My 2 1/2 year-old MacBook appears to have a dying CD/DVD drive. It started having trouble reading DVDs and then wouldn't eject one of them. I had to restart several times and finally it came out. The same DVDs are working fine in my wife's MacBook Pro. (The one that got stuck was working fine last night in my MacBook.)

Anyway, I have an extended warranty through Best Buy so I'm going to bring it to them to see about getting the DVD drive replaced. The MacBook is my only computer so it has all my files on it (email, tax forms, etc.) so there's lots of personal information on it. I was considering doing an updated backup (I do them weekly to an external drive) and then deleting any files that I consider sensitive. Then, I can restore the data after it's repaired.

A friend suggested that I demonstrate the problem to Best Buy and then remove my internal hard drive so there's no problem. Any chance they'll agree to that?

Any suggestions or information about your past experiences with Best Buy's Geek Squad in this regard would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Michael

Disk Utility-> new Encrypted image, use a strong password. Move files from Documents to the new image. Unmount image.

MAKE SURE THE PASSWORD IS NOT SAVED IN THE KEYCHAIN. AND WRITE DOWN THAT PASSWORD ON A PAPER. AND CHECK WHETHER YOU CAN RESTORE THE FILES FROM IMAGE.

Delete originals after that. Use Disk Utility to secure erase free space on drive.

When you get it back, mount the image (you need to remember the password) and then copy the files back to the usual location.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/13/2011 08:21PM by space-time.

The above is probably the best, short of removing the HD - and installing another (if you have one) and loading a system on it - except that your optical isn't working properly!

This is one of those situations where you come to appreciate the Apple Store or at least Apple Care - because
for a bad optical, they'd replace that in an hour, while you wait, in most cases. I've had 4 of them in my
MacBook -- turned out it was the motherboard that was making it so it would not burn to Dual Layer.

That was discovered on the 3rd visit (4th drive, counting OEM) - where it was replaced "just in case" along
with the motherboard. Good thing too, because the new one was MUCH quieter than #3 was.

You can also create a 2nd user account and give them the password for that one.

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decay
You can also create a 2nd user account and give them the password for that one.

...and they could use a DVD to reset the admin password and access all the files after that.

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space-time

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decay
You can also create a 2nd user account and give them the password for that one.

...and they could use a DVD to reset the admin password and access all the files after that.

[support.apple.com]

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decay
You can also create a 2nd user account and give them the password for that one.

That's what I did when I had a MBP optical drive replaced a few months ago.

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decay

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space-time

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decay
You can also create a 2nd user account and give them the password for that one.

...and they could use a DVD to reset the admin password and access all the files after that.

[support.apple.com]

What good is an Open Firmware password if they could move that HD to another Mac and boot in there?

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decay

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space-time

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decay
You can also create a 2nd user account and give them the password for that one.

...and they could use a DVD to reset the admin password and access all the files after that.

[support.apple.com]

Can't you just access mikey's porn files by taking the hard drive out?

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space-time

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decay

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space-time

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decay
You can also create a 2nd user account and give them the password for that one.

...and they could use a DVD to reset the admin password and access all the files after that.

[support.apple.com]

What good is an Open Firmware password if they could move that HD to another Mac and boot in there?

I've never tried that - does it work? I'm too busy plus I respect my clients' privacy.

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Black

Can't you just access mikey's porn files by taking the hard drive out?

LOL! No porn but this is quite interesting. I've never had to worry about this before because I use to own a G5 tower and I did all my own repair work on it but I sold it to be able to pay for the MacBook (had to get an Intel processor.)

I am still thinking that doing another back up (actually, I clone the drive using SuperDuper!) and then deleting the sensitive files is the way to go. It might take a little more time but then I won't have to worry about them getting access to anything I don't want them to.

I can then restore the deleted files from the backup drive.

I'll keep checking to see if anyone has any other ideas.

Michael

if you delete the files, make sure you erase the free space securely with Disk Utility.

And make sure you have at least 2 different backups. 2 different drives, 2 methods (i.e. one SuperDuper, one CCC)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/13/2011 09:08PM by space-time.

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magicmikey
I am still thinking that doing another back up (actually, I clone the drive using SuperDuper!) and then deleting the sensitive files is the way to go. It might take a little more time but then I won't have to worry about them getting access to anything I don't want them to.

That is a good idea. Or maybe not even clone the drive. If you have the spare drive, do a quick fresh install on it instead.

You inspired me for another idea. Create the additional user. Clone the drive with ONLY that user selected. That will give you the immediate bootable clone but without putting any of your files on the clone.

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decay

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space-time
What good is an Open Firmware password if they could move that HD to another Mac and boot in there?

I've never tried that - does it work? I'm too busy plus I respect my clients' privacy.

Open Firmware is pretty useless in anything, except the MacBook Air. Simply changing the RAM configuration and rebooting from the install DVD lets you reset/remove the OF password (I've done it).

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Apple
Warning: The Open Firmware Password can be reset and changed by any one of the following (except MacBook Air):

1. By any administrator user, as designated in the Accounts preferences (or in Server Admin).
2. Via physical access to the inside of the computer.
3. When the computer is started up in Mac OS 9.

And since Open Firmware has nothing to do with disk/file encryption, of course removing the drive and putting in an enclosure, or another computer is going to give you complete access to the files.

Hard drive swaps are pretty easy in those machines.
I usually upgrade the hard drive but keep the stock drive hanging out in quasi-virgin state for these occasions (although admittedly it's stupid and wasteful to have perfectly good hard drives sitting around basically unused and losing monetary value by the day.)

If you turn FileVault on for your account, all the files in that account will be encrypted. FileVault is built in to the MacOS - Preferences/Security/FileVault.

It can take hours, esp if all your iTunes music is in your main account. It does include the option to wipe the unused space on the drive.

Also backup first - this will put major stress on your hard drive and if it is going bad this could make the errors appear. The BestBuy guys could nuke the hard drive by accident anyways (or decide to replace it).

You can un-FileVault it when you get it back.

Creating another account for them to access is a good idea - it is generally a good idea to have another account anyways - for troubleshooting and if your account gets messed up.

If you are going t swap the HD, why not just replace the optical yourself?