*Dell-Alienware & AW Legacy Replacement Systems-Warranty Repair Issues*

@Digital1337
There is a chance that you could get a refurb.
---
Ok, quick question guys.
Say I strip a screw or two on my bottom panel.
Could that in any way affect my Basic Warranty?

 

Flyn,

just to give you an idea. Mine is due on Nov 11 on my current R1 , and for me another 3 years right now would be -$449.00

Yep !! ))))

 

a refurb ?? Ouch !!

 

wow, I guess SquareTrade is not too bad, Howard Clark even likes it.

 

Only accept it if it's up to your satisfaction. I've had very good experience with their refurbs so far. Some came just like new. Couldn't tell it was refurb until I saw the sticker.

That's not going to void your warranty. Only if you do intentional mods or mishandling, I think.

 

Flynnaz - when I placed my order in July I was quoted a CC warranty for an M17X R2 (after purchase date) was 350/yr. But that's the best they have to offer. Advanced would be a bit cheaper than that.
Noah14 - You can swap out hard drives and memory without having problems with your warranty. So if you strip a screw on the bottom panel, I can't see anyone having a problem with that. If they do, hang up and call back for another rep. You should be fine.
Digital - You could get a refurb and Anodize is spot on with a typical replacement system for you. Keep at them to give you specs asap. Better to know before it's shipped if at all possible. BTW - don't forget refurb does not equal bad. Some are scavenged parts from laptops that were built and cancelled. Look for the orange sticker that tells you it's a refurb and whether you get a new one or a refurb always test it when it lands. Good luck.

 

Thanks guys!

@Infernia
- tech support specialist told me that it would take him a day or two before he would have the list of my replacement config specs. So, I should be expecting a phone call in a day or two. Thank you !

 

The cpu will be a 920 or 940xm as stated, maybe an upgrade on the ram and should also get the LEDRGB and GPU depends on what they have. anyway you cut it, it will be an heck of a system.

 

This is really weird, I am having a much different experience--no specs whatsoever; the Dell support site is telling me parts are still being ordered but I have no idea what; and reps have no idea what's going on, as they all tell me something different.

This is very confusing and kind of embarrassing on their part.

 

Has anyone been boosted with some free upgrades on a replacement ?
I mean, don't get me wrong guys, I don't need anything that I did not pay for, but for the headache and all the time wasted I thought it would be loyal enough on their end to make a customer a bit happy for all the troubles that system's design/issues had caused. Well , I would at least.

@SuperKyol , are you the one whom I had asked about the troubles you had with your rig before ?

 

Probably, yeah. It went through a bunch of stuttering and other hardware issues.. at one point a service call actually broke my system, and it wouldn't turn on for several weeks while Dell kept pushing to replace my motherboard. ;P

 

^ Yeah , well ... same issues here. Lets hope that they'll be able to do something for both of us and hundreds of others

 

You will probably, likely get the RGBLED display which is probably the best upgrade one can ask for.

 

Update time!

I called Dell, got the specs for my replacement.

OLD SYSTEM:
Intel Core 2 Q9000 @ 2.0ghz
4GB RAM @ 1333mhz DDR3
2x GTX 260M
1200p screen

NEW SYSTEM:
Core i7 820QM @ 1.7ghz (3.06ghz turbo)
6GB RAM @ 1333mhz DDR3
Dual ATI 4870
1200p RGB LED screen

Best. Day. Ever.

 

superkyol - When I say keep at them, call them on a daily. They are not always in 'the know' about what is being built but they will be the first to know.
Digital - I didn't get any extras I ended up with a refund. I have seen some get decent 'upgrades/extras' but I would go at it without expectation and be pleasantly surprised. It's all about what they have on hand when they build the replacement systems. You just need to make doubly sure that you get at least equal what you had. After that.... the rest is a gift.
Even if you had headaches, tears and stress unmeasurable... it's still a gift according to the warranty.

**EDIT** wow that was quick congrats!!!!

 

Nice of them to upgrade your cpu(thought q9000 was equivalent to 720qm) and mem.

 

is this Christmas time already ?

edit: Man, that's very nice ! Big up for you !

 

Thanks guys! I'm definitely fortunate to have that kind of upgrade, I'll update again when I receive the system.

 

Nice! You are in the same boat I am in pretty much. Congrats to you!!!!!!

 

it looks that they boost up on some freebie RAM ..

but nice , very nice , good for you guys

 

Ok....so i got my 4th replacement system today (all been brand new but faulty) and i havent had time to play around with it yet.

First impressions are mixed. I have closely examined the "cosmetics" of things and although im 100% sure its brand new there are one or two things that just niggle me (i have become very scrupulative during this process as you can imagine!)

Right, 1st point is that i have noticed when the lid is closed, on the left front where the aluminum of the lid meets the aluminum of the base, there is a distinct "lip" - the lid metal overhangs the metal of the front where the left speaker is located.

2nd point...in comparison to my current keyboard, thhe new one is very "spongy" and lots of "flex" in it especially around thhe gaming cursor keys (wasd). Its noticeable even under light pressure as the surrounding keys move and dip when a nearby key is depressed.

Maybe this is me being over critical but what dya think?

......and havent even turned it on yet lol

 

Did it come in the original black AW box? If it is new, then I think you may be a little too skeptical. It will get abused over time anyway. I think what's important is if you received a brand new system.

 

Oh yeah , i have no doubts its new as its fine in every other aspect....like i said though, i am mega critical these days as its no.4 in less than as many months.

My original (im on it now) has the same slight overhang on the lid but the keyboard is a heck of alot firmer around the w s a d keys. I had thought about swapping it out but this original one seems to have a stutter on the "h" key (i hit it and it does 2 alot of the time)

Might just phone 'em tomorrow and see if they will send a keyboard out....main thing is that it works as it should i guess but like i say im a perfectionist whhen it comes to spending thousands on a laptop.

 

I thought I would repost this here in the event that someone reads this thread who is about to spend good money with dell. Honestly, before I purchased my AW, I didnt think the stuff in this thread would apply to me.
Well LOL@Myself for my foolish thoughts.
This is my original post (slightly modified by the mod for self filtered language)

---
Received my M15x almost 3 weeks ago, so far so good, I am really liking it.
However, when it came, it had one small issue. They spelled my last name wrong on the name plate. Not sure how/why, but it happened. No biggie.
A new name plate...4 screws..im done? Thats my thoughts anyway.
I finally dedicated some time this week to call dell and get it taken care of.
Well, Yea...about that.
I have spent almost 2 hours (twice) on the phone trying to get someone to listen to me. I have had a few differnt off the wall suggestions from reps.

I was told that its just shipping sticker.. no big deal.(I tried to explain the name plate part of the laptop)

I was told if its wrong in windows, that they can walk me thru fixing it. Again, I tried to explain the physical plate.

So finally, I am fustrated and pissed. I email dell and tell them that if I cant get this resolved, then they leave me no choice but to return the laptop.

Low and behold...less then 24 hours after that email with my cell phone number included...I get a ... you ready... A return shipping slip and clear instructions on how to return it!

Seriously..I know it was $1500... but I thought a company like that would value my business more then that.

So now...I am left with a decesion to make!
Im torn, half of me says NO ... im taking my $1500 elsewhere! Other half likes the laptop and doesnt want to send it back.

Why do that have to be this way? My time is precious to me, and I cant keep calling (wasting cell minutes) and trying to get someone to understand my minor issue.
Plus it angers me, that $1500 was important to me, and to them, its nothing, and they seem to treat you that way!

Sorry folks, I just need to rant so I dont blow up on the phone again, thats IF I deceide to call them back!

 

^ Nice !

Well , ummm ... ever tried to speak with a manager or something .. ?

possible BBB complain and so on ...

 

It's supposed to be a simple fix. I would definitely call again and ask to put a supervisor on line or use their chat to do the same.

 

Robo - everyone's issues are relative to them. Your minor issue turned into serious frustration because of the way you were treated. I think a lot of the people who post in this thread can completely understand how you feel.
This is a minor issue and I had the exact same one with my Area51 m17X but never got it resolved. I didn't persue it because I had a lot of worse things going on with the laptop. I ended up dropping the issue by choice. I wish you luck in having this rectified because I know it can be done.
Still getting a manager/supervisor is not easy but can be done as long as you stay firm. However keep in mind as angry or as disappointed as you may be, it's best to be polite no matter what. Polite, courteous but firm. Don't give in and don't give up. It's important to you and that's what matters. If a particular rep doesn't understand or is being rude tell them thanks and you have to go unexpectedly. Then call back and get someone else. Good luck.

 

Robo Hhmmm interesting problem.I wonder if you send it back they will put a new plate on it. Reason I say that is I have read in other threads that they do not ship plates to people. They are engraved at the factory for a unit and I have not seen where someone got one shipped out. If some one has please correct me on this. If it really means alot to you then send it back and put on the paper work why and what you expect if it is to be returned to you. And if not a refund is expected. Good luck. I hope you stay with Alienware.

 

Stevie - if everything is fine with the system except the keyboard, call and get a new keyboard. It is so easy to pull the armrest I would check under the board to see if it is seated ok or a ribbon is bound up. Easy and dosnt void warranty.

 

Yeah, thats what i thought of doing...still havent turned it on yet lol but first impressions seemed to indicate that its rather sloppy and flexy....think i will get in touch with them and get a new one sent out.....

 

Just wondering? why don't you test it out first and let us all know how it works..we are all waiting to head

 

Im getting to it....i am kind of aprehensive and at this late hour, I really dont wanna have a night thinking "bad thoughts" of Dell

I have just fired off an email to my rep about the "cosmetics" and im gonna try the system out tomorrow probably....will let you all know how it is.

Thanks Wolf

 

Best of Luck!

 

Stevie! You big chicken. I said it. Hey I understand the apprehension my M17X was turned on tested thoroughly with benchmarks and games then shut off until there was a fix for the gpu's performing poorly in games. I couldn't bear to worry about it. Took them 3weeks. Now I'm actually trusting it enough to install rendering apps and other goodies.
I sure wish you were more confident in the hardware aspect, you would have one perfectly configured system, Best of each of them, sitting in front of you right now.
Good luck, we're all waiting to hear the news.

**EDIT** OOOo you lucky devil I just saw in your sig that it's a red one. Very nice

 

infernia thats telling the chicken, I wanted to say the same thing..hehe

 

Alright boys !

Just received a dispatch number from my tech support specialist. So, anyone knows when I will be able to get a list of all my replacement's specs ?

 

Digital - Way to go, Congrats. This is a good question and it depends. Your rep won't know the specs until the replacement system is being built. So your best bet is to call them on a daily. They are not always in 'the know' about what is being built but they will be the first to know.
Keep at them until you know just to be sure you're getting equal value and hope for an upgrade. You never know what's on hand in the replacement dept. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

Infernia, can't you tell what you're receiving by checking the dispatch status? I don't remember very well.

 

Most likely the answer is yes. BUT I have seen others that have had no status changes and then an email notification of a shipment from Dell. Soooo yes and no?
Depends on how patient one is and how much trust you put into them updating status properly, I guess.

Alienwolf is great on this kind of thing. I think he's gone to bed, which is where I'm heading.
Cheers

 

Watch it now!! Everyone here is not a "boy". And you don't wanna offend anyone. Right Infernia???

 

How long does it generally take for them to build a replacement system? A week, two weeks?

 

It is difficult not to be overly scrupulous of the system when you have gone through 3 of them. But maybe, just maybe, you are looking too hard for little things. Maybe not. No one can see it and feel it but you. Tell you what I did-my first replacement was the same way. KB felt 'different'. So I swapped them Like 8 screws and your done. Easy as pie. That would solve the KB issue. About the other-you have to decide how bad it is and if you can live with it. Good luck.

 

They placed my order on 9/2 and shipped it 9/10. So about a week.

 

Yeah mine was ordered on the 13th so I suppose I'll hear something on Monday.

 

Right not 'everyone' here is a guy. I just knew someone was going to say something though. Now I'm off to sleep before I start typing nonsensical stuff. Congrats everyone, seems a lot of people had good news in the last two days.

 

I just ran 3DMark 06-17926 @ stock. No overclocks. It was a struggle to get 13000 out of my R1. I am waaaaaaaaaaaaay happy so far. And have I said that the LED is awesome. Man that thing looks good!!!!!

 

Normally a few days to a week i'd say. I have even noticed that they seem to work on the weekends lol. But yeh sometimes its quicker other times only a couple more days longer. Shouldn't take too long unless theres a parts shortage or after they build your machine and during testing theres a bug or fault detected. Then it will take a little longer trying to determine the bug or issue.

Oh Awesome upgrade for the CPU chiefs. WOW Q9000 to a 820QM. Thats brilliant!!!

Cheers.

 

Inorite? Hahah, thanks man

And thanks guys for the info on build time; I'm way too psyched to be patient right now.

 

Hello members. I just joined today after reading reviews on various Alienwares.

I have to admit I am very unhappy with the Area 51 M17 I purchased last April. For one it seemed from the start of ordering one that things were doomed. I ordered it in April during my transit from South Korea to South Africa. I was excited and thrilled to have the money to finally get my dream laptop. In the past I drooled over the desktop that a friend had with the breathers and glowing blue lights. Yes it was an Alien.

Nonetheless I ordered mine online and paid 3,200$ USD. I am unsure what the usual wait time is for the machine to be built and shipped out but mine did not ship until late June. This was unacceptable but I recieved apologies but no compensation for the wait. I am unsure of the wait time for Asus and Dell's regular XPS series customized laptops but I think 2 months to build a machine is a bit much.

After getting my Alien I felt proud until weeks later. After playing World of Warcraft I had and continue to have overheating issues. My video card stays at temperatures of 147 degrees Fahrenheit and at this rate soon I wont have video cards at all. Cooling pads cant even keep the two internal fans from running at max speed the entire time I am on the machine. I have been trying to be patient for maybe some kind of recall or even a survey on how I feel about the quality of the product I have received. None to this date have been received.

With dual video cards the max resolution is 1440 X 900 which is poor in my opinion for a "powerhouse" laptop top of the line. I customized this with dual 512 ATI HD 3870's and the resolution cant even compare to that of my company HP 6710b laptop.

I find out today from a guy out on the site I am on that there was a free Windows 7 Ultimate upgrade for buyers that purchased their Aliens before July 2009. I had no such offer with my laptop. According to the website there was supposed to be a code that came with the laptop. It has been a over a year since I purchased but why am I finding all this out now. According to others that purchased M17's and M17x R1's, it seems we were the step children with overheating machines and have not received a resolution to this problem.

I am in the oilfield industry and constantly I travel. Calling support is out of the question as email is the only way I can contact outside of the drillships and rigs I jump from. Can anyone here recommend what they may have done to at least get some kind of help with these problems? From what I read everyone says contact Alienware but the site only offers phone numbers. I need an email point of contact. The drillships and sites usually do not have outside access to call and I am left with email contact only. I really would like a resolution to this overheating because I can not run this laptop for more than 2 hours before I loose my mind with the two fans whining which is definately killing the lifetime of them. Plus after these 2 hours sound becomes choppy video skips and things freeze constantly. This is not what I expect from a machine I paid 3,200$ USD for. The resolution is just horrid for a top of the line laptop. I have done update after update after update and no improved resolution drivers. Do any exist from Alienware?

I dreamed of having an Alienware and sadly I use my company laptop more because its more reliable and runs cooler than the Alien. I do not feel that a laptop should present problems in just one year. My company plain jane HP I have had for 3 years with no problem. I do not want to start believing that HP is better than the Ultimate Gaming Laptop.

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanx

Tim A. Washington

 

First off welcome to the forum AlienCaZz. There are many here that can help you with your problem. First you neet to send an email the the big cheese, Mr Dell. Put everything you told us in it, better yet copy and paste what you already wrote. Explain you came too the Alienware Forums for help and told to email Corp. Ill PM you the address as we are not allowed to post it here.