Warning: MicroCenter/Other Retail Purchasers & Tech Support

I just want to warn people purchasing from locations other then the Alienware/Dell site that getting complete technical support is going to be pain. The tech support reps are friendly and are trying to be helpful but it seems Dell's computers won't let them help me.

Short Advice:

Before doing pretty much anythingm and your computer can still boot, go to http://support.dell.com and transfer ownership of your computer into your name. I recommend not installing anything before you do this; you might get critical system update written to a bad sector.

My Still Unresolved Story

Turns out my hard drive has had bad sectors and needs to be replaced after only a couple weeks, convincing the Dell Support Techs that I had a bad drive wasn't hard at all. Drives ship with bad sectors all the time so not a big deal just a pain in the... and why I have a ReadyNAS I back everything upto. The problem is they can't send me a replacement drive because the ownership status of my computer in their system. In fact my computer built less then a month ago shows my warranty as expired/non-existent in their system.

The first rep after determining my drive was bad said that I'd have to get MicroCenter to examine my computer before they could do anything. I fell for it the 1st time and promptly called MicroCenter only to be told a 3-week old computer should be covered by Dell's one year manufacture's warranty and after suggesting I call Dell back or take it to the store 40-miles from my house (Yeah I drove that far to buy it to avoid 6-8 weeks shipping). I decided to call Dell back.

The second tech seemed to understand the process better and walked me though transferring ownership on support.dell.com. Unfortunately to the tech's surprise the web site informed me it would take 10-15 business days for the ownership transfer to take effect. Seemed he hopped it would still show up in his computer eventually and offered to watch it for the rest of his shift and call me back if it went through.

Two hours later, I don't hear back, so I call up Dell/Alienware again. I attempt to explain the situation to the latest tech support rep. He tries to refer me to MicroCenter telling my warranty is expired/non-existent. I tell him no and that I'm not going to accept that as the answer. He puts me on hold and 10+ minutes later comes back with a you need to call a different group during normal business hours to try and get them to accelerate to process of transferring ownership.

So I have a expensive brick setting on my desk for the holiday weekend without even an order placed for new hard drive. It would be fine if I had to wait for FedEx/UPS. They know there is a problem and total of 3 hours all I have a note tied to my service tag that I have a bad hard drive and they can't ship a replacement until ownership is transferred (I hope).

I am not a satisfied customer at the moment.

After reading the ownership transfer web page seems that if you can actually use the system in question and install an Active-X control it will transfer relatively fast into your name. Too bad my computer can only barely get into safe mode before it stats trying to load from the bad sectors on my drive and freezes to a halt.

FYI, Dell/Alienware I'll edit the post and remove the long story if I am called before I have to call you back. I gave my number to 3 Tech support reps and summited like 3 or 4 ownership transfer requests.

 

Hmmm... I wonder if this is the reason why I couldn't get my warranty extended today... I registered on dell.com/register and everything but they couldn't figure out how to order a warranty for me...

 

Probably as their computers don't see a warranty for you to extend.

 

wow, im sorry to hear that. Thanks for the heads up though! many of us are getting that microcenter deal.. +rep

Alex

 

Damn sorry man that blows. I have learned the hard way i only buy from the manufacture now. I hope that they finally fix your problem. Damn i am all worried now mine has been at my Uncles for 15 days still haven't seen it, and he doesn't want to open it for me. (Makes him nervous) I know if their is something wrong with mine *Knocks on wood* that i will probably end up getting my money back and getting a Sager. Depending how bad it is. Do they test these BEFORE shipping them out? I think they should for a easy 3+ grand laptop.

 

Well based on the fact that the Microcenter machines are pre-built (mine has a build date of 7/17), I'm sure they aren't really treated like normal machines.

 

They're MEANT to test them, however they don't test them very well from what some of us have found.

 

According to Alienware and Dell, any machine purchased through a retail outlet may not have Complete Care because it has to be added when the order is placed. That sucks.

I just got to open up my Alienware for the first time today. It was really surprising to talk to an Alienware tech and have him tell me to unscrew my touchpad and reconnect the cables... He's shipping me a replacement and a free second HD caddy.

 

^

That isn't true.

I have upgraded every Dell system I have owend to complete care around when the original warranty expired (about 10 months).

Dell does let you extend and upgrade there warranties long after purchase.

 

Yeah but I didn't get the system from DELL I got it from MicroCenter... so they are saying I am screwed but to wait for the transfer of ownership (all retail machines actually have purchase info for the company that ordered them - there are over 44k Microcenter machines in the database) to complete Tuesday or Wednesday and try again.

 

Ok.

But once it is transferred you'll be able to upgrade/extend.

Don't know why you need to do it right away but patience, my friend

 

Well with Toshiba I only had 30 days from purchase to buy their accidental damage warranty... so I want to get it ASAP. And according to DELL, I may not be able to get it at all... but I'll fight that.

 

After reading this I decided to see what this was all about. I added the service tag to my existing account and it shows up that the warranty being expired. The solution is pretty simple and you guys are going a little overboard and making it seem like there is no warranty.

go here https://support.dell.com/support/to...ansfer_retail?c=us&cs=19&l=en&retail=mc&s=dhs

It is a page for registering any Dell system bought at Micro Center. It says it takes a couple of days.

And referring to build dates, mine was on built on 8/17/09. Yes they are pre-built but they all go through the same assembly lines and burn-ins as all the reset of the machines that are bought right from dell.

Yes element is going through a tough time but it will be resolved. But you also need to think of the flip of this. You buy your laptop at your local Microcenter. Bring it home, it's dead for whatever reason. Bring it back to the store and exchange it for a new one. That's it. No phone calls, no, sending things out, no one coming to your house.

In the end we all get the same basic warranty and I will bet you when your warranty DOES get transferred to Dell they sure as hell will let you buy Complete Care. Extended warranties make more money for Dell then ANYTHING else they sell. There is no way that they wouldn't sell you the "product" that has the highest profit margin for them. For every unit they replace for accidentally being thrown in a pool, there are 10,000 other machines that have complete care that will never need to be replaced.(yes I am making up the numbers but I think you get my point).

 

Just before 6pm-ish well normal business hours has come and gone and I still have a really cool looking but nonfunctional computer sitting on my desk. "Customer Care" was very unhelpful and had be fill out another web form this time at http://www.dell.com/register and when asked if I would be able to get a replacement drive sent to me they said he didn't know but the form would take 3-5 days for it to take effect. A non-functioning computer for 10+ days is unacceptable. Asked for a supervisor and was put in a hold black-whole 15 minutes... so I hung up.

6:30 - 7pm+ Called several service/support numbers with long hold time and keep getting transferred... Most of the hold time is spent listening to them pleading to check my order status on-line. I'd be happy but the last form said 10-15 business days.

7:15 pm I've been bounced around for a couple hours now mostly on hold. At some point my complaints got me directed to the tech support guys again and they are trying to be helpful but it may just be beyond their control. The poor guy is trying to talk to his supervisor but he is apparently "very busy".

7:20 Tried to refer me to MicroCenter out of desperation. Not buying it... More hold.

7:25 pm The Alienware tech support line has some of the coolest hold music I've ever had to suffer through.

7:30 pm An order is being placed to ship a drive to MicroCenter but with a special instructions note to send it to my address instead. Guy says it is a risk and it may get canceled might get sent to Microcenter's warehouse. Needs 10 minutes of hold time...

7:35 Ok the Alienware music is starting to grate on me.

7:41 AT&T is starting to bug me just as much as dell... every couple minutes it really comes close to dropping my call. Wish the iPhone let me play Civ while on hold...

7:45 Well an order is placed might or might not get an email might or might not get Drive sent to me.

Seems odd hitting quick reply now

 

So... I called Dell. Since the system was not purchased with Complete Care, the pricing is much higher. They want 249 dollars for 1 year. If I would have ordered direct through Alienware, I would have paid 99. So really the savings by ordering from MicroCenter... Are completely null and void if you want the extended warranties. Kind of a really bunk deal if you ask me.

My Tech Team... don't get me started. They quoted me FIVE HUNDRED for one year!

 

Well that sucks that the complete care is so much.

Anyway, I had some problems of my own with my machine. Yesterday the secondary gpu fan started clicking, but still running fine. I stress tested it and the temps are ok, the actual fan sounds worse at idle speeds then it does when its stressed.

I was thinking of just taking the machine back to Micro Center and getting another one, but was worried that my Q9000 wouldn't be as stable as the one I already have. I decided to try and get the fan replaced through dell.

So today I looked to see if my warranty transferred yet, and it didn't. So I just decided to call. First person I got, transferred the warranty over the phone and I saw it pop up correctly with a warranty under my systems on the dell site right away.(I have 20+ systems under my account for work) Then called the specific tech support number using my express code. Waited 5 min, explained my problem, how I tested it and so forth. I told them I just need a new fan, and got the order placed and confirmation email sent within 10 min without any hassle.

Granted im not too happy about the fan, but im pleased with the service so far.

 

yup, im buying this through alienware. screw microcenter

 

thats what i thought before but when i found out i wouldnt pay tax through microcenter, then thats when i made my decision and said screw dell! lol

Just saying... check if you pay tax or not in your state.

Alex

 

But, the money you save on tax will be spent upgrading your warranty later (if you choose to do so).

I can't really comment because my discounts thru Dell were 20 times better than the mc config

 

oh for sure... i just thought he'd want to know that...

Alex

 

The only thing microcenter has going for them, IMO, is you'll get the system quicker (although Dell has been closing in on that) and the tax.

 

Too bad they have a restocking fee.

I found out from Alienware tech support that my trackpad IS indeed defective. The trackpad should extend all the way down to the buttons as I thought. They shipped me a new panel to fix it but still, the machine is defective. I wonder if I could get around Microcenter's restocking fee since it takes so long for them to get a new machine out?

 

If you purchased your laptop with a credit card, some CC companies will automatically extend your warranty for another year. I hope this helps. God Bless

 

And you won't pay a restock fee if you used a cc.

Just tell the cc company that it was defective and you want to do a chargeback for the 15% fee amount.

They will credit you, no questions asked.

 

Good point sleey0. Very good point. I think I might just do that.

And Jdeluna, I don't think my credit card company will do that. Its US Bank.

The big problem though is Microcenter takes 30 days to get a refund... I don't want to turn around and order from Dell and end up with 5000 on my card...