Screw Dell Computers

[GingerSnaps]

I have 5 classes this semester and last night my f.ing Dell Laptop went out on me and it's less then 6 months old. I had all of my homework done and I was ready to print and I have no way of getting it off of my hard drive. :mad:

I called Dell several times because it kept overheating and the fan kept coming on all of the time. They told me that nothing was wrong with it :grr:.

Nothing was wrong with it IT F.ING BURNT UP! :argh:

[physioex]

1. That's major suck ass......

I am very paranoid about something like this happening. Always back up your hard drive on a monthly basis. And I cut a past important papers I write and email it to myself as a back up. Good Luck...

[disgruntled_goat]

2. dell sux

ive only used a few, but have had some kind of problem with all.

plus, my wife told me a while back that dell uses prison labor.
pass.

[physioex]

5. Ummm...Prison labor never heard of it...

I know their support has been outsourced. Also remember that that "low cost" items you buy also come from prison labor in China..

[GingerSnaps]

9. India?

:shrug:

[laruemtt]

3. condolences. my dell laptop

did the same thing several years ago. i'd had it for about six months too, then i was without it for TWO MONTHS gettig it fixed (they sent it to california), and since i used it for business, i had to go buy another laptop. i'll never have a dell again. good luck retrieving your data. if you have a computer doctor type business around, or someone at school who's good with computers, maybe then can save the day.

[GingerSnaps]

8. It wont come on

I have to wait for them to send me a box with a label and then they will fix it and then they will send it back in about a month or two.
I talked to someone in India and I guess that's where it will end up at.

[AlCzervik]

4. Michael dell-Bush lover

HP-Carly fiorino-Bush lover and adviser

Apple-Steve Jobs-Kerry supporter, huge donate to the DNC plus the apple power book is excellent.

[physioex]

7. HP was a respectable company...

Their products were always the best and of higest quality. Then comes that idiot from Lucent Carly. That was the beginning of the end of HP. Ohhh don't forget that idiotic merger with Compaq....

[AlCzervik]

10. My husband left compaq just as the merger went through

He now works for Apple so i'm biased of course.

[MadHound]

6. Obligatory "get a Mac" post

Though seriously, while you might be saving a bit of money in the short run when buying a Dell(or other PC), you will save yourself money, time, and stress in the long run when you get a Mac.

I've had several Macs, and know several people who own several Macs. None, absolutely none of them have ever failed. Yes, there are problems with Macs, nothing is perfect. But the problems are few and far between with a Mac.

Occasionaly I get out my old Apple II just for nostolgia's sake.

[Anakin Skywalker]

15. Get Thee over to http://www.apple.com

I am happy to see Mac people here (more so than on any Repug board, that's for sure. Republicans rabidly defend Micro$uck because they live vicariously through Bilk Gates, whose billion$ they worship).

I can testify to the durability of Macs. The school I attended was poor and was using Macs that were almost 10 years old (for internet apps.)! I'd agree with most on here that in the long run, you will save both time and money going with a Mac. Macs really aren't that much more expensive than a mid-range PC anyway.

[salvorhardin]

11. Your data is probably just fine.

It sounds like your CPU fried.

There's nothing special about laptop hard drives -- they're just smaller than the ones you stick in desktop computers and you can get adapters easily to connect the laptop hard drive to your desktop.
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=244974&sku=C184-17705

[GingerSnaps]

12. Most of the homework was due tomorrow

I have homework due in all of my classes and I don't have time. I'm thinking about taking my computer to my classes and showing the Professors that it burnt up as proof.

[GingerSnaps]

16. I heard sizzling sounds

If the computer does not come on can you still download the hard drive to your desktop?

We use our computers in several of my classes :argh:

[kslib]

13. Happened to me

too, good luck getting anywhere. They kept stalling until my warranty was up, then all of a sudden they figured it out and could fix it! For a price...

:argh:

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

14. Build your own.

It's easy, educational and fun. Try http://www.newegg.com for da' schtuff you need.

Next setup the thing as a dual-boot XP/Linux system. Get out from under the virus collector in a casual and unhurried manner.

You can do this. If you need a laptop, buy one and do the same. There are companies out there that build laptops every bit as good as Dell and for less.

[onebigbadwulf]

17. The plugs fall out of the bottom

keep the comp one inch off the surface. My friend and I had the same problem. Once it's airborn the problem ceases.

[GingerSnaps]

19. It was giving me a McDonald's coffee burn before it died

I thought that it was me but it was the computer burning up. I was going to toss it out the window but I didn't want to hit anyone with garbage.

[Deja Q]

18. Dell makes cack. IBM brand is rather better. Forget Apple unless

IBM is the only brand with patented hard drive protection mechanisms (check out their web site for most T- and R- series models).

Apple, assuming the hardware for the price is reasonable, might be worth it too. But I somehow doubt that.

[MazeRat7]

20. Every experience is different I guess...

I have 5 dell systems here at the house, 2 laptops, 2 dual processor work stations, and one high-performance rack server (also one i-book for the mac crowd *grin) running various versions of Linux and Windoz.

The oldest is from 2000 and all are still working great. Maybe I got mine during a good year(s) or something.

If you have access to another laptop of the same model, remove their hard drive (the little door on the left with 1 screw if its a latitude) and replace it with yours - boot the system and recover all your data before getting it fixed.

Sorry you are having troubles...I would be pissed.

MZr7

[GingerSnaps]

22. The lady in India

Didn't act surprised when I told her about what happened. She said that it was a part that was faulty and admitted that the model that I have has a part that malfunctions.

[salvorhardin]

23. I went through the same thing

with a customer's Compaq a couple years back. They had poorly designed the heatsink and ventilation. The fan just couldn't keep up with the heat the CPU was generating.

Other than the thing being hot enough to be painfully uncomfortable through jeans, the problems first started manifesting themselves as random shutdowns. Eventually the machine just stopped working.

What's more, it was a well known problem from HP-Compaq, but apprently they must have figured it was the cost of replacing the latops from the customers who complained loudly and long enough than issuing a general recall and fixing the problem.

[MazeRat7]

30. Thats why they now call them "portables" vs "laptops" ....

They were burning everybody's legs. *grin.

Seriously, I fear I am starting to sound like a Dell advocate and that is not my intent. However, I have been in the business for a long time. Every manufacturer has defects. The question being "is your system one of those".

While I dont know the Dell numbers, I do know they produce literally hundreds of thousands of systems every year possibly millions if you consider the world-wide market. I would "suspect" the defect rate for their systems is somewhere around 1-3%. Just like cars, toasters, DVDs, etc. After all computers are now considered "commodity" items. So, bottom line, either your experience is good or bad. If bad, work with them to get it fixed. If they fail in that regard, then skewer them for a bad "customer experience".

Again, it sucks when it happens to you. But the reality is it happens.

MZr7

[miss_kitty]

21. don't forget to screw Gateway computers too.

I have Gateway. I've posted it before. Having this computer is like being in love with a handsome man who is a total bastard...I would not know how to behave if I got a computer that didn't start up with a "this computer has just recovered from a serious error" message.

Sorry about your dell. :(

[RollergirlVT]

24. may or may not help

pull out your battery, Then put it back in. I don't know why but it can bring it back to life sometimes.

[PatriotGames]

25. Dell must know you are a Democrat. LOL

[Renew Deal]

26. Are the fans in the back turning?

I have had one of them get stuck and then the whole thing overheats.

[GingerSnaps]

27. It doesn't come on at all

[Renew Deal]

28. Are they the fans in the back?

Or an internal fan? You should call back and go apeshit until you get results.

[GingerSnaps]

29. I am not sure

I heard a sizzling noise in the computer and they it flashed off for a second and it smelled like something was burning. I unplugged it from the adapter and the fan shut off. I was going nuts because I thought that it would start shooting out flames and then it died and didn't come back on.

If I don't get my box and label by tomorrow I will go crazy on them.

[Renew Deal]

31. Good news is your data is probably fine

bad news is your processor/motherboard are probably fucked.

Did they say that they were sending it? If they did, you will be OK. I have an Inspiron 8200 with occasional issues.

[GingerSnaps]

32. They are sending me a box to return it

They said that they will fix it.

[Renew Deal]

33. Sounds good

[MadAsHell]

34. I suggest you search the basements at your college ...

Somewhere locked deep in the recesses will be the computer support nerd cult. Don't fear them for they are like you ...

Seriously, see if you can find a sympathetic soul who can help you mount the drive from your laptop and get your homework onto another machine.

By the way, if you have read Jim Hightower's "If the Gods Wanted Us to Vote, They Would Have Given Us Candidates" you would never buy a Dell again.

[Magrittes Pipe]

35. It is a bad idea to screw your computer.

Doing so will void your warranty.

[huskerlaw]

36. Yup, that happened to me...

I had nearly every piece of my Dell laptop replaced one piece at a time (including the plastic cover) before I finally convinced them that if they didn't replace it I would sue them. And oddly, the comp always crashed right before or during law school finals.

I've had laptop #2 for a tad over a year and so far so good. Keep on them and use big scary phrases like "product liability" and "inherently defective."

In the meantime, try contacting a store that specializes in building computers. Sometimes they can take your hard drive out and salvage the information. For a fee, of course.

[Texasgal]

37. I have always said....

Dell is a four letter word!