7 ms·

> but when taking out the motherboard they have snapped the thing in two. Don't MacBooks have the SSD soldered onto the motherboard now, so motherboard damage

by ardy42 8y ago

> but when taking out the motherboard they have snapped the thing in two. Don't MacBooks have the SSD soldered onto the motherboard now, so motherboard damage == total data loss? Edit: yep: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/11/touch-bar-mbp-teardown-soldered-ssd-cosmetic-speaker-holes-and-more/ https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/11/touch-bar-mbp-teardo... If you're going to make something almost totally unrepairable, you'd better make it almost totally reliable as well.

andy_ppp 8y ago
You have to backup the thing before giving it to Apple and I format the thing too.
LeoPanthera 8y ago
The same exact thing happened to my MacBook. Stuck keys - damaged while being repaired. It came back with a blank disk. But it also came back in like-new condition, so I don't really mind.
userbinator 8y ago
What's worse is the fact that they encrypt everything by default so you can't just desolder, dump, and flash the data onto a new board. They say it improves security, but certainly it's possible to have FDE which can be copied onto a new disk --- you're just doing a bit-exact copy of the ciphertext.
- majestik 8y ago
  Try Time Machine
- Kye 8y ago
  Does the recently revealed hardware encryption problem affect the SSDs used in Macs? I know it's for BitLocker, but maybe you can use the same bug to get your data out.
- stevep98 8y ago
  Also Apple recently removed a data recovery connector on the motherboard which was used to access the ssd even if the rest of the board was dead. https://www.pcmag.com/news/362635/data-recovery-connector-removed-from-2018-macbook-pros https://www.pcmag.com/news/362635/data-recovery-connector-re...
  - arthurfm 8y ago
    Data recovery is now performed via the Thunderbolt port. https://9to5mac.com/2018/09/20/apple-t2-data-recovery-transfer-imac-pro-macbook/ https://9to5mac.com/2018/09/20/apple-t2-data-recovery-transf... Apple has recently documented a new data recovery process internally for Macs that utilize its T2 chip introduced with the iMac Pro and the 2018 MacBook Pro. The new process for repair staff is being introduced due to the T2 chip’s advanced security features including hardware encryption for SSD storage that isn’t compatible with Apple’s previous data recovery methods used on older machines. PCMag should update their article.
thinkingkong 8y ago
Actually it doesn't need to be totally reliable. It just needs to fail at a rate which ensures the cost to apple to replace + refurb is less than the repair + the cost of building a 'repairable' device. The market demands thinner laptops with amazing battery life. The market - in general - isn't demanding a more serviceable macbook.
- chx 8y ago
  > The market demands thinner laptops with amazing battery life. The market - in general - isn't demanding a more serviceable macbook. It doesn't. This is false. Noone cares about thin laptops. People want light laptops but thin is completely artifical and doesn't improve your experience. One might say it was Jobs' plan to destroy the laptop industry with it and it worked.
  - thinkingkong 8y ago
    People value portability, and thin and light are both elements of that.
  - robotresearcher 8y ago
    If the tech specs were the same, which form factor do you prefer: https://i.imgur.com/dV7WHCD.jpg https://i.imgur.com/dV7WHCD.jpg https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/kfOpFgAZ4kfdK8vNUNMOlKjuYwc=/0x0:2040x1360/1920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2040x1360):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/11733899/vpavic_180718_2757_0021.jpg https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/kfOpFgAZ4kfdK8vNUNMOlKjuYwc=... I've owned both of these. They both have good specs for their time. The ThinkPad keyboard was wonderful. The trackpad of the MBP is wonderful but so is its size and shape. The ThinkPad was a brick. You say no one cares about thin, but once you have seen the MBP, the ThinkPad is a hard sell. (Though you youngsters should try one of those keyboards to see what you missed).
    - chx 8y ago
      I had a Panasonic CF-Y5 back in the day, a 1.5kg 14" laptop (including a DVD burner!) https://www.notebooks-center.com/img/laptop/regular/laptop_panasonic_cfy5_lwyyzsm.jpg https://www.notebooks-center.com/img/laptop/regular/laptop_p... and due to that screen protection hump it was some 1.5" thick overall. No need to drag the nineties into this. That sort of laptop, lightweight because of quality materials but enough space for cooling is what laptops should be.
meko 8y ago
A true shame as I was considering a macbook for my next laptop. System76 lookin' like a snack rn

by ardy42 8y ago

andy_ppp 8y ago

You have to backup the thing before giving it to Apple and I format the thing too.

LeoPanthera 8y ago

The same exact thing happened to my MacBook. Stuck keys - damaged while being repaired. It came back with a blank disk. But it also came back in like-new condition, so I don't really mind.

userbinator 8y ago

What's worse is the fact that they encrypt everything by default so you can't just desolder, dump, and flash the data onto a new board. They say it improves security, but certainly it's possible to have FDE which can be copied onto a new disk --- you're just doing a bit-exact copy of the ciphertext.

majestik 8y ago
Try Time Machine
Kye 8y ago
Does the recently revealed hardware encryption problem affect the SSDs used in Macs? I know it's for BitLocker, but maybe you can use the same bug to get your data out.
stevep98 8y ago
Also Apple recently removed a data recovery connector on the motherboard which was used to access the ssd even if the rest of the board was dead. https://www.pcmag.com/news/362635/data-recovery-connector-removed-from-2018-macbook-pros https://www.pcmag.com/news/362635/data-recovery-connector-re...
- arthurfm 8y ago
  Data recovery is now performed via the Thunderbolt port. https://9to5mac.com/2018/09/20/apple-t2-data-recovery-transfer-imac-pro-macbook/ https://9to5mac.com/2018/09/20/apple-t2-data-recovery-transf... Apple has recently documented a new data recovery process internally for Macs that utilize its T2 chip introduced with the iMac Pro and the 2018 MacBook Pro. The new process for repair staff is being introduced due to the T2 chip’s advanced security features including hardware encryption for SSD storage that isn’t compatible with Apple’s previous data recovery methods used on older machines. PCMag should update their article.

thinkingkong 8y ago

Actually it doesn't need to be totally reliable. It just needs to fail at a rate which ensures the cost to apple to replace + refurb is less than the repair + the cost of building a 'repairable' device. The market demands thinner laptops with amazing battery life. The market - in general - isn't demanding a more serviceable macbook.

chx 8y ago
> The market demands thinner laptops with amazing battery life. The market - in general - isn't demanding a more serviceable macbook. It doesn't. This is false. Noone cares about thin laptops. People want light laptops but thin is completely artifical and doesn't improve your experience. One might say it was Jobs' plan to destroy the laptop industry with it and it worked.
- thinkingkong 8y ago
  People value portability, and thin and light are both elements of that.
- robotresearcher 8y ago
  If the tech specs were the same, which form factor do you prefer: https://i.imgur.com/dV7WHCD.jpg https://i.imgur.com/dV7WHCD.jpg https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/kfOpFgAZ4kfdK8vNUNMOlKjuYwc=/0x0:2040x1360/1920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2040x1360):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/11733899/vpavic_180718_2757_0021.jpg https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/kfOpFgAZ4kfdK8vNUNMOlKjuYwc=... I've owned both of these. They both have good specs for their time. The ThinkPad keyboard was wonderful. The trackpad of the MBP is wonderful but so is its size and shape. The ThinkPad was a brick. You say no one cares about thin, but once you have seen the MBP, the ThinkPad is a hard sell. (Though you youngsters should try one of those keyboards to see what you missed).
  - chx 8y ago
    I had a Panasonic CF-Y5 back in the day, a 1.5kg 14" laptop (including a DVD burner!) https://www.notebooks-center.com/img/laptop/regular/laptop_panasonic_cfy5_lwyyzsm.jpg https://www.notebooks-center.com/img/laptop/regular/laptop_p... and due to that screen protection hump it was some 1.5" thick overall. No need to drag the nineties into this. That sort of laptop, lightweight because of quality materials but enough space for cooling is what laptops should be.

meko 8y ago

A true shame as I was considering a macbook for my next laptop. System76 lookin' like a snack rn