I have HAD IT with this Studio 1535

I hope you get this fixed, and i feel for you, for having to be away from your laptop for so long, that would kill me.

Can you not try for a refurb of the model you have just now, or maybe an upgrade to the 1537 refurb, 1555 model?

 

If this attempted Depot repair doesn't solve the issue for good, then I will contact Unresolved Issues and ask for a system replacement, since there will be nothing more anyone can do about it.

 

Good luck, with all the crap you've had to go through, replacements, etc, you deserve a working machine, what you paid for.

 

Yeah, best of luck, shroom...
~Aryq~

 

Good luck shroom! Let us know how that goes. If the problem isn't fixed, I say demand a 1537?

 

If it's not fixed, I'm demanding at least a 1537 Special Edition.

 

In other news, I just downgraded the laptop to the way it was when I first got it, in preparation to send it to the depot for examination and service. Now it's currently running on the old T5750 (2.0GHz/667MHz FSB/2MB L2 cache/65nm Merom), 3GB of 5-5-5-15 667MHz Hynix memory, the standard non-illuminated keyboard, and the Dell 1397 wireless-G card instead of the Intel 5300 I've been using, and I've removed the Bluetooth module I installed.

Yikes, I just cut this thing's cash value in half.

 

Hey shroom, which bluetooth module did you install, and are they expensive? I've been looking at wireless mice recently, but have not been super thrilled with any of the ones with the tiny receivers. Then I had a thought, if I had bluetooth, I could get a bluetooth mouse without a receiver/dongle at all Thats one less thing for me to have to worry about possibly losing or breaking! Ha Ha

~Aryq~

 

I bought the Dell 370 Bluetooth card, manufactured by Broadcom, from an eBay power seller for like $20. I've been using the Dell 5-button Bluetooth Travel Mouse with it, and it's been smooth so far.

 

Awesome, there are quite a few on eBay for less than $20 with free shipping.

Thanks for the heads up!

~Aryq~

 

The empty box arrived today...I'm pretty sure I've got the laptop back to the factory configuration, and I've backed up everything from my hard drive that I care about. Time to stuff the thing in the box, call FedEx and arrange a pickup.

 

this is sad shroom, I don't understand, why you haven't been offered to get a replacement, as I did....
Do you have the NBD Warranty? I suggest you get it.... you're still on time, and you'll notice the difference in the service...

 

I have the next business day on-site warranty, but Dell has already sent two technicians to repair the laptop at my home, and the problem persists. This time they want me to send the laptop in to them so they can take their sweet time looking at it.

Besides, I'm sure they do things differently in Colombia than here in the US. I can guarantee they would never offer a $400 8GB RAM upgrade for free here, no matter what.

 

Wow, haven't popped in in a while, I can't believe that you and the others here are experiencing all these issues still. I'm even more astonished that you seem relatively calm about having gone through all of this ..., lol. I pretty much would have been livid by now, and probably would have just gotten rid of the thing.

Hopefully this trip to the depot will help them pin down a definite cause....

 

UPDATE

I just got a call back about my Unresolved Issues form that I submitted on Tuesday. According to the representative I spoke with, my case is now being handled by the "Executive Service" department, and he is overseeing the case personally. He told me he will send me an email shortly with his name and direct contact information, including email and phone number. He seems to be much more sympathetic than the "regular" reps I've been speaking to, and commented on how unfortunate it is that the issue still isn't resolved after all this time.

He says he still wants me to box the system up and send it in to to the depot to have it examined and get one last shot at part replacements and repairs to try and fix this once and for all. He promises that if the depot repair does not solve the issue, then he guarantees me a refurbished replacement system.

Looks like I'm finally making some progress, but it's going to suck having to part with this thing for 5 to 8 business days; I take it to class almost every day. Ah well...hopefully this really is the end of the issue. *Crosses fingers*

 

Well this is good news shroom. You are making progress. If I were you, I'd get this guy to confirm via e-mail (so that you have written proof of it) that if this repair at the depot doesn't fix it, he'll get you a replacement. CYA as much as you can! hehehe. Best of luck... Sorry you gotta be without it for a week!

Keep us informed...
--Eric

 

I really starting to hate dell more and more as i think about them. The freakin fan keeps making the noise. And I took the whole heat sink assemble apart. Clean the fan. Oh Shroom, Did you ever take out the fan cable, cause iam scared if i pull to hard its going to brake because its really tightly on. Any tips. I had bypass taking it off though when i cleaned it. Wierd way.

 

The fan cable should come out of its slot if you pull it. It's not secured by any clamps or anything. Just grab the cable right where it plugs into the motherboard.

 

Iam gonna try it, but i dont want it to brake, its a tough one and would you happen to know were i can buy an extra fan for my studio. I would like to replace it myself rather than DELL do it.

 

If you do somehow break your fan cable, you get a new heatsink/fan from eBay, or from a parts reseller like resaleremarketing:

http://www.resaleremarketing.net/servlet/the-381/Dell-Studio-1535-Laptop/Detail

 

-UPDATE-

I just got an email from the Resolution Specialist I've been in contact with...I get the impression he doesn't really want to do this. He keeps asking me if I really think he still needs to manage my case. Well, let's see. I filed the Unresolved Issues form to talk to you...as of now, my issue is still not resolved. So, you're damn right I still want you to follow up on this case!

Anyway, he says that their tech team fixed the issue with another replacement of the media panel and DVD drive. So, this will be my SIXTH media panel, and fourth optical drive. If I unbox this thing after two weeks and the eject button doesn't work 100% of the time, I am going to rage so hard. According to FedEx tracking, it should arrive here tomorrow.

 

I *really* hope its fixed for you, so I'll be crossing my fingers...

Best of luck!
--Eric

 

Try very hard not to send it back to them in bits

 

At the rate this is going, it's going to fall apart before I have a chance to destroy it.

Delivery should supposedly happen before 7 PM today, fingers crossed.

 

Lets see how it goes, if not call up dell and demand a XPS for all your troubles, if not threaten to sue them

 

There's no way in hell they would ever give me an XPS...besides, they're being discontinued, they don't have backlit keyboards, and they have overheating graphics cards. If they did replace my system, it would most certainly be a refurbished Studio 1537 or 1555.

 

Thats what i dont get though, if its their error, why would they give you a refurbished used system, they should just give a brand new laptop. If it was me i would complain to them.

 

I know how you feel.

I dont know if I am going to be the reason that my 1536 gets to them in 100 pieces or if it falls apart like a piece of -BLAM- that it is.....

 

DSPR, you should take out some parts that dell wouldnt notice on the notebook ur sending part.

 

It's just standard policy. If they do replace my system, the one I return to them isn't brand new anymore, so they don't need to give me a brand new one to replace it. Dell rarely ever gives brand new systems as replacements, and usually only when refurbished units of an outdated model are gone.

Well, let's hope it at least lasts long enough for them to take it off your hands.

So, I got my 1535 back a few hours ago. The most obvious thing when I opened up the computer was a large scratch on the palmrest and display bezel...as in, when I shut the lid, the scratch is on the same place between the edge of the palmrest and top of the display bezel. It looks like someone shut the lid on a small rock or something. This is definitely something that occurred while the notebook was away; it had no such blemish when I shipped it off. I am NOT pleased about that, and Dell will definitely hear about it tomorrow.

Physical scarring aside, their replacements seem to be working well so far. This time, they replaced my DVD drive with the Toshiba-Samsung TSST drive, when up until now they had all been Sony Optiarc drives. The eject noise on this drive is much shorter and quieter than that of the Optiarc drives...and in these few hours, it has not failed to eject. *Knock on wood* Let's just hope it stays this way. If it does, then my scratched palmrest and bezel are the only things I have to worry about.

 

Dell really seem to care about your notebook while its there.

And yes, if you want an issue here is a great one:

The battery discharges faster than it can recharge. I noticed this several days ago = I started playing TF2 at 100% battery, while plugged in on ac, at the end of 45 min or so, my battery was at 65%...the adapter never left the port and it was always lit up as though it was charging...

^___ again, their problem now....

 

That's definitely unheard of, and I play a lot of TF2 on this thing. Find me on Steam sometime, same username as here.

Are you sure everything was plugged in firmly? Does Windows recognize that your adapter is plugged in and charging?

 

^ Correct

I play TF2 a lot on my Studio 1537. I charge the battery while I game and everything charges fine. I have a 9-Cell battery.

Hopefully will see you guys on TF2 some time.

 

So, I just got off chat with Dell. They said they'll send me a new palmrest and display bezel with a technician to install it, and I should be getting a call to set that up some time soon.

 

With this 1536, I would not be surprised if it levitated, snapped its self in half and then incinerated its self.....with no help from me or any external source.

Hell, I'm half expecting it to go and explode in my lap at any moment.

As you can probably tell, I trust this thing about as much as I would trust a Man in a hood, with an axe, soaked in rain on the side of a highway in a town that just got massacred an-- wait.... am I talking about?

Didnt meant to thread jack if I did....

 

So, I just got my first random DVD ejection failure a few hours ago, immediately followed by a BSoD. And just a few minutes ago, the eject button failed again like it always has. The light responds to touch, but it will not eject the drive, and nor will the Fn+F10 keyboard command.

I've sent an email to the Resolution Specialist telling him of this, and also mentioning the scratched areas on the palmrest and display bezel. We'll see what comes of this.

 

DId you try the firmware update. ITS IMPERATIVE

 

Yes, I updated the firmware for the panel first thing when I turned it on yesterday, and updated the TSST drive firmware as well.

 

Well that sucks, what are the exact problems you are facing.

 

When I press the touch-sensitive eject button to eject a DVD, nothing happens. The button itself will light up like normal, but will not cause the DVD drive to eject. This happens seemingly at random; sometimes the eject button works for hours after boot, and sometimes it fails within 5 minutes. When the eject button fails, so does the Fn+F10 shortcut, every time.

 

I just got an email reply from the resolutions guy:

So, it seems I'm finally going to get a replacement for this thing. That email wasn't terribly helpful in figuring out what I'll be getting, other than being refurbished with Windows Vista. Hopefully it will AT LEAST be a 1537. I replied asking him if he has any more information than that, so I'll update again when he replies.

 

I sure hope that you took off the T9500 before sending it to them!

 

YAY! Finally a replacement! Hopefully they do get you a 1537, and you'll be happy with it. Since the updated firmware, I have had *zero* issues with my touch sensitive keys on boot-up or at any other time on my 1537. Hopefully soon you'll be able to say the same thing!!!

Ciao!
--Eric

 

I still have the system right here. And of course I'm going to take that off before shipping it back...they can keep the crappy old T5750. I'll just drop the T9500 into whatever they replace it with.

Yeah, it's about time, I think. And if it's a 1537, I sure hope I have the same luck as you.

 

One thing i should tell you, is reapply the update if they replace the media panal, or else you be facing the same issues with the eject button. Did you try reseating the media panal.

 

After 6 media panel replacements, I can pretty much guarantee you it's not an issue with how the panel is seated.

And as far as I know, the firmware update actually affects the motherboard and not the panel itself, so the update stays when you replace your panel. But even so, I reapplied the update with this new panel, and if I get a 1535/1537 replacement, I will do so again.

 

No i mean take the ribbon cable out and put it back in tight. Sometimes it helps, its worth a try.

 

I've personally reinstalled every media panel they've given me; it's not going to get any tighter than this.

 

FIne then just smash the piece of sh*t

 

Have they informed you of what computer you'll be receiving yet? I certainly hope you get a 1537. The 1555 might actually be a downgrade.