Exchanging the 7811 after 14 day mark

I backed up my files onto my second hard drive, that I intend on taking out of my laptop when I go to exchange it. Tomorrow I'm going into Best Buy to explain to them that I bought the 7811 after reading in the laptop's manual online that it supports Raid, which is true (the manual says this, but the laptop does not actually support Raid). I'm going to explain that the reason I didn't return it before 14 days was because my second HDD hadn't arrived yet, which is true. Then I'm going to explain that the reason I'm trying to exchange it now is because Gateway, realizing their mistake, has enabled Raid in the new batches, also true.

So given that everything I'm going to say is true, who thinks I have a valid argument, and furthermore, who thinks that they will or will not allow the exchange? I of course have a lot of backup statements such as "I called Gateway, and they directed me here saying that you would allow an RMA", etc. I'm going to try regardless, I'll post how it turns out.

 

Just realized backing up onto the second HDD will do me no good, since when I get the new lappy and raid it it will wipe the drive clean. have to move them over ><

 

where was it that you found out they are shipping a newer batch with raid?

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=299746

It's a very long thread so it can be summarized as follows:

The OP has a 7811 and saw the option for raid, so he raided it. Then he asked how to unraid. Then people said "wait a minute, you can raid your 7811?", then detective work ensued and resulted in the discovery of a new bios that Gateway is shipping in the new batches, version 9C.08.00. Then we tried to flash the new bios to older batches but failed. So as of now the only option is to get one of the newer batches if you want to raid. The problem is, I'm over my 14 day exchange/return mark for best buy.

 

UPDATE: IF YOU HAVE A LEGITIMATE PROBLEM, AND BEST BUY REFUSES TO HELP, HERE IS YOUR SUREFIRE WAY TO GET YOUR PROBLEM FIXED -

http://surveys.echosurvey.com/bestb...&user_id=0E72EEAB-8D6C-4F8F-AFB8-4901284BA456

take that survey, it's only available until the 28th. make sure you give your final ratings as overall unsatisfactory (if this is the case), but you should be as truthful as possible. next, write your comment in the final comments box with your phone number and tell them to contact you.

Within 48 hours, you will be contacted by Best Buy's Customer Satisfaction Center. These guys are good, they have the power to pull strings.

I explained to the woman that my computer was falsely advertised, but that Best Buy refused to exchange it because it was after the 14 day limit (I explained it in much more detail, and told her the entire story from the beginning without any lies). After finally getting her to understand the problem and how important it was to me, she offered me store credit of the $1249 for an entirely new computer.

Basically, I could not be happier.

 

Nice link.

Do you have to return the laptop or do you just get a free $1249

 

and if i paid 1450+, do you get that amount back or the sale price only?

 

John, you are confusing this with the government bail out.

Oh and Jakamo5 is hereby nominated to the Gateway Consumer Advocate Hall of Fame.

 

My problem is I have one of the GOOD 7811FXs - no ghosts, no BSODs, runs cool as a cucumber, fans are normal, not a bad pixel in sight, the very slight bleed at the bottom of the LCD is entirely normal in my experience, the keyboard is fine, I can play any game for any length of time without any lockups... So I don't wanna exchange it!! But I DO want RAID!! (sobs and sighs).

 

Congrats Jakamo! Hope the new one treats you well. And if ya have a secondary computer, just back everything up to it whilst you RAId your new 7811. Let us know when ya get it in your hands!

 

Can't we just dump the bios off the new revision and update it like that?

 

no...not happening

 

Best Buy originally made me send it in just to get the bios flashed. They said I would be without it for 2-3 weeks. That was yesterday. Today I was contacted by their satisfaction center by phone after completing that survey. They said they would keep the one in for service and would give me a store credit of the purchase price.

You'll get back whatever you paid for the computer, but I think you should try to get a price match and get $200 back.

 

nice answer.

was asking for the people who didn't know this stuff already.

 

So now my question - when I go pick up my new 7811, how will I be sure that I'm getting one from the newer batch, so that I don't have to go through this all over again.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=303560

 

have them turn it on and go straight into the bios.
do not accept no for an answer

 

I think maybe you're right. The only way to do this would be to go straight to a geek squad rep and have him pull the laptop for you and do it. A manager will probably realize that if you don't accept it, he's left with an open box, and therefore he won't do it. Still, I think you will have to be able to spot which geek squad rep is the most not caring or naive.

 

Open the box, boot it up, look for the raid option? :/

Edit- Wow beat me to it

My geek squad guys are good about it, grabbed the new one and booted it when I had the lockup issue. Now I have to exchange for a RAID capable one, heh.

 

What I'm saying is, you can't open the box in store. If you're LUCKY, a geek squad rep will agree to do it for you. You can't open it up and check for raid without buying it first, and then if it doesn't have raid, have fun trying to explain to them why they should exchange it for you.

 

unless someone knows how to read the sku's...this is your only alternative.
tell them, you want it if the bios is updated and if it isn't..you dont. you have had way to many problems with this and flash your paper work. (emails/lookups/gateway responses/phone numbers) say your not trying to be an azz, but you want what you pay for...and that's raid0.

 

Whomever you go to should resemble this as closely as possible:

 

Syn? That your high school yearbook pic? You seem much cooler than that guy looks.. but oddly your avie resembles him a good bit.

 

Mom always loved that picture!

 

I was in the library looking at this thread, on the second floors its just a wide open floor with desks and desk lamps. I was looking at this thread and that picture came up and the person behind me tried so hard to hold in a laugh but I turned around and she immediately looked down with this visible smirk on her face. it was funny, that picture is great

but, to stay on topic, Best Buy sent me a new survey now that my problem has been handled, gave them all 10's, my conscious is cleared