[Bacongirl]

Hi All,

I need some help. We received a letter from Apple saying the hard drive in our iMac needs to be replaced.

Before they do this, I have to backup everything on an external drive for safe keeping. So I've gone out and purchased a Seagate hard drive and I did a full back up last night - Took almost 5 hours! It looks like everything is there as the amount of data copied onto the drive matches what is on the iMac (give or take a few MB)

Apple say I need to have the original operating platform discs to reload onto the repaired iMac. But we have upgraded this at least 3 times since we bought it. OSX - Tiger - Panther - Mountain Lion (may have the wrong order of the cats here )

So my question is this. When I restore the repaired iMac from my back up - will it copy over the operating platform that I was currently using as well?

Or do I need to load the original - then load the updated versions?


From memory it took me about 2 hours to load each one so I'm not keen to spend 6 hours getting my mac into a usable position before I then have to wait another 5 hours to restore from the back up.

[dadathome]

Sounds like a bit of an odd request re. the OS - I would have thought that, if you have evidence of the Mountain Lion upgrade (which was via the app store only), they should either load it onto the replacement HDD or offer it to you on a memory stick for loading?

[Bacongirl]

I thought so too Considering our mac is almost 2 years old, you would have thought they would do this or at least check what OS you were on before they replace the hard drive and re-load that one.

Here's a quote from the letter

Additional Information
You will need to have the original OS installation discs that were shipped with your product in order to re-install your operating system, other applications and any backed up data after your hard drive is replaced.

If you believe you have paid for a repair or replacement due to this issue, contact Apple regarding a refund.

This worldwide Apple program does not extend the standard warranty coverage of the iMac.

The program covers affected iMacs for three years after the first retail sale of the unit or until April 12, 2013, whichever provides longer coverage for you. Apple will continue to evaluate service data and will provide further updates to this program as needed.

So if I just replace with the full back up - will that include the OS?

[dadathome]

I dno't know that the backup would have also done the operating system, just your files and any files supporting the OS, if that makes sense.

I'd be pushing the point about Mountain Lion. If your machine is less than 3 years old, the OS would have been Snow Leopard, Lion and now Mountain Lion.

i'd be arguing they should load ML, or at least give you a copy of ML to load, given that the upgrade was via download only. You could log onto your app store account via itunes on any machine and access your account history if you don't have access to the receipt email for your Mountain Lion purchase?

[Bacongirl]

Spoke to local Apple store. Less than helpful They need the mac for 4-5 days to repair it. Plus they are a good 1/2hour to 45 minutes away with crap parking.

Then tried local authorised guy and he was great! Walked me through everything and will be re-loading ML back on for me. Then I just restore from the back up. The local guy is 10 minutes away with parking out front!

Oh he said it would be 3 days max, depending on how long it takes to get drive from Apple. He can't preorder until he actually has my mac in store (Apple rules). He said the actual installation takes about an hou 1/2. But the parts take 1-2 days from Apple So why it would take twice as long at the store I have no idea!!


Local guy wins and I support local business. Win. Win.


PS. Thanks for the help dadathome!

This post has been edited by Coffeegirl: 20/11/2012, 03:35 PM