Self RAM and HDD upgrade on mac mini

Question

I would upgrade by myself RAM AND/OR HDD on a mac mini late 2009, will I void the warranty doing that kind of upgrade by myself?
Thank you
Message was edited by: eatrese
Message was edited by: eatrese

Answer 1

Hi Dahveed-
The question the original poster asked was if adding RAM would break his warranty. The answer, backed by the legal language in the Mini user guide, the Apple Hardware limited warranty booklet and the page on the Apple website is NO. Period. BUT if adding the RAM is the cause of failures or problems, then yes, the warranty will end immediately and forever. I believe I stated that quite clearly.
The statement that the apple web article is from 2004, and is therefore invalid, might work for some people on an emotional level, but not to a lawyer. Apple is wearing a big red bullseye on their back for as long as it remains up on the website.
I understand that you might be hung up on the idea that since there are no user serviceable parts in the Mini, you are breaking warranty by servicing the Mini.
This is not correct, and you will not find any language in any Apple documentation that says, "Servicing the Mini will void your warranty." If you can find that language anywhere, please correct me- I would be the first to admit I was wrong.
What Apple says is that since the Mini has no user serviceable parts, if you DAMAGE the Mini while servicing it and you are not an Apple Authorized repair center, YOU are liable for the damage, and not Apple. (Refer to Exclusions and Limitations paragraph F in the Apple Hardware Limited Warranty document in the Mac Mini box)
If the little RAM upgrade project had no bearing whatsoever on the problem your Mini suffers from, the warranty coverage applies.
Legally, warranties are always a bit of a corporate headache because a company must be very specific about what is NOT covered. This is why many electronics manufacturers, in addition to using specific language about what voids a warranty in the manual, often take the additional step of placing decals or other tamper-proof seals on sensitive internal components to assure that no servicing can be done. Nowhere inside the Mini, and nowhere in the manual and the warranty booklet does it say that servicing the Mini voids the warranty.
It is unfortunate that a couple of upgraders were allegedly turned down for service, but if they were turned down because their upgrade damaged, say, an Airport antenna or if they shorted something out by accidentally touching something, then yes, that shouldn't be covered.
On the other hand, if they can independently confirm with another repair center that the needed repairs were not in any way related to their upgrade, then they have a good claim on their hands, and a lawyer would say they had a good case against Apple.
Then again, I would be willing to bet that if those 2 posters had opened up their Mini again, taken out the upgrades, replaced them with the original apple parts, and THEN sent it in for service, they would have had no problems whatsoever.