I just dropped my MacBook off at an Apple Store after a visit with an Apple Genius. The experience was straightforward and in a strange way, the negative of a hard drive failure is turning into a positive. I left feeling like Apple cares and wants me to be a satisfied customer.

So here’s how it went: I made an appointment at the Apple Store site. They tell you to show up five minutes beforehand. Behind the Genius Bar on screens are all the people’s names that have scheduled appointments. The Geniuses call your name when it’s your turn, and then you sit on a bar stool while the Genius goes to work.

The Genius who helped me was really calm and knowledgeable. He tried to boot the MacBook up from a Firewire drive, which didn’t work. He said sometimes a bad hard drive keeps the bus from working, meaning keyboard commands won’t be possible. Once he physically removed the MacBook’s drive, it did boot up from the external drive. He had a replacement drives in stock, so he installed a new one, installed the system software, turned it on so I could see that it was working, and I was good to go.

I also wanted to get the top case replaced because of the discolored stains. He said he could do that no problem, but he’d have to hold onto the MacBook for a few days while they ordered the part. I was totally cool with that, because since my machine is still under warantty, that would also be free of charge. Plus, I’ve already gotten my head wrapped around being without my MacBook for a while. So I signed some papers, he said they’d call when the MacBook was ready, and I was out the door.

So everything went really smoothly. More notable is what didn’t happen.

1. Although there were four or five people getting help and others waiting their turn, nobody was pissed. That’s notable considering how frustrating computer problems can be. Psychologically, knowing you have a reservation reduces stress. Also helpful is the calm demeanor of the Geniuses.
2. Second, the Genius didn’t make me (or any of the others he was helping simultaneously) feel like an idiot - as in “Why’d you do that? You should have done this,” or burying people with unneeded technical information. I think that’s a common, unintended feeling given to people with computer problems - that somehow the issue is their fault. Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t, but when you’re in the middle of coming up with a solution, that’s not the time to place blame.
3. Lastly, I came prepared with my receipt, expecting to prove that my MacBook was in warranty - but this wasn’t needed. The Genius could tell when I bought the MacBook by its serial number. He had already called up my contact info (email, phone number) from my initial registration. So even in terms of the paperwork, it was totally straightforward.

Added all together, the end result was positive. Yes, my repair was a simple one - nothing as complicated as a logic board replacement, but I feel that in the event of a major problem, I’d be in okay hands. At the very least, I won’t be stressed about it and dreading the experience.

So it seems my repair is 90% there. I just have to wait a few days to get it back in my hands, but so far, so good. Apple rocks!

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