Want to Repair Your Own MacBook? Apple Firmly Says No With Tamperproof Screws
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Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, from ZDNet, writes about a surprising revelation: the new MacBook leaves evidence when someone takes apart the laptop. While Apple has moved away from building upgradeable products, the new MacBook uses tamper-evident Torx screws, according to Kingsley-Hughes. The screws “hold down the hinge” and “were filled with some compound that disintegrated when a screwdriver was used to remove them.”
The addition of the compound suggests that an extra step was added to the manufacturing process. It appears to be a thread locker compound that prevents the screws from coming loose when using the MacBook. But why would Apple use this design?
Kingsley-Hughes suggests that, “these fasteners take a fair load from the hinge, but at the same time are only screwed down into soft aluminum. That leads me to believe that they need to be tightened down – or more accurately, torqued down – with a specific force that’s enough to hold them in place but not enough to strip the threads. As such, if a third-party messes with them, and the hinge later becomes loose because the threads have stripped because of improper torquing (which I’ve come across a lot over the years), Apple will know it.”
The obvious reason Apple may use tamper-proof technology is to prevent customers taking out and adding computer parts. Another practical reason might be an effort to ensure that OS X functions correctly. Don’t forget, OS X is designed to work with particular hardware. Taking out the Intel CPU, for example, and trying to replace it with an AMD chip could cause problems.
Many Windows users are accustomed to upgrading and customizing their personal computers. If their PC breaks down, many of them are able to fix it themselves. It’s one way to save money, but Mac users don’t have that luxury. With the exception of the Mac Pro, most Macs are limited when upgrading hardware and when it comes to repairs, Apple prefers customers to take the computer to one of their stores.
The tampering “feature” of the new MacBook is a surprising revelation, since it seems that owners will ruin their laptops if they try to repair the laptop. The signs of tampering would be proof enough to void the computer’s warranty. It’s best to take the MacBook into the Apple Store if repairs are needed. Apple Care is fairly affordable and it’s easier to let someone else repair a broken computer. However, it seems odd for Apple to go to such an extreme, even to prove someone voided the warranty.
What do you think about Apple’s tamperproof design?
