To anyone ordering a C90 from GenTechPC

I called Ken to inquire about the delays in shipping with the C90, to see what was up, long story short, it is worth the wait.

Here is the long story anyway:

In case you haven't heard, GenTech is testing every unit out the door. They have a set of HDDs with Windows on them and they run 3DMark over and over and over, as well with other programs, to stress the system. If they get a blue screen or any other problem they immediately switch the RAM and do it again until there are no problems. This testing period takes about a week and includes flashing the BIOS to version 704, which Asus says is the one to use. The average turnaround time, from order to shipping, is a week and a half. Add your shipping time to this and skip any weekends (if a week and a half lands on a saturday or sunday that day automatically becomes monday. There is a team of people working on testing right now, and every day. So they may take longer to ship, but rest assured that time isn't being wasted.

 

Sadly, this seems to be slowing down shipping of other custom built items also.

 

It may be a little wait time but at least you know your system will most likely be problem free.

I'd say the wait time is worth it.

Remember, Ken from GentechPC was the one who was able to get the new BIOS updates from Asus to solve the "graininess" issues plaguing Asus notebooks with x1600's.

A++++++++

 

Thanks for the info. The waiting is killing me but I can deal with it.

 

I don't mind waiting knowing that I will get a problem-free system.

 

I just ordered my C90s today (from gentech) and I'm wicked excited. Hopefully I'll get it in like 2 weeks or so.

 

Thanks for the info!

 

How long is it supposed to take?

I've placed my order a week ago.. and I'm hoping I get it in a week from now. I need to leave for college.

 

I am a newbie here, but finally decided to register. I have been following all the discussion on the C90s and decided to order one from GenTech on July 13th. It still hasn't shipped. I definitely have mixed feelings about this: I am extremely pleased that Ken and the folks over there are taking the time to take care of all the issues before the send them out, BUT it has also been nearly two weeks and there has been very little communication. After I sent one email I got a brief response saying it would be sent out this week (which means it would have to ship by tomorrow), but nothing more specific than that. After sending another request for an update, nothing.

I understand they have a lot going on and realistically are helping me out a lot by taking care of these issues and for that I am very thankful, I am just a little frustrated by the wait time with very little to no communication and definitely no specific ship time.

So I wait patiently (or not so patiently as the case may be...). I started grad school this past monday and was hoping the notebook would have been here in time for that.

I know GenTech has a great rep for customer service and Ken has been paramount (along with MANY of you) on this forum in not only choosing the right computer for me, but also where to buy it, it is just hard to not feel a little let down that I don't have the computer in front of me.

 

much like matt above i ordered around the same time and i called ken a few times he a real friendly guy but he basically said there still backed up and doesnt know exactly when it should be shipped. At this rate I wont recieve it for around 1month total and I got just a barebone.

 

I order mine on the 11th and just got the email that is being shipped so im guessing you guys are next (monday most likely)

 

Congratulations!

Even the day of shipment has become an exciting event

 

Mine was ordered on the 21st..

 

Its worth it, there are only a handfull of us that have any problems. However trust me it does you no good to have it a week or two faster if your unlucky enough to have issues with it. Then you may have to send it back and that can cost you time and money.

 

I ordered mine on the 11th as well, though it might take a little longer for mine to ship since I just added ram to my order. I finally decided that I'd rather have a workable laptop when I get it rather than wait for a BIOS update...

 

Yeah its better, Gentech had alot of pre-orders aswell. So its not like your at the front of the line if you placed a recent order.

As they say tho, all good things come with time.

 

Question: Why flash with 704 when its 502 that fixes the memory speed issue?

 

from what i gather bios 502 shows memory to run at 667 but still runs at 533 so i wont make any difference in performance.

guessing 702 has less ram compatibility issues...

 

Well my take on that is that 704 runs a 1:1 ram:fsb ratio and thats the way to get the most performance.

When in game mode or overclock mode your only a few mhz away from DDR2 667. While in normal mode your still very close aswell.

To impliment a divider to force DDR2 667 would take the ram and cpu out of sync so any benifit you get from higher ram bandwidth will be out shadowed by the delay between the cpu and ram comunicaitons.

Its also just one of those things, if you notice the ram bandwidth really doesnt increase performance any outside of a ram benchmark, you can see this yourself if you test it like I did.

 

Ordered July 13th, originally told it would ship the middle of the next week (~18th). After emailing was told it would ship sometime the next week (week ending July 27th). After two emails asking for updates, Brian said he would check the warehouse on Monday (July 30th). No update on ship date.

I know it is taking a long time because of all their testing, that is great, but I am getting really frustrated by the lack of communication... and lack of shipment. I think I am just venting/letting off steam, but is this too much to ask for? I know they are doing it for me, but we are into day 16 now with no real news...

Is Ken around somewhere? Can you give me any hope?

 

I'm not Ken but here is what they are going through: They only have so many people and they are doing builds, running through 3dmark many times, going through the different speeds, and then taking them apart so to ship. I think their phone guys are building along with the rest. And I would rather have everyone working together to get all the notebooks out (they are still finishing all the last minute July preorders) then them having a team of people sitting around calling and emailing people telling them something they already knew, that their notebooks are coming soon and that they are swamped.

The wait is worth it and barring an accident shipping, you will have a working system that will not have to be worked on or fixed by you the second you get it out.

EDIT: Ken is in the middle of it. I'm kinda glad he is working on the orders than answering our (sometimes) stupid questions.

 

Did you get yours yet silenthero?

and Matt, I know how frustrating it can be. I am still waiting for mine as well, and I am quite sure that yours will be shipped out by Monday. If it isn't, I would be very surprised.

BTW, I am also from the Seattle area

 

Its on its way .

But it's funny to watch the UPS route. It started in CA, went to Northern CA, went to Ontario, Down to KY, Northwest to Ohio, and then East to PA. I live near the WV, MD, PA Border.

 

I read somewhere that a guy ordering from BTOTech got his order in two days..

Maybe all this popularity of GenTech is straining.. like a small good restaurant that's full.

 

Ordered on the 9th...had to update shipping to hopefully speed up the process so I can get the lappy before I leave for BlizzCon.

Like most of you guys, I was told mine was going to ship this week, but meh...as long as I get it before my trip, I'll be happy.

 

BtoTech and Gentech are the most reputable companies. People usually buy from those two.

 

But what about folks who haven't read these forums and don't know what is going on? Yeah it is great they have everyone working on things, but letting people know why their purchase hasn't shipped in 2 weeks is a pretty important part of communication and customer service.

Also, a big part of the reason I am frustrated is that I have essentially been lied to (I know that was not intentional, but that is what it is). They told me on two different occasions that it would ship by a particular time, neither of which happened. That, in my opinion, is not good customer service. If they say a particular date they should stick to it, if they cannot do that they need to say, publicly on their website (the c90s still say "in stock" and available which, while technically true, implies their standard shipping information: "For laptops, we usually ships within 2-5 business days."), that they will not be shipping for an unknown period.

I know you guys have had much more experience with Ken and Gentech so want to defend him (and I know you have very good reason to), but as an outsider who has never purchased from them it doesn't look very good and does not instill a sense of hope for future purchases (even if they are working hard to make the products they send out reliable). Do you think I am completely out of line here?

 

I certainly hope so!

Hello from Wallingford!

 

That is very odd, because I know for a fact that someone who placed an order with them on the 11th had his shipped out 2 days ago (Thursday). I believe it was Cancer777. But it could be that they needed to work on yours more, I have no idea. It would be nice if Ken could get on here and tell us what is happening.

 

Guys just be patient. I pre-ordered and still had to wait but the wait was definitely worth it.

 

What should those of us who got our computers before they started these rigorous testing procedures do?

 

I would test to make sure you can go into the gaming and/or overclocking mode and put a load on it to make sure it doesn't crash/freeze/BSOD.


Run it on and off the battery to make sure there is no problem with the memory.


Run 3DMark and check temps to make sure the notebook is staying cool.


Enjoy and have fun with your new notebook...

I understand your point and don't have an answer since I don't know them personally. Unexpected things come up all the time and Murphy's Law is always in effect.

 

I ordered mine on the 17th of July from EXcaliberPC and they started shipping 2 days after that but unfortunately I live in Spain and as soon as anything reaches the Spanish border it slows waaaaayyyy down. It has been in Spain since the 21st from what order tracking tells me. But I should get it on monday

I just hope my unit will be fine because going through RMA from Spain is very expensive and time consuming. PRAY FOR ME GUYS!!!!

 

Is there a patron saint of technology?!

 

Thanks Silentheero, all that works for me (battery, overclocking while running PCMark and or gaming, no noticable problems with memory), but speedfan does show my CPU getting pretty hot (up to about 85C); should I be worried/do any thing, or can I relax since everything works?

 

Swoley or Alex would be the best to answer that but I would say as long as it does not pass that and you hear the fans running I wouldn't worry. We need a guide on what the normal/max/min temps for the components are for each of the speeds and loads.

 

Sounds like you might be around the Hagerbush, I mean Hagerstown area. Grew up there.

 

Ya until I go to Penn State next month. Grew up in SC though, about two hours from Myrtle Beach.

 

I ordered mine July 10, and it still says processing on the shipping page. I contacted Ken and Brian and was updated about what took so long but nothing as detailed as Alex provided. I understand that they are busy, but it will be rolling on 3 weeks for something I ordered and thought would ship sooner as indicated from contact. If it is as Alex describes then I will be happy. If it isn't out by Monday I might give them a call as well.

Matt, I understand your feelings, but if you read around some more you will see the C90s has some RAM issues and hopefully Gentech's operations now will fix most of them.

 

i say if you need it now, i would cancel and order from btotech, as i have mentioned before, i ordered from them and had it in my hand 3 days later.

if you order everythign with them, then they make sure to not use anything incompatible

 

I have been reading around and understand all the issues they have been going though (I thought I was pretty clear about that). But realistically, how big of an issue is that? The resellers can figure out which RAM works and use it. If they know a particular brand works, use it, why test ever single stick?

EDIT: I know there are other things that they are testing aside from the RAM, I was just speaking to that particular issue.

 

The way I understand it the different companies buy whatever modules are cheapest so they sometimes mix the modules up on one stick of ram. So one nanya stick may have 2-3 different brands of modules of memory on it.

 

I do, though, wish that they would change the info on shipping dates for us that are looking to get them on the dates we are told.

However, I am glad that they are testing/fixing the problems, especially for people like me who do not really understand how to fix most computer problems. I had emailed GenTech yesterday and I got an email from Brian a few hours later telling me what was happening. Nice to really hear from someone.

I suppose that I'll just have to be extremely bored while on the plane and on my business trip.

 

I am just going to wait it out with GenTech. I know I got a good deal and I know they are doing all this to help me out. I am just frustrated. I know I will get it one of these days... they will probably just spit in my case now. heh, just kidding guys!

 

Spit? no... make binge drink then puke all over it j/k

 

Heh, the ol' "slightly less subtle" approach.

 

Just wondering, I was thinking of ordering a c90 from GenTech but the configuration is without a OS. Does GenTech provide a CD with all the drivers to the hardware which comes with the laptop or do I have to search for the drivers personally after installing the OS?

Thanks

 

The driver disk comes with the barebones, not with the OS, so you'll be fine.

 

haha thanks for the quick reply.

Also, does the UPS shipping to Canada ($50) also include the border fees? or is the $50 just for the shipping and the border cross fee is extra on top of that? One more thing, is the US mastercard the same as the Canadian mastercard? the payment option for mastercard said US mastercards only and I got confused.

Thanks

 

I wonder if they work weekends..