C
canineu
Guest
I just bought 512MB to upgrade my ram & hopefully allevaite all the kernel panics. This is a well documented, customer doable upgrade. Printed out the instructions provided on MacHelp, followed the protocols up until step 3, removing the access panel. Let me preface by saying that I LOVE my eMac and have been on macs almost exclusively since 1985...but have found out the hard way that an otherwise well designed, sleek workstation has one serious flaw.
Using a correctly-sized (by my estimation, apple doesn't specify a size) phillips head screwdriver, and with not a whole lot of torque the screw stripped as easily as the ones found on cheapo imported kids toys! I called AppleCare, and while the guy who took my call sympathized he said it would probably not be covered under applecare unless it could be documented that the screw was defective and not simply damaged by me (sounds hard to prove in my favor, don't you think?). This begs the question-why buy applecare if they don't cover hardware?!
He directed me to contact a service center; I am just 5 miles north of Boston and the two closest said yeah probably not covered, guesstimated minimum $100 to get it on the bench, then that I would need to replace the entire memory access panel (as the screw is a captured screw, meaning it doesn't come loose from the panel so you don't lose it) @ cost of part + labor. So essentially I would be paying @ least 2x more than the cost of the ram for a net upgrade cost approaching $300! All because the screw used by Apple is made of a cheap alloy.
OK, I'm done venting...the reason I am posting this is for one of two reasons:
1. Has anybody else encountered this, and/or do you have any suggestions insofar as tools or other means of getting the screw to turn? I will only be needing to get inside the computer once to pop the ram in, and frankly felt it would be a breeze akin to the memory upgrade I did on my iBook this summer.
If that's not your expertise, then-
2. If you are local to Boston, maybe you can suggest a more reasonable authorized repair facility, other than the two I tried (Microcenter and CompUSA)...maybe even one that could advocate to apple on my behalf and get them to cover the cost of fixing it.
It's getting old living with 256MB in today's world...please help.
Using a correctly-sized (by my estimation, apple doesn't specify a size) phillips head screwdriver, and with not a whole lot of torque the screw stripped as easily as the ones found on cheapo imported kids toys! I called AppleCare, and while the guy who took my call sympathized he said it would probably not be covered under applecare unless it could be documented that the screw was defective and not simply damaged by me (sounds hard to prove in my favor, don't you think?). This begs the question-why buy applecare if they don't cover hardware?!
He directed me to contact a service center; I am just 5 miles north of Boston and the two closest said yeah probably not covered, guesstimated minimum $100 to get it on the bench, then that I would need to replace the entire memory access panel (as the screw is a captured screw, meaning it doesn't come loose from the panel so you don't lose it) @ cost of part + labor. So essentially I would be paying @ least 2x more than the cost of the ram for a net upgrade cost approaching $300! All because the screw used by Apple is made of a cheap alloy.
OK, I'm done venting...the reason I am posting this is for one of two reasons:
1. Has anybody else encountered this, and/or do you have any suggestions insofar as tools or other means of getting the screw to turn? I will only be needing to get inside the computer once to pop the ram in, and frankly felt it would be a breeze akin to the memory upgrade I did on my iBook this summer.
If that's not your expertise, then-
2. If you are local to Boston, maybe you can suggest a more reasonable authorized repair facility, other than the two I tried (Microcenter and CompUSA)...maybe even one that could advocate to apple on my behalf and get them to cover the cost of fixing it.
It's getting old living with 256MB in today's world...please help.
