Dell complaints

[paul_dellcc]

Stop bothering the Dell kiosk people

They can't do sh*t for you.

Where are you DDS
_________________
I see DELL people!!

If we don't remember our past, we can't understand our present and we can put in danger our future...

[ShaftDu]

oh my, i would hate to work at one of those places. you got angry customers and you are the only face to face person.

Dell is a mail order place. They have limited face to face for a reason. And golly, that would be rough for those kiosk workers.

no offense to you Kent

[Ed Amend]

I was having a graphics problem. I reinstalled MB which I got from (you guessed it) Dell. I figured that a $120 fix would be worthwhile since graphics card is integrated. I installed knew MB which was refurbished as it turns out. Computer boots up but then I can't initiate any programs. I run Diagnostic CD and print out a ton of literature from Dell. I decide to reinstall the OS from scratch but can't fdisk it. It asks for password which I give it (both BIOS and Windows XP). It takes neither. I finally was able to do an fdisk or so I thought and reinstall XP. It works but it appears that I have installed the XP over the other installation and I need to run debug. I follow directions as per DELL CUSTOMER SUPPORT. I get error when I run debug script after the second - and it comes back with a bracketed number like [8040]. Oh I did get to talk to Dell who instructed me on this page location to get to this point. The first Tech told me that I should buy a new PC and that he would issue a credit for $90 for the MB I just paid $109 for. I told him if that MB was going anywhere for $90 he better own stock in Vaseline. They are absolutely useless as is my machine. If anyone has any idea how to initiate Debug on a Dell Dimension 2350 1.7 Celeron with 384 RAM running XP Home please do tell. As to Dell - DO NOT BUY A CAR FROM THIS PERSON!!!!!! They have no support infrastructure and while a few of their techs are knowledgeable, many are not or just blow you off like your an imbecile or forward the call to some inappropriate department which you have to wait 30 minutes before a person actually talks to you and tells you you have wrong number. In the interim they do everything but tell you to unplug the computer (no - I take that back - I do believe that is a requisite part of the litany.) Then when you're just about ready to mail anthrax to their CEOs home, they start playing piano notes loudly in your ear - all the time of course you are dying wasting your time for a simple yes that's the right jumper switch or no or anything. They SUCK!!!!!! If you read this and buy anything from them I have a bridge in Manhattan for sale (waterfront property) call anytime 24/7. Seriously, if anyone knows how I can toast the hard drive so I can repartition and set up NTFS and all and install a fresh copy of the OS I'd be much obliged. I too will revel in their inevitable demise. It's just a shame that they will screw over lots of people in their path looking for a reasonable solution to what has become as necessary to life these days as a telephone. We have a way of dealing with these people here in the Bronx. Only wish there head office was hear instead of Oshkosh Idaho (no disrespect meant here - I'm geographically challenged if it's not a subway stop). Thanks all and a special thanks to Dell for their unparalleled support.

[Caribou16]

[CE3IBT]

[Sprocket]

[ShaftDu]

[Blaze]

[Blaze]

Jon,

As far as I know, the repair depots do NOT replace hard drives at all. Nor are they generally (there are a couple of exceptions) what is known as Field Replaceable Units (FRU's). They are called Customer Replaceable Unit's as all you need to do is unscrew one Phillps screw and remove the drive. You should have had a replacement drive sent to you next-day if the hard drive fails diags.

Blaze

[paul_dellcc]

[guy]

Gentlemen,

Thank you for your replies. It’s gratifying that two complete strangers have shown me more attention than Dell have.

I have now calmed down and at long last gotten rid of the laptop (the problem is that the thing was completely dead, no lights, nothing, well, one came on for a little while then died) I tried other power leads etc so I know it’s not just a fuse or something.

I fairness, it turns out DHL had tried to deleiver the carton that day an hour before my business opened and I got it later that day. However espite having the hours posted on the door, they don’t levae a note or come back when you are open. Eventually I got through to person number four at Dell who had the presnse of mind to actually deal with my enquiry rather than transfer to someone else, disconnect or whatever else happened before hand.

My gripe is why it took me an hour of my time, four different persons and two difrent reference numbers to resolve what was a simple enquiry.

I’m also in the minority. That is I don’t have a clue about computers. I know how to send and receive e-mails, open and close word and excel etc for work. Anything more than that, anything technical, and I’m screwed. There seems to be an assumption that the customer has some kind of training or experience in taking the things to pieces.

Thanks for your comments, I’ll let you know if this has a happy ending.

Guy

[DDS]

sorry all i ahve been away. I have been super busy working with a na online business. ANyway, YEAH STOP BOTHERING THE DDS PEOPLE!

Honestly these people cant do CRAP for customer service, they can ONLY order the computers. However you may get a nice rep who knows enough to be able to give you some tips but PLEASE dont stay there forever especially if there are other customers waiting. Thanks!

-DDS
_________________
My only words of wisdom to all are these:
1. RTFM
2. Dont be an idiot
3. Do not be ignorant, apathetic, close-minded.

[Caribou16]

I have also had the problem of tech support or customer care sending customers to the kiosk for support and product.

The frequency with which this happens makes me think they are not lying and someone over the phone really is telling them to stop by.

[moT]

BTW, Dell owns DFS!
They have sub-contracted a finance company to handle their financing and over the next year or so, they will be running it 100%.

Blame DFS all you want, but they are doing what Dell wants them to do.
_________________
Dell Laptop Repair
www.DCjackfix.com

[Ed Amend]

You are absolutely correct - that is the debug script which I used. I had to get rid of a partition on the hard drive that I somehow created and you are also correct I wound up using a copy of Win 98 to delete the partition. I went into the Bios and all and couldn't get rid of it with XP. I now have the board and the drivers loaded up and all is well. Ordered a 512 chip from Dell. Keep your fingers crossed. Thanks for the reply. Didn't get to see it till today. You are absolutely correct though. My problem with Dell is that instead of telling me that I needed to use a 98 boot disk to delete the partition and then allow me to format drive and load OS, after countless phone calls they offered to give me $20 less than I paid minus shipping towards a new PC. I expect a little more support than that. I printed out everything but the order of drivers but I knew chip driver needed to be installed first. Called Dell and finally got someone on the phone who told me the proper order and helped me out. I'm a software guy and it was my first swap out of a motherboard. Either they will get better customer service or they will lose customers as not many are as tenacious as me and once blown off will not return to do business with them. Thank all of you for your helpful suggestions. You are the man Sprocket and I'd like to give credit where due.