M17x Part Number?????

I hate to start a new thread unless I know it is needed or the info doesn't exist. But, I couldn't find it so here we go. Dell has shipped my replacement and I should get it today. Problem is this-the base part # is the same-P303J. Anyone know what that means? Plus I looked up the service tag and it was originally shipped on 6/23/2009!!!! That's right, 2009, a year ago! So would that be a refurb? Mine was a refurb, but does that mean they have the right to send me a refurb after all the issues I've had? Mine originally shipped on 3/3/2010. Am I wrong for demanding a model as new or newer than mine? Just wondering.
I really want to know if the P303J is just the chassis # for both the R1 and R2. I was hoping for an R2. But when I look at system config no info is available and the drivers for video only show the 4870, 260, and 280. That's prolly an R1 right? If anyone knows please reply, especially on the P303J. Thanks.....

 

No one has a part number?

 

What processor does it have in it, and what graphics card(s) does it have as well? Those two things will give it away, especially the first one. There was never a single R2 made with anything but a core i processor, and all of them now have either a single 5870 or dual 4870s or 5870s. All R1's were either core 2 duo or core 2 quad cpus, they had either single or dual nvidia 260s or 280s or ati 4870s. Hope this helps.

 

Not sure yet. I was trying to figure it out by service tag but can't tell the specifics. Turns out it is an R1. The BIOS update for that Service tag shows M17x R1. I'm sending it back. Ticks me off they are sending me a year old unit and expect me to be OK with it. I mean mine is 4 months old!!!! Come on!! Am I wrong?

 

It's all based on what's happened to you in your case, what I did that ended up getting me a new unit was receiving it nit picking it and finding the problems(every R1 I've used has them, they're basketcases) on the first day and then calling my rep listing the problems and telling them it was unacceptable that I wanted another unit and that it better be new. If you just reject it they may just send it back, or just send another refurb out but if you have two problematic R1's in a short amount of time your chances for a new R2 go up a lot.

 

Dell doesn't seem to care about the laws and acts that have been mentioned before and with my experiences in this process those won't get you anywhere. The best way to win with these guys for me was to beat them at their own game with their own rules, you have two problematic units in a short amount of time from the same revision of a unit odds are they will send you the next unit instead of wasting money and time.

 

Duly noted. Not trying to get over, but why send me a year old refurb vs mine that was only 4 months old? Crazy!

 

The reason is your computer may have been only 4 months old but it was still an R1 which they don't make anymore, so without new stock if they want to try to get you to accept the same model it has to be refurb'd. Honestly 90% of the people who have had to deal with replacements have had Dell try to push a refurb on them in some form or another. Nothing new, just roll with the punches and beat em at their own game.

 

Please continue this here:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...placement-systems-warranty-repair-issues.html

Thanks.