Apple Computer Support Specialist — Here to Help

Preserved exactly as posted on the original site — names and dates intact. A small slice of the foothills checking in.

1. A

   Andrea F

   February 21, 2019

   Hi Michael. Can you assist with a MacBook Pro late 2015… only lasts 1–2 hours max?

2. M

   Mikki N

   February 21, 2019

   My husband has a 27" iMac that is acting up and basically killing backup drives. Do you make house calls? What are your rates?

3. M

   MichaelMichael

   February 21, 2019

   Hi Andrea! I'd love to help. Usually, battery problems are due to high amounts of unknown background activity or just simply burn out — generally the latter. You can either drop your computer off with me if you don't need it for a few days, or I can come to you to check it out. I'm guessing it needs a new battery that I can replace for you. The battery would cost around $50 and my time around 30 minutes, so roughly $100 for the repair plus $20 if you'd like me to come to you. Let me know what you'd like to do. Thanks for reaching out!

4. M

   MichaelMichael

   February 21, 2019

   Hi Mikki! I also have a 27". Sorry to hear you're having trouble with backups. Are you using Time Machine or doing manual backups? Sometimes bad disk blocks get in there and make things wonky. I'd suggest making a new disk image backup or trying another hard drive. In the meantime, I do home/office calls and would be happy to look at it and figure out what needs to happen to fix this asap. I generally charge $100 an hour plus $20 for gas (unless under financial hardship) and don't charge if I can't fix it. Hope to get this solved soon!

5. M

   Mikki N

   February 21, 2019

   I will get back to you. Do you give a break for multiple hours? We may need help with network issues, Dropbox, social media — aside from the issue with Time Machine, which takes days to back up files. We've had Time Machine destroy hard drives, and Disk Utility reformatting hard drives makes them non-functional.

6. A

   Andrea F

   February 21, 2019

   OK, PM'd you.

7. M

   MichaelMichael

   February 21, 2019

   Hi again Mikki — sounds like an awesome project, I enjoy challenges! If it comes to that, we could negotiate a flat fee for the project; I wouldn't want you in some kind of black hole of time adding up to a giant bill. After troubleshooting, I should have a better idea of what's going on and could suggest alternatives or even better solve the mystery. I know these backups can take hours and sometimes days, so getting a temporary computer to use in the meantime would be a good thing to think about.

8. M

   MichaelMichael

   February 21, 2019

   Thanks, Andrea!

9. C

   Cee C

   February 21, 2019

   I reformatted my computer and hard drive and accidentally wiped out everything. Would you be able to retrieve the files?

10. M

    MichaelMichael

    February 21, 2019

    Hi Christine — chances are they're gone, unfortunately, but there is a small shred of hope even so. This is unlikely, but sometimes you can restore ghosted files; it depends on how you wiped the HD. Happy to take a look, but it would take a significant amount of time to even see if it was possible to restore any data in this scenario.

11. B

    Blanka B

    February 21, 2019

    My screen went out on my Mac. I had two people looking into it and they both gave up.

12. M

    Mikki N

    February 22, 2019

    Can you send me your phone number so we can chat about our issues and set up an appointment?

13. M

    MichaelMichael

    February 22, 2019

    Hi Blanka! Sorry to hear your screen went black — I've also had that happen in the past. Best thing temporarily is to get a cheap adapter and connect it to another screen or even a TV so you can keep using your computer. After that, you have a couple of options: 1) order parts to replace the screen, but it's somewhat expensive (parts around $350 plus service time), or 2) order a replacement used/new computer and I can help with data transfer — often a better investment in the long run if your computer is older. Let me know if you want to move forward on either and I'm happy to help!

14. M

    MichaelMichael

    February 22, 2019

    Hi Mikki! Sending you a private message back.

15. B

    Blanka B

    February 22, 2019

    Hi Michael — we have been using a monitor attached to the laptop. It's working, but I can't move around much with it. I guess you're right, too expensive to replace the screen, not even worth it. Thanks though.

16. J

    Judith L

    February 23, 2019

    Hey Michael — do you work with OLD devices? I have a 2009 MacBook Pro laptop, also a Gen 4 iPad. Both are adequate for me, but of course all the upgrades have made performance worse and worse. Could you sit with me and clean out the baddies I've accumulated, congestion/ad viruses I have remnants of? I use both devices heavily every day for news sites, web research, and writing — never media. Any hope to avoid 4–5K replacement costs? Very motivated. Thanks. Jude

17. D

    Dee W

    February 23, 2019

    Judith, when you talk to Michael, ask him about the value of maxing out the memory and upgrading the hard drive to an SSD on your laptop. Both can be done to a 2009 MBP for $150–$200 in parts, and it really extends the useful life for a user like you.

18. J

    Judith L

    February 23, 2019

    Thank you so much. Do you know from experience or from keeping up? I think memory is high but the hard drive is definitely original. Problem is knowledgeable family members are too survival-oriented to have time, so I'd definitely need an installer. Appreciate it very much.

19. M

    MichaelMichael

    February 23, 2019

    Hi Blanka — I'd recommend looking for a used i7 Processor MacBook Pro or Air to replace it. I've seen them around for less than a monitor will cost you. Let me know if you need help picking one out.

20. M

    MichaelMichael

    February 23, 2019

    Hi Judith — yes, I love old devices! Usually the fastest way to get your computer moving again is to create a fresh user account and bring over only the files you need. As for upgrades, we could compare the cost of getting a newer system, but 2009 isn't that old in my book. You'll likely have more trouble with the old iPad than anything, since a lot of new apps aren't supported on older devices. If you'd like to set up a meeting, I could help you get your old system running better in just an hour or two.

21. M

    MichaelMichael

    February 23, 2019

    Hi Dee — thanks for dropping in a note! I love SSDs, but they're expensive and, depending on the machine, not always easily upgraded. In most cases, people max out their hard drive or just have bad file blocks from heavy use that drain operating power. That said, I always look for opportunities to get people into SSDs when it makes sense. Keep in mind SSDs are non-repairable, so some folks prefer the reliability of classic technology, with SSDs as a great choice for secondary systems.

22. C

    Carlos C

    February 23, 2019

    Michael — our MacBook Pro had the HD fail. Bought a new one and installed it; now having problems installing the OS. I can bring it to you — troubleshoot and install the OS is what I need. Ballpark figure?

23. M

    MichaelMichael

    February 23, 2019

    Hi Carlos — I'll save you a few bucks: if you book an appointment at the Apple Store Genius Bar, they'll install a new operating system for you for free. I recommend El Capitan OS X if they ask which version you want.

24. B

    Blanka B

    February 24, 2019

    Oh no — my Mac is new (but I spilled soda on the keyboard and the screen went out). When I plug the laptop into an old monitor, it works… but I hate to be chained to the desk. I like the freedom of moving around with my laptop.

25. M

    MichaelMichael

    February 24, 2019

    Hi Blanka — ouch, liquid is a tricky substance around electronics. I'm glad you got your computer working with an external monitor; many wouldn't have been so lucky! Nothing like the ease of a laptop, so let me know if you end up wanting to upgrade to a newer used computer (I've found some really good deals) and I can help!

26. K

    Keith G

    February 24, 2019

    Blanka — this is a fairly straightforward repair for someone with the right tools and equipment. Rossmann Group specializes in this kind of repair. There may be local shops that can do component-level board repair, but I don't have any I can recommend.

27. B

    Blanka B

    February 24, 2019

    I already tried — they couldn't fix it, so they shipped it to NY to see if they can do it. They gave up too. So… I kind of gave up. (Kids + soda + laptop = catastrophe.)

28. M

    MichaelMichael

    February 24, 2019

    Hi Blanka — just a reminder too: back up your data if you haven't already.

29. A

    Anje T

    February 24, 2019

    I'd like to talk to you about my iPhone, which is driving me crazy by running out of memory and upselling me more iCloud storage. It's a 6s and I use it to take pics of orphan kittens for my kitten rescue. I'm very frustrated with it right now. We PAY for storage and it's never enough.

30. A

    Angelika P

    February 24, 2019

    Hi Michael — I can use help with setting up my new printer on my network. Best, Angelika

31. M

    MichaelMichael

    February 24, 2019

    Hi Anje — I just sent you an email! Thank you, Michael

32. A

    Angelika P

    February 24, 2019

    Please call me or email me.

33. M

    MichaelMichael

    February 24, 2019

    Thanks for reaching out, Angelika. It was great meeting you! See you again soon.

34. A

    Angelika P

    February 24, 2019

    Thank you very much for your help.

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