I'm freaking out! Dropped Coke on my laptop!

Oh ok, thanks for the reply Jetster! I really can't wait until they replace this. using a pentium 3 is HELL

 

Also, the strangest thing happened last night. I was in bed, and I thought i heard the sound a hard drive makes when its accessing something but then i'm like it can't be.. my laptop is dead and I thought of it as nothing because i thought i heard something. Then i heard it again... then all of a sudden my laptop started making a strange high pitched noise i quickly jumped out of bed and went and pulled out the battery. this morning i put the battery back in, and tried turning it on, and nothing. the battery is 3/5 lights on the back charged. I didn't not try powering it up with an AC adapter

Does anyone know what could have possibly happened? I think it tried turning on or something at night

 

It's Dead Jim. It was just a last gasp

It's probably still drying out. Since the mechanism to power on most devices these days are soft buttons instead of hard switches (rocker type etc...) all it takes is a connection in the right place to make stuff like this happen.

I would not ship it back with the battery installed or even leave it laying around that way. It is probably a fire hazard at this point.

 

Yeah, i'm not leaving the battery in there anymore and the Dell CSR i talked to told me not to ship it with the power adapter or battery regardless of what any documentation that comes with the box says

And i was actually a little freaked out when i started making that noise! I wont get a box until ike tuesday, and then the CSR said it will take 5-7 days to "repair " it.

This can't really be repaired can it? They said they're going to replace the motherboard

 

Viper,

What you bought essentially amounts to an insurance policy with regard to the damage protection.

If you have had any dealings with insurance companies you will know that the term most often used is that they will "make you whole". This means that it should be like it never happened. That doesnt mean they must replace everything with all brand new shiny parts, just make you whole again. Thats why they can get used parts to replace body panels before painting them on your car and why you will most likely get refurbished (repaired) parts to replace whatever is damaged.

My money says they will probably replace the unit with a refurb. unless they can pinpoint the problem right away and replace minimal parts. What do you think happens with all those "bad" computers that get sent to them? They get parted out as refurb parts for anyone else who has a problem. There really is no such thing as component level repairs anymore. Its faster and cheaper to replace an entire part than it is to test circuits (especially ones as complicated as those in a computer) and find the bad resistor or transistor/ic on the board. Someday someone will probably get your display panel as a replacement in their unit when they send it in. It is the way it works. They will test each component of your system and deam it good or bad and keep it or toss it. Your junk becomes someone elses solution

 

ohh thanks for the reply! I'm sure before they give my LCD panel to someone else as a replacement, they will clean off the coke drops on there first!

This is going to suck.. I have to use University library computers now... They're not fun.. can't do anything on them except open IE and MS Office

 

You won't have this problem in the first place if you use my policy.
I have a corner in the computer & living room for my notebook and I don't allow DRINKS of ANY KIND near the notebook. I would NEVER take my notebook in the kitchen. And I don't use it at coffee shops either. Follow these simple rules and you won't have that problem. Otherwise it is at RISK as you found out.

 

Yeah, I have 3 kids. I have the system set to sleep when I close the lid and hibernate after 30 minutes. Whenever I walk away I close the lid otherwise one of the babies will be in there pushing keys and touching the display. Fortunately their cups are sippy cups. Heck I even just bought a whole new top part of the chassis with mouse touchpad, front buttons and KB on ebay for $30 so I can be prepared for the day one of them breaks something.

 

With 3 kids, i'm sure you went with the completecare because you know an accident is bound to happen anytime! I think completecare is essential for people with kids and for people still in university... or for clumsy people like me

I am SO glad i got the accidental damage protection

 

That is true, i usually never take drinks in my room (which is where i use my laptop when it's at home) I sometimes do drink drinks when im using it at school, but i make sure i get a bottle and i always cap it when im not drinking it

I RARELY bring it down to the kitchen, but I was behind on my paper so I was trying to put in as much time into it as possible.. but.. kinda screwed myself over in the process

 

I keep my drinks well away, I learned that from this topic actually. I get up and walk over to the table when I need a drink, I was thinking because I use a PC Cart type thing for my laptop,seeing if I can find a snap on cup holder kinda like you would buy for your car and that you attache to your door or something.

 

Silly Kid, all computers have a built in cup holder. Just eject the CD tray...

You know, since its come up im not affiliated with nor do I own stock in but....

http://www.airdesks.com/


I have two of these and they work nicely. The plastic cross piece that attaches the swing arm to the pole is the weak spot.

In fact, to further distance myself a bit, my oldest daughter broke one of the cross pieces by hanging on the tray about 3 years ago and I ordered two with 2 day shipping for $15 dollars on just the shipping. I did this on the phone and asked when it would ship, I was told that day. 5 days go by and the box arrives. I call back and say that I do not believe I got the service I paid for and would like a refund to standard shipping rates and got told that I should call UPS and complain. I told them that I paid them for the shipping and not UPS so what pull did I have? I guess I should call UPS if I have a problem with their products?

My impression its pretty much a mom and pop operation. The pictures they show are the same ones from my first purchase like 8 years ago. I also modded the cross piece using a steal electrical conduit connector as a sleeve for added strength. Oh.. and they claim their "Tall" version works with ANY bed is wrong. My bed is too tall for it.

 

lol That is true, unfortunately I got a slot load cd/dvd player with mine so I don't have that luxury.

 

Remember this the next time you're using a computer and get thirsty...

 

This is horrible...l would get dell on the phone ASAP. They can overnight you a new XPS and you can ship the dmaged one back when the new one arrives.

 

Actually they said they have to try to "repair" my current one first. I wish they could just overnight me one that would be amazing

 

btw does anyone know how long dell typically takes to send a replacement after the broken unit is sent in? the guy on the phone said the repair process will take 5 to 7 days but once they open the laptop up they'll figure they can't. do you guys think I'd be able to get it by this week? (still no return box) or early next week? week after that? I miss having a laptop!!!!

 

anyone ???

 

no one knows????

 

Viper,

I am afraid your just going to wait and find out. It will take as long as it does. Sometimes its fast, sometimes it is not. Just like ordering a system it can take a week for some and a month for others. If they gave you a time frame I would give them the amount of time they state, then start making calls if your that concerned about it. If you did what I suggested with the memory this may add some complexity to the issue and therefore time.

I wouldn't be too impatient about it, at least you are getting it fixed for next to nothing. Be glad of that and don't sweat the in between stuff. I would venture to guess you are either a late high school or early college age person from your comments about school work?

Life is too short to spend time dwelling on the tiny details like when is it going to get here

 

The wait is killing me! And I am a 3rd year Pre-Med student! I don't really think high schoolers need laptops!

 

Hi, I have a question about the replacement unit. Will it be covered under the same warranty as the one i purchased? Or was that only for the one I bought and I would be required to buy a warranty for the replacement. I hope it's covered for the length of my warranty under the original warranty plan

 

Spilling coke on your laptop is NOT as bad as this!

 

haha you're right it's not!

 

lol That's awesome.Cute dog too,probably dead after that but still cute.

 

For the length of the original warranty.

 

Wait...don't you have the complete care onsite NBD warranty? So why would you need to send in your system for a "repair".

 

I didn't get the on site warranty. i just got the standard 3 year warranty + complete care. Dell received my laptop today, lets see what happens.

Hopefully good news.

 

hey does anyone know how to check the status of the repair? when I look up my dispatch number for this the only thing that shows up is the return kit they sent me

 

If they do any repairs it should be updated on the tracking with DPS. Look under Parts dispatched section. However, I think this is just a formality while they search for a replacement for you.

 

i'm sorry, but what is DPS?

 

No, no, you drop acid; you snort coke!

 

Lol, haven't u learned " No food or drink near computer!"

um, im pretty sure they wouldn't consider spilling coke as part of warranty..
unless you buy that complete care crap....

if its broken, then just scream on top of your lungs and buy a new one...

 

gamerxd I do have the complete care and it is covered. the dell rep said so himself

 

I just called Dell and it seems they're replacing the keyboard and motherboard and sending it back to me

 

So no system exchange?

 

What did you end up doing about the memory?

Did you ask them to steam clean the chassis?

 

DPS = Dell Parts Service Number = Service Call Number

Note that this is not the same as your reference/case number.

 

as of right now, no system exchange. I'm guessing they have mobos layin around for the older inspirons.

for the ram, I put in an old 256mb stick I had and sent it in with that. they haven't said anything about it yet

 

Just got done talking to Dell via Chat and it appears as if i'm getting a replacement

"I see from records that the system was beyond repair when they checked it at the center . So we are shipping you replacement system.

It will take 8-10 business days for the system to reach you ."

How come it's going to take 8-10 days? any idea?

 

Maybe they have to build one to match your old configuration.
I wonder what kind of RAM you'll get.

 

8-10 days is the standard time because they will actually look for a refurb unit with the same specs as yours (or one that they could easily upgrade to the same specs as yours). I am happy to hear that you are going to get a replacement because I was actually worried for you. I wouldn't want the same system after coke spill...

I hope you get the replacement you wanted.

Ooh and about the RAM, they will give you the same amount as your original config. I am not sure what they are going to say about the 256 dimm that you have in there though.

 

Thanks for the concern! I just hope whatever I get has a 256mb Gfx card.

As for the RAM, my original config. had 1 gig and I still have the 2 gigs i upgraded to. I'm not sure if they still work. Even if they don't, RAM is pretty cheap now and I'll get a 2 gig Corsair PC5300 for like 40 bucks.

Still no update on what my replacement unit is

 

To satisfy your anxiety, go to the Dell Outlet and see if you can find any systems that match your original config as this is what Dell usually does.

 

they have one similar to mine but main difference is mine had a t5500 (667 fsb) and the one in the outlet has a t5300 (533 fsb)

the rest are scratch and dents. they wouldn't give me a scratch and dent would they?

 

I don't think they would give you a scratch and dent - unless it is in a location for which they can just replace the corresponding plastic. Regarding the processor difference, then they could just swap out the processor and send you that one.

 

I talked to another rep about the replacement and he said that if a model is no longer shipping, the current one will be sent as a replacement.

then I said that neither the 1520 or the 1525 offer a 256mb gfx card and mine had one. he said when a laptop is sent to the depot its specifications are carefully recorded and dell policy states that a replacment will be equal specs or an upgrade if an equal system is not available and going by this policy your replacement will be chosen accordingly.

ill keep you guys posted on future updates if anyone is interested

 

Hey Viper786 I was in the same boat as you about two weeks ago. Called Dell and asked what kind of system I was getting and three customer service Reps could not give me an answer. The last call was last Monday and she basically told me they are "testing out my system" but could not tell me what model it was. Two days later I ended up getting a M1530. This was to replace my 1505. I think the reason why I got upgraded to a M1530 was because of my screen Rez. 1680x1050.

 

thanks for the reply dazz. I MIGHT get a 1530 as well, but I douvt it. only reason I say might is cuz I had a 256mb gfx card in my 1505 and only the xps offer those now

 

Just a couple more days....hang in there. By the way, what uni are you pre-med at?