I cloned my two-plus-year-old MacBook Pro’s drive on Thursday, anticipating taking it to the Duke computer repair shop (which does Apple-authorized AppleCare repairs), but it turns out that they charge $90 if you didn’t buy your computer from Duke. I made an appointment at the local Apple Store, but they didn’t have a slot till Sunday afternoon. Meanwhile, I’m trying not to change any important files, even though I use Time Machine — I don’t want to tempt digital fate.
In case anyone’s Googling for similar symptoms, my battery is acting unpredictably (despite having been replaced under the MBP recall program) such that it shuts the computer down when the Battery meter suggests that I have twenty minutes or more left, I’m experiencing sporadic system crashes even when connected to AC, and (I forgot to mention this one to the Apple representative, so I’m writing it here so I’ll remember it tomorrow when I turn this one in) occasionally the display flashes a trace of magenta in the lower right corner of a window (or an embedded video element). I have two separate case numbers, one for the power problems and one for the crashes.
My AppleCare runs out mid-2009, so I wanted to get these squared away at such a time that would permit me a return trip in case Apple doesn’t resolve one of the problems. At the same time, beginning the school year (my first class meets Monday) without my digital weapon of choice at hand makes me feel edgy. I’m a-hoping they spruce it up nicely at Apple, and I can swoop in for the second week of classes at full strength.