What makes a MacBook not worth repairing?

Three things did it in the job below.

• A sugary drink. Cola dries into a sticky layer around the parts.
• Time. The Mac sat for about three weeks before it was opened.
• Power. It was started and charged again and again after the spill.

Same model, same drink, different result

I have had two M2 MacBook Airs in with cola spills. One was fixed and one was not.

You can read the Kellyville job in full.

What does a job like this look like?

This is a job I did on a MacBook Air from Liverpool.

The logic board is the main circuit board that runs the Mac. Corrosion is damage that works like rust on tiny metal parts.

Why could it not be repaired?

The damage was not in one place. Several power lines had faults, and some of the copper lines that join the parts had been eaten away. A new part may not hold where the copper under it is gone. The keyboard and trackpad needed replacing too. Added up, the repair would have cost more than the MacBook was worth.

What does “beyond economical repair” mean?

It means the repair would cost more than the Mac is worth. It is the term insurers use. If You are claiming on insurance, the written report says this for your insurer. See a real insurance report job.

What about the files?

They were not recovered in this job. On this model the storage is part of the logic board and is locked to it. The board could not be made to run, so the files could not be unlocked. A specialist data recovery lab may still be worth a try if the files matter a lot.

What did it cost?

The owner paid $150. That covered opening the Mac, cleaning the board, and three working days of testing. Nothing more was charged, because no repair was done.

What should the owner have done?

The same four things that work for any spill.

1. Turn it off and leave it off.
2. Do not plug in the charger.
3. Do not try to start it, even days later.
4. Get it opened and cleaned within a day or two.

See what to do in the first 10 minutes.

When should I get help?

Get help the same day if You can. The Kellyville job came in after 24 hours and was fixed. This one came in after three weeks and was not.

See prices and more real repairs on the MacBook water damage repair page.

Give me a call or send a few photos of what happened … happy to have a look!!

The post Is a water damaged MacBook worth repairing? A Liverpool job that was not appeared first on MacComputerNSW.

What is in the report?

Each report covers these seven things.

• The model of the MacBook.
• Your account of what happened.
• What I found inside, with photos taken through a microscope.
• The test readings from the damaged parts.
• Whether the damage fits what You said happened.
• The repair work needed.
• The estimated cost of the repair.

Your account and my findings are kept apart in the report, so the insurer can see which is which.

Which insurers do you work with?

MacComputerNSW is an approved repairer for NRMA, Allianz, AAMI, Youi, Budget Direct and GIO.

What should I do before I bring it in?

Do these three things.

1. Turn it off and unplug the charger.
2. Do not try to start it again.
3. Write down what was spilt, how much and when.

The owner in the job below unplugged it and did not try to restart it.

What does a real insurance report look like?

This is a job I did on a MacBook Pro from Mosman.

The logic board is the main circuit board that runs the Mac. Corrosion is damage that works like rust on tiny metal parts.

Is the Mac repaired as part of the report?

No. In the job above the Mac was not repaired. It went back to the owner as it was, to wait for the insurer’s answer. If You go ahead with the repair later, the $150 comes off the repair price.

Can the repair cost change?

Yes, and the report says so. A Mac that cannot start cannot be fully tested. In the job above, the screen and battery looked fine but could not be tested until the Mac had power. The report said more faults could show up once it did.

What if it cannot be repaired?

Then the report says that, and why. See a job where the repair would have cost more than the Mac was worth.

What does it cost?

The report costs $150. That covers opening the Mac, the tests, the photos and the written report. In the job above it took 2 working days.

When should I get help?

Bring it in as soon as You can after the spill. In the job above it came in the day after the spill.

See prices and more real repairs on the MacBook water damage repair page.

Give me a call or send a few photos of what happened … happy to have a look!!

The post MacBook insurance report in Mosman: what is in it, and what it cost appeared first on MacComputerNSW.

What should I do right now?

Do these four things.

1. Stop trying to start it or charge it.
2. Do not let anyone erase it or reinstall the system.
3. Find the password You use to log in to the Mac.
4. Book it in, and say that the files matter most.

Why can’t the drive just be taken out?

On newer MacBooks the storage is part of the logic board, and it is locked to that Mac. The logic board is the main circuit board that runs the Mac. Locked means the files are scrambled so that only that Mac, with your password, can read them. This is called encryption. Moving the storage chips to another machine does not unlock them.

How are the files recovered then?

The logic board is repaired just far enough to start up once.

1. The board is taken out and cleaned.
2. The damaged power parts are found and replaced.
3. The Mac is started with care.
4. You give your password to unlock the files.
5. The files are copied to an outside drive and checked.

What does a real data recovery look like?

This is a job I did on a MacBook Pro from Epping.

Corrosion is damage that works like rust on tiny metal parts.

Why was the Mac not fixed as well?

There was too much corrosion left on the board to trust it. It ran long enough to copy the files, but it could have failed again at any time. I told the owner it was not fit for daily use.

What does data recovery cost?

This job cost $695 in total. Data recovery starts from $300. If no data comes back, there is no recovery charge. The $150 to open, clean and check the Mac still applies, and it was not added on top in this job because the owner went ahead.

What do I need to bring?

• The MacBook, even if it is dead.
• The password You use to log in.
• A drive for the files, or ask about one when You book.

What should I not do?

• Do not keep plugging in the charger.
• Do not put it in rice. Apple says small grains can get inside the Mac.
• Do not wait. Corrosion keeps spreading while the Mac sits.

When should I get help?

Get help the same day if You can. Files are easiest to save before corrosion spreads across the board.

See prices and more real repairs on the MacBook water damage repair page.

Give me a call or send a few photos of what happened … happy to have a look!!

The post Water damaged MacBook data recovery in Epping: how the files were saved, and what it cost appeared first on MacComputerNSW.

What should I do right now?

Do these four things in order.

1. Hold the power button until the screen goes black.
2. Pull out the charger and anything else that is plugged in.
3. Wipe the keyboard with a towel. Do not pull the keys off.
4. Leave it off and book it in.

Why do the keys stop working days later?

The drink dries slowly under the keys. In the job below the keyboard worked on the first day. Over the next two days the keys went sticky and needed a harder press. Then the Space, E, R and T keys stopped working properly. By day six the keyboard was hard to use at all.

Can sticky keys be cleaned?

Not in a way that lasts, once the drink is under the keyboard. In the job below, the milk and sugar had dried around the key parts and under the whole keyboard. Cleaning each key would not have reached it.

Why is the trackpad playing up too?

The same spill can reach the trackpad cable. In the job below the trackpad sometimes missed clicks. The trackpad itself was fine. Its cable had dried coffee on the contacts, and cleaning them fixed it.

What does a real keyboard repair look like?

This is a job I did on a MacBook Pro from Carlingford.

The top case is the upper shell of the MacBook that holds the keyboard. The logic board is the main circuit board that runs the Mac.

Why was the whole top case replaced?

On this model the keyboard is built into the top case, so the two come as one part. Everything else, such as the logic board, speakers and trackpad, is taken out and moved into the new one. That is why the job took four working days.

What does it cost to fix?

This job cost $525 in total. No $150 was added on top, because the owner went ahead. I charge $150 to open, clean and check a wet MacBook, and that comes off the repair if You go ahead. A keyboard or top case is $350 to $550, and You get the price before any work starts.

Apple charges A$429 for liquid damage if You have AppleCare+. Without it, Apple gives a price only after it has looked at the Mac.

What should I not do?

• Do not pull keys off to clean under them.
• Do not keep typing on it. In the job above, more keys failed as the week went on.
• Do not put it in rice. Apple says small grains can get inside the Mac.

When should I get help?

Get help the same day if You can. The Mac in the job above waited six days. Its logic board was still fine, but the keyboard could not be saved.

See prices and more real repairs on the MacBook water damage repair page.

Give me a call or send a few photos of what happened … happy to have a look!!

The post MacBook keyboard not working after a coffee spill in Carlingford: what to do, and what the repair cost appeared first on MacComputerNSW.

What should I do right now?

Do these four things in order.

1. Hold the power button until the screen goes black.
2. Pull out the charger and anything else that is plugged in.
3. Wipe the outside dry. Do not press or rub the screen.
4. Leave it off and book it in.

What does water under the screen look like?

These four signs showed up in the job below.

• A cloudy patch, which started in the bottom corner.
• Pale streaks running up the screen.
• Some parts of the screen brighter than others.
• Flickering when the brightness is changed.

The marks are easiest to see on a white or light grey page.

Will it dry out on its own?

It did not in the job below. The cloudy patch showed up a few hours after the spill. By the next morning it had spread up the screen. A MacBook screen is made of thin layers sealed together, and water that gets between them stays there.

Is the fault in the screen or the logic board?

There is a simple test. Plug the MacBook into another monitor or a TV. If the picture there is steady and clean, the fault is in the MacBook’s own screen. If it flickers there too, the logic board may be at fault. The logic board is the main circuit board that runs the Mac.

In the job below, the picture on a second monitor was steady. That showed the logic board was fine and the screen was the problem.

What does a real screen repair look like?

This is a job I did on a MacBook Pro from Lane Cove.

Corrosion is damage that works like rust on tiny metal parts.

Why did the whole screen have to be replaced?

The water was inside the sealed layers of the screen. Cleaning the outside of the glass does not reach it, and pulling the layers apart would damage them. On a MacBook the glass, the screen and its light come as one part, so the whole part is replaced.

Why clean the plug as well?

The plug that joins the screen to the logic board had started to corrode. If it had been left, the new screen could have picked up the same faults.

What does it cost to fix?

This job cost $895 in total. No $150 was added on top, because the owner went ahead. I charge $150 to open, clean and check a wet MacBook, and that comes off the repair if You go ahead. Screen prices depend on the model, and You get the price before any work starts.

Apple charges A$429 for liquid damage if You have AppleCare+. Without it, Apple gives a price only after it has looked at the Mac.

What should I not do?

• Do not press on the cloudy patch.
• Do not use a hair dryer or heater. Apple says not to use heat.
• Do not keep using it because it seems fine. In the job above, the marks showed up hours later.

When should I get help?

Get help the same day if You can. In the job above the logic board was still fine after two days, which kept the repair to the screen alone.

For other Mac repairs in the area, see Mac repair Lane Cove. See prices and more real repairs on the MacBook water damage repair page.

Give me a call or send a few photos of what happened … happy to have a look!!

The post Water under a MacBook screen in Lane Cove: what to do, and what the repair cost appeared first on MacComputerNSW.

What should I do right now?

Do these four things in order.

1. Hold the power button until the screen goes black.
2. Pull out the charger and anything else that is plugged in.
3. Wipe the keyboard, trackpad and edges with a towel.
4. Leave it off, even if it was still working.

It still works. Is it fine?

No. The MacBook in the job below kept working after a cola spill. A few hours later the cursor started moving on its own. By the next morning it was restarting without warning.

Why does soft drink cause odd faults?

The sugar dries sticky on the metal contacts inside. A contact is where a cable joins the logic board, which is the main circuit board that runs the Mac. Sticky contacts connect one moment and drop out the next. That is why the fault comes and goes.

What signs should I watch for?

These three signs showed up in the job below.

• The cursor moves when You are not touching the trackpad.
• The trackpad clicks on its own.
• The Mac restarts without warning.

What does a real soft drink repair look like?

This is a job I did on a MacBook Air from Kellyville.

Corrosion is damage that works like rust on tiny metal parts.

Why replace the trackpad and not just clean it?

The cola had got inside the trackpad itself. I replaced the whole part and its cable, which is safer than trying to clean inside it.

What made this job harder?

The fault came and went, so it was hard to tell if the trackpad or the cable was to blame. The sticky sugar on the contacts was the cause. The inside of the case also had to be cleaned well, so no cola was left to spoil the new trackpad.

What does it cost to fix?

This job cost $595 in total. No $150 was added on top, because the owner went ahead. I charge $150 to open, clean and check a wet MacBook, and that comes off the repair if You go ahead. You get the price before any work starts.

Apple charges A$429 for liquid damage if You have AppleCare+. Without it, Apple gives a price only after it has looked at the Mac.

What should I not do?

• Do not keep using it because it still works. In the job above, the faults began hours later.
• Do not put it in rice. Apple says small grains can get inside the Mac.
• Do not use a hair dryer or heater. Apple says not to use heat.

When should I get help?

Get help the same day if You can. The Mac in the job above came in about 24 hours after the spill, and the damage had not spread far past the trackpad.

For other Mac repairs in the area, see Mac repair Kellyville. See prices and four real repairs on the MacBook water damage repair page.

Give me a call or send a few photos of what happened … happy to have a look!!

The post Spilt soft drink on a MacBook in Kellyville: what to do, and what the repair cost appeared first on MacComputerNSW.

What should I do right now?

Do these four things in order.

1. Hold the power button until the screen goes black.
2. Pull out the charger and anything else that is plugged in.
3. Wipe the keyboard and edges with a towel.
4. Leave it off. Do not try to start it, even the next day.

Is wine worse than water?

Yes. Water leaves minerals behind. Wine leaves acids and sugar, which are harder to clean off and do more harm to the metal. In the job below, the wine had dried into a sticky layer under the keys and across the logic board. The logic board is the main circuit board that runs the Mac.

It shut down straight away. Is it dead?

Not always. The MacBook in the job below shut down the moment the wine went in, and it would not start again. It was still saved.

Does waiting make it worse?

Yes. The job below came in about three days after the spill. By then the wine had dried hard around the parts and spread to several areas of the board. That meant the whole area had to be checked and cleaned, not just one part.

What does a real wine repair look like?

This is a job I did for a graphic designer who works in North Sydney.

The top case is the upper shell of the MacBook that holds the keyboard. Corrosion is damage that works like rust on the tiny metal joints.

Why did the keyboard have to be replaced?

There was a lot of dried wine trapped under the keys, so the keyboard was replaced. On this model the keyboard is built into the top case, so the two are replaced together.

Will my files be safe?

They were in this job. The storage on this model is part of the logic board, so repairing the board is what kept the files. The owner’s design projects were all still there.

What does it cost to fix?

This job cost $795 in total. It needed two repairs: the logic board, and a new keyboard and top case. No $150 was added on top, because the owner went ahead.

I charge $150 to open, clean and check a wet MacBook, and that comes off the repair if You go ahead. A logic board repair is $290 to $550. A keyboard or top case is $350 to $550. You get the price before any work starts.

Apple charges A$429 for liquid damage if You have AppleCare+. Without it, Apple gives a price only after it has looked at the Mac.

What should I not do?

• Do not put it in rice. Apple says small grains can get inside the Mac.
• Do not use a hair dryer or heater. Apple says not to use heat.
• Do not wait. In the job above, three days gave the wine time to dry hard.

When should I get help?

Get help the same day if You can. Wine is easiest to clean before it dries.

For other Mac repairs in the area, see Mac repair North Sydney. See prices and four real repairs on the MacBook water damage repair page.

Give me a call or send a few photos of what happened … happy to have a look!!

The post Spilt red wine on a MacBook in North Sydney: what to do, and what the repair cost appeared first on MacComputerNSW.

What should I do right now?

Do these five things in order.

1. Take the MacBook out of the bag and out of any sleeve.
2. If it is on, hold the power button until the screen goes black.
3. Wipe the outside dry, and dry around the ports and the hinge.
4. Do not plug in the charger.
5. Leave it off until it has been opened and cleaned.

Why is a leak in a bag different from a spill on the keyboard?

The water sits against the Mac for much longer. It also gets in through the ports and edges, not through the keys. In the job below, the water got into the charging area of the logic board. The logic board is the main circuit board that runs the Mac.

It was only water. Is that still a problem?

Yes. Bottled water has minerals in it, and they stay behind when the water dries. In the job below I found dried mineral marks around the charging parts, even though there was no milk or sugar in the water.

It still works. Can I keep using it?

No. The MacBook in the job below still worked when it came out of the bag. The next morning it would not charge. The owner kept using it on the battery until it shut down.

What does a real bag leak repair look like?

This is a job I did on a MacBook Pro from Parramatta.

The charging chip is called a USB-C power delivery controller. It tells the charger how much power to send. In this job the charger stayed on its starting setting, so the Mac did not charge.

Why did this one take three days?

A charging fault can start in four places, and each one had to be tested.

• The USB-C ports
• The chips that control charging
• The battery circuit
• The power lines further along the board

Testing each one meant I replaced only the chip that had failed. The extra time was spent checking that charging stayed steady.

What does it cost to fix?

This job cost $495 in total. No $150 was added on top, because the owner went ahead with the repair. I charge $150 to open, clean and check a wet MacBook, and that comes off the repair if You go ahead. A logic board repair like this one is $290 to $550, and You get the price before any work starts.

Apple charges A$429 for liquid damage if You have AppleCare+. Without it, Apple gives a price only after it has looked at the Mac.

Will my files be safe?

They were in this job. The storage on this model is part of the logic board, so saving the board saved the files.

What should I not do?

• Do not put it in rice. Apple says small grains can get inside the Mac.
• Do not use a hair dryer or heater. Apple says not to use heat.
• Do not keep using it on the battery. In the job above, the Mac ran until it shut down.

When should I get help?

Get help the same day if You can. The Mac in the job above came in about 36 hours after the leak and was saved, but sooner is better.

For other Mac repairs in the area, see Mac repair Parramatta. See prices and four real repairs on the MacBook water damage repair page.

Give me a call or send a few photos of what happened … happy to have a look!!

The post Water bottle leaked on a MacBook in Parramatta: what to do, and what the repair cost appeared first on MacComputerNSW.

What should I do right now?

Do these four things in order.

1. Hold the power button until the screen goes black.
2. Pull out the charger and anything else that is plugged in.
3. Wipe the keyboard and edges with a towel.
4. Leave it off. Do not charge it and do not try to start it.

Is coffee worse than water?

Black coffee is about as easy to fix as water when it is caught fast. Milk and sugar make it harder.

It still worked after the spill. Is it fine?

No. A MacBook can keep running for a while after a spill, and then stop. The job below ran for about ten minutes before the screen went black. That coffee had both milk and sugar in it.

What does a real coffee repair look like?

This is a job I did on a MacBook Air from Castle Hill.

The logic board is the main circuit board that runs the Mac. Corrosion is damage that works like rust on its tiny metal joints. The three parts were two capacitors and one resistor, which are small parts that control the flow of power.

What made this job harder?

Two things made it harder.

• The milk and sugar had dried into a sticky layer under parts that sit very close together. It was harder to wash off than plain water marks. Dried coffee can also carry power, so a part can look dead when it is only dirty. I tested each one so I did not replace good parts.
• The charger had been plugged in after the spill. That sends power through wet parts and speeds up corrosion, so the charging port needed extra care.

What does it cost to fix?

This job cost $395 in total and took 2 working days. No $150 was added on top, because the owner went ahead with the repair. I charge $150 to open, clean and check a wet MacBook, and that comes off the repair if You go ahead. A logic board repair like this one is $290 to $550. You get the price before any work starts.

Apple charges A$429 for liquid damage if You have AppleCare+. Without it, Apple gives a price only after it has looked at the Mac.

Will my files be safe?

Often, yes, if the logic board can be saved. On this model the storage is part of the logic board. Saving the board saved the files, and nothing had to be copied or restored.

What should I not do?

• Do not put it in rice. Apple says small grains can get inside the Mac.
• Do not use a hair dryer or heater. Apple says not to use heat.
• Do not plug in the charger to test it. In the job above, that added to the risk.

When should I get help?

Get help the same day if You can. Coffee is easiest to clean before it dries hard. The Mac in the job above came in about 18 hours after the spill and was saved.

For other Mac repairs in the area, see Mac repair Castle Hill. See prices and four real repairs on the MacBook water damage repair page. For the first steps in more detail, see what to do in the first 10 minutes.

Give me a call or send a few photos of what happened … happy to have a look!!

The post Spilt coffee on a MacBook in Castle Hill: what to do, and what the repair cost appeared first on MacComputerNSW.

What should I do in the first 10 minutes?

Follow these five steps in order. Each one takes a minute or two.

Why do I need to turn it off so fast?

Power does the damage, not the water on its own. Tap water has minerals in it, and when power meets those minerals, metal starts to move off the tiny joints on the logic board. The logic board is the main circuit board that runs the Mac. This damage is called corrosion. It works like rust, and it keeps going after the water has dried.

Turning the Mac off is not the whole fix, because the battery still feeds parts of the board when the Mac is off. That is why a wet MacBook needs to be opened and the battery unplugged.

Can I turn it back on to check it?

No. A wet MacBook will often start up and seem fine, but that does not mean it is safe. Corrosion can start right away, yet some Macs run for days or weeks before they fail. Each time You turn it on, the damage speeds up!!

Does putting a MacBook in rice work?

No. Apple says not to put a Mac in a bag of rice, because small grains can get inside and cause harm. Rice also cannot reach water that is under the keyboard. Apple says not to use heat or compressed air either, so no hair dryer and no heater.

How long does a MacBook take to dry?

It takes longer than most people think. Apple says to wait at least a day for a wet port to dry, and water under the keyboard is sealed in, so it takes longer again. Drying is only half of the job. The minerals stay on the board and keep eating the metal, and only a clean removes them.

What if the water went somewhere else?

Where the water went changes what You should do.

• On the keyboard: This is the most common spill. Water runs down between the keys to the logic board, so follow the five steps above.
• On the screen or hinge: Water can get in behind the glass, and you may see dark patches or lines. Keep the Mac off and do not press on the screen.
• In a port: Newer MacBooks show a liquid warning when you plug in a USB-C cable. Unplug the cable, shut the Mac down and wait at least a day before you try again.
• In a bag with a leaking bottle: The Mac may have sat in water for hours. Do not turn it on to check, and treat it as urgent!! See what to do when a bottle leaks in your bag.
• It turned itself off: Leave it off and do not charge it. It needs to be opened.
• It still works: Turn it off anyway, because working today does not mean it is safe.

Will Apple fix it under warranty?

No. Apple’s one-year warranty does not cover liquid damage, and Apple can tell a Mac has been wet from small markers inside it. With AppleCare+, Apple charges A$429 for each liquid damage repair. Without it, Apple gives a price only after it has looked at the Mac.

What does it cost to fix?

I charge $150 to open, clean and check a wet MacBook, and that comes with a written report. If it needs more work, the $150 comes off the repair. Most liquid repairs come to between $250 and $650, and You get the price before any work starts.

When should I get help?

Get help the same day if you can, and the next day at the latest. Plain water is the easiest spill to fix when it is caught fast. If you have no backup, say so first, so your photos and files get looked at first.

See prices and four real repairs on the MacBook water damage repair page. If it was not water, see coffee, wine or soft drink.

Give me a call or send a few photos of what happened … happy to have a look!!

The post Spilt water on your MacBook in Sydney: what to do in the first 10 minutes appeared first on MacComputerNSW.