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Mac Forum / General / Hardware / October 2004memory access panel on emac
I just bought 512MB to upgrade my ram & hopefully allevaite all the kernel panics. This is a well documented, customer doable upgrade. Printed out the instructions provided on MacHelp, followed the protocols up until step 3, removing the access panel. Let me preface by saying that I LOVE my eMac and have been on macs almost exclusively since 1985...but have found out the hard way that an otherwise well designed, sleek workstation has one serious flaw. Using a correctly-sized (by my estimation, apple doesn't specify a size) phillips head screwdriver, and with not a whole lot of torque the screw stripped as easily as the ones found on cheapo imported kids toys! I called AppleCare, and while the guy who took my call sympathized he said it would probably not be covered under applecare unless it could be documented that the screw was defective and not simply damaged by me (sounds hard to prove in my favor, don't you think?). This begs the question-why buy applecare if they don't cover hardware?! He directed me to contact a service center; I am just 5 miles north of Boston and the two closest said yeah probably not covered, guesstimated minimum $100 to get it on the bench, then that I would need to replace the entire memory access panel (as the screw is a captured screw, meaning it doesn't come loose from the panel so you don't lose it) @ cost of part + labor. So essentially I would be paying @ least 2x more than the cost of the ram for a net upgrade cost approaching $300! All because the screw used by Apple is made of a cheap alloy. OK, I'm done venting...the reason I am posting this is for one of two reasons: 1. Has anybody else encountered this, and/or do you have any suggestions insofar as tools or other means of getting the screw to turn? I will only be needing to get inside the computer once to pop the ram in, and frankly felt it would be a breeze akin to the memory upgrade I did on my iBook this summer. If that's not your expertise, then- 2. If you are local to Boston, maybe you can suggest a more reasonable authorized repair facility, other than the two I tried (Microcenter and CompUSA)...maybe even one that could advocate to apple on my behalf and get them to cover the cost of fixing it. It's getting old living with 256MB in today's world...please help. * posted via http://mymac.ws > I just bought 512MB to upgrade my ram & hopefully allevaite all > the kernel panics. If by "upgrade" you mean replacing some suspected/known bad RAM, that might help. If you just mean you're adding memory, KPs are not a common symptom unless you're also exceedingly low on disk space (which is a situation very much worth addressing). > Using a correctly-sized (by my estimation, apple doesn't specify a > size) phillips head screwdriver, and with not a whole lot of torque [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > think?). This begs the question-why buy applecare if they don't > cover hardware?! They do cover hardware. They don't cover abuse and that's what they're trying to warn you against. I've done RAM upgrades in eMacs. I'm having trouble imagining stripping a screw in the process unless the screw is so soft you can deform it by hand. Since that would be very odd, it would be...impractical of someone to raise your hopes about coverage without actually seeing the machine because then you can turn around and sue them if it turns out not-covered. G  SignatureChange account to gw when responding by mail. > I just bought 512MB to upgrade my ram & hopefully allevaite all > the kernel panics. This is a well documented, customer doable [quoted text clipped - 37 lines] > It's getting old living with 256MB in today's world...please help. > * posted via http://mymac.ws Just curious... was it the screw threads, hole threads or screw head itself that stripped... but guess if you can't get the door off, you can't tell which threads are bad. Seems I've read of others having trouble with that screw/door assembly. I don't remember off the top of my head if that screw head is accessible enough to grab it with a pair of Vice Grips, gently pull and twist out. (If thats even the issue anymore.) Good Luck! Erik > I just bought 512MB to upgrade my ram & hopefully allevaite all the > kernel panics. Adding RAM won't solve kernel panics. Replacing defective RAM will. > This is a well documented, customer doable upgrade. Apple supports customer upgrades of memory in an eMac. Check your user's manual. If you don't have it, you can download it from here: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=52090 > He directed me to contact a service center; I am just 5 miles north > of Boston and the two closest said yeah probably not covered, [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > cost approaching $300! All because the screw used by Apple is made > of a cheap alloy. If it's $100 for a new panel or nothing, why not just remove the screw and replace it with a new one from your local hardware store. Just be sure to match its size and you should be OK. > OK, I'm done venting...the reason I am posting this is for one of two > reasons: [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > the ram in, and frankly felt it would be a breeze akin to the memory > upgrade I did on my iBook this summer. The screw doesn't turn? I thought you removed it and stripped it? What really happened? Did you turn the screw the wrong way and force it? I find it hard to believe that a metal machine screw just got stripped without you applying any significant amount of torque. I don't think you've adequately explained what is going on here. > If that's not your expertise, then- > 2. If you are local to Boston, maybe you can suggest a more > reasonable authorized repair facility, other than the two I tried > (Microcenter and CompUSA)...maybe even one that could advocate to > apple on my behalf and get them to cover the cost of fixing it. Without seeing the computer, I wouldn't even consider it. From your rather vague description, it may very well be that you caused your own damage. -- David > 1. Has anybody else encountered this, and/or do you have any > suggestions insofar as tools or other means of getting the screw to > turn? I will only be needing to get inside the computer once to > pop the ram in, and frankly felt it would be a breeze akin to the > memory upgrade I did on my iBook this summer. > If that's not your expertise, then- If you did what I think you did, and cored out the the head of the screw, you'll have to: 1 find a way to replace the screw 2 live with it 3 pay them I've seen some people with older eMacs who were over-enthusiastic when they tried to unscrew the cover and cored the screw. Apple will call that kind of thing 'user error' and will _not_ cover it. (Maybe if you have AppleCare, but even so I doubt it.) SignatureWe are Microsoft of Borg. You will be assimilated. Stability is irrelevant. Where _you_ want to go to today is irrelevant. We will add your currency to our own. Bend over right now. Resistance is futile. some clarification per your requests (and I'm probably fudging the terminology here): -the head of the screw, the part where you would insers the teeth of a phillips head, is now more like a circle. It has yet to turn any measurable amount, and remains flush with the casing. -If kernel panics are the same as beach balls, the spinning colored circle, then yes those are what I am getting on occasion when for example working with 3 windows in Safari + having a few other things open & active. The spinning multicolor discs are what I see temporarily and cannot perfirm any functions within whichever program I am in where they are spinning. -lefty, loosey; righty, tighty. I went left & it really didn't take much... -To me anyway, an 'upgrade' is an enhancement to make something perform better, become more functional, and the like. Replacing bad ram would qualify as a 'repair'. -I have been exclusively on their machines for almost 20 years...the likelihood that I am going to sue them over a deficiency in AppleCare is quite small. I think that like pornography, there is a discernible difference between abuse of equipment and an average joe's attempt to add ram using common household equipment. ALSO that the person I spoke with at applecare then the 2 repair shops I contacted have given me the distinct impression that it's now going to cost me a whole lot more than the cost of the memory to install memory is IMO a sad...like Midas lifetime coverage on the muffler & when you take it in for service well now you need to replace from the catalytic converter back, oh yeah your muffler is free. It will impact my decision to buy goverage on the G5 we are adding. Thanks for reading this far, had to clarify some ar stuff, not sure maybe it was the dick avatar that brought that on http://mymac.ws/images/smiles/grin.gif Still waiting for anyone to give me an idea of how to get the screw out without breaking the memory access panel http://mymac.ws/images/smiles/help.gif If you have a fresh idea or a solution to offer I'm all ears :D ->Paul * posted via http://mymac.ws > some clarification per your requests (and I'm probably fudging the > terminology here): > -the head of the screw, the part where you would insers the teeth of > a phillips head, is now more like a circle. It has yet to turn any > measurable amount, and remains flush with the casing. I cannot imagine how that happened without abuse or a ridiculously soft screw. Sears sells a set of driver bits that will probably help get it out, though. > -If kernel panics are the same as beach balls, the spinning colored > circle, then yes those are what I am getting on occasion when for > example working with 3 windows in Safari + having a few other things > open & active. The spinning multicolor discs are what I see > temporarily and cannot perfirm any functions within whichever > program I am in where they are spinning. Ah. No, those aren't KPs. KPs are where you must reboot your machine because it has gone completely pear-shaped and a message has come up onscreen saying as much. What you're seeing are delays in event processing. Insufficient memory is a possible cause for that, but far from the only one. On the other hand, memory is never wasted in OS X. > -I have been exclusively on their machines for almost 20 years...the > likelihood that I am going to sue them over a deficiency in > AppleCare is quite small. A fact of which they have absolutely no way of being aware, nor guarantee of truth/persistence. > I think that like pornography, there is a > discernible difference between abuse of equipment and an average [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > from the catalytic converter back, oh yeah your muffler is free. It > will impact my decision to buy goverage on the G5 we are adding. Like I said before. Without seeing the machine, they don't know what the problem really is, they don't really have a clue what caused it, and they have no reason to believe from what you described that it wasn't abuse. A few months ago, I bought a G5 from Apple's web store. It showed up in a state that I'd call "dead, but it hasn't realized the fact itself yet." I put together a list of something like 20 individual defects, most of which in my opinion couldn't have occurred during shipping. I called Apple and described the top 3 issues and indicated there were more. They said the best solution was to take it to the Apple store to repair. I did. The store looked at it, and my list, for about 5 minutes and declared it not worth anyone's time/money/effort to repair and said to send it back to Apple. I called Apple with this information, and they said: "Well, nothing's irreparable." Eventually it worked out, and I ended up with a satisfactory result. But consider the difference in both interaction and response with two different arms of Apple. > Still waiting for anyone to give me an idea of how to get the screw > out without breaking the memory access panel > http://mymac.ws/images/smiles/help.gif If you have a fresh idea or a > solution to offer I'm all ears :D Sears. I can't remember what the product is called, but it's a set of bits for an electric screwdriver that's specifically for removing stripped screws. But don't do it before someone with AppleCare pull actually sees the machine. G SignatureChange account to gw when responding by mail. > Still waiting for anyone to give me an idea of how to get the screw > out without breaking the memory access panel Sears sells a damaged-screw removal tool. It's a special bit to go on a power screwdriver. It may not be small enough for this screw, however. If it's too big, don't use it - it will damage whatever it comes in contact with. -- David well that was a lot of discussion... there is a tool to get stripped screws out, its like a reverse threaded screw itself. how it works is you drill a wee hole in the head of the screw. then you screw this thing in (sorry, i dont know what its called, mine looks like a wee double cone thing, like two skinny cones placed head to head with a square bit inbetween which enables you to grab it with pliars, drill, etc.) but the trick is that its a reverse thread, so you screw it in backwards. when it tightens in the hole, you keep turning it and out the screw comes. thats assuming its the head which is pakaru (highly technical term for f****d) and not something inside. otherwise just use a bigger drill bit and drrrrill the head off. this of course leaves you with the hole unusable... hope this helps. otherwise i could do a blah blah blah on customer support, or the ins and outs of liability and who can the blame be placed on... k. >>Still waiting for anyone to give me an idea of how to get the screw >>out without breaking the memory access panel [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > -- David > well that was a lot of discussion... > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > head with a square bit inbetween which enables you to grab it with > pliars, drill, etc.) For what it's worth, I believe the tool Kiweed described is called an EZ-Out. I've used them for automotive work, but I've never seen one small enough for the screws on the memory door. Look around, though, they probably exist. No matter what, best of luck to you fixing it and getting that memory installed. I have an eMac with 512MB RAM and a 700MHz processor, and it runs circles around the "faster" computer I use at work. - Brian |
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