Dell Outlet Purchase - Service Tag Unrecognized for Digital Downloads

In may I purchased and AW17 from the dell outlet. It was sold to me a a new system that had been built for an order but was never shipped. It was a good deal with a full warranty.

Recently I had and issue with a hard drive and it was replaced under warranty by an on-site technician. The replacement drive was shipped with an windows image on it that I mistakenly assumed would have all the software for my system. What I got was a clean install on Win 8.1. The technician on the phone support logged on and attempted to get my system logged onto the digital download site to restore the software that originally came on my system. It kept coming back with a message "Service Tag Unrecognized" he did a few more things and eventually put me on hold. It was at that time I was informed that because my system was purchased through the Dell Outlet and was really built for a different person, they had no way to allow me to get the software from the digital download site.

I purchased this system primarily because it shipped with an internal Blue Ray / DVD combo and none of the new builds were coming with and internal optical drive as an option.

Here's the problem: I have no way to get the Cyberlink Media Suite Essentials program which was part of the build I paid for. I made another call. Explained the situation and the tech said they would supply it to me on DVD so that in the future I would have a copy of it to install if necessary.

What arrived was not the Media Suite, but instead a Power DVD 9.6. Simply a program that allows me to use the dvd, but does not support any of the other functions. I'm not sure how this issue will be resolved at this point. I am hoping Dell/Alienware simply does the right thing and provide me the software. I'm not angry, I just want what I purchased. It just seems stupid that I can't get it from the download store like every other person would.

But we have much bigger issues at hand:
The replacement Hard drive has now failed and is unrecognized by windows, same exact situation as before. I have another open ticket in and am waiting for a call back from support. When I try to boot the machine I get the error "No Boot devices found. Press any key to reboot the machine". The drive shows up in the BIOS and also passes F12 diagnostics. When I try to install Windows from USB the recovery program boots and begins but then generates the error "Your HD size is not supported for this process. Please use a hard drive at least GB in size" and then allows me to exit. I find it odd that two drives would experience the same thing without a bigger problem going on.

Rather that just sit and wait. I went to town and purchased a set of 240G SSD's, something I had intended to do when I originally purchases the system but just never got around to doing. I did a clean install of windows from a USB key that the tech sent with the replacement hard rive to a single SSD mounted in Bay 0. With the help of @Papusan, I have a very clean Windows 8.1 build with all the proper drivers installed in the proper order. The system has been stable for about 24 hours now on this build.

It is very close to exactly how the system shipped, with the exception of the Cyberlink Media Suite Essentials software.

This is fine for now, however I am looking for answers as to what would cause two 1TB sata drives to fail. My fear is that I have an intermittent issue with a motherboard that will continue to plague me until I'm no longer in warranty. And I want the software that I purchased, whether it be physical media or access to the Digital Download store.

Any suggestions on how to diagnose or proceed?

 

Skip the bloatware from DELL. Do as I. Buy the Nero package. Download different bench test for testing all hardware. If you're scared to have problems after the warranty expires then extend the warranty before it expires. Test all your Hdd in slot 2 with benctests. Don't install Win 10 or download win 10 updates on your win 8.1 Os. This can brick the screen.

 

I usually don't purchase extended warranties, because I figure that most electronics are pretty stable and usually a year is plenty of time for things to show up if they are going to. However, it is something I will consider on this purchase. It is a nice computer and hope for it to last.

Thanks for the heads up on W10. I have no intention of upgrading at this point.

Can you recommend a specific program or link to download for benchtesting my hardware?

Thanks again for all your help.

 

Nero Platinum rocks!

I have been addicted to Nero Platinum Suite for a while... bought v10, 11, 12, 14, and 15 LOL. And, before that Nero Multimedia and Burning ROM... I think the addiction started with the free version 5.0 that came bundled with a desktop DVD burner years ago (like maybe around the year 2000, whenever DVD was new tech, too many years ago to remember) and I started getting the paid versions around that time. Even the crippled OEM version that came with the DVD burner was better than anything else.

I'm not a huge fan of Cyberlink software any more. Nero blows it away. I did have that software Suite and purchased PowerDVD 10 and 11 to replace the free version 9 that Alienware provided. It was decent at playing DVD and Bluray, but I no longer use optical drives much any more. I no longer even keep them in the chassis. I use a caddy for an extra HDD on all of my machines now. I've got a couple of nice USB ODD if it need it for some reason. I recently got a sharp looking red slot-load USB 3.0 ODD enclosure for my slot-load Bluray burner to compliment my red M18xR2 chassis.

 

If your current AW laptop can not be replaced / repaired by Dell; You get a AW17R3 in compensation if you have extended warranty. If this happens; Sell the new without trying it. Use the money to something real. Clevo P870 aka Sky X9 with desktop hardware. Never buy Aw or other brand agan with BGA crap intended used but very crippled in a CrApple thin laptop design. NEVER....
Check Guru3D.com - MajorGeeks.Com for benchmark tests. The same with Futuremark.com Also http://www.aida64.com/ pay version is good for testing hardware.
Nero is king as @Mr. Fox says. Forget the Cyberlink Media Suite Essentials bloatware from Dellienware.

 

One of the reasons i need odd is that we travel. Many times i dont have broadband internet. So i wanted the ability to watch bluray disks.

My point is that i should be able to get the software that was included with my purchase.

 

A lot of garbage coming from Dell now. Dellienware makes a lot of weird things. Either call and nag at Dell or **** damn it all.

 

Yes I understand regarding the R3, it was another reason I specifically purchased this system as it was not BGA. I will not accept a R3 as a replacement. Were not at that point yet. My hope is that they can resolve this for me. I'm more interested in why it is happening.

Likely Dell will provide me with the proper software, even if it is not the best software. I will look up the benchmarking software that you referenced.

 

You just need to keep on nagging them. If you paid extra for that software and they did not deliver it, then they need to provide it or give you the money back for that software. If you don't keep calling and nagging to get it escalated, probably nothing is going to happen. If I paid extra for it as an add-on item, then I wouldn't just go away and let them get away with charging me for something extra but never provided. That's just not right. Last time I checked that would qualify as theft, and if they are trying to make your probably go away by saying "sorry, we cannot fix our mistake" then something is not telling you the truth.

If it was supposed to be bundled "free" as part of the original configuration and built into the purchase price, then you might be out of luck. Under those circumstance, it's time to let it go. "My Dell Downloads" accounts are not transferrable to Dell Outlet machines. That part is true. You would have to find the original Service Tag owner and get him/her to change the user name and password to something different and give you that information. Dell will not give you the contact information for the original owner, nor should they.

 

In all fairness to Dell/AW it has not gotten to that point yet. Their service has been great and every tech I have spoken with is thorough and I feel they are genuinely trying to help me. The issue with the digital downloads was something I learned about through a conversation where the tech understood my concern and sent me the Power DVD 9.6 in an attempt to help me. I have not had a chance to speak with them again regarding getting the proper software.

One thing I learned about the tech service is that every time you call and speak with someone, regardless if it is about the same issue or a new issue, their system transfers every issue to the new tech. I did not know this and in an attempt to solve each problem I called many times. The last person who tried to help me explained this to me and asked me to work with him to resolve all of my issues. He has responded to every email I have sent to the system (which keeps the same ticket #) in a timely manner and is scheduled to call me tomorrow to work on solving the issues with the hard drive.

Regarding payment for the software vs bundled/free. I have a build sheet that lists the primary package and then every other item both software and hardware is itemized with a product code and a charge of 0.01$. So in that sense even though it is only a penny. I believe that I can make the case that I did pay for the software as opposed to being bundled, and that a reasonable person would see it the same way. For example the Hard drive is an option with a code and a charge of a penny. Same with the RAM, Video Card and every other item that went into the build.

I want to believe that this will be a non issue and that it will be resolved to my satisfaction. I understand that the tech's have a process they must follow and while I am frustrated I also have to be patient enough to let them do their job. Should they choose to go down a different path... well let's just say we will cross that bridge when we get to it.

My bigger concern is that there are people out there who may not be aware of the issue when purchasing from the Dell Outlet and not as thorough as they should be in documenting what they purchased and when. I fail to understand why Dell cannot tie the Digital Download to the Service Tag as it would eliminate a lot of issues and time. It just doesn't make any sense to me.

This whole process has been very informative to me. It forced me to take the time and learn some more about my system. Something I intended to do, but because everything worked I left it alone. I now have a greater understanding of the new BIOS settings, what they mean and do, as well as getting a clean system up and running from scratch. It had been many years since I built a computer (think IDE cables) and a lot has changed since then. When I decided to get back into PC gaming I decided rather than build my own desktop box and struggle trying to make decisions about every component going into the build, that instead I would purchase a pre-built system that would do what I wanted to

Thanks for all your help

 

You're welcome.

I think it has something to do with the licensing. These third-party applications are not available for public downloads like drivers. The licensing of that Cyberlink software is tied to the Service Tag and requires a secure login to access it. That's why you're not able to get it the "normal" way like drivers.

It can sometimes take over a month for your Service Tag to get entered into the system so it is recognized. If the original owner never created a My Dell Downloads account using the Service Tag, then you might be able to set up a new (first time) account with the Service Tag in My Dell Downloads later on.

 

I could see how that might happen. However in this case there was really no original owner. The system was never shipped. It was built, the order changed, and the system went to the outlet. When the tech was trying to get me set up he kept getting an error on the system regarding the service tag not recognized, at that point he did further research and figured out why. It is interesting that my service tag works for getting drivers. Just not at the Digital Delivery Store. The system is six months old so plenty of time for all that to happen.

In a certain sense this would be like a car dealer sending me home with a key to the car that once I turned it off I could no longer start the car, and when I go to resolve it they say well we will give you a Camry instead of the Caddilac you purchased. The functionality of the Blue-Ray is tied to a software package. Whether it is Cyberlink or Nero or whatever. Im OK with that but the functionality at least needs to be similar. Taking the analogy further. I don't own the software on the ECU of a used car, it is liscensed to the owner. When a used car is purchased with a warranty intact the dealer doesn't say that they can't work on the ECU. They fix the problem, whether it is software or hardware.

My primary gripe is that this is not disclosed at the time of purchase.

 

Just a little bit of advice to the OP and anyone else who has an interest in keeping the original software - buy a copy of Acronis and take a full backup of your system when it is new. That way you will be able to easily restore the as you bought it state if your hard drive fails or the install is completely corrupted by virus infection or whatever without losing any of the original software.

 

@simonmpoulton ,

The SSD's I purchased the other day came with a disk that has Acronis True Image HD. Is this the software you are referring to? I'd assumed it was just basic software and given the fact that I had to do a scratch install I didn't even bother to look at it yet.

Update for those who care:

I was on the phone with the Dell tech for 1.5 hours. They are going to replace the hard drive again and a "cable" this time. I'm not sure which "cable" he suspects, but I have to let them do their job. I used to work as a subcontractor for Agilent so I understand how these things go. Troubleshooting over the phone is never ideal.

In any event, regarding the software and Dell Digital Delivery purchases from the Dell Outlet. The tech maintains he simply has no way to make that happen. While my primary concern is the hardware I still feel that I purchased a system which includes software as well. The quality of the software is irrelevant, bloatware or not. I still maintain that I deserve to have the ability to restore the system to the state it was when shipped to me.

The tech was empathetic to my situation, Fundamentally, I believe he agreed with me and understood my position, but lacked the ability or authority to make it happen.

Going forward I am certainly interested in system imaging software. I would love to hear what @Mr. Fox , @Papusan recommends.

Thank you for everyone's time and input.

 

Have not used this myself but multiple on this forum eg @Matrix Leader @Mr. Fox recommend the payment version "Macrium Reflect". http://www.macrium.com/

 

Every Alienware that I have purchased from the Dell Outlet, and I can't keep track anymore of exactly how many there were, had the same issue with the Digital Download. The Service Tag wasn't recognized. The only thing I could surmise is that they changed the Service Tag/Express Service code on it after it went into the Outlet. And by doing that, it knocked out the ability to download anything from the Digital Download area.

 

Onsite tech replaced the HD again. For now I've left all of my aftermarket parts out of the system so that no blame will fall in that direction should the system fail again. Restored a clean image of Windows 8.1 and got all my drivers updated. We shall see how things go. Personally I think there is something more wrong at the board level. But I could just be the unlucky guy that happened to get two bad drives in a row...

 

Just wanted to update this thread with the outcome regarding my Service Tag not being recognized and not being able to re-install software from the Digital Delivery Site.

It took dozens of phone calls and daily emails to finally resolve this issue to my satisfaction. I went round and round explaining my situation to technician after technician and after many weeks I got a call on Thanksgiving day that they Dell was no longer going to try to resolve the issue, they were going to credit my account 100$ and I could go purchase the software on my own. Essentially they were wiping their hands of me.

On that particular phone call I dealt with one of the rudest technicians I have ever experienced. I explained that I had a Blue-Ray player that could not play movies (due to the lack of software) and that any reasonable person (or small claims court) would view this as a hardware problem and not a software problem. I had an invoice showing that I paid for the software and that I was not going to simply accept the fact that I could deal with this on my own. At that point I told them I either wanted the system replaced entirely or a full refund of my purchase price. I was put on hold for about 20 minutes while he "spoke with his manager" and when he returned he stated that they would not replace the system, would not refund my purchase price and that my only option was to accept his 100$ credit offer. I asked to speak to his manager, who was now unavailable, and was told that I would have to schedule a return call at a later time, If I chose to speak with the manager the 100$ credit was off the table. At that point I was so damn sick of dealing with the issue that I'd resolved to just take the bill credit, purchase my own software and never do business with dell directly again. So I told him to credit my account and close the issue.

I figured at that point it was done, OK no big deal. I was ready to move on. That evening I'm trolling facebook (which I never do) and chance have it I get a pop-up ad from Alienware in my feed. I read a few comments and most were positive but there were a couple that were negative and a rep was trying to offer these comments some help. I couldn't help myself and tossed a post into the mix, that I loved the computer but if I were ever going to purchase another one I'd buy it from Costco and would never deal with dell directly again in my life. I explained the problems i'd had and essentially had I bought from Costco, even if they couldn't fix it they would just give me my money back and I could buy another computer, the whole problem would have been about a twenty minute issue with a visit to the store. (Yes Costco does have a 90 day limit on electronics, but I can assure you that with their concierge program they would have given me my money back at any time I requested, that's just how they do business). The rep on facebook asked me to private message my service tag and he would see what he could do. I sent it to him with a detailed explanation of why I thought the whole thing was crap, thinking he'd look at my file and I'd never hear another word.

Two days later I get an email to arrange a phone call. A new tech now want's me to explain the whole thing over again. I spent an hour explaining to whole thing, he went through every email. I gave his my service tag and two days later I now have access to the software, the unrecognized service tag issue is fixed and I can get the Cyberlink software as I should have been able to from the beginning.

It pains me to think how much time was wasted on this issue, when the right person can fix it in two days. I could have taken the easy route and gone away, which was how it ended up. But it was interesting that until I posted a negative comment on a social media site, no one really gave a crap. A single post on facebook and the whole issue gets fixed. Unbelievable.

Thanks AW/Dell. I appreciate the help and getting me what I paid for. I only wish it hadn't taken two months to do so.

 

what's wrong with imgburn? it's free and works a treat!

 

Same problem also applied to AW15 / 17R2 owners who experienced heavy hardware throttling. Some got upgraded the insufficient 180w psu with 240W while others did not. This depends on who you meet at Dell support. Some of them should obtain another job or been fired.

 

i hate doing customer service support: i don't have the patience to deal with it. i equate it to being a teacher to a class full of kids or elderly people and teaching them something new....oh man i break so easily.

 

I don't know? Probably nothing. Does it play Blue Ray's in 3D?

My point was that I purchased a system from Alienware with a full warranty, While under said warranty the product failed. They sent onsite repair tech's to fix it two times within two weeks. When they ran up against an issue caused by their own policies and were unable to deliver the software to support the Blu Ray player they simply washed their hands and said were done here... pound sand. That didn't sit well with me.

As Mr. Fox suggested there are likely better solutions available but they all cost money / or time. He also warned that it would be a long battle and I may not get resolution. I just felt that many others who have been told the same thing should realize that if they want to they can fix the issue with the service tag not being recognized.

Yes, I certainly can relate to that. In this case I felt like I was teaching the idiots how to solve a problem. I mean for pity's sake how hard can it be to provide a disk image. They built the system and sent it to me, how hard can it be to look at the build order and ship a drive with the proper image on it. It's not like these are one off custom pieces made out of titanium.

 

Well, the thing is that it might as well be a custom piece made of titanium. The bigger the ship is, the harder it is to maneuver. Everyone works in their own silo, they do what they have been pre-programmed to do, and only function within a pre-scripted process. Many employees have been abused or punished by "leadership" for thinking outside of the box and using the brain God gave them to solve problems because there is not a branch for their behavior in the flow chart provided by the brain trust that liveth on high and governeth all peasants from the Ivory Tower.

I'm not picking on Dell/Alienware. I work for a gigantic corporation and it's the fourth Fortune 500 company I have worked for over the past 30 years. I can tell you this horror story is status quo in most big corporations. Nobody has the power to do the right thing, or least that is the perception. Being able to solve problems, think creatively and ultimately do the right thing is a talent. When talent is punished rather than rewarded and simple mistakes are counted like beans and recorded, and then held over peoples heads during annual performance reviews, world class talent, creativity and innovation can never be developed. It's like teaching mice to run a maze or programming a response from a monkey. One false move and *zap* you get smacked. You learn to excel at zap avoidance, and those are the monkeys that get promoted to entry level management to act as corporate sheep-herders.

Most employees don't wake up every morning with a new mission to fail, and most want to be good at what they do. But, most are required to allow processes to hinder rather than help, all day, every day, for at least 40 hours of their life every week.

 

I wholeheartedly agree that your description is likely the case, especially for the majority of the tech support workers. It is sad in a way. I remained 100% professional and patient with every person I spoke to, for that exact reason. Until the last phone call, where I was simply dismissed and told to essentially go away, at which point I became angry that MY business was not valued, and that I had become the problem rather than the valued customer. Customers are what make a business valuable.

I had wanted an AW computer for 15 years, it was the gold standard in my mind. It was that reputation and trust in a company that I went against the recommendation of many when I could finally afford to purchase this luxury. I failed to see what many tried to point out, that Alienware was not the company it once was, after it was acquired by Dell. I see that picture much clearer now and honestly it has soured the experience for me. In the end I guess that reputation is valuable enough to Dell as well, because it did get fixed. For me though the process in which it happened was about as exciting as multiple trips to the dentist to get teeth pulled.

Thank you for all your suggestions throughout the process. I only posted so that there was some light at the end of the tunnel should someone else be in the same position as me and searching the forums for answers.