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Hey everyone, been awhile since I posted because my old computer went tits-up. The wife said it came down with a case of Alzheimer’s and forgot what it was supposed to do. Well since it was over two years old, we decided it was replace it rather than repair it and after doing some price comparisons, we decided to go with what “Should” be a reliable system and purchased a Dell XPS-400.

Day 1 – Computer arrives and I get it hooked up and it’s working fine. I’m starting to feel confident that I made the decision to go with Dell.

Day 2 – While getting my daily news fix at foxnews.com the computer froze up, no problem I’ve had this happen hundreds of times with other computers, press and hold the power button wait a few minutes and turn it back on. Only this time, it wouldn’t cut back on, no boot-up or nothing. All I could hear is the fan running and nothing else. I’m thinking WTF, so I call Dell’s customer support (CS) and get the typical Press one for… Press two for … and then finally the dreaded; all our technicians are currently busy please hold on one will be with you shortly. Well “Shortly” turned in to 45 minutes and it was time for me to leave so I handed the phone off to the wife and left the house. A short time after getting to work the wife calls and she’s having a tizzy, seems as though CS tried telling her it was a software issue and that we would need to purchase a software tech plan. WHOA WTF, give me the number to CS and I’ll have a talk with them. Called CS (here we go again press one for… press two for…) finally got in touch with a real person and he suggested it might be a problem with the way I had my computer hooked up to the monitor (hmm I’m no computer expert but this sounded fishy). Called the wife and told her what CS said and she swapped the DVI cable for the VGA cable (yep my initial instinct was correct, this person doesn’t know shit).

Day 3 – Called CS again and this time was transferred to numerous hardware departments only to be told it was a Tech. issue and given a new phone number (guess Dell has a “special number for XPS computers that they forgot to tell me about”). Called the Tech Number and this time the individual seemed very knowledgeable and commenced to having me tear apart my new computer to include: disconnecting / reconnecting every component in the case. After 45 minutes of troubleshooting, he decided that the motherboard had gone bad and would be sending out a third party technician the next morning to replace it.

Day 4 – After waiting almost a whole day with no word of what was going on, my wife called Dell’s CS to see when someone would contact us about coming to repair our computer. She was transferred to the third party tech support company and told that the technician would be contacting us when he received the new part (Wait a minute no one said a new part would have to be shipped).

Day 5 – Still haven’t heard from the third party tech support but Dell CS called and told us that if this part doesn’t fix the computer that Dell will replace it free of charge.

Day 6- Still no word from the third party tech support so wife called and spoke with them. She was told that a technician had already been to the house, replaced the part and that and that the case had been closed out. Okay WTF, since my wife had been home all day and no one had been to the house, just how the hell did they think it had been fixed?!! So, she corrected them and they called the Technician to see what was going on. Well seems as though the Technician had accidentally cleared the wrong work order and that he would call back by 3:00pm. At 3:33pm and no word from the Technician, the wife called the third party tech support company and demanded that they get this issue resolved. At 4:28pm we finally received word from the Technician and he claimed he had called earlier and left a message to set up an appointment….. (guess my answering machine / caller ID must be tits-up also). He was going to arrive that evening to replace the motherboard….. NO SHOW!!!

Day 7 – Technician called around 7:00AM to say he was on his way and arrived almost an hour later. He removed and replaced the motherboard hooked everything back up and started the computer (Wow it works) however, this time there is another problem. The computer cannot recognize a USB device (that’s strange nothings hooked up to it). Called Dells Tech Support again and they do a remote hook up and ran through several things. He couldn’t figure out what was wrong and needed to research the problem, later his supervisor called back an said they don’t know what’ wrong with it and that they would be sending us a brand new system.

Day 12 – New computer arrives and guess what, another problem. This time the DVD player won’t work. So I swapped it out with the one slated to be returned and now everything seems to be working (as of today). Called Dell and informed them of what I had done and they said it was fine.

In closing let me just say this is not meant as an insult to Dell, just an informative report of the problems I have incurred since purchasing my new computer.

capche-capche da - we go forward together

Faugh ah Ballaugh -Clear The Way-

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Faugh ah Ballaugh ~ Clear the Way

DAMN.
At least when the computers at work go TU, you can ignore it and go into the section chiefs office. I would die if my PC took a shit.

Assault is a type of behavior, not a type of rifle.

My sister's Dell had the same problem about a year and a half ago ( dead MB ) Dell sent someone out the next day, he swapped the part and it's been fine ever since. My old Dell had something go skizzy 3 or 4 years ago and even though we were out in the middle of no-where a guy shows up later that same afternoon determined it was a CD drive problem, 3 or 4 days later it came in, he came out and it was all done. Sounds like your local support tech service is incompetent or highly overworked. Most parts arnt going to be in stock since there are so many combinations that you can put together to make your own system.

In comparison my current high dollar PC is a Gateway that does all sorts of freaky stuff and Gateweak hasnt lifted a finger, highly uninterested in doing anything about it so I will be highly uninterested in ever giving them any of my money ever again, Dell all the way from now on.

A 45 has a muzzle.
A 9mm has a bullet vent.

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The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire.

All the Comps in my office and my home comp are Dells. Never had much problem with them, except for when their India division calls... but then I don't talk to them except to say "have an American call me please"...

"One of you is gonna fall and die, and I'm not cleaning it up"
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/jollyrogerspaintball/cup.gif" border=0>

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\"One of you is gonna fall and die, and I'm not cleaning it up\"

Stinger, believe it or not, almost all of those tech-support type clls are going through India. They even take classes to speak with American accents and pick American names for themselves. It makes good business sense, I get so mad so fast when Apu is on the other end of the line and I can't understand a word.

Assault is a type of behavior, not a type of rifle.

I had heard all you folks "Horror Stories" before so I had mine bulit locally,
Everything I wanted PLUS! more crap I'm still finding I have in the computer.
I have only one problem, its usually with what ever browser I'm using.
Went from MSN,YAHOO,to my ISP companies own Browser but it shows up as a "Virus" to my BitDefender still cant find that problem,so I went back to Netscape 8-1 which gives you the option of either
Firefox or IE.
Its nice but ,I liked the way Myway was set up. I use Firefox so far its worked Great,we'll see.

Goose

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
Benjamin Franklin,
(1706 - 1790)

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\"Live Free Or Die\"

Typical Dell Tech Support. Man I'm glad I know how to do all that crap myself!

You might be a "Bulldog" if: You bend over and grab your ankles when you hear: "EXERCISE, EXERCISE, EXERCISE!"

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3 Branches down... 2 to go!
Put on your tinfoil hats, the black choppers are coming, and I'm calling them in.
Former DCC OA-10A T/N 80-278

Well it's been two days now and the computer is working fine. Wife called Dells CS again to give them a recap on all the problems we had. They told her that Dell is aware of their Tech Support issues and are working to fix the problem. She also appologize for any inconvineance and took $100.00 off the price of our computer.

Guess I'm starting to feel better about my Dell relationship.

capche-capche da - we go forward together

Faugh ah Ballaugh -Clear The Way-

_________________


Faugh ah Ballaugh ~ Clear the Way

If you get the Dell "buisness/commercial" support package you get Americans on the tech support line, the rest of us get India( mostly ) or ( occasionally ) Ireland.

A 45 has a muzzle.
A 9mm has a bullet vent.

_________________
The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire.

You have to PAY TO SPEAK TO AN AMERICAN, GEE Why didnt I think of that?????????????????



Goose

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
Benjamin Franklin,
(1706 - 1790)

_________________
\"Live Free Or Die\"