Laptop won't work, can't get Dell to replace it, help

Hi,

Please see my story below. I'm looking for an Alienware rep to help me get my defective system replaced. I have been very patient with Alienware but it's now May and I bought my system in January and it still doesn't work Also if there is a way to get them to reset my warranty (aka, give me another year from TODAY) please let me know how.. my system has been defective from Day 1 and they still haven't fixed it so I've lost 1/4 of my warranty already.

I have had good service from Dell in the past but the story of this Alienware purchase has been an absolute nightmare of bureaucracy and red tape and I'm hoping a someone can help...

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I bought an Alienware Laptop in January. The next day I realized that they got my order wrong and they messed up something (because I did the order by phone). So I had to place my order again. They neglected to cancel the extra order and I was shipped two Dell laptops. I had to return one to them and wait over a month to have $2k returned to me. Wanted one with Windows 8 but they only came with 7. So the tech told me he could sell me Windows 8.1 to install on the system and make reductions to the price of the system. Seemed reasonable (more on this later).

As soon as the laptop arrived I installed a Crucial M500 in it and loaded up Windows 8.1 (sold to me by Dell because the laptop configuration I wanted wasn't available with Windows 8. More on that later. After some use the computer started restarting by itself randomly. It failed Memtest and wouldn't last more than a couple hours of Prime 95.

I called tech support and told them I was having this problem. Told them Memtest86 was failing and that it was probably some sort of memory or CPU issue. They told me that they couldn't support me because I had installed an operating system other than the one that the computer came with. I told them the issue was occuring OUTSIDE of Windows and that obviously the OS wasn't the problem. Again, they told me they were sorry but they couldn't help me.

Finally after spending hours on the phone and running all their 'stress tests" I convinced someone to send a tech to replace my memory. They had to send this guy to my office (where I work) because he can only come during the week days. So he showed up and replaced 8 GB of RAM (I have 16 in my system). After speaking to the guy I realized that he was a moron and that Dell had messed up and sent him the wrong RAM. So I had to reschedule for him to come another time with the correct RAM. He showed up a week later with the new memory and installed it.

I called Dell back and got into a shouting match for several hours with technical support who refused to help me until I went back to Windows 7. I explained to them that Dell SOLD ME WINDOWS 8.1 SPECIFICALLY TO INSTALL ON THIS SYSTEM (you can see in the order history) but they told me it was written in my warranty that another operating system would violate the warranty. I told them that their salesperson misled me by selling me Windows 8.1 and LIED about the warranty (I asked if it would still be under warranty) to which all they had to say was I'm very sorry sir.

Then I told them I want to return the computer and they told me that the computer was out of the return Window so it wouldn't be possible. I explained to them that I've spent more time trying to fix the thing than actually using it and that I've had to wait for technicians twice to which they said "I'm very sorry sir."

So I reinstalled the original Dell HD with Windows 7 on it. Same problem continued. Obviously. I called Dell and complained again and was told that there was a *KNOWN ISSUE* (their words not mine) with the hard drive. I told them that the issue persists when the hard drive is not even in use (memtest86) and they said, effectively "blah blah blah KNOWN ISSUE." So I agreed to have them send me a technician for the third time.

Technician swapped out the original Dell hard drive and put in a new one. Within minutes of booting into Windows (7) I had the same issue. I called Dell and asked them to exchange the laptop for a new one. They told me I had to file an exchange application but that the application would PROBABLY BE DENIED because there was a lot of "missing information" from previous troubleshooting (AKA the guys troubleshooting didn't take the right notes while they were doing it so it doesn't count). I asked them to file it anyway hoping that 3 technician visits and a computer that still doesn't work after over 3 months would count for something..

Exchange claim was denied.

I called back and was told that they would have to do troubleshooting on it. And if they determined something was broken, they would send a technician to fix it..

 

Depends on what country you are in but the replacement thing is totally at Dells discretion, unless you have some local 'lemon' law where they have to!

See the link in my sig for some ideas of how it goes for some people.

Reps here can only assist US customers with warranty issues....

 

I'm in the United States.

What can I do then if Dell is totally failing to meet their warranty obligation? I've had this computer since the end of January and they still have not fixed it for me despite sending out technicians 3 times.

 

I would say screw it and buy my own ram to be honest

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk 2

 

Sounds like you may need a new motherboard though

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk 2

 

The fact is that they are not failing to the letter of the warranty which is simply to keep trying until they fix it. The 3 visit thing is a decision up to them and usually they do it simply because it's costing them more to fix it. I was worried that this was going to start happening when they cut the cost and customisation options

Check if your State has a lemon law that you might be able to threaten them with. It usually relates to a relatively expensive item and constant failures from new.

Otherwise you're going to have to go through the diagnosis mill again but you should be able to get some sort of warranty extension based on the time it has been unusable.

This is disappointing results from Dell's AW division and especially so in their home country

 

I don't think it's the RAM. They already replaced the RAM and I still have the issue. I'm putting my money on faulty motherboard.

I really don't want to send it to a servicing depot or whatever. I've heard nothing but horror stories of laptops arriving in worse condition than they left.

Anyone know what my options are? Are the regular technicians qualified to replace a motherboard? The last guy that came could barely swap out the RAM...

 

Well, legally they can force a depot return IF they can identify more than one potential faulty part. This is the 'get out' they use in smaller countries to avoid sending an engineer. The last time I had them out they sent a MB and the video card, "just in case" but again they did not have to do this. My on-site guy was an expert and had the MB changed out in around 15 mins, just watch over him and stop him if he is an animal with a screwdriver. You do see horror stories around the depot returns but I wonder just how often this happens? Nobody posts "Great job". If you do send it in take pics of the outside in case any scratches appear.

It seems UK support is far better that the US! My last replacement was agreed and went into build the day after I called in the fourth issue and asked. A 5 minute wait while he looked in the outlet for an equivalent R3 (which was the model I was calling in on) and he then said "Nope there isn't one we will build you a new one". I receive an offer next day. It arrived with a few upgrades and I got the one in my sig

Good luck

 

I would suggest you to send it to our depot, they should be able to fix all issues because they have all parts in stock.

 

Forgot to add, here I got a fresh new 1 year warranty and an outlet machine is the same. It appears that in the US they sometimes 'steal' any expired portion even if it has been unusable for a while - ask about that as well...

 

How would you suggest I do this? I am stuck in a permanent loop of guys trying to diagnose my machine. They keep asking me to run these tests (which all pass) but at the end of the day my machine still restarts by itself at random.. and I can't really force the issue to happen so it's hard to diagnose. Of course, it never happens when I'm with a tech support guy but right after I hang up the phone it will restart like 4 times (no BSOD, not error code, nothing).