Intro to this MacBook Air Repair Case
In early April, a client contacted us urgently through Google, seeking MacBook Air repair due to approaching exams. His entire study material, with no backup, was stored on the MacBook Air M1 (2020). The client is a second-year biochemistry student at a local college.
Considering the situation, I can empathize with the client’s anxiety and the urgency they must be feeling. Without a fully functional MacBook Air, accessing their study material and preparing for the upcoming exam becomes impossible.
Reflecting on my own experience at the age of 20, I also neglected the importance of data backup. However, back then, most of my study material was in physical form (paper), whereas now everything relies on electronic devices.
Whether you are a student, parent, lecturer, or teacher reading this, please ensure you regularly back up your data. Regardless of whether your device is new or has been reliable for years, electrical devices can unexpectedly fail without any warning.
Image source from indianexpress.com
Identifying the issue
Upon receiving our address, the client and his parents arrived quickly at our office from Bandar Sunway. It is understandable that his parents must be extremely concerned about their son’s situation and I vividly recall the first words spoken by his parents: “Please help our son, he needs to study for his exam.” The weight of responsibility and hope they placed on me was noticeable. Let’s refer to the client as Brian for convenience.
Upon checking, it became apparent that the problem lay with the logic board (motherboard) and we asked Brian if anything specific had occurred, such as a drop, impact, power interruption, water damage or the smell of burning, but he mentioned that he had simply left the Mac on the bed and fallen asleep. The next day, he discovered that the Mac would not turn on at all.
Based on this information, we suspected that the MacBook Air had overheated, resulting in some form of damage because by placing a MacBook on a bed causes it to sink slightly due to its weight, which can block air ventilation on the bottom casing and sides.
(Note: “Brian” is not the actual name of the customer, it simply reminded me of Brian O’Conner from the Fast & Furious movies)
Brian and his parents hope
We informed them that repairing the MacBook Air logic board would take a few days and we assured them that we would make every effort to speed up the process and thoroughly test it.
Brian then inquired if he could retrieve his data first and transfer it to an external hard drive while we repaired his Mac but it is not possible since the Mac he is using has the hard drive soldered in.
Understandably, his parents are willing to pay extra if we can resolve the issue immediately but the process of tracing, repairing and testing the logic board does require time so we kindly request their understanding and assure them that we will make every effort to ensure a speedy turnaround.
It is worth mentioning that for older MacBook models with removable hard drives, we can indeed remove the drive, connect it to another Mac using an adapter and access the data. However, for newer MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and iMac models, the hard drive is soldered into the logic board (motherboard) so if the hard drive chipset is unfortunately damaged, it becomes impossible to retrieve the data and only with a fully functional logic board can the data be accessed. Once again, this emphasizes the importance of having backups!
Pro Tip 1
For MacBook Air models released in 2017 and earlier, the hard drive is removable but starting from newer models, the hard drive is not removable.
As for MacBook Pro models, those released in 2015 and earlier have removable hard drives, including the non-Touch Bar models from 2016 and 2017. On the other hand, all Touch Bar models from 2016 onwards and all MacBook Pro models from 2018 onwards have non-removable hard drives.
Regarding the iMac, models released in 2019 and earlier have a removable hard drive. However, starting from 2020 models onwards, the hard drive is soldered directly into the logic board (motherboard).
Getting this MacBook Air Repair
Throughout the entire repair process, our hope was that the hard drive chipset remained undamaged, ensuring all of Brian’s data and files are safe.
In a matter of days, we successfully completed the repair of the MacBook Air, restoring it to full functionality. We conducted thorough stress tests, which passed with flying colours. Most importantly, all of Brian’s data and files remained intact and exactly as they were before the repair.
Time to pick up the MacBook Air after Repair
Once it was ready, we notified Brian that his MacBook Air was ready for collection. Like clockwork, history repeated itself as Brian arrived quickly with his parents.
The busybody part of me couldn’t resist, so I inquired about their occupation: were they working or retired at a young age, given how young they appeared? To my surprise, the parents revealed that they had immediately taken leave from work as soon as Brian informed them about his MacBook being ready. I couldn’t help but think, “Wow, his parents truly care about him and must have been incredibly worried during these past few days.”
While Brian inspected his Mac to ensure that all his data and files were intact, I took the opportunity to engage in conversation with his parents and I inquired whether they backed up their other devices, such as their iPhones and iPads, considering that all their gadgets were Apple products. Shockingly, they admitted to not having any backups. I asked them further, emphasizing the importance of preserving their cherished memories, travel photos and food adventures. Wouldn’t they want to revisit those moments during their leisure time or when they grow older?
Drawing an analogy, I asked why they had health insurance but neglected to insure their data. Data insurance costs less than a meal for three at a restaurant. In light of this, his parents finally made the decision to back up all their devices using iCloud. Since all three of them utilized Apple devices, we assisted them in subscribing to the Apple iCloud+ Family plan. With everything properly set up, we ensured they wouldn’t find themselves in a situation where they had no backup.
Image source from venturebeat.com
Pro Tip 2
For data recovery services, it is very expensive and there is no guarantee that you will be able to recover all your data.
Over the past fifteen years, we have witnessed numerous instances where individuals have lost precious data, including photos of loved ones who have passed away, important accounting documents for companies, business-related images, company blueprints, personal wills and even recipes for incredible dishes.
For Android and Windows users, it is highly recommended to utilize other cloud backups like Google Drive, OneDrive or Dropbox. The best part is that these options are compatible with both Apple and non-Apple devices, unlike iCloud’s automatic backup, which only functions on Apple devices.
By implementing a proper data backup system, you can rest assured that your data and files will be available to you without fail whenever you require them.
Conlusion
We followed up with Brian to ask about his exam and the performance of his repaired MacBook Air, we are happy that everything went smoothly and his parents were satisfied with our service and advice. As service providers, we consider it a job well done when we can assist you during moments when you feel most helpless. As always, we find pleasure in serving you.
If you are curious about our work process:
Contact us
Experience convenience, expertise and exceptional service all in one place. Contact us today for any inquiries you might have or visit us at ypmac.com.my
