Demon cat spilled water on my Macbook Pro

[jdmoor3]

Okay, my cat, the bane of my existence has added a new item to the list of why I want to punt him to the curb, he knocked over an entire glass of water onto my MacBook Pro while I slept last night, so I awoke this morning to a wet computer. Before anyone tries to lecture me on why did I have a cup of water near my laptop, please spare me the finger wagging. I am always very careful about having water near my laptop, I just fell asleep last night from absolute exhaustion and forgot to put the water away.

So, yeah, how do I save this bad boy? It was still on when it happened, I don't know how long it sat in the water. Luckily (?) it was at least closed when it happened. It won't turn on and I have it sitting under a lamp right now hoping it will dry out. What's the likelihood of this thing will zombie itself back from the dead and if it doesn't, how do I get all my files off of it. It's my work computer so it has a ton of shit on it.

 

[Cap'n Ken]

Oof. If you have AppleCare I wouldn't fool around with it and just give them a call. If not, sounds like a tough spot. Obviously the water's done damage if it won't turn on, but it's hard to know if your hard drive is fried or what. I'm about to need to rescue stuff off the Achiever's old laptop, and I think I have a laptop-size external enclosure around here somewhere to help me out with that.

If you're lucky, the hard drive is OK and you'll be able to get the data off it.

[insan0]

Disconnect the power and remove the battery.  Give it a day or so to dry - or if you're brave you can try opening it, pulling the guts out and using a hair dryer.  Reconnect power and see what happens.  No promises, but if it was just water it's worth a shot.

[jdmoor3]

Oof. If you have AppleCare I wouldn't fool around with it and just give them a call. If not, sounds like a tough spot. Obviously the water's done damage if it won't turn on, but it's hard to know if your hard drive is fried or what. I'm about to need to rescue stuff off the Achiever's old laptop, and I think I have a laptop-size external enclosure around here somewhere to help me out with that.

If you're lucky, the hard drive is OK and you'll be able to get the data off it.

Supposedly, AppleCare won't cover any damage by spills, it pretty much wipes out my warranty. I didn't want to fool around with trying to open it myself after reading various internet threads about how difficult it is to get into it to save the hard drive. The little blue sleeping light will still light up when I push the power button, but it does not stay on long and everything I have read keeps telling me to not try to turn it on until it has had a day or two to dry out.

How do I disconnect the battery?

[insan0]

and I think I have a laptop-size external enclosure around here somewhere to help me out with that.

If you're lucky, the hard drive is OK and you'll be able to get the data off it.

I have an adapter you can use for any harddrive (IDE, EIDE, SATA, ESATA) without an enclosure at all if you just need to recover data.

Harddrive mechanism's are sealed up really well to keep dust and humidity out.  Just a spill shouldn't compromise that, and as long as the water didn't cause any arcing and fry the connectors it should be fine.

[insan0]

How do I disconnect the battery?

Flip the computer over and slide the little switch to the unlocked padlock icon and the battery should pop out.

[Cap'n Ken]

Oof. If you have AppleCare I wouldn't fool around with it and just give them a call. If not, sounds like a tough spot. Obviously the water's done damage if it won't turn on, but it's hard to know if your hard drive is fried or what. I'm about to need to rescue stuff off the Achiever's old laptop, and I think I have a laptop-size external enclosure around here somewhere to help me out with that.

If you're lucky, the hard drive is OK and you'll be able to get the data off it.

Supposedly, AppleCare won't cover any damage by spills, it pretty much wipes out my warranty. I didn't want to fool around with trying to open it myself after reading various internet threads about how difficult it is to get into it to save the hard drive. The little blue sleeping light will still light up when I push the power button, but it does not stay on long and everything I have read keeps telling me to not try to turn it on until it has had a day or two to dry out.

How do I disconnect the battery?

How old is your MacBook? If how to disconnect the battery isn't obvious - does that mean it's the newer "unibody" one? And what size - 13? 15?

[jdmoor3]

How do I disconnect the battery?

Flip the computer over and slide the little switch to the unlocked padlock icon and the battery should pop out.

Shit, so I have screwed myself even more by leaving it at home, with the battery still in it, letting it dry out. Crap, and I can't leave here for another hour or so to race home and take it out.

I might punch something.

[jdmoor3]

Oof. If you have AppleCare I wouldn't fool around with it and just give them a call. If not, sounds like a tough spot. Obviously the water's done damage if it won't turn on, but it's hard to know if your hard drive is fried or what. I'm about to need to rescue stuff off the Achiever's old laptop, and I think I have a laptop-size external enclosure around here somewhere to help me out with that.

If you're lucky, the hard drive is OK and you'll be able to get the data off it.

Supposedly, AppleCare won't cover any damage by spills, it pretty much wipes out my warranty. I didn't want to fool around with trying to open it myself after reading various internet threads about how difficult it is to get into it to save the hard drive. The little blue sleeping light will still light up when I push the power button, but it does not stay on long and everything I have read keeps telling me to not try to turn it on until it has had a day or two to dry out.

How do I disconnect the battery?

How old is your MacBook? If how to disconnect the battery isn't obvious - does that mean it's the newer "unibody" one? And what size - 13? 15?

I believe it is one of the newer "unibody" ones. I think I got it in 2010...

[Cap'n Ken]

Oof. If you have AppleCare I wouldn't fool around with it and just give them a call. If not, sounds like a tough spot. Obviously the water's done damage if it won't turn on, but it's hard to know if your hard drive is fried or what. I'm about to need to rescue stuff off the Achiever's old laptop, and I think I have a laptop-size external enclosure around here somewhere to help me out with that.

If you're lucky, the hard drive is OK and you'll be able to get the data off it.

Supposedly, AppleCare won't cover any damage by spills, it pretty much wipes out my warranty. I didn't want to fool around with trying to open it myself after reading various internet threads about how difficult it is to get into it to save the hard drive. The little blue sleeping light will still light up when I push the power button, but it does not stay on long and everything I have read keeps telling me to not try to turn it on until it has had a day or two to dry out.

How do I disconnect the battery?

How old is your MacBook? If how to disconnect the battery isn't obvious - does that mean it's the newer "unibody" one? And what size - 13? 15?

I believe it is one of the newer "unibody" ones. I think I got it in 2010...

If you've got a 15" you probably have the same one I have. I think the 13" ones of the same vintage might still have a easily-removable battery, but for mine you have to bust out the tiny screwdriver and remove the bottom panel to get at it. It's not intended to be user-replaceable.

[rewinderase]

I've heard of a few people sealing the item in a bag of rice for a day or two to draw out the moisture. It might be worth a shot.

[meow]

The exact same thing happened to me in December, except it was a cup of paintwater and brushes. It's a terrible thing to discover, I'm sorry. Unfortunately, my guess is that your logic board is probably fried. If you haven't tried powering it on you may be okay, but I would place your computer in a bag of rice immediately. I never was able to get mine functional again, but it did "zombie itself back" a little by making some random noises and flashes when I turned it on. I would reccommend taking it by Oynx in Decatur. They will be able to tell you what kind of damage you recieved. It'll cost you $40 or so, but it's always good to know exactly what issues exist.

Also, if you have unibody, the battery isn't that easy to just pop out.

[jdmoor3]

I'm gonna have to bust out the screwdriver because mine definitely has the one panel under body. Thanks Apple, I totes appreciate you making this as difficult as possible for me. Expect to see a new posting in the critters section of me begging someone to come and take my stupid fucking deaf cat off my hands.

[meow]

I felt pretty much the same way about my cat after it happened, she's such a bitch!

[Cap'n Ken]

I'm gonna have to bust out the screwdriver because mine definitely has the one panel under body. Thanks Apple, I totes appreciate you making this as difficult as possible for me. Expect to see a new posting in the critters section of me begging someone to come and take my stupid fucking deaf cat off my hands.

Real sorry to hear it. I wish I could say I think things will be OK, but beyond getting your data off the hard drive it sounds like it's a fairly unwinnable situation.