8743FVDZ62
Hardware UUID: D0A61999-7957-5861-B159-94729DD9ABEF
Sudden Motion Sensor:
State: Enabled
the hard drive is an 80gb
the things I would like to do with it are fixing the palm rest upgrading the ram to 4 gb and changing the hard drive to 500 gb i do not know if i could up grade to 1tb or not ant help in the best brands and places to purchase what i need would be greatly appreciated can i put a solid state drive in this if i wanted to and is it worth the differance I am a middle aged student who went back to school to go into the mental health field so funds are some what limited but i will mostly using this mac for writing papers and surfing the internet I might hook up an external display to till i can get up enough money for a newer Imac thanks what type of HD do i need and what type of Ram part numbers would be great to thanks jim
 

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Ok i got a used macbook for 450 off cl. these are the specs and there is i slight crack on the palm rest something i will try to fix

Get to your nearest Apple Store ASAP. This cracking is a well known problem...and Apple will most likely repair this for free!:) This means that they will replace the entire "upper case"...which is everything you can see surrounding the keyboard & track pad...which includes the integrated keyboard & trackpad.

the things I would like to do with it are fixing the palm rest upgrading the ram to 4 gb and changing the hard drive to 500 gb i do not know if i could up grade to 1tb or not ant help in the best brands and places to purchase what i need would be greatly appreciated can i put a solid state drive in this...

Regarding the ram & hard drive. Apple "officially" says that this model MacBook has a max. ram of 4 gig...but it has been found by other folks that it can be safely upgraded to 6 gig of ram. As far as the hard drive. Since you currently have an 80 gig...I would go with a 500 gig. There is supposed to be a 750 gig available somewhere as well...I probably wouldn't go with the 1.0 terabyte. The deal is the height or thickness of the drive. The MacBook needs a 9.5mm (max. height drive)...which the 500 & 750 gig drives meet...but the 1 terabyte drive is 12.5mmm "thick"...and is a very tight fit.

Personally I don't think that you need an SSD drive. Even a 64gig drive will cost you almost double of a 7200rpm 500gig "traditional" hard drive.

500GB 2.5" Hitachi Travelstar 7K500 7200RPM SA... (0A72335) at OWC

Plus...I'm not really sure you need the performance of an SSD drive. Your choice of course.:)

Overall:

- Apple should most likely take care of the cracks for free
- You should be able to upgrade the ram & HD yourself (lots of "DIY" info on the internet)...you can also go to iFixit.com for their well written & photographed DIY procedures.

Congrats on that "new to you" MacBook...$450 is a pretty good price!:)

- Nick
 
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Nick I really aprecieate all you help and suggestions I will do as you say with first going to the apple store thanks again and I really love tis website I wish i found it along time ago
 

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Nick I really aprecieate all you help and suggestions I will do as you say with first going to the apple store thanks again and I really love tis website I wish i found it along time ago

I've know a few people (including myself)...who have gotten their "topcase" replaced by Apple. I purchased a used MacBook back in August...it had some cracks...and it also still had 10 months of Applecare left on it...so I had no troubles getting the replacement.

In many cases (if you go to a local Apple Store)...they can do this while you wait (maybe a 1-2 hours while you "cruise" around the Mall)...or at least by the next day.:)

I have known other folks get it done with no Applecare as well. It is a problem that is so well-known & documented...that Apple "usually" will still do it for free even without Applecare. Here's an older article (April, 2009) speaking about it:

Apple to Repair Cracked White MacBooks

Good luck...please let us know how it turns out,

- Nick
 

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I got that cracking problem that pigoo3 just described. The repairs are free and they also change out the screen bezel too.
 
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Get to your nearest Apple Store ASAP. This cracking is a well known problem...and Apple will most likely repair this for free!:) This means that they will replace the entire "upper case"...which is everything you can see surrounding the keyboard & track pad...which includes the integrated keyboard & trackpad.

i have a piece missing on the front left of my upper case, is this something that apple would change for free? do they only do this for the white macbooks or the black ones too?
 
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Thanks guys i just got my macbook back from the apple store at the walt whitman mall on long island they fixed the top casing keyboard and everything plus the bezel around the screen all for free apple rules! now time to purchase memory I want to up grade to 4 gb any suggestions on were to get it? and what type to look for? i also want to change the HD to 500 gb i was told not to upgrade to the 7200 rpm because it could cause over heating is this true? and is it normal for somebody to get totally addicted to their mac and upgrading it ot do I need Psych help?
 

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Thanks guys i just got my macbook back from the apple store at the walt whitman mall on long island they fixed the top casing keyboard and everything plus the bezel around the screen all for free apple rules! now time to purchase memory I want to up grade to 4 gb any suggestions on were to get it? and what type to look for? i also want to change the HD to 500 gb i was told not to upgrade to the 7200 rpm because it could cause over heating is this true? and is it normal for somebody to get totally addicted to their mac and upgrading it ot do I need Psych help?

Very nice Jim...I'm glad Apple took care of everything free of charge!:)

Regarding the ram...go to one of these places:

OWC
Crucial.com

As far as the hard drive...I don't really see any problems going with a 7200 rpm drive. 500gig sounds good to me...you could get it the OWC link as well.

Congrats again,:)

- Nick
 

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and is it normal for somebody to get totally addicted to their mac and upgrading it ot do I need Psych help?

someone should answer my question haha :p

Didn't you jokingly already say in another thread that you thought you suffered from OCD?;)

If I told you how many Macintosh computers I own...you would feel MUCH better!;)

- Nick
 

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no i didnt say that? haha

Sorry..I got you mixed up with the OP.:( That's why it's probably better to start your own thread.;)

But to answer your question...I think that it would depend on how that uppercase piece went missing. But as long as it doesn't look too suspicious (like due to a fall or a drop)...they would probably replace it. And as far as I know...they would replace it on a black or white MacBook.

Best thing to do is drop in to your local Apple Store...and see what they say.:)

- Nick
 
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well its a piece thats probably about 1/8"x 2.5", its missing, not the whole top case, and then where some of the screws are on the side, when the computer shop took them out, they like bent the plastic above the screws...so if they would change it would it come with a new keyboard and track pad or would they just use the old ones?
 

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...so if they would change it would it come with a new keyboard and track pad or would they just use the old ones?

The keyboard & trackpad are integrated into the topcase...so everything would be replaced.

- Nick
 
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oh ok, so theres a best buy by my house, they have apple stuff there, so should i bring it there and ask them if they would replace it? or does it have to be an actual apple store?
 

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oh ok, so theres a best buy by my house, they have apple stuff there, so should i bring it there and ask them if they would replace it? or does it have to be an actual apple store?

I'm honestly not sure how a Best Buy would handle it...and honestly...the Apple Store folks are MUCH more familiar & knowledgeable regarding this cracking topcase issue. Go to Best Buy for this problem/repair...and they're just going to look at you like you're from "Mars"!!!;)

I'm not saying the Best Buy folks aren't good at what they do...this issue is just wayyyy to specific to get the same response that you would get at the Apple Store (and that's assuming if Best Buy would even do anything about it)...AND I'm pretty darn sure you would have to had purchased this MacBook at Best Buy for them to even consider fixing it.

Also recall what I mentioned earlier in this thread & what "Jim" the OP experienced...got the repair done...in & out most likely the same day (or within 24hrs.) when done at the Apple Store!:)

Your best bet is go to an Apple Store.
 
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ok well i think ill bring it to best buy and see what they say, and if they cant/wont do it then ill try to get to an apple store, the closest one is about an hour away from me...i painted the apple logo on the lid, would the apple store still fix the top case if i did that mod?...the laptop has obviously been opened before...thanks for any info/help
 

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ok well i think ill bring it to best buy and see what they say, and if they cant/wont do it then ill try to get to an apple store, the closest one is about an hour away from me...

I'm pretty darn sure Best Buy won't touch it unless you bought it there. Even if Best Buy would do it...I can almost guarantee you that it's going to take 1-2 weeks (or longer) before you get the computer back. Best Buy would have to order the part, wait for it to be received, then some Best Buy technician not familiar with MacBooks will install it...and maybe not do a good job. Or Best Buy would simply ship it to an Apple Repair Center to have it done. But again...unless you bought it at Best Buy...I doubt they will do it.

Take it to the Apple Store they do this repair all the time. They will do an excellent job...and they will probably have it done in a couple hours.:)

i painted the apple logo on the lid, would the apple store still fix the top case if i did that mod?...the laptop has obviously been opened before...thanks for any info/help

The repair program for the topcase doesn't cover the lid where the Apple logo is located.

- Nick
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tuner1406
"i painted the apple logo on the lid, would the apple store still fix the top case if i did that mod?...the laptop has obviously been opened before...thanks for any info/help"


"The repair program for the topcase doesn't cover the lid where the Apple logo is located."

so are you saying that theyll still fix it with my logo painted?
 

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Quote:
Originally Posted by tuner1406
"i painted the apple logo on the lid, would the apple store still fix the top case if i did that mod?...the laptop has obviously been opened before...thanks for any info/help"


"The repair program for the topcase doesn't cover the lid where the Apple logo is located."

so are you saying that theyll still fix it with my logo painted?

As I mentioned earlier...the part that's painted is NOT part of the repair...so I don't think it matters.

In other words...the "top case" (the part with the keyboard & trackpad) is NOT the same part as the "lid" which has the logo on it.

- Nick
 

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