Dell complaints

[screwdawg]

After many hours with Dell tech support ( 1300 minutes and counting over the past 3 months) 33 technicians including a half dozen manager/supervisors, I finally convinced one supervisor that the problem is serious enough that he offered to return my Inspiron 1520 notebook back to the "depot" to replace the motherboard and wireless card.
I told him that there might be sensitive info on my computer and should I be concerned or try to remove it? He told me that they would leave the hardrive in place and that I shouldn't be worried about my personal information.
This of course coming from a current Dell employee, and we know how they generally regard making truthful statements?
Should I be concerned??
This is the closest I've been to possible resolution to my Dell problems in 3 months, I don't want to blow it.

What should I do??

[diashto]

its next to impossible to remove the motherboard without pulling the harddrive on that model.. but in order for anyone to read the sensitive data they'd have to plug it into another machine while they were repairing yours, or go snooping after yours was fixed.

They used to tell you to pull the battery and harddrive before shipping it to depot for service, wonder why that changed.

[Rocke_T_Sinetist]

If it's the "wireless loses connection" problem, I haven't heard a case of that being resolved. (But then we don't always get resolutions reported.)

Dell's contract depots have about the same reputation Dell does. Just so you know, it can come back the same as it was, or worse, or not at all. But if that's all they are offering, your choices are let them try, or keep it the way it is.
_________________
Rocke T Sinetist
as in, 'it doesn't take a...'

[DELLapidated]

Why? what is the problem with the wireless card?

[screwdawg]

You are asking the wrong guy about what the problem might be. Though I've logged enough time in with tech support over the past 4 months that am starting to feel that perhaps I'm better qualified than some that I've been on the phone with.
Funny thing, I almost ashamed to admit that I've developed a rapport with a couple of them ( ashamed because.........well they are the enemy).
But once you spend up to 7 hours in a single call with some, it's like their almost family. Anyway, one guy told me that not only could he not solve my problem, his advice was for me to retain and lawyer and sue them.
Another guy who self admitted that owned his own computer company at one time and was horrified by the way Dell conducted it's business, basically gave me a few "tips" on how to get their attention. There are spies in their midst.

It is very much a case of this Inspiron 1520 notebook not being able to consistently connect to the wireless network. We've replaced the router, replaced the motem and done 2 OSRI's among a vast number of other things and as recently as today could not find my wireless network anywhere.
This guy is suggesting motherboard or wireless card, I'm just happy to be moving in a new direction.

[DELLapidated]

By any chance are you running Vista?

Does it seem that your computer can see the wireless network sometimes and then not at all?

Have you tried changing the channel of your wireless router into channel 11? Just make sure your wireless card is enabled.

That's what I did and it eliminated the problem of my computer not seeing my own wireless network when I switched to Vista. Worth a try. I hope this helps and will work for you, too. If not, well... good luck!

[screwdawg]

Yes in fact I am running Vista ( Home Premium). And yes, I create a new wireless network, and it runs fine for days, even weeks and then without warning it will not connect.

I view the available wireless networks and usually it's not listed. This latest time the network I created wasn't listed, but suddenly there was one there called "NETGEAR" (coincidentally the name of router that came with the Dell) It was an unsecure network, but each time I selected it I was able to connect......until this afternoon, now it's gone as well.

I remember seeing the details of the router possibly during a "Dell connect" session (one of many) but don't recall how to find it again. Is it through the manage a wireless network option?

I've been blaming Vista for a lot of my problems because there seems to be a security/firewall issue that appears about the time I lose my ability to connect. I'm running the AVG antivirus (free edition). That possibility has been explored by several techs already and is usually dismissed.

[DELLapidated]

[screwdawg]

That is very good information and I will certainly explore those options, but unfortunately this laptop is scheduled to be Purolated back to the depot for the replacement motherboard tomorrow.

As I've said, I'm exhausting every single avenue that I have while still under warranty in an attempt if nothing else to harrass the shit out of them until they cut my tether.

You said alot when you mention Vista has some security issues. I understand that it was probably a responsible move to include that type of security (if they worked properly) However, I'm a fairly cautious computer user and don't use Facebook, in fact, I think this is the very first forum I've ever been on ( could you tell?) I don't think I need that level of security.

As far as the NETGEAR router goes I did go in and change my username and password twice to secure my network, but that network was not even listed this time when I went to connect, only NETGEAR. Which I assume was some type of default that the router went to when my network was not detected??
I fully intend to secure the new network again if I can ever get the computer to work ( I know it won't last long since I fully expect to be going through all of this again a month from now.

[DELLapidated]

Router username and password is for accessing the router only, but the wireless network security is a different animal. Reading your post carefully I would assume that you have not yet set up your wireless network security (have you?). I guess the NETGEAR could be yours, but Netgear is quite a common brand of router and your neighbors might be using a Netgear router in default mode.

So I wish you good luck with the return to depot process!

Just after I posted my previous post, I turned off my computer and Windows started updating. When I turned on my computer this morning before going to work, my PC would not connect to my wireless network anymor, even though I see my wireless network listed. Tried to manually connect with what I think are the correct credentials but I still can't connect. I have the whole day while at work to wonder what's wrong. Great - now it's me who has a problem. LOL. Hmmm I might do a system restore later and see if it's the updates. I'm writing this post at work. The only good thing is that my PC is not a Dell.


Peace!

[GTSL1RR]

login to your router and change the name of your network to something like your name. if your connecting to a network named netgear, you might be connecting to a neighbor's network who has the same kind of router as you and then losing the connection because of the distance.

[screwdawg]

Thank you for the intell and Dellapitaed I'm sorry that this problem appears to be contagious.
I have had to do all of my correspondence from another computer since my Dell hasn't been able to connect reliably forever, and now it's gone to the Hell Depot.

The only reason that I suggest that my Netgear router has done some funkie default thing and that is the network I'm connecting with. I've watched the other available "secured" networks in my neighbourhood for some time and they are all familiar to me. This Netgear one popped up almost immediately when my password protected network disappeared.

I'm almost to the point where if this last fix doesn't address the problem, to just abandoning the whole wireless thing all together and going strictly ethernet.