Braving The Support Depot... Fingers Crossed

Since the final days of the warranty are here, it seemed like a good idea to have any lingering issues with the laptop get ironed out. There are two non-functional USB ports on the left side, so repairs are necessary (along with having what is surely several cats-worth of animal hair getting blasted out). The worrisome part is that this involves sending my trusty umbilicus into the repair depot, for a turnaround time of 5-7 business days. This means that most of my gaming will temporarily come to an end, as my wife's Dell Latitude is good for a decent round of Quake III: Arena, but can't handle much else. Therefore, more writing and less gaming is in my immediate future.

Confessional time: I'm a little worried about this, because the stories I have read about the depots have not been sparkling. Here's hoping that this gets resolved satisfactorily, and I will keep you all updated as this will be my last go-round with Alienware's warranty service and will most likely heavily influence whether or not I return to the AW fold after saving up some new laptop funds.

 

There are 2 ways to think about it.
First, they fix it and it works great.
Second, they mess it up bad and you get a brand new machine.

Either way you wont be left out in the cold.

 

Hi Zombiegoat,

I just went through this in early September. I had to send my M17xR4 to the depot due to an onsite technician not knowing what they were doing. This was my second time sending an Alienware system to the "depot" and third overall for Dell. I had to send an Area 51 desktop back to the depot after it came DOA. I also sent an Inspiron back once, and then finally my M17xR4. Granted the Area 51 was to pre-Dell Alienware, but if am 2 good experiences and 1 bad experience so far. The latest trip was a "good" experience with my only issue is that they did not replace the heatpipe that was damaged by the tech, just the faulty part (also probably damaged by the tech). The laptop was out for less than 7 days total, and that was over a weekend. Some advice (learned from my bad experience): Remove any hardware that you upgraded beyond what it shipped with (you may not get it back), remove any passwords (to encourage them to NOT wipe out your OS install), and take before pictures. Good luck!

Rich S.

 

Very true. Okay, the package is in the mail, so now the waiting game begins.

 

Received notification today that the unit has been received. So far, so good.

 

I checked in on the status last night with the online tracker and saw that there was a problem; the unit had been received after the expiration date of the warranty, so everything was on hold until they talked to me. Uh-oh. I resolved to call them in the morning and after checking the status update at 8:30 AM... saw that the technician had received proper authorization and the unit was scheduled to be done and shipped back on Friday. And they didn't even have to call myself or my wife.

So it looks like everything is going to work out okay (fingers crossed), and once again I'm super-impressed by how AW handles things internally. They will definitely be at the top of the list for replacement candidates next year.

UPDATE: Whoops, spoke a little too soon. Though the online support page does not reflect it, there is a problem getting a part necessary for the repair. Just received the e-mail reflecting this. Usual window for getting the part is five days, but if they still can't get it after two weeks, we'll go to the next step. If they can't get it from a third-party vendor, I imagine there's not too many of those dual-styled R1 SB ports still floating around that aren't already part of an existing machine. We'll see what happens.

ANOTHER UPDATE: It turns out that at least one of the parts that they are waiting on is a replacement keyboard. I didn't know there was something wrong with it in the first place, so thank you for a fresh keyboard, AW!

 

Got a call from AW customer care today; as I was driving at the time, I had to let it go to voice mail. It turns out that a part that is needed to get the unit running within acceptable parameters is no longer available. The tech support division had already recommended a system exchange, and the purpose of the call was to tell me that customer care is going to go ahead submit the request for an equivalent system.

First off, BEST DAY EVER.

Secondly, what exactly does that mean, an equivalent system? Is it in terms of the money originally spent on the purchase, or the power available to the system? The rig being exchanged is the one in my signature, so if somebody could tell me what sort of specs I should know to look for, I would certainly appreciate the advice. Also, is there any chance to shelling out some more money and extending whatever warranty comes with the replacement unit? This is all uncharted ground to me.

Oh, and this is also the reason why I'm one of AW's strongest defenders. Warranty support: unmatched.

 

When I did a system exchange for my r4 to a new aw17 I started with a base model cpu and a 680m, the new one was a base model cpu with a 780m.

SO you will probably get a a 860m as its pretty close in level to your 260m...(generatianally that is) The 860m will run circles around what you have.

 

UPDATE: No further contact from Dell/AW since yesterday's phone message via phone or email (and there's no way to directly contact them), but there is an update to the service depot page. According to their summary, the unit has been repaired(?) and is currently en route back to me. A quick check of Fed Ex's tracking number shows that I'm due a parcel from Houston, TX on Thursday. I'm pretty sure it's not that signed J.J. Watt jersey I've been making eyes at. Anybody got an idea of what is going on here, or does the left hand really not know what the right one is doing in this situation?

 

Myabe they are shipping it back to you so you can recover any files that may still be on it before the system exchange?

Really I have no clue. Guess we will find out soon though.

 

UPDATE: Wow.

Got the laptop back with no repairs having been done. The Warranty Department is giving side-eye due to the fact that it arrived at the depot in the 21st, and not wanting to honor anything. The Tech Support Department, on the other hand, doesn't seem to have a problem at all. That time, the Warranty Department apparently won the argument. However, no correspondence was sent via e-mail reflecting this fact. No phone call, either. If I hadn't been monitoring the depot repair website status page, I would have had no idea what was about to happen until the laptop showed up on my porch. Therefore I had a chance to think about what I was going to say 24 hours in advance, which is always a lot more helpful than being blindsided.

I had to call the tech support folks anyway because as part of whatever was done to the laptop before they stopped working on it, when I turned it on I got the OVERCLOCK FAILED error message, so since they did it, they would hopefully help me undo it. Talked to a very helpful fellow who listened to me for a minute explaining the situation, then asked if he could put me on hold for a moment to read the case notes. He came back and asked me to go on. I do so, and when I reached the end (being sure to mention the fact that nobody had called or emailed us with any problems on their end with our warranty; it had in fact been released from a hold and work had continued), he asked if he could put me on hold to talk to his supervisor. I said fine.

When he came back, the rep told me that they were indeed proceeding with the exchange. Really? Really. He gave me a callback date of either Saturday or Tuesday with the stats for an appropriate system and e-mailed me as well, stating the same thing. I hung up feeling a little gobsmacked. Honestly, I don't think is going to happen but if it does, I will consider it the greatest customer service story ever and never stop telling it in bars. I'm guessing the tech support rep read something in the notes that strongly made a case for me.

In either case, I will continue to keep y'all informed on what is going on. At least for the moment I have a 17" laptop again!

 

Nice!....well not about the warranty depot thing but getting a replacement is always good especially when your going from an R1 to a new 17

First thing I would look into is extending the warranty again

 

I would be a fool if I did not look into that, and Mamma didn't raise any fools.

 

ANOTHER UPDATE: Sorry if this thread is a crashing bore for everyone, but it's good to document these things. Received a phone call this morning from Armando at Alienware, informing me that the system exchange had been approved. It's been processed and will be entering the production stage shortly, with an ID number assigned to the case. Should get a call probably early next week stating system stats or at least an update on the progress.

 

So you will get a brand new laptop for two broken usb on a 6 years old laptop ... That's why i love Alienware SAV !

 

Nice, happy solution to your problems.

As much as I loved my r4, I am glad they exchanged me for a r5.... but now my r5 doesnt match any of my other laptops, or any of my tactx stuff

 

Technically it's for a manky keyboard as well (and was the part that initially kicked off this he said/she said story when they could not get a new one), but yes, it's fairly amazing and that's putting it mildly. This is why I always say, "Yes, I understand it costs more than Clevo or MSI, but oh man, their warranty service cannot be beaten even with the stoutest of sticks.

At the risk of sounding mawkish or lame, though, I have to state for the record that I am really going to miss Nemesis. Like, almost as I would miss a person. I wrote my first published story in fourteen years on its keys, polished and shaped my novel that's coming out (hopefully) in time for Christmas with it and it's been by my side through the last year as I checked in and out of the hospital over and over again (lymphoma is bad news, m'kay). It's a mighty fine product that is still, even after five years, technologically relevant. I've never purchased a computer that could hold the title belt for that long, and I'll keep waving the AW banner until I don't have hands to hold the flag with.

 

So, what they offering you?

 

Unknown at the moment. This morning's call was just to say that the exchange had been approved, so I should probably hear back early next week on what the offered specs are going to be. Although I used it less than I thought I would (except when I was in the hospital), I hope the blu-ray drive is an option that will be kept for the new system. Watching PACIFIC RIM in FHD makes chemo a little less sucky than it would otherwise be.

I'll post the stats once they come through the pipe.

 

The blu-ray drive seems very hard to come by these days (especially in the UK) some members have been offered a system without it, but have managed to get the blu-ray drive shipped to them separately and they've installed it themselves.

Good luck! When I got a replacement for my R4 what they offered me in exchange was miles better then what I had in the R4.

 

Thank you! I hope they don't do that... my ability to replace and install things sort of ends with my Riedell roller skates and while I'm pretty good with those devices, I'd be in a defensive crouch if they sent a separate blu-ray drive to me and chirped, "Now YOU can install it!" Hopefully since I am in the U.S. there won't be a problem with the supply, but if there is, it's eminently dealable. I am a pretty happy camper this morning.

Tinker_xp, what were your previous stats and what did they offer you in exchange?

 

UPDATE: So far, it's been a lot of hurry up and wait. We've progressed to the point where the exchange has been approved, I have a dispatch number assigned, and... that's where it bogs down. Other than that and the name of the person working the case, I have nothing in terms of info. No proposed specs, no build date, nada. E-mailed last week with no response, then called today. Five transfers later and five fully repeated explanations later (they sure don't do warm transfers or read case notes any more, do they?), we have progressed to the point where the employee handling the case has been e-mailed internally and I should be getting an e-mail or call today (which didn't happen) or tomorrow (which I don't hold out much hope for).

In other words, more false starts than in a typical Chicago Bears game. I also just realized that this thread is over two weeks old, but it doesn't reflect the amount of time I have actually been involved in it all, which dates back to 10/16.

I am not hopeful. I'll keep y'all advised.

 

Keep your head up on this. While it sucks, my exchange took 45 days from start to end. I was pissed at the whole deal, but in the end I am very happy with the final outcome.

 

I appreciate the support. Received a message from the case worker from AW today assigned to the exchange; said he was waiting to hear back on system configuration. It is what it is.

 

I share the sentiments as ejohnson, stay strong, it will be worth it. My exchange was way better then I was hoping for all because of the fixed configurations styles that Alienware now offer.

 

i agree with tinker_xp. be patient and all will work itself out!

 

UPDATE: Although they said they'd get back to me with system stats, that didn't happen. Instead, I got a call this morning at 8 AM stating that my package from Dell was being delivered today. A sixteen-pound package arrived from Fed Ex at about 3 PM, containing an unknown AW 17 laptop with the AW recovery disc, the power supply and no other documentation except how to extend the warranty (action item one for tomorrow). I like a good mystery as much as anyone. Since I was basically going to accept pretty much whatever was offered, I fired it up and decided to see what they had sent me.

The stats are in the updated signature.

 

They sent you a system without telling you what they were sending you? How odd, especially if you didn't like any items in the exchange!

I can only assume you are happy with the exchange? Certainly looks like you got a good deal, which is why I love the Dell/Alienware support.

 

I am a very happy camper indeed; more importantly, so is my wife. Happy wife, happy life.

The two main things I was hoping for on the exchange was to have a Blu-ray drive and to get an i7 processor as opposed to the i5's that are still advertised on the AW site. Check and check. The 880m was a definite surprise, as was 16 GB of RAM instead of 8. Of particular pleasure was having a Win 7 machine again; I've watched my wife's looks of disgust with 8.1 on her laptop, and while she says it's very nice to have a touchscreen sometimes, she'd rather have Win 7 any day of the week. She got hosed on her last two OS's that she got; my last two had Win 7, where she had to use Vista and 8.

All in all, a somewhat weird but ultimately rewarding experience.

 

260M to 880M... That's one hell of an upgrade.

That should last you a while. Glad you like it. :thumbsup:

 

Read up on the 880m before you push it hard. There were some issues with the 880s locking themselves down when they are pushed hard.

 

Thanks for the advice, brother. Any particular places I should go, or just do a general search and bone up as much as possible?

On a related note, I decided to put the 880m through an acid test by running Wolfenstein: The New Order in Ultra mode at 1920 x 1080 and seeing what the results were. As Steve Irwin used to blurt, "CRIKEY!" No stutters or other slowdowns, even when the screen was full of gorgeously rendered flying crap... and the card didn't even get hot during the 45 minutes or so I banged away at the game. In fact, after about ten minutes I put my fingers near the exhaust port for the GPU fan and what would have been scorching on my old M17x R1 made me wonder if the card was even engaged. However, you don't get results like I got from a 4600 integrated unit. After I was done the fan kicked in, but not at a very high load and while the port was a little warm, it was nothing like what I've experienced in the past. Very interesting.

I am very glad I waited to install Wolfenstein until the new unit arrived. All I can say is wow, wow, WOW.