Do you have an older MacBook Air that seems to be having issues? You’re not alone. There is a chance that you were sold a unit with a defective solid-state drive (SSD). It was discovered that the flash drives on older MacBook Air systems previously sold have been known to fail. This affects 64GB and 128GB flash storage drive systems sold from June 2012 through June 2013. Apple offered to replace the flash drive free of charge through one of their local stores or an Apple Authorized Service Provider for up to three years after the initial purchase date.
To determine if your MacBook Air might possibly contain a faulty flash drive, simply follow these steps:
- Click on the Apple logo located in the upper left corner of your screen
- Click on About This Mac
- Choose the More Info button to see when your MacBook Air was made
- The model information is listed at the top of the Overview pane
If you find that your model was made in between the stated period, then it is highly recommended that you backup all of your data on your MacBook air before attempting to determine if your system has been affected. Once you have backed up all of your data, then you can run a firmware update by completing the following steps:
- Go to the Mac App Store
- Click on Updates
- If you do not see any updates, then you are not affected
- If you see, MacBook Air Flash Storage Firmware Update 1.1, click on it to install and run it
If your SSD has not been affected, then the update will install firmware to correct the issue with the flash storage drive. If you have determined that your drive is affected, then it will direct you to the MacBook Air Flash Storage Drive Replacement Program website. It will provide further information to make an appointment with your local Apple store or an Apple Authorized Service Provider. Once you go in for the appointment, a technician can determine whether it can be repaired or if it needs to be replaced completely.
It is best that you refrain from installing any new operating system updates or applications. Continue backing up your data until you are able to have the drive replaced. It is important that you not attempt to replace the SSD yourself. If you’re unable to have Apple fix it, know you can have us do it for you. Our certified technicians are highly knowledgeable on how to replace the SSD in MacBooks and we have a 24 hours turnaround. Contact us for more information on this MacBook repair.