Apple Care vs. Geek Squad Black Tie

Hello, I am entering college in this fall, and as a gift, my mother has decided to purchase a MacBook Pro for me. Through connections at her workplace, she is purchasing the laptop through a co-worker's relative at Best Buy. Honestly, I would rather that the laptop be bought straight through Apple, but her co-worker gave a generous offer, it would have been very rude not to accept it. Plus, possibly an employee discount may be used? It was really nice of her to do it, so I accepted the offer.
Now, looking at the warranty that Best Buy offers, my mother and I decided that both the 2-year standard protection plan, and the 2-year accidental protection plan would be best.
BUT, I know deep down that buying a warranty through a third-party dealer is the worst deal that one can make. I had the worst experience with the warranty service for my HP Laptop that my father purchased through P.C. Richard. After numerous times of having to send out my laptop to repair a crashed hard drive, my screen came back busted... OFF THE HINGE. I had to reprimand the manager at the repair service center for his incompetent employees. I also had to tell him that whoever touched my laptop, obviously did not receive proper training to become a technician and that their company is pure trash and unreliable.
I do not wish to have this same experience with Best Buy. I understand that if a MacBook is bought through Best Buy, we are automatically given 30-day phone support and the standard Apple 1-year limited manufacter warranty.
--Is it possible that I can ask Best Buy to give a FULL refund on the service plan?
--Do we have to wait for the laptop to arrive BEFORE or AFTER to ask for a refund?
I know that AppleCare doesn't cover accidental damages, but I'm looking into dorm insurance policies, and I've already inquired about using the homeowner's insurance with my mother.

Haha, I'll be rolling in mud before I let them touch it. I tried to get transferred to the Geek Squad department to ask questions and I swear the operator was trying to give me attitude when I asked about refunds on the service plan.

Similar Messages

Re: Geek Squad Black Tie Protection complaint

I too was unaware that loaner phones were no longer offered. It was a major selling phone when I signed up in the first place. After this weeks experience, I will be canceling my coverage as I don't feel very "protected" at all...
I took my iPhone 5 to Geek Squad because the battery was going (dying at 30% sometimes higher) and they ordered me a new phone. It arrived and when they went to activate it they could not turn it on (it was sent uncharged which they said was unusal, but not a big deal) so they could not activate it for me in store. I was told that the process was easy and that I could do it at home.
I took the phone home and charged it. It booted up with "invalid sim". By this time the store had closed. I brought it into the store first thing the next morning and 2 hours later they finally deturmined that this phone was also broken. So now, through not fault of my own, I don't have a phone (I can't even check my voicemail as no phone is registered under my number right now) and I have to wait.
This was Best Buy's error - sending me a non-working replacement phone and sending me phone with it. It should have never happened and I should not be made to go without a phone when I am not at fault.

Hello malitina,
After the poor experience you had surrounding your Geek Squad Protection (GSP), I can understand your lack of confidence with your plan. I hope I can help provide you with some insight to how this plan can still benefit you by protecting your device.
The Rapid Exchange program is an enhancement to GSP with the intent to provide customers with a faster turnaround time when needing service on their phone. Once your original phone is checked into our system for service, a refurbished replacement can be sent without waiting to receive your faulty phone. However, the store should not have let you leave with a replacement phone that hadn’t been activated. They could have offered to charge the phone up a bit so they could power the phone on and then perform the activation. Even if the phone was still not functioning after this had been attempted, this could have saved you an additional trip back to the store.
This experience is not at all what our customers should go through when trying to receive the benefits of their GSP plan. If you could please inform me of the store at which you received this service, I will ensure their leadership is made aware of how your visit transpired.
I look forward to your response,
JD|Social Media Specialist | Best Buy® Corporate
Private Message

Anti viru/spyware included or not with premium black tie?

Just purchased an acer laptop ,and premium blacktie protection,was told if i wanted to purchase trend product with install for 120.00 but also told if black tie premium was purchased 120 was included and comp would come with protection any way didnt come with antivirus/spyware(so I'm told)had to purchase seperately. All paperwork i recieved (black tie service brochure and geek squadnew computer setup form(yellow), clearly state "one year security software included in all security&performance packages". manager said i was wrong, confused, wouldnt listen, while at the service desk I was told that the computer does come with it but you have to subscribe to it... everyone I spoke with in this matter was perplexed ,but moreso uptite with me for bringing the whole thing up. seriously, geek squad employees should at least be on the same page, thier confusion as well as the managers scares me as these are th people I may have to deal with if a problem should occur with my laptop.. please i spoke to terry at corporate he didnt have a factual answer to give me ,people lets clear the air

in order to get the full benefite of the Geek Squad Black Tie Protection, the associate need to charge you:
advance security & protect
number of years of VI-Spy corresponding to the number of years of the black tie premium you choose
Antivirus/Antispyware software with the coressponding of the years of subscription
plus the amount on the screen.
usualy for an acer it goes around 400-500 total, including the software, the labor, and the protection.

I opened my Mac to upgrade it and broke something near the optical bay drive. I don't have apple care, can I bring it to geek squad? Or will Apple fix it? How much?

HELP! I broke something in my MacBook Pro by opening it up and trying to upgrade my optical bay drive to an SSD and my RAM and broke a cable near the optical bay drive. I bought it from best buy and my step dad was too stubborn when we first purchased it to buy best buy care or the apple care. Will Apple fix it? Will geek squad fix it? How much would it cost? Also my battery is starting to give out before this. I have taken the cable out that connects the battery to the motherboard and that worked, but how much would that cost to? I have a MacBook Pro mid 2012 13"

Even had stubborn stepdad bought AppleCare, it would not have covered damages caused by your mucking about inside the unit.
As we are all end-users like you and not professional computer repair peple, we can't estimate prices, especially if we don't know what broke.

Is apple care tied to the user or the device

is apple care tied to the user or the device?
I am in business setting up 9 ipads, as the ipads will have individual apple log ins, if i set up the apple care will this be attahced to the device or the user?

The device.

How to file the complaint for GEEK SQUAD installation for car remote and alarm security ?

My name is Benny. I want to install the remote start and alarm in My 2015 Toyota Highlander. before I make an appointment. I go to Bestbuy store and make sure it's compatible with the Viper Responder LC3 5706V 2-Way Remote Start and Security System. Bestbuy print out the document everything say is compatible with my vehicle. and then I make an Appointment on July 31, 2015, 01:00 PM 4 Hrs162 SANTILLI HWY EVERETT MA Confirmation Number: VRJF2718. it is the lady help me to install it. she say it take 4 to 5 hours to finish. I said I wait here at Bestbuy out there until finish installation. After more than 5 hours. I come in the Bestbuy mobile installation there. and the lady tell me my car is broke fuse link. The vehicle will not start. and also she said she did not touch anything. I ask why the fuse is broke if you did not touch anything. she said the fuse broke all the time. It is normal. My car less than 1400 miles. just like new. My all family use Toyota. 6 year never broke the engine fuse. She try to tell me the fuse link broke is not because the installation process. She try to tell is not her responsibility. She said already call Woburn Toyota repair on Monday. I m so worry about my car. I take the subway to Wellington station and walk to Bestbuy on the next day. and then she tell me the car has to tow to Woburn Toyota to repair. on August 4. I went to Bestbuy with my friends. We talk to the Geek Squad manager I think his name is Jason. He tell me the car can fix and pick up today about 1PM, I called Woburn Toyota and they tell me pick up my car. after pick up my car. I have to go back to Bestbuy finish the remaining installation because the viper already installed in my car. About 2:30PM. Tom said it take about 20 to 30 minutes to program the key. after Program the key. It has problem to start the engine. Sometime the engine start only a few seconds it shut it down. He don't know how to program the key, the key has the code has to match the car. Tom keep try and try to start the engine until the car battery is dead. and then use the jump starter to charge the battery. and keep try and try. I don't remember how many time he try to start the engine. it make me very scare. I ask Tom many time about the compatible. He said yes. about 6PM. I talk to the manager, I said do you think will tow my car again. He tell me to talk to Tom. I told Tom I have to use my car tomorrow for work. I paid to much for the cab. And then he take out the Vipers. Wednesday 4:40am in the morning. I drive for my job. I found out the automatic light is not on. it has other issue. The Auto switch is on, but the automatic light is not on. me and my friends went to Bestbuy again and talk to manager. First He said is not my responsibility. You already pick up the car. I m telling you. no one will know the automatic sensor will broke if not drive at night or dark place. I have my KDLINKS X1 FULL HD WIDE ANGLE CAR DASHBOARD CAMCORER WITH GPS install in my car. The installation day is July 31. All drive load recorded. July 31. I drive my friends to China town and get in the Tunnel and then go back to Bestbuy get in the tunnel again. It show the light automatic on. No any problem when I drop on Bestbuy. I have alot Evidence prove. No one touch my new car. Only Geek Squad. I lost money because the Viper Responder LC3 5706V already used. It can't return it. Also I lost time. wait long time in Bestbuy, 4 hours job it take 5 days. I have no car to use. I have to paid the cab for my job. I have to drive my car to Woburn Toyota to see what is broke on 08/7/2015. After 5 hours long wait. The Toyota said Tom forgot to connect the wire. They said the first time broke the big fuse link and tow to Toyota repair. It is the big problem. It broke because they start the engine more than hundred time. I know because I took the chair and wait inside the second time with Tom. He try to start my engine between 5 second. I know what is troubleshooting. but if you try to start the engine 3 time and not work. You will know is sometime wrong. You have to find out the problem and maybe get help. Not just keep try to start the engine on the remote. I tell Tom even you try thousand time. it could be the same. I know I complaint the first time when they broke my car big fuse. but please don't treat my car like that. I want to ask you. if you take your car there for installation. You wait there more than 5 hours and your new car is broke by them. and you have no car to use for your job. Are you happy about that. Second time he said only take 30 minutes to program the key. It take me wait there 5 hours. He forgot connect the wire. If you don't believe, you can call Woburn Toyota. Everyone know Bestbuy broke my 2015 Toyota Highlander. Bestbuy should reimburse my lost. I lost time and money. The Viper I can't return to other retail store because it used by your company. It fail to install and broke my car. I try to call Geek squad 18004335778 two times and talk to different people. they just hand up my phone after I tell my stories. They never give me the solution. and I know I post the message here may not helpful. I will keep try other way to tell my stories to other if Bestbuy not give me the solution. My phone numbers is {removed per forum guidelines}.

Thanks your reply. I mean no one know my feeling. except if the new car is your. If Geek Squad can't install it. Just let me know and go. right? I ask many time? Are you ok to finish? He said yes. First time fail after 5 hours long wait and tow my car to Toyota repair. Second time said only take 20 to 30 minutes to program the key. but fail again after about 4 hours 30 minutes long wait and head light is not automatic turn on at night. I have to take a day off drive to Toyota repair. My time is money. wait there more than 10 hours and done nothing. 5 days no car and take the subway Bus and long walk. How do I feel? I m the customer. if without the customer. How you get pay? Geek Squad use my remote start and alarm and I can't return it. I loss time and money. My new car has a repair record. That is what Bestbuy want to do for the customer. Geek Squad work for Bestbuy. right? You are not just loss one customer. You will loss more and more than the remote start alarm cost. Bestbuy will not know? How come just 200$ remote start alarm and the 50$ module. Bestbuy don't want to reimburse. I m not tell you to pay me 5 days for rental car. why don't just want a happy ending? Bestbuy is big company. I m very small. 250$ it cost Bestbuy nothing. You can't let the customer loss money because you. right?

BBY & Geek Squad Just Tell the Truth

I purchased my current Samsung TV on January 29, 2011. Really, my husband wandered over to the TV section, saw this TV, and like the adult kid he was said he had to have it. Best TV we ever bought. Never had one problem with it. My husband was killed 6 months after getting the TV but when I look at it I remember that little boy smile when he first saw it. We purchased the full protection Black Tie 4 year plan. Best TV ever. In January 2014, I asked the local Owensboro, KY Geek Squad to check out an issue regarding a loss of audio and video when the local cable company sent thru the Emergency Broadcast System Test. The TV's audio would cease and video would go gray and would only return when I changed the channel. The GS tech told me it was the "assy pcb main". I specifically asked if the part would be the exact same part # that was in the TV now and if it would be new not refurbished because the TV worked great, had a great picture. He said yes and ordered the part.
There are times one should listen to one's instincts and in this case I trusted GS and not my instincts. Big mistake. The GS tech came back, put in the part (in a hurry), did not resize, the part was obviously refurbished. I called GS and scheduled for a return visit to get the size of picture too fit the screen. Apparently, the part had been in a 46inch TV While waiting for GS to return, I called Samsung. Samsung asked who put the part in the TV and told me it was the wrong part. I was then informed at that time by Samsung that GS was not a Samsung Authorized Service Center. They gave me the phone numbers of local Samsung ASC's trained work on their TVs and identify issues. After all that, the problem wasn't my TV it was the cable box. When the GS tech came back, he brought another part that someone had spilled coffee all over and it was sticky. The picture was all out of whack. I called and asked if GS would send someone more experienced and requested the specific part recommended for this TV model and version by Samsung. They said they would and another tech came. I asked this different GS tech if he was an authorized Samsung tech and he said "yes, we have six hours of training on repairing Samsung TVs". Oh my, six hours, I felt so much better. He is qualified for brain surgery and dishonest. Great. The TV is still out of whack. I did ask both GS techs if they had looked at the service manual for this model before coming out and both said "no." So much for doing your research. My poor once perfect TV has been mutilated by GS. After days of calling with my only request being that they order the correct part and not a refurbished one, I get a guy "Cole" who tells me he is ordering it directly from Samsung as we are speaking and that he is the Director over all the Geek Squad Techs. Cole tells me they are Samsung Authorized Service Techs but Cole doesn't know the number assigned to GS by Samsung nor where to find it. Odd. Turns out he didn't order the part directly from anywhere either. 3 weeks later I get a call from Ramona telling me my options under my warranty. First, I can request a non GS authorized Samsung Service Center come to my home to try and repair the TV or I have the option to have my TV junked out. My TV is far from junk and I took the option of the outside repair which Ramona said she would inform Cole about. About an hour later, Ross whose title comes right out of a Psychology book Milgrim's study on authority (you know the white coat, push the button) I almost laughed thinking it was a joke. Title: Special Forces Team Director for Geek Squad. A title meant to get one to comply with authority. Ross nicely asked what was going on and so I go through the whole story again for the 100th time. He asked how the TV had sentimential value. I have to go through explaining how we came to own the TV and how my husband was killed. Great. Ross says he will have someone out the next morning to repair the TV. The next day it is 10 am, Katrina calls for Cole telling me and I quote "Cole has made the decision to junk out your TV. I need to give you a confirmation number so you can go to the local Best Buy store and pick out a comparible model." I asked why he suddenly without cause made this decision. Katrina rudely said it didn't matter. I asked if I had any other options. Katrina said "Cole has taken away all other options." Wow. Powerful almighty Cole has removed my options under a warranty I purchased because he is angry because he got caught lying about being a Samsung Authorized Service Center. A bit childish and very vendictive.
I go to the local store and of course they try to give you a list of every model that doesn't come close to your model. They are listing the models that are on the Samsung website on sale. I go home do my research and make a choice. I call before I go back to the store to order my choice and I am told great. I get there and they have printed out paperwork on a different model because the model I wanted is not in stock, they can't order it, and it isn't in the warehouse. It is available on Best Buy.com but I have to give them my TV first before they can place the order on Best Buy.com. Why would I do such a stupid thing? To date, I have yet to get one honest answer from Best Buy or Geek Squad. The only consistency has been their dishonesty. This TV is proof of their fraud. Don't think so. Not giving them this TV first.
Maybe I'm old fashioned or maybe I just don't belong in this time. I found myself thinking of the CEO,Founder of Best Buy who must have at one time had a dream of what he wanted his company to become and reflect. Does it bother him what they do, how it reflects on his name, on what he built? I recall a time when how you conducted your business reflected on your name, your reputation, your honor, and it mattered. Yes, it is only TV. I happen to have a fond memory attached to it of my husband's child like smile trying to sway me to give in and buy it. More than anything I know when people speak my husband's name, it is with honor knowing he was an honest man. Mr. CEO, Founder of Best Buy what have they done to your name? As of today, regardless of whether you were aware or not you are responsible for the actions of those employed by the company you created. It is they who have dishonored your name, your business, and made both untrustworthy. A person's legacy is not in how rich they were in life but in how they treated others in life. Mr. CEO Founder, what will be your legacy? No doubt people will say you were rich but more importantly will they say that you were an honest man who treated people fairly. Time to make a decision. Death comes when we least expect it and leaves little time to make things right. I of all people know. Clear your name if you care about it or do nothing and your legacy will be that of a dishonorable, dishonest man.

Hello celticmyth,
It's never precisely fair to compare one person's loss to another's, but when I lost my Dad several years ago, everything that I had of his was suddenly imbued with an almost overpowering sense of his person. It seemed that I could bear the loss of him just a little better by being close to those objects that he had shared with me, that he had once held dear. I think I might have a touch of understanding for your feelings about your TV and how you see your husband's smile reflected in it. I'm very, deeply sorry for your loss.
While I can't speak to all of the issues surrounding Geek Squad's attempts to repair your TV, it's clear from your description that in each case the results were unsatisfactory. It is ever our goal to keep our commitments: if you were promised that the part would be new, it should have been. When asked about Geek Squad technician's qualifications to complete the repairs, your query should have been met with a straightforward answer. I apologize for your having to cope with situations where you felt that there was obfuscation at the very least.
It is also the goal of Geek Squad to complete repairs successfully as quickly as possible so that you do not have to be without the use of your TV for overly long. When this can't be achieved, we may make the decision to authorize the replacement of the TV under the terms of Geek Squad Protection. In most cases, this is greeted with delight by customers who have been in repair limbo for a while. In a case such as yours, where the TV represents a joyful memory, this simple replacement authorization can become a much more complex proposition. It is not our intent to create ill will or hurt, but to ensure that you have a working TV. It is regrettable if this action on our part added more frustration to an already aggravating process.
In order for your local Best Buy to proceed with the replacement of your original TV, it will have to be surrendered to us. Based on the notes recorded from your telephone conversations with us and what you've said above, the store will be able to assist with ordering the TV you've selected by providing a store credit in exchange for the TV. Alas, the credit cannot be provided before we accept possession of the TV, in the same way that we do not provide a refund for an item without first accepting the returned product from you.
I encourage you to continue to work with your local Best Buy store representatives toward the replacement of your TV. It is my hope that your selection will give you many years of enjoyment and remain a reminder of a treasured moment with your husband.
I'm very grateful that you shared your experience with me.
Sincerely,
John|Social Media Specialist | Best Buy® Corporate
Private Message

Black Tie Warrenty

I purcahsed a Macbook air from apple store in September. I was interested in the Black tie Warrenty can I purchase this with out buying the product from bestbuy

Looks like this was already answered in your other thread : http://forums.bestbuy.com/t5/Manufacturer-Warranties-and/Black-Tie-Warrenrty/m-p/438059 ... products must be purchased from Best Buy to add the service plan.
Although I do work for the Geek Squad, all comments and opinions are my own.

Panasonic Plasma TV repair - Geek Squad

Hello community -
Two years ago I splurged, and purchased a beautiful 55" Panasonic plasma TV. I am frugal, and do not do this often, so I also decided to protect it with a 4 year Black Tie Geek Squad warranty.
Been very pleased with it, up until 20 days ago. When, it would no longer turn on. 7 blinking red lights, were the "code". Simple internet search showed a specific faililng component.
I called Geek Squad, who was very helpful and pleasant. And, arranged an appointment to have it replaced. Well, now that appointment has been cancelled for the 3rd time due to a parts delay. It is very obvious, that 1) This is a product defect, based on the # of issues people are having 2) This part will never arrive.
I just spoke with Geek Squad again, asking that they help me with a replacement. They quoted a 30 day period, until after which they cannot consider it. Only after 30 days will they "start" the process.
Question for the group ---- have you had this experience too? Have you found a way to navigate these waters? And, once I pass 30 days what sort of expectation should I have for actually getting a replacement?
I am normally very reasonable. However, my patience is wearing thin. And, I am VERY RELUCTANT to ever purchase from Best Buy again. They were my go-to brick & mortal and on-line store, but I've reconsidered that.
Thanks for your perspective. If anything, it is healthy to vent. Because I do not expect a good outcome.

Hello sledwith,
Thank you for visiting the forum. I'm sorry to hear you are having troubles with your Panasonic TV. I enjoy very much watching TV on our 55" screen so I can certainly understand your frustration at having to wait possibly up to a month for it to be repaired.
Using the information you provided on the forum, I was able to view the service order, and I will be looking into this further to see if I can help. Once I have further details, I will be sending you a private message. To view your private messages, please make sure you are logged into the forum, and click on the envelope in the top right hand corner.
I look forward to continuing to work with you, and I will be in contact as soon as possible. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to let me know if you have any further questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Maria|Social Media Specialist | Best Buy® Corporate
Private Message

Can you buy apple care on refurbished macs book pros?

Can I buy Apple Care on refurbished MacBook Pros? What's the warranty return policy on them? Will it be in Like New Condition when I get it? This is the one I'm interested in. http://bit.ly/1MND29o

Good afternoon JesseAlexander –
MacBook Pros are such great, reliable products and purchasing it Geek Squad Certified just makes it a fantastic deal as well! In addition to other responsibilities, I spent a few years performing the Geek Squad Certification process on products returned to Best Buy and I know it very well.
To address your first question, AppleCare is sold directly through Apple. I have read through the program Terms and Conditions and I am not able to find a solid answer. I think your best bet would be to contact Apple directly by calling 1-800-275-2273 or visiting their Apple Support website.
We do offer a 15 day Return & Exchange Promise on our Geek Squad Certified products. In addition, we offer a One Year Limited Warranty on them as well. If you are interested in added protection against normal wear and tear or drops and spills, we also offer our own Geek Squad Protection Plan available on our refurbished products. Feel free to click on the links to learn more.
Our Geek Squad Certified products typically begin as returned merchandise that customers changed their mind about. If a problem is discovered during the return, it is automatically disqualified. The returned devices are then given the once-over by store staff and turned over to specially-trained Agents who put them through a standardized process to make sure they are ready to be sold. We thoroughly test and inspect each refurbished device to make sure it works and looks as it did when it first came from the factory.
Please let me know if you have any additional questions regarding our Geek Squad Certified products, MacBook Pros, Geek Squad, or Best Buy in general.
Thanks for reaching out to us,

Apple Care Expiring

My Apple Care will expire next June. I like how I can call them if I have a really tricky problem and they can do remote screen help.
Is Geek Squad my only alternative?

Do as I did when I was close to extended AppleCare running out.
Forget Best Buy and the Geek Squad. They are useless and are NOT Apple product repair specialists.
A few weeks before the warranty ends, bring your Mac into an Apple Store or Apple authorised service/repair center and have them do a complete diagnosis if your iMac, have them clean out any dust and dirt inside and generally have them do every test and inspection possible, so if they find anything, it will get repaired/replaced at no cost before AppleCare's time runs out.

HT1338 I had the geek squad from bestbuy supposedly install iphoto 11 on my mac but it is not there and when i try to download it it say the app has been download by another user on this machine. What do i need to do get get this app on my system?

I had the geek squad from bestbuy supposedly install iphoto 11 on my mac but it is not there and when i try to download it it say the app has been download by another user on this machine. What do i need to do get get this app on my system? If they could not do it right the first time I do not have much faith in their advice.

Assuming you've done a system wide search for it including the Applications folder and it's not there......
I think you will need to address this with them - did you pay them for the application? Or was your purchase price to include it? And the question(s) to ask them:
If the app store states that it has been downloaded, ask them where it is and which Apple ID they used. (the store keeps track of Apple IDs and machine IDs on everything you download).
I have absolutely no faith in their advice; however, in this case, it's not so much technical advice, but an answer to your questions: you paid for something and it appears not to be there.

My Display Only Works Part of the Time and Apple Care Won't Help Me (Long)

I bought my computer at a discounted price because it was a restocked item, but was it really worth it? I'm beginning to think not. I saw that it had one stuck pixel, but saving that much money on such an expensive computer, the pixel hardly seemed like a travesty. However, I think I've discovered the real reason why the last owner gave up such a seemingly exceptional piece of hardware...
After about a month of flawless operation my "new" computer started to act a little strangely. It wouldn't always go to sleep when it was scheduled, the screen saver wouldn't always come on by itself...things that I though a simple PRAM reset, SMC reset, or disk permission repair would fix. After countless attempts at all three "fixes" I was still having problems...a few days after these problems started occuring something even more drastic happened: My computer would turn on (the little light would come on, I'd hear the fans start running and the start up tone) but the screen would remain black. I tried several PRAM and SMC resets as suggested on this forum, but the screen continued to come up black for about an hour. That's when I called Apple.
The Apple Care specialist on the phone asked me for the serial in which I had to lift the computer up to get (since I obviously couldn't read it off the screen). She suggested an SMC reset which, I explained to her, I had tried already but it hadn't worked, however, I was willing to give it another shot. Oddly (and rather annoyingly) enough it worked, and for a short amount of time I was happy...until it happened again...another call to Apple...and again...and about 3 or 4 calls to Apple Care later, they suggested that I go in to an Apple Store to have it looked at.
The Apple Specialist made an appointment with me to meet with an Apple Genius the next day at 4:30PM at a store about a mile away from my house. The next day I lugged my 24" iMac through the local mall (I'm female, 5'2", and I weigh about 108 so it wasn't too easy of a feat) to discover the apple store was CLOSED for the next few days so that they could "make the store better." I called Apple Care on my cell phone right there in the mall and asked them what was going on. Didn't they know that this Apple Store was closed? The man I was talking to said that they knew and he wasn't sure how the person I had talked to just the day before had signed me up for an appointment when he hadn't even asked for my e-mail address. It was most bizarre. This man made an appointment with me for later that same day at an Apple Store about 45 minutes away from where I live. I didn't want to go, but I'm a college student and I was a desperate for my computer to work again.
Shaking around in that box must have brought it out of it's strange seized-up state because as I brought it out for the Mac Genius to look at it turned on for him no problem. Quite a frustrating problem because it's so spontainious that it keeps making me look like either a liar or a fool. He said he'd run an 8-hour diagnostic check on it and I could pick it up the next day. So the next day I waited for their call but I got none. I called them and they said that they were still running tests and it'd be ready the next day. The day after, about an hour and a half before I had to go to work, they called me and told me my computer was ready. They said they had ran a 24-hour diagnostic and everything was working fine but they said they'd run more tests if I wanted them to. I'm a full-time college student and I need my computer for just about all of my classes, so I declined more tests and told them I'd pick it up right away. I dashed over there to pick it up and dashed back as fast as I could (and I even made it to work on time...but just barely). Later that night I found that they had accidentally left their diagnostics CD in my computer (I called them about it and they said that would like it if I would bring it back...I still haven't mailed it).
All was fine and good (well, just okay...it still had problems with its sleeping and screen-savering) with my computer until yesterday. I got that black screen again upon start up....but this time my "fixes" worked after a few tries. There were no more problems for the rest of yesterday.
However, today I came home from school and go to start up my computer and the screen turned on and I saw the little mac symbol and that little circle of bars...but then it froze. I held in the little button to force a shutdown and when I started it back up again I was greeted by my good old friend, Mr. Black Screen. Just wonderful. I tried my "fixes" but today I didn't get lucky. So while I was holding in the button to start up my computer (again) and give it another go, I held it longer than I was supposed to and the little on light began flickering. Then I heard this unpleasant tone that lasted a few seconds before stopping and treating me to the startup sound. This time the screen turned on. Yay! I go to call Apple to find out what I had just done, and I find out that my 90 days are up and unless I wanted to pay $50 for them to be puzzled by my issue once more or give them $300 for not quite 3 more years of service, I'd have to lug my computer to an Apple Store or post here to get help. Thanks a lot Apple Care.
My "new" computer cost me almost $3,000. It should work the way it's supposed to. I need it to last me no less than 6 more years, but with the problems I've had with it in the first 3 months (which seem only to be getting worse and more frequent), I don't know if I'm expecting WAY too much out of it. I've been a loyal Apple user for 13 years and out of the 5 computers I've had in that time I've never had so many problems (actually I've never had any problems, at least nothing really serious; I'd never even called Apple Care before this). I'm a fairly experienced user (I'm not a Mac Genius or anything, but I know the ropes) and I am sure this is not normal behavior for an Apple computer (or any computer of that matter).
I'm so frusterated I'm not sure what to do. What's wrong with my computer? How can I get Apple to help me? How can I get Apple to even believe me? Any advice would be greatly appreciated and thank you so much for reading my very long (and rather dramatic) story.

Thanks for reading and thanks for the advice. Perhaps I'll ask them about it next time this problem occurs, although carrying the thing through a mall that is only about a mile away is the least of my worries. I'll do if it is both free (I don't make enough at my job to pay for such a service) and relatively speedy, although I'd hate for them to come over and for the computer to work properly (as bad as that sounds). It'd be a wasted trip and nothing would get fixed.
I'm contemplating videotaping myself performing my "fixes" on it the next time I have this problem.

My ipod touch is disabled for over 21 million minutes and it wont let me restore it or put it dfu mode. I even took it to the geek squad and they couldnt fix it. Please help me.

I forgot my ipod touch's passcode and it died. After a couple months i pulled it back up and it was locked out for 21 million minutes and i looked it up on the internet and couldnt fix it with anything. I then took it to geek squad and they couldnt even fix it. Dfu mode wont work, cant connect it to itunes, cant restore or recover it. Please help me.

Use Device Firmware Mode...
1.     Turn off your ipod To do this, hold the home and sleep buttons for 10 seconds, ignore slide to power off message.
2.     Release the power button when you see the apple logo (keep holding the home button)
3.     Keep holding until you see a message.
Now restore from a backup!
Alternatively you can wait!

Apple Care Coverage for Macbook Pro

Hello,
Last year I opened thread about Apple Care Coverage... and finally I did, purchase apple care for my mbp mid 2012.
unfortunately, my macbook pro date & time keep changing each time I turned it off. I already tried to reset SMC but it is still not working.
looks like my battery died (like PC, it has battery to save date & time) right? also, I have some issues with my display, it showed something (like dead pixel) but only when I put my display on full black color, pixels is showing kind of white/grayish color.
Plus my backlight keyboard (some of its keyboard tuts) is not so bright like normal.
those 3 problems above, Can I claim it to Apple Authorized Reseller (Indonesia doesn't have Apple Store). to fix it for me for free? or will I get charged for price?
does Apple Care cover up these 3 problems?

The only thing that I can think of that may not be replaceable under AppleCare is the battery: Apple considers the batteries on MacBook Pros to be 'consumables.' But it's worth a shot.
You may not have problems getting the battery replaced and your AppleCare should take care of the other problems.
Good luck,
Clinton

Apple Care vs. Geek Squad Black Tie

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