Apple Recalls Flash Storage in Some MacBook Air Laptops

If you bought a MacBook Air in the last year, you might need to take your laptop to your local Apple store. The company on Friday announced that certain flash storage drives used in previous generation MacBook Airs are vulnerable to failure. Affected drives shipped inside MacBook Air models shipped between June 2012 and June 2013 will be replaced free of charge, but Apple hasn't gone into any further detail.

To check if your laptop is one of the lucky ones, you'll need to take a quick trip to the Mac App Store and click on 'Updates.' Choose the MacBook Air Flash Storage Firmware Update 1.1, which will test your drive. If so, you'll be directed to Apple's support pages, which will provide you with the necessary instructions for getting your flash storage replaced.

If you're among those affected, Apple recommends you don't update your OS or install any new applications and back up often until you get your flash drive replaced. Of course, Apple also recommends that you back up your data before you bring your computer into the Apple store as well.

 Apple's repair program covers affected MacBook Airs for three years after the first retail sale of the unit so be sure to get your flash storage replaced before then.

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  • ragenalien
    By three years the average mac user has purchased two new macs. Which will also be recalled.
    Reply
  • tuffjuff
    MacOS systems last a lot longer than Windows systems because Mac OS scales better. But you're right. Only flash memory Apple uses is recalled, ever.
    Reply
  • InvalidError
    11758093 said:
    MacOS systems last a lot longer than Windows systems because Mac OS scales better.
    Most PC users who complain about their systems being slow after 2-3 years are high-end gamers who wouldn't buy Macs because most of the games are not available on OSX in the first place.

    For typical day-to-day office and media consumption use, even today's lower-end Windows PCs will last most people 5+ years.
    Reply
  • Mlim666
    "Most PC users who complain about their systems being slow after 2-3 years are high-end gamers who wouldn't buy Macs because most of the games are not available on OSX in the first place.

    For typical day-to-day office and media consumption use, even today's lower-end Windows PCs will last most people 5+ years."

    And even the smart gamer would do a clean install of windows every year or two.
    Reply
  • house70
    Apple should start recalling the iPhones 5S with the borked sensors.
    Maybe they'll admit to that and start the recall a year after, when nobody will give a flying fig about the iPhone 5S anymore.
    Reply
  • InvalidError
    11760500 said:
    And even the smart gamer would do a clean install of windows every year or two.
    That does sometimes yield small miracles.
    Reply
  • Tim Huggett
    Implying that you're lucky to have gotten a dud laptop hard drive and can replace it for free... Not having to have it replaced at all would be preferable.
    Reply
  • ubercake
    11760668 said:
    11760500 said:
    And even the smart gamer would do a clean install of windows every year or two.
    That does sometimes yield small miracles.

    I haven't had to re-install Windows since Windows 7 came about whether I game on the PC or not. My main gaming PC has run Windows 7 Home for almost 4 years without a hitch and that's the same install through X58 and X79 architecture (just swapped out mobo/CPU no problem).

    Beside that, I wonder if Apple partnered with OWC with regard to those flash drives in order to meet production capacity (hence only some Macs recalled). Every OWC flash drive we put into our Macs at the office failed within two months.
    Reply
  • therogerwilco
    This isn't real! Apple never messes things up!
    Reply