Waiting for your Z series laptop???

Interestingly, I just found out that my friend who I told about the Lenovo student pricing sale and who ordered 2-3 days after me had his order shipped on 12/20 and mine still has not!! We both ordered Z61m machines and I'm pretty sure his is identical to mine. It's possible that he may have configured one component differently, but he says it has everything that mine does.

What the hell is going on here? Now I'm pissed.

 

I was upgraded to Express for free as well. It left HK Friday morning local time, it will be here Tuesday. Would have made it before Christmas if it'd shipped just a day earlier...

 

Merry Christmas to me! Ordered my Z61m 11/25, shipped 12/24. Should be here on the 28th, but I dont trust UPS much.

 

when did you order? I'm still waiting for my Z61m to ship that I ordered on 11/24

 

I ordered on 11/26. I JUST now checked my order on Lenovo's site and it says shipped on 12/25!

Not sure why mine shipped 5 days after my buddy's identical system when he ordered 3 days after me. Lenovo is clearly not working on a first come, first served basis.

 

OK, my order left Hong Kong yesterday and is in Ontario Canada now. Lenovo upgraded my order to Express shipping for free (I had originally chosen free ground shipping at the time of purchase) and my customer relations manager who got assigned to my case after filing a complaint just emailed me and said he would take 10% off the purchase price for my trouble and for being patient.

My laptop is guaranteed to be delivered by UPS by 10:30am on Thursday barring any customs delays.

I am much happier now!!

Z61m Titanium
WSXGA+ with camera & mic
T5500 Core 2 Duo
x1400 video card
2GB RAM
100GB 7200RPM
DVD Burner
Atheros A/B/G/N wireless
Bluetooth
Fingerprint reader
Windows XP Home

Not bad for less than $1300 after the additional 10% off!!

 

When did you order?

 

I ordered on 11/26. My friend ordered the same system 3-4 days after me (not sure of the exact date) and his system shipped out on 12/20. Doesn't make much sense.

 

Anybody out there that has a Z61t with a 7200 rpm hard drive? Was wondering if heat is an issue?

Thanks

Ordered 11/30 and waiting.

 

I'm pretty sure that the general concensus is that 7200rpm drives aren't really noticeably hotter, noisier or harder on the battery.

 

Don't have any actual numbers but my z61t doesn't seem to run hot. (100GB 7200RPM drive). Actually one of the cooler laptops I've owned.

 

GRRR. *shakes fist angerily at Lenovo*

Btw, how do you "File a complaint" Is that an option when you call or do you just ask one of the Reps?

 

Yeah, just call and tell them you want to file a complaint and that you want 10% off your order. The next day after doing that I had an email from a customer relations manager saying that he was trying to get me on a critical list and that he would see what he could do as far as compensation. I replied to his email stating that I was very disapointed with the entire process, etc, etc.

This was last Friday and my order shipped on Monday. Today the customer relations manager emailed me stating that the order had shipped (which I already knew) and that he had credited my credit card with 10% of the purchase price due to my inconvenience.

The totally ironic part of this whole thing is my friend who ordered 3-4 days after me (identical system) had his order shipped 6 days before me and he has never called Lenovo once after placing his order. Both of us were upgraded to "Express" shipping for free however despite only selecting the free "ground" shipping option when ordering. There is a decent chance that I will have my computer tomorrow and it just left Hong Kong yesterday!!

 

Hi, I did get my z61t (9440 d9u ordered 11/10) on 12/18. Did not have a chance to really get going with it until I got off work a few days later. Then, stumbled on what to do for a linux install because I hadn't really understood this rescue/recovery disk business. But it all worked out OK. Now have ubuntu edgy running following a failed attempt at FC5 (too old, but the disks were handy). Have not tried every single piece of h/w under linux yet, but the important stuff works fine. And it's very quiet.

To answer whoever said "why is everyone waiting for this computer? is it that good?" or similar, I say this: Had I not been too busy to re-shop for a computer in early Dec, I would have cancelled and ordered something else when they slipped the date out by another month. I was very close to ordering a vaio sz within about a day when the z61t suddenly shipped. So no, it was not worth an indeterminate wait for me. But I am glad they got it to me before I was able to change course. It is a nice machine which should suffice for several years, and I got a great price ($1318 with 100G/5400, 1.5GB, WXGA+, DVD-writer). In fact the spouse wants one now, but the price has gone way up. My advice to anyone considering ordering is to have no expectations at all on the shipping delay.

Also, to the warranty nightmare person (sorry, too rushed to quote properly), sorry to hear it, but I can't say I'm surprised. A bunch of pages ago, I said something like "if they are this untruthful and unhelpful in the purchasing stage, where are they going to be if something goes wrong with the product." Sorry to understand the answer seems to be unfavorable. I hope I don't have to go down that road.

Oh yes, they did upgrade my shipping to express without any prodding.

 

Hmm I can't view my Order through any method (Invoice, Open, etc)... wonder if its being packaged. Hmms.

 

I put FC6 on my z61t (9940 d9u). Was a bit of a chore, the ipw3945 driver didn't play nice with the Xen kernel, which held me up for a while. Also there's some bug with the handling of the wired interface that cause it to fail when you restart networking. Once I knew about the problem, its easy enough to work around, but it was the kind of thing that can make you question your sanity when you don't know the why networking works on first boot but stops working as soon as you try to change it. ;-)

I'm am both happy and angry that DVI passthrough is working. I'm happy that it works, well, even at 1680x1050, but I'm angry that I spent all the cash on the **** advanced doc, but really don't need it now. I wish someone could have told me that DVI passthrough worked with the Core 2 Duo before I ordered. Even after they changed the web site the sales reps still insisted that it wouldn't work.

 

An update, I'm still waiting for my Z61m to ship that was ordered on 11/24. I'm thinking the holdup is that I ordered it with the black shell instead of the titanium, because others have shipped that were ordered after mine with very similar specs (or Lenovo isn't doing FIFO to fulfill it's orders).

It's frustrating, but hopefully it will be worth the wait.

Has anybody else seen a Z61m ship with a black shell in the last week or two?

 

Well mine shipped! Wee it should be coming today, at least it says Rescheduled Delivery for today. Come on planes, fly faster!

 

mine finally shipped today ordered 11/24 and shipped on the exact same day they had given me from the start 12/27. it looks like it shipped ups ground, is that different from the 2 day one?

 

Ack, that sucks they didn't express it? Mine says Express, not sure if that is the One-day method or not, but I paid for 2 day so either way it better be coming relatively quick.

 

You got upgraded Anon00! "Express" is their overnight word and "Expedite" is their 2 day shipping word.... or so I was told.

 

Revised: Expedited is 2-3 business days

 

YESSSSSS!!!!! My z61t has SHIPPED!!!! Could lenovo actually be catching up on their orders??

Ordered 9440D3U 11/30

 

Sweet. Hopefully it doesn't get held up in customs. This is what the UPS site says so far:

Status: In Transit
Rescheduled Delivery: 12/27/2006
Shipped to: SPRING VALLEY, CA, US
Shipped or Billed on: 12/27/2006
Service Type: EXPRESS
Weight: 5.30 Kgs
Multiple Packages: 2

Package Progress
Location Date Local Time Description
CHEK LAP KOK,
HK 12/27/2006 10:07 P.M. DEPARTURE SCAN
HK 12/27/2006 6:01 P.M. BILLING INFORMATION RECEIVED

 

Just received my Z61t 9440-D9U today, ordered on 12/11.

 

My Z61m which was shipped from China on 12/25 arrived this morning!! I choose the free ground shipping option, but was upgraded to Express for free!!

It's VERY nice.

 

Ordered on 11/15.....
Scheduled to ship 1/5/07!!!!

9450D9U
Titanium
2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T7200
1GB RAM
120GB hard drive
DVD±RW (±R DL) / DVD-RAM
10/100/1000 Ethernet
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n (draft)
Bluetooth 2.0 EDR
fingerprint reader
Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional
15.4" WSXGA+ display

$1886.00

 

Hmm got thinkpad, I was setting up some Windows settings (Appearance) I went to grab a drink, came back to BSOD and I can't boot into windows, can't access the recovery partition etc. Called support, and I agree that it sounds like a loose Module, problem is... One of the screws was partially stripped and I don't have a screw driver (I work on cars and desktop computers, and even have jewelry screwdrivers to give you and idea) that is shallow and wide enough to unscrew it. Ah bad luck. Oh well, good thing i have a On-site warranty.

 

AnonOO, glad you got your Notebook! I have a question both of are computers went out at the same time. I have yet to receive mine. My question is this ... did your shipment show a change once it left Hong Kong? Mine still says "departing" but nothing more.

Thanks

 

It shows this:

ANCHORAGE,
AK, US 12/27/2006 4:22 P.M. DEPARTURE SCAN
12/27/2006 2:13 P.M. ARRIVAL SCAN
CHEK LAP KOK,
HK 12/27/2006 10:07 P.M. DEPARTURE SCAN
KOWLOON BAY,
HK 12/27/2006 1:49 P.M. PICKUP SCAN
HK 12/27/2006 6:01 P.M. BILLING INFORMATION RECEIVED

Anchorage is the first US stop from HK for myself, then it goes through a couple more hops

Oh, can someone confirm MEmtest86+ is good for a Thinkpads, I wouldn't htink they would have issues with the Chipset, but I used to to diagnose what was going on, and its throwing huge memory issues out (used Linux boot Disc, and I have harddrive out). Lenovo's going to have someone out Monday (grr) to deal with my strip screw and the RAM. It sucks that I'm out 4 days of a laptop but whatever...

Oh and on another note, the second package that was shipped, UPS didn't deliver. Not a big deal, it just contained my Lock and Ultrabay battery, both of which I can't used because my Laptop doesn't work

 

Gave up on waiting. I ordered my z61m on 11/28. In the mean time, I began researching the t60 widescreen. I'm an IT Consultant and will seldom use the built-in webcam and firewire port that comes with the Z. Even more, I've read that the Z can be somewhat of a horse to carry around. Nonetheless, I cancelled my order and found a higher performing T60 Widescreen for just a few more dollars at Cost Central. I ordered it today and am receiving it tomorrow. I will follow up with a full report.

Side note: another reason for my move to the T is due to an inadequate communication stream from Lenovo to its' customers. I may have hung on for the Z if Lenovo had not led me on week after week about 'hopefull' ship dates. I actually 'needed' this laptop for business and planned for its use for the beginning of the year. A 45 day wait time is unacceptable for any laptop and I couldn't justify an additional 20 day wait from now. I'm sure the Z is a fine product and will do well, but I'm a casuality of the delayed shells. Also, if one really compares the quality of the two machines and factors in the minimal price and weight difference, it is difficult not to go with the T. My opinion only. If interested, look for my report of the T60 widescreen tomorrow. Thanks again for everyone's input regarding this aging thread.

 

I actually really like the Z61m, it seems lighter than I thought. Though, my Ultrabattery isn't in yet. I just wished the **** thing worked. I even decided against doing a reformat, seems pointless, I'll just uninstall and registry search to get everything Non-Thinkvantage related off. I really loved my fingerprint reader, even though I thought I wouldn't use it.

If it wasn't for that one **** stripped screw. I have a feeling that either UPS or Customs man-handled it and partially unseated a RAM stick (this is my first manufactured computer too, but I've been around MS OEM notebooks/desktops and I'm pretty sure the product key isn't suppose to have a huge hole ripped from the middle of it).

 

I called lenovo a few days ago and asked to file a complaint. A rep finally got back to me today and said that she was putting my order on the "critical list." Does anyone know if doing this will actually get my z61m to me faster?

She didn't offer any compensation, but if my ship date gets pushed again I'll demand some money back.

I guess this is just the price I pay for being so picky that only one notebook offers everything I want :-/

 

All recent ones do. Another MS Security Measure.

 

lol you serious? I could see if it was an actual pretty, fancy hole. Just looks like someone chomped down on it and pulled.

 

In order to file a formal complaint, the complaints manager told me to email [email protected], which I did everyday for 5 days. I did not receive any email or phone call back, which was all I was asking for. Nonetheless, if you are going to wait it out, I would at least attempt to get a discount. The complaints manager told me that if I had to wait past the first of the year, then I could call back in and pursue a discount.

order cancelled (z61m)

 

I noticed the first one I received had it. I thought it looked like someone snagged a corner of a SHARP table while moving this laptop around. My second one is coming TODAY, any minute actually. I'll make sure it's got this enhanced safety feature.

 

I was excited to hear my computer was shipping out 3 days ago and how quickly most were receiving there's. Since my tracking online hasn't moved from the original message, I decided to call UPS International and find out how close it is to me. I thought they have the ability to know precisely where each package was at any given point. Apparently not as he told me his best "guess" is it's somewhere in EUROPE. I wish I was as well traveled as my computer seems to be...lol.

I did get the specs on my Z61T and noticed that the warranty was for 1year and 3 months. I've come up with 3 possibilities for this extended time.

1) Lenovo extends this to all customers.

2) I'm special

3) Lenovo has figured in the extra time it'll take UPS to get the computer from Hong Kong to my house.

 

Unfortunately, I'm serious. I have my hands on at least 15 NEW pc's and laptops within the last 3-4 months and ALL have been that way. Mostly from Dell, but one from HP and the Thinkpad. All look exactly the same.

When I researched, it was MS shipping them that way. You'll notice they don't stick down in that area either.

 

How weird. The Microsoft sticker on the bottom of mine has a good sized gouge in it too. It looks like someone took a bite out of it!

This is a security measure HOW?

 

Maybe they lace the saliva of the rat that bites the sticker with some chemical ? Under UV light it shows up if its Genuine, and if it doesn't you know some pirater used his own home-grown rat to do it!

 

Supposedly makes it impossible to remove from the PC and put it on another ... or something like that.

Also, exposes the holographic bands to make sure its genuine.

 

an update. my z61m order from 11/24 still has not shipped.

Got an email from Lenovo back from indicating that it will ship this week.

Crossing my fingers.

Is anybody else still waiting for a Z61 ordered in late November/Early December?

 

No, I ordered on 11/26 and got mine on 12/27. If I were you, I'd call Lenovo and tell them you want to open a formal complaint due to the long delays and different ETA's you've been receiving. Tell them you want 10% off your laptop for your troubles. They will open a complaint and a customer relations manager gets assigned to your case usually within 1 day. The next day after opening my complaint I was contacted by the person who got assigned to my complaint. He emailed me, introduced himself and said that he was trying to get my laptop shipped quicker and that he was investigating my compensation request. I replied to his email, telling him that my experience with Lenovo had been very poor and that I had been given multiple shipping dates, etc. I said that I think 10% is a fair request as a gesture that they care about my business now and in the future and that it would keep me from canceling my order. I was polite in the email but let him know I have not been happy with the purchasing process.

This was on a Friday, and the following Tuesday (day after xmas), he emailed me telling saying that my order had shipped (and was upgraded to express shipping for free) and that he had processed a refund to my credit card for 10% of the purchase price, as the full invoice amount is charged at the time of shipping.

Can't hurt to try.

 

I received my Z61t with the same problem. The metal sticker on the cover is peeling on the left side. What did you end up doing about it?

 

I'm going to call tomorrow. It may be shipping tomorrow anyway, but I'm going to try for the credit as well. I'm not really needing it until school starts again in a few weeks, so until the last week or so I hadn't really been that upset about it.

I was looking at other options today. If they don't ship by Friday, I'm ditching Lenovo altogether and getting an HP or something else. It's a shame, because the Thinkpad is really what I wanted.

 

Hang in there if you can...I'm glad I did. I was also looking at other options, but I'm really glad I waited.

 

At this point I've been waiting on a z61p since 11/7. That's not a typo - 5 days short of a two month wait, and a full 6 weeks delayed from what was the promised delivery date on the date I placed my order. BMW built me a car to my specifications, in Germany, and got it to me by boat in the amount of time I've now been waiting for this stupid block of circuits.

But for the fact that they're going to 1) match a much lower configured price that I was able to squeeze out of the student / alumni EPP page right after Christmas, 2) give me 10% off my original order price, and 3) express it to me whenever they do build it, I'd have cancelled the order long ago. Hell, if on December 1 when they told me it'd be ready by December 15 they'd actually given me the January date I have now, I'd have cancelled. The problem is they've never pushed the next deadline out by more than 15 days, meaning that any custom-made alternative has always been just about as far out as whatever new date they've been promising. Nice way to keep me dangling.

ALLEGEDLY it will be shipping either tomorrow or Friday, although for reasons nobody can explain the estimated ship date on their website for my order changed today from 1/3/07 (where it's been stuck for a month) to 12/26/06. They claim my unit hasn't actually shipped yet, though.

To help pass the time, I have a couple questions for the group:

1) Am I nuts for waiting this long?
2) Are any of you still waiting on units have order dates before 11/7?
3) Have any of you had the website jump to an estimated ship date that's a week in the past? How long after that did your unit ship?

At this point, if I ever get it, this lappy had better do everything it is supposed to, and also cook me dinner, clean my bathroom, and remember to send me flowers on my birthday.

 

Not looking good. Hasn't indicated it has shipped yet, and I just spent 45 very frustrated minutes on the phone on hold without actually getting hold of a human.

This company's service sucks, and I'm pretty much at the point where I don't want to deal with it anymore.

 

Encouraging news - I finally got through to a Lenovo sales representative who told me that the Z61m black shells have finally come in and they will be shipping this week. (the titanium ones have been in stock for a few weeks now, apparently).

I asked to file a formal complain, and he transferred me to second level, where a nice rep put me on hold for a few minutes, then came back and offered me a laptop carrying case. I told her I already had one and would prefer a discount on my order. She told me she would call me back later today(I asked for 10 percent off like some others on this board have gotten).

So, a more positive experience than I had been having.