Rock and a hard place

[khaosworks]

So what the hell do I do?

They replaced Cassandra's LCD screen, which made the problem less acute, but didn't get rid of the problem. She still fritzes when I jar her, or try to move her screen - which is fine but that means I don't dare move her while working on her and also means that she's not stable and could fritz at any time.

Which leads me to think that it's the logic board that is the problem as diagnosed earlier - which they didn't replace. Now, if I got the local AppleCenter (at Funan) to replace the logic board it won't be covered by the shop warranty, and that'll cost me probably over S$1000. If I send it back to Best-Denki (who hold the shop warranty), they'll take another fucking month and probably won't solve the problem again - and that month I don't have.

Do I live with the problem? Buy a new Powerbook? Pay the S$1000?

The alternative my gut is leading me to is to say, live with the problem until I finish up what I need to finish using Cassandra, pay the local AppleCenter the S$1000 to fix her, forget getting an iMac, and just buy/build a PC when I reach the US. Maybe this is God's usual un-subtle way of telling me to forget the iMac indulgence.

Comments

[eviltofu.livejournal.com]

Leave the powerbook here for fixing and get your sister to bring it over when she goes back to the US? I thought that all PBs have a world wide warranty. Is it still under the Apple warranty?

[swisscheesed.livejournal.com]

You want to buy an iMac AND a gaming PC? Geez man, why are you spending money on stuff you don't need. Get what's essential and save the money. You'll need it. Seriously.

This is why I worry about you.

[bigmeanie.livejournal.com]

These may be silly questions, but I'm asking because I don't know.

Do you need Cassandra to be in tip-top shape before you come over to the U.S.? If not, will having her fixed in the U.S. be outrageously expensive, compared to having her fixed there? Would it nullify her warranty?

If the answers to the above are 'no', 'no', and 'no', maybe you can wait to take care of it until you're moved?

I'm just trying to help. It's very possible that you've thought of all this, too. :) In the meantime, let me know if I can help in any way!

[merde.livejournal.com]

i will probably get beaten up for this, but i often find myself thinking that Mac users sound a lot like battered wives -- their Macs are always on the fritz in some way, but they vehemently insist that no, their Mac is really really reliable.

yeah, i think. your Mac really wants to be good. it's just under a lot of stress right now. things will get better. you just need to be patient, and give it its space.

*cough*

[springheel-jack.livejournal.com]

You bump it and it goes wonky? Sounds like either you've got a short on the motherboard or the hard drive is dying.

In either case, if it's not under warranty, paying anything over about fifteen dollars to fix it is insane. Buy a new one.

PCs suck. You'll hate it.

[springheel-jack.livejournal.com]

If you're going to be a student, buy the new one after you get your student ID and shop at the apple academic store.

[mdlbear]

If you can't get it fixed under warranty, don't bother -- you'll definitely be better off getting an academic discount on a new one when you get to the US.

Simplest thing is to back up to an external firewire drive (an iPod will do), and keep all your work on that. If Cassandra dies, give her a proper burial and just plug your drive into the next one.