Need help with Dell support.

Late November, I got an E1505. Everything was fine for about 2 weeks, then the VGA out port just quit working. Without much fuss, they offered to send a new (not refurb) replacement laptop.

New replacement comes. Has the LG screen which is far better than the Samsung.

Well, now this one "glitches" if I'm driving an external monitor. Random, but either the local LCD, or the external monitor will "glitch" every 15 minutes or so.

No external monitor, no glitch. But I have to use the external monitor for my apps and I need it for some live Powerpoint next month and I can't have a glitchy computer screen.

They sent someone to replace the video card. No difference at all. The guy that replaced the video card did not think the video card was the problem, he thought it was some sort of "power" issue. I changed outlets on my wall. No difference. Plus I've never had this problem with any of my other computers.

So, now I have to contact them again, but there chat is "busy" helping other fools that chose Dell and I only have the option to give up, or send them e-mail or try again later.

Anyhow, now my problem is what to do?

This one glitches and since day one I have not had the experience of a shiny new laptop, which is what I paid for. It's one of those problems where I have no idea what is causing it. And I'm sick of these support clowns asking my about drivers, do they mind if they connect to my computer, did I run the diagnostics, etc. It takes 20 minutes of chatting just to get back to where I was with the last tech person.

If I press them to send me a new laptop, I may get stuck with the inferior Samsung screen. On the other hand, I don't trust this laptop and I need this situation fixed in the next few weeks.

1. Push to fix this one, even though nobody really has an idea what the issue is?

2. Push for a new one? Risk getting a Samsung screen?

3. Push to return the whole thing for a refund?

What's funny is, I wrote a long review for this website of the E1505, which I can't send in since, I can't write my conclusion yet!

 

I would call them up and request a replacement. I would be quite clear and firm on the matter of needing an LG monitor. Tell them you have seen the screen difference and it's important to you (tell them you are an artist who uses Photoshop - worked for me (but I am an artist using photoshop. ))

Make quite certain that they know that you will have to send it back if you get a different screen. They can see the screen manufacturer before the send it and they have a million E1505s - they aren't rare or anything. Let them know that you are a business user who needs it for a presentation and hopefully you'll get marked as some sort of valuable customer who might port over someday to their more expensive business computers.

I assume they send you the computer and then you send the old one back? If so, maybe you can time it so that you have both at once. You can use the new one for the presentation and then send it back if the screen isn't good and then try to get yours fixed.

 

I would really recommend doing the dell chat. Wait in line to get help. While it may show a really long time until you are going to get to chat with someone that time is in my experiences over estimated.

When you get to chat with them you get a copy of the log back so you have absolute proof of the conversation.

I would recommend this for either getting your current problem resolved or requesting a new laptop.

In my mind I would bet that there is something wrong in the video card settings. Have you tried a different external monitor yet? I would also check the refresh rate and make sure you have hardware (video) acceleration turned up.

Also what video card are you using?

Hope this helps or your problem gets resolved.

 

I def only use chat.

I've used the Omega drivers, then the drivers from Dell and now the ATI X1400 mobility drivers from their website.

I've tried several external monitors. The local LCD or the external will glitch when an external is plugged in, otherwise, when I'm just using the LCD with no external monitor, it's fine.

They will only offer for me to send it in for "special" depot repair. Would take about a week. I have next day at-home service, but they don't know what is wrong with it. So, they offered to send someone out with a motherboard, LCD hinges and an LCD cable. I'm like, I bought a new laptop and now you guys want to come to my house and make it a refurb, or have me send it in so it can come back a refurb. I don't want anything special. I don't want a processor upgrade or some candy, I just want a laptop that works well out of the box.

I can't really be without the laptop for a week. I just sold my desktop last week and I have spent all of December on E1505 video issues. This one is the replacement for the first one, which suffered total VGA port out failure.

So, so far, I'm not happy with Dell. Especially since my last laptop was one of the infamous 5150 laptops. I was kind of stupid for buying this one.

The laptop is great otherwise.

Yes the price was good, but, I'm paying the full price now.

 

Did you check the cable that you used to connect to your external monitor? If the screen on your laptop it's fine, it could be your external monitor perhaps you can find another laptop to check that out as well.

 

I have 3 external monitors. They all seem to work fine. Plus, it's not just the external that glitches, they both will, not at the same time, and randomly every 15 minutes or so.

The only catch is, when the external is NOT plugged in, then the local LCD is fine and does not glitch. So, it's definitely external monitor related. I installed the Viewsonic drivers. Did not change anything.

When I plug and unplug the external, no glitch, just catches the signal and the monitor turns on.

VGA signals are pretty basic. No electrical charge, just video signal. Something about driving the external monitor makes the laptop not happy.

I'm pretty good with computers. I've never seen something like this and it's the most annoying type of problem. Kinda random, but definitely real.

 

Is it possible to borrow another laptop to see if you encounter the same problem to be absolutely sure it’s the Dell?

Other than that, if you are using this for your livelihood I’d get the refund and purchase another laptop that may include a DVI –D out. Especially if time is against you due to your upcoming presentation. Just my 2 cents.

 

You have probably already tried this, but just in case. Have you done the boot test thing where you hold down Fn as you turn on the computer? This works on the d820 so guessing it works on yours.

Was thinking you could hook up the external and then do a restart with the Fn key held down and run some tests on it from there.

 

Well, it's not the external monitor.

I got the glitch only using the local LCD, but with "[X] Extend My Windows Desktop onto this Monitor" checked but no monitor hooked up.

Thanks for the tips everyone. I do do Photoshop, so, going back to the Samsung screen would not be acceptable at this point. The Samsung was very fussy about view angles.