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TICKET ARCHIVE -> iBook 700 Combo Drive Beep on Eject.

amrcnidt961 - May 15, 2006 - 10:58 pm

Hi All,

I'm a volunteer here but I have run into a problem that even I cannot solve. I just send in my iBook for Logic Board repair (that's right. they did it free.) and it came back nice and operable. They even replaced the LCD and the Drive Door. One of the first things I noticed, however, was the inability to open the drive without a paperclip. When I press the eject key, the drive sounds as if it is about to open, but then emits a beep. From that point forward, the iBook sees it as "open" unless I paperclip it open and shut it again. (I figured that out from the hidden eject MenuExtra). Anyway, I'd like to find out if this problem is an easy fix, or if I should call Apple back up.

Taping a paperclip under my keyboard is tiring.

Thanks in advance, and feel free to immediately open this in the forums,

Joey Lange

LovesMacs - May 16, 2006 - 1:19 am

HI Joey,

I've got an IBook too and had to have the Logic Board replaced. But they didn't do anything else and so far it's fine. This is definitely up to Apple to correct this. You sent it in for the Logic Board, they replaced the LCD etc., and you can't eject disks without using a paperclip? Send it right back in.....

amrcnidt961 - May 16, 2006 - 1:31 am

Ahh..but I don't want to lose my iBook for ANOTHER week! From what I've read, it might have something to do with the mounting screw on the Combo Drive. Either way, it doesn't bother me enough to want to send it all the way back. I wonder if the local Apple Store can fix it on-site..? Hm. Well, thanks for the reply.

Even though I mentioned it's tiring, taping a paperclip under the keyboard ain't such a bad idea. I pretty much suggest that to anyone now. If it starts to bug me enough in 30 days, I'll call Apple back. I've got 90, so I should be alright. While I'm here, you want to hear the story of how I got this repair arranged? It's a fun one.

thanks,
Joey Lange
MacOSX.com Volunteer

LovesMacs - May 16, 2006 - 10:15 am

Hey Joey,

At least you have the 90 days... question though. If you have a local Apple Store, why SEND it in? I've had my iBookG4 into my local Apple Store twice and turnaround time was two days... warranty work too.

Oh yes... I'd love to hear your repair arrangement... do tell !!

Carolyn

amrcnidt961 - May 16, 2006 - 11:04 am

Well the Apple Store isn't exactly local. It's more like a half hour drive away (and since I don't have my license yet, that will be difficult. Being 15 sucks.)

Anyway, so here's the whole story. One morning in History class I open my iBook, ready to take notes, and I get a garbled screen. I knew immediately that it was the logic board. I was devastated. To add insult to injury, the iBook was way out of warranty and repair program, and I had bought it second-hand two months earlier. I almost panicked. I was sure my iBook was done for. Luckily, though, I got it to boot and stay booted, and I plugged in my iPod and CCC'd the Hard Drive to it.

I got home and called Apple Service and Support. No dice. They pretty much told me what I already knew. I called customer relations - no dice again. They told me that they'd "forward the information to their engineers" and also tried to contradict me when complained about how they replace the logic boards with ones prone to the same problem. Also, while I was at an Apple seminar for iLife (tech dept. at school invited me) I mentioned it to the rep there and he tried to contradict me again.

I was pretty close to furious. I had not tried going to the Apple store; it probably wouldn't be worth it to drag my parents up there, what with the gas prices as high as they are. So, I decided to take a risk and send old Stevie an e-mail. sjobs@apple.com. I wrote a really well though out complaint, and my story as well (That includes mowing lawns all summer for the $350 to buy it on eBay.) To my surprise, I got a response. Not from Steve, but from a man at "Corporate Executive Relations." Although I rarely got to talk to him in person, we communnicated via voicemail for a long time. Eventually, he got the repair set up and I got the box within a day. Sent the box on Wednesday, got it back yesterday.

Being from Wisconsin, I'm doing the neighborly thing, and sending him a kringle. (You don't know good until you've had kringle.)


Overall, I am impressed with Apple. They do things very smartly. If they see that you really mean business and are consistent and calm with everything, they will make exceptions.


I'll think about walking into the Apple Store. They might think I'm crazy though :-)

LovesMacs - May 16, 2006 - 12:26 pm

Hi Joey,

You are one motivated 15 yr old. You should be proud of yourself! I happen to live in the SF Bay Area, home of Apple Computer and have to drive at least a half hour to any Apple Store, so I kow that drill. Someday when you've finished college with your Mac savvy and eagerness to find a solution to a problem, you might think of applying there. They offer internships too.

Joey, keep a copy of your Feedback from Macosx.com for resumes!

Good luck with your iBook and keep mowing those lawns. You will go far in this world.

amrcnidt961 - May 16, 2006 - 1:29 pm

Thanks lots, I always appreciate compliments

And I would absolutely love to intern at Apple. I should get in contact with them (maybe they'll fly me out to Cupertino, so I can do work for the internship required for my school. That would be awesome.)

I should start learning C and C++ for future reference (I've got HTML, CSS, and some PHP down, I just need to work more.)

(Wow, this has gone off on a tangent; you should probably close the ticket before I ramble too much.)

LovesMacs - May 16, 2006 - 6:49 pm

Ok Joey... considering your "ticket" closed and keep up the good work!

Carolyn :-)