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MacBook Air Flash Storage Drive Replacement Program

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Re: MacBook Air Flash Storage Drive Replacement Program

#71

Post by jfturcot »

chrisrhoden wrote: post #42

As a PSA, if you can get the model number, the following SSDs are checked for in the update package: TS064E - Revisions TPSABBF0 and TPVABBF0 TS128E - Revisions TPSABBF0 and TPVABBF0 That is all.

I had mine replaced under warranty 3 weeks ago and looks like they replaced it with one of those being recalled. I can't reboot right now for the firmware update, but the system report tells me I have a TS128E TPVABBF0.

I'm surprised they didn't know 3 weeks ago that this was a defective disk. My local Apple store didn't have it in stock so they had to order it from Apple, it's not like it was an old disk they used to replace mine.

Re: MacBook Air Flash Storage Drive Replacement Program

#72

Post by tejinderss »

chrisrhoden wrote: post #70
tejinderss wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Prior to updating firmware to 1.1 mine SSD was listed as: TS128E - TPVABBF0 But after updating the firmware now it is listed as: TS128E - TQAABBF0 But i am not redirected to apple website after installation and reboot. Am i suppose to take it to the store?

As I mentioned in the comment, those are the models and revisions that are checked for in the package. It may be the case that those are the models that are eligible to receive the firmware update, rather than that all of them are in the failing set.

Thanks for the clarification.

Re: MacBook Air Flash Storage Drive Replacement Program

#73

Post by tedivm »

Tyrannosaurs wrote: post #16
quarterto wrote: post #3

We also recommend backing up your data on a regular basis until you receive a replacement drive. Why stop there? With tools and services like Time Machine, Carbon Copy Cloner and Crashplan, there's no excuse not to maintain a backup. As evidenced by this page, shit happens .

I keep two backups, one onsite through Time Machine, one offsite using BackBlaze. After initial set up the maintenance time on them is about 2 minutes a month to check they've been running properly, total cost is a cheap external drive and $5 a month. Not backing up in 2013 is just irresponsible.

Well, be extremely careful with Backblaze. I got bit on the ass by them. It turns out their dashboard is just caching it's results, and there are instances where the dashboards will say they have data when they really don't.

I learned this the hard way when we brought my girlfriend's computer in for repair. We gave them permission to replace the drive, went to restore the data from Backblaze, and got a nasty surprise when it errored out and their support team let us know the data wasn't there. As far as I'm concerned using Backblaze is not the same as actually having off site backups, unfortunately.

Re: MacBook Air Flash Storage Drive Replacement Program

#74

Post by rsync »

tedivm wrote: post #73
Tyrannosaurs wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I keep two backups, one onsite through Time Machine, one offsite using BackBlaze. After initial set up the maintenance time on them is about 2 minutes a month to check they've been running properly, total cost is a cheap external drive and $5 a month. Not backing up in 2013 is just irresponsible.

Well, be extremely careful with Backblaze. I got bit on the ass by them. It turns out their dashboard is just caching it's results, and there are instances where the dashboards will say they have data when they really don't. I learned this the hard way when we brought my girlfriend's computer in for repair. We gave them permission to replace the drive, went to restore the data from Backblaze, and got a nasty surprise…

I'll just leave this right here:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5640700

All accounts guaranteed to have no dashboard or gui of any kind.

Re: MacBook Air Flash Storage Drive Replacement Program

#75

Post by epochwolf »

snowwrestler wrote: post #35
hsuresh wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do not rely completely on Time Machine backups. I learnt the lesson in a painful way. My MBP crashed a few years back, and Apple decided to replace the motherboard. Unfortunately, Time Machine detected this as a new laptop, and won't let me restore from the backups. These days, i backup only user data and i don't worry about the base OS. In fact, i prefer this over TimeMachine style backups. Photos go to Google Drive…

You can exclude the OS and applications from your Time Machine backups if you want. It's a great way to save space, since you can probably reinstall those from other sources.

Time Machine does not back up the operating system.

Re: MacBook Air Flash Storage Drive Replacement Program

#76

Post by rsync »

ValentineC wrote: post #53
hrktb wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just as heads up: - Time machine: is not reliable for network backups (yes, really) - CCC: needs a USB connected drive for a MBA - Crashplan: recurring payment service based in the US All of the above solution are useful, but none are reasonable and no brainer backup solutions for everyone, especially for MBA owners. As for now, bittorent sync with a mirror on the same network feels like the best solution IMO.

Could you elaborate on why Time Machine isn't reliable for network backups? That's my setup at the moment. (My 2012 MBA's SSD failed, but thankfully much of my data was automatically backed up to my NAS the previous night. The backup restored fine, too.)

All you need to do is run a "dumb"[1] rsync to a backup provider running on ZFS, and the remote will have its own set of day/week/month snapshots - exactly like time machine[2].

Now if only there were such a provider ... standards based rsync over ssh ? Remote ZFS filesystem ? 12+ years of history providing that service ? Progressive stance on govt. monitoring ?[3] No, it would be too good to be true.

[1] Dumb, as in, just a straight 1:1 mirror.

[2] But independent - no relation to TM on your own system

[3] http://www.rsync.net/resources/notices/canary.txt

Re: MacBook Air Flash Storage Drive Replacement Program

#78

Post by ValentineC »

mfincham wrote: post #31
rjbond3rd wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe try: lspci -v

OK, so I've got a "TS064C". Now where do I find a useful list of which models are actually broken?

I was curious as to the model number. Is yours a 2010/2011 MacBook Air?

This is only for the SSDs in the 2012 MacBook Air:

> Apple has determined that certain 64GB and 128GB flash storage drives used in the previous generation of MacBook Air systems may fail. These systems were sold between June 2012 through June 2013.

Re: MacBook Air Flash Storage Drive Replacement Program

#79

Post by tedivm »

rsync wrote: post #74
tedivm wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, be extremely careful with Backblaze. I got bit on the ass by them. It turns out their dashboard is just caching it's results, and there are instances where the dashboards will say they have data when they really don't. I learned this the hard way when we brought my girlfriend's computer in for repair. We gave them permission to replace the drive, went to restore the data from Backblaze, and got a nasty surprise…

I'll just leave this right here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5640700 All accounts guaranteed to have no dashboard or gui of any kind.

That's not a real solution though, it's half of a solution at best. All you're providing is a place to dump files, with none of the services that a backup solution would actually provide.

This may be fantastic for technical users, but it would be a nightmare if I used this to manage the backups of friends and family.

Ultimately I switched to CrashPlan, as that not only gave me offsite backups (for far cheaper than you, sorry) but using the same technology also offers me on site backups and the ability to back up to any server I control and choose. This allows me to have my friends backup to the CrashPlan service, to their own local drive, and to a computer I setup just in case both of those fail. Best part is I'm not stuck doing a bunch of work.

As a final note, your service is extremely expensive compared to just about everything else.

Re: MacBook Air Flash Storage Drive Replacement Program

#80

Post by jedberg »

The fact that they are not helping people move their data is very un-apple of them. Apple used to be a customer focused company but they seem to have lost that in the last few years.

Telling my mother in law to "back up her computer" and then giving her a new, blank drive that she has to install her own OS on and then restore from backup is completely useless -- she'd have no clue where to even begin.

So now Apple has told her "you're going to lose all your data and we can't help you". Not cool.

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