[Blue Highway]

I’ve never voided my warranty on my Compaq notebook through either Compaq or Microsoft for having had 4 different hard drives in my laptop over the past 2 years as well as 6 or 7 different iterations of XP, Vista, and Win 7 or Linux versions. I don’t buy the idea the hard drive is a non user serviceable part. Heck Microsoft has an 800# specifically for when you upgrade a major component like a hard drive and need to re-register your Microsoft product. On the part of Compaq I had to low level format my original 80 gig Seagate hard drive when I returned it to Compaq. I don’t trust anyone having my data at all.

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

"I don’t buy the idea the hard drive is a non user serviceable part."

Either do I, but tell that to the anti-tamper stickers on the screws of my old Compaq.

Had I gone into that machine to fix a "non-user-serviceable part" like the hard disk, I'd have voided its warranty. Not the case with Macs, unless of course you do damage while you're in there. If you replace the hard disk, Apple will no longer warrant the hard disk but the motherboard, display and other bits will still be covered unless you screw 'em up somehow. At least, this goes for my experience with the extended 3-year AppleCare warranty, which I highly, highly recommend.

I haven't mentioned the great service you get in the Apple Stores yet on this thread. I've owned Dell, Sony, IBM/Lenovo and Compaq, and I'm here to tell you that it's a real joy to make an appointment online, saunter into the store at the appointed hour, and talk with a knowledgeable technician who really knows his or her stuff and speaks actual unaccented English. Compare that with the many hellish hours on the phone with Mujibar in Bombay mulishly reading a totally irrelevant script to me as my blood pressure spikes into the stratosphere... no comparison.