MacBook Air fanbois! Your flash drive may be a data-nuking TIME BOMB

If you bought a MacBook Air between June 2012 and June 2013, its flash storage drive may be preparing to crap out – and Apple wants to replace it before it goes south on you.

Cupertino has issued a warning that "certain" 64GB and 128GB solid-state drives (SSDs) in those previous-generation Airs "may fail," and says that if yours is one of the potential poop-outs, it will swap it out for a hearty one.

To find out if your SSD is a ticking time bomb, fire up the OS X App Store app on your MacBook Air, click Update, and select the MacBook Air Flash Storage Firmware Update 1.1 which should appear in the Update list.

Fire up the firmware update, and you'll be told whether your drive harbors latent evil. If so, Apple says, "we strongly recommend that you do not install any operating system updates or new applications" until you have it replaced.

Apple also recommends that you back up your data "on a regular basis until you receive a replacement drive." But you, dear Reg reader, being an experienced member of the digiterati, have a comprehensive backup regime in place already, eh?

Don't you?

In any case, should your MacBook Air need a replacement SSD, Apple suggests that you make an appointment with a Genius at one of its retail stores, take it to an Apple Authorized Service Provider, or contact Apple Support for other options.

Apple also recommends that you back the Air up, of course, before having its drive swapped out. Duh...

And if you've already replaced a failed SSD in your June 2012 to June 2013 MacBook Air, contact Apple and they'll give you a refund.

The replacement program will be avalable for three years from the date you bought your faulty MacBook Air, but doesn't extend the overall warranty period for the skinny li'l fellow. ®