My dead MBA (HDD)

[outofbandii]

I got one of the original MacBook Air 1,1's (HDD version) back in '08. It's still a beautiful piece of hardware, if limited by dated CPU, HDD, GFX and just about everything else 🙂

The hard drive has failed several times. The failure isn't the kind of 'bricking' I'd expect - what happens is it starts to go corrupt, needs fsck (or the Mac OS DVD's equivalent in Disk Tools) and eventually needs a reformat and reinstall. It then works for another week, even two, before we need to reinstall all over again.

It's got a 0.5cm scratch right in the centre of the screen. Doesn't bother me all that much, but I think it's a deal-breaker when it goes to selling it on.

I've 2 options: leave it a doorstop, or put in a new HDD (or SSD) and sell or give away.

I can get a 64GB RunCore SSD (1.8" 5mm Pro IV PATA Zif SSD if you're looking) for $248.56 and put it in there myself, which might be a pain in the ass to do. This drive has a good reputation, if incredibly expensive for the size, and should bump performance significantly, but I'm not sure it's worth the hassle and expensive.

Is the hardware worth anything besides? What would you guys do with it?

 

[Emulex]

get the 32gb for alot less. i had to do the same, my 120gb sata died its a proprietary connector. it will last many more years. easy to swap out.

 

[Bateluer]

If you were to tell it, being honest with the faults, how much could you get for it?

 

[outofbandii]

If you were to tell it, being honest with the faults, how much could you get for it?

Good question. It is a lovely piece of hardware, better than most current generation netbooks. I'll hazard a guess (and I'd like the experts to chime in here) but maybe we'd be talking about $500-650 if it was in pristine condition.

With a scratch on the screen, knock $100 off that, and needing a new HDD, maybe another $100-200?