BEWARE of PC Microworks .... Do NOT send in your systems for repair

Normally I would agree to take action, but I wouldn't even know where to start outside of getting a lawyer involved, which, once you do that, it costs money. And I am sure that most of the people here who have had problems saved their money so they could get a high end machine, and don't have the money to get involved in any type of legal battle.

I still have yet to hear from PCMW, however, with the Memorial Day weekend no one was probably around.

 

Any of you guys who have gotten a laptop from PCMW, I was curious if you could run this free util:

http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

What it does is inventory your PC and report back what your hardware/software/etc info is. I wanted to grab this info before sending off my laptop for service (if I ever heard back from PCMW or Xotic). The thing that has me concerned is what it reported. I'm not sure if this is normal or is something up (i.e. the serial numbers)

Code:

System Model
Intel W840DI W840.028
System Serial Number: 0123456789012345
Chassis Serial Number: 0123456789012345
Enclosure Type: Other

Main Circuit Board
Board: Intel Rev1.W840.028
Serial Number: 0123456789012345
BIOS: Intel W840.028 12/08/2008
  	
4090 Megabytes Installed Memory
Slot 'M1' has 2048 MB (serial number 1234-B0)
Slot 'M2' has 2048 MB (serial number 1234-B1)

 

Nice. That's something to reference to if every you send your laptop for repair, not to PCMW of course, I can't afford that.

So sad what's going on there though, I need my laptop checked out.

 

i did not dare to send my xr5 back from Europe to the US to get my death pixels fixed, so far i'm stuck with them, zero death pixels warranty was waste of money and 3 year diamond plan

 

Sent a second e-mail to PCMW today. Their phone message says they will get back to me in 1 business day, so if I don't hear from them by Friday I will send a 3rd e-mail out. All of which I am printing out and saving as documentation. If I don't hear from them by Tuesday of next week, I'll contact the Attorney General. Based on their track record from peoples reports here, and their lack of communication or ability to honor their warranty, I have a feeling they won't be around much longer. But I wouldn't be surprised if they pop up again under a different website name.

 

The Voyager: for death pixels try this software it may help you if the free version dont fix it try Deluxe

http://www.jscreenfix.com/basic.php

http://www.jscreenfix.com/purchase.php?id=1bc2d2a3104690c1122b3b8cab08b116

 

i tried this one before but didn't help so are the others i found. thank anyway though

 

that's what i noticed on the box... and on the back (bottom) of the laptop a sticker was ripped off ... hmmm i have more stories for later if my keyboard is fixed...

 

Well I still have not heard from PCMW at all, so I called my credit card company today and I am going to dispute the charge. I have to write a letter with all the info they need, plus have my laptop looked at by a 3rd party, like a Geek Squad or something and have them write a letter on their letterhead stating that my laptop is truly broken as stated, and fax it to them. If they accept it they said I should have my money back in 2-3 days time.

At that point they said it's considered done, and if PCMW contacts me after that I'm going to have them tell me where to ship the laptop back to them so I can be done with this whole thing.

 

you should have them pay for shipping the laptop back to them....for all the hassle they put you through..it is the least they could do.

 

Everyone threatens actions, few follow through.

As I mentioned previously in this thread, please take the time to file a complaint with the BBB and post your experiences on ratings websites such as resellerratings.com, etc. Do your part to save others from our fate. It the best way to fight back against disreputable businesses.

 

Still no laptop, I'm really having a hard time waiting

I can't do anything about it.

 

Update:

Just got the tracking details for my laptop.

I hope everything will be ok with it when I receive it.

 

I'm glad to hear it kevin, I hope everything with it was sorted out.

 

very glad to hear kevin.

hopefully I can unsticky this thread soon.

 

That would be nice Gophn, especially if these laptops were being worked on and it was just PCMW 'marketing' personalities manning the phones to keep us smiling.

My laptop needs checking out, but these guys will have hellfire if I ever sent it to them and I don't receive it in prompt time.

 

you dont want to send it to the importer OEM (Sager)?

 

I'd love to. But they never seem to respond to emails. I'll try giving them a call next week though. And that's probably a good bet to as its still under a year thus under their warranty.

 

yup, I would recommend doing that first.

 

Well, it isn't under a Sager warranty so please do not expect Sager to do any warranty repairs.

The only reasons to send it to Sager are that you know the repairs will be done right, and that you will get it back

 

That's true with the return but the serial number for the notebook is registered to Sager Midern. I can assume that is Sager in the states no?

 

Neither Sager nor Pro-Star sold to PCMW with a warranty attached. The serial number is not "registered" to either company.

At best, they MIGHT be willing to take care of parts replacement during one year from the original ship date from them to PCMW (not the customer's ship date), but they have no obligation to do so.

 

Don't assume anything about warranties; in particular, do not assume that a wholesaler is liable under a warranty running from the wholesaler to the retailer who purchased from the wholesaler, or that any such warranty that does exist will also run in favor of the retailer's purchaser, the end-user. If, hypothetically speaking, Sager were to import a pallet of units from Clevo, and then sell them wholesale to a customizer - call it Shyster's Shystems - and those systems were then customized by SS and sold on to retail customers (i.e., consumers), then Sager's sale would generally not be covered by the laws that imply warranties into sales, for the simple reason that it was a sale for resale transaction, not a consumer sale-for-use transaction, thus, Sager is free to warrant those systems to SS, or not, as it sees fit (or as it's negotiating power permits). On the off-chance that Sager was foolish enough to warrant those systems to SS, that warranty would not (generally) extend to any third-party beneficiaries, in this case, the consumers who purchased from SS.

 

I would think most would follow through given the nature of this thread. I noticed a lot of people on resellerratings.com have already posted. And I plan on reporting it to the BBB, however, I am gathering all the appropriate documentation to make it complete rather than just wildly firing off a web based claim without covering all appropriate steps. The more thorough I am, the better the claim against them will be. Just trying to cover all bases ahead of time.

 

Just a reminder of my experience.

I first contacted Sager, they stated that they were not the manufacturer of my system and refused to sell me a new 8800m because they were not the manufacturer.

Eurocomm turned out to be the Manuf. of my system and they offered warranty service since I was still inside the first year of owning my system. Unfortunately I had already sent my card back to PCMW so I had no card to sent to Eurocomm. I had to swallow the cost of a replacement card from Eurocomm.

I have had no response from PCMW for over 2 months since I sent my 8800m back to them.

 

Here's an update on my situation:

I disputed the charge with my credit card company and they have already re-imbursed my credit card the full amount. So I got my money back, now I just need to find a way to contact PCMW so I can find out where to ship the broken laptop back so they can have it and I can be done with dealing with them once and for all.

Secondly I posted my issue with resellerratings.com now that it's finalized, and even reported to the BBB, even referenced this thread in my complaint to them:

Code:

Thank you for using the Better Business Bureau's Online Complaint System.
Your complaint has been assigned case # 57144902.
Please print a copy of this for your records.

Filed on : June 2 2009

I encourage others to do so as well, it's an easy process to do, just make sure you have all your facts and information to provide to them.

I appreciate everyone's assistance and guidance in this thread as well. You have all been a wealth of information even if it is 40 pages long. It really helped me shed some light on the situation when I was feeling at a loss with what to do.

 

Looks like someone just flew up from San Diego CA to pay Matt a visit. Unfortunately I didn't get to watch that encounter because PC Microworks has moved out of the office. They packed up and left last week. So in case this thread hasn't discouraged you enough, I wouldn't reccomend sending your notebook to them.

 

so in short all of us black hawk xr5 users are screwed with there 3 year diamond plan warranty, right?

 

I am guessing I will never get my machine. My credit card says they can't guarantee a charge back because of the amount of time since the initial charge (I bought it back in Jan. of this year).

-joseph

ASIDE: I bought a Blackhawk XR5 that ran me about 3800 bucks.

 

I'm in the same boat.. just sent my XR5 in for minor repair work about a month ago - can't get in touch with them and now i'm really worried.

 

Its looking bleak but some guy I know got his machine shipped back to him about 4 days ago.

-joseph

 

the same guy i know in the area that went by there last time said the same thing. he said there was no one there. i asked him to swing by on his way to work yesterday.

 

Just got my laptop back finally and luckily the problem was fixed.

 

You're quite lucky then ... was it shipped to you from PCMW or the company that repaired it for you? I never even received any e-mail back from the e-mails I sent them requesting service. Not that it matters now since my credit card company is going after them.

And based on what zfactor said I wonder if they don't even have an office anymore if their gone, and the guy just works out of his house or something.

 

Shipped from PCMW. Actually I was the OP of this thread and I started all this mess, lol.

They guy from FastTrackSites told me that Matt O' Byrne was busy moving to their new office (don't know where) as they've moved out from the Albrae CA office.

 

So they shipped back to you in the Phils?

 

Honestly....he would be the easiest to rip off since he paid by money order AND lives outside the US. I wonder why they shipped his back but no one else's?

 

Yes indeed.

 

I know someone who used to work for him. Looks like he moved out of his office and his apartment. Who knows where he's working out of now...

 

I had my system gone to PCMW for 50 days and after Filings with BBB the next day it was shipped out.

It Arrived today. The Video card STILL dose not work. It worked for 3 boot ups.

on the + side i got a Q9550 upgrade over my Q9540...... but my 8800M GTX is still causing dot artifacts.... when i tried to boot a up a game it artifacted and now it artifacts from the first boot screen.


I have spent over 5 hours on hold.... oh and there was a letter @ the top of the box.

" Dea r Customer,
PC Micro Works Corporation will no longer be handling RMAs or support directly. Please contact one of the following vendors based on your serial number.... etc "

Dear was spaced like that....


so how do i get my id card fixed... I paid for a 3 year plan

 

Geez, this thread is just a train wreck.

It's just horrible to read this thing, especially for everyone who was here from the beginning screaming at people not to buy from this company.

My condolences go out to everyone.

 

When was this?

 

My, my, my. Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose. Is the corporation going, too, or is that going to be abandoned like an unwanted housecat?

 

I got the XR5 Back Today. I shipped it out in the beginning of april.

The Laptop video card is not working.

On boot up right when bios splash screen comes up there are blue and red lines of dots.

 

I sent mine out at the end of april. Maybe I will get mine back soon. The only problem I had was with the sound.

Did you get a shipping email letting you know it was being sent out?

ASIDE: The reason I ask is because I actually moved since my original order. PCMW was aware of the move because it was AFTER the move that i sent my laptop back and they sent the box to my new address but I was just wondering if there was a chance that it was sent to my OLD address. If so its probably been too long now and it was returned.

-joseph

 

I hope for your sake it returns.

How many people still don't have their laptop back?

My Issue with the video card, would one of the suppliers be able to fix that?


Yes I got a Email saying it was being shipped.

"This tracking update has been requested by:

Company Name: PC MicroWorks Corp
Name: Shipping Department
E-mail: [email protected]

________________________________________________________________________________

Shipping Department of PC MicroWorks Corp sent xxxx 1 FedEx Ground package(s).

This shipment is scheduled to be sent on 05/30/2009. "

 

Same information relayed to me.

 

I've contacted my CC co, Updated my BBB report, emailed sager and eurocomm.

This sucks ..... I am a US ARMY active Soldier and this is my TV/DVD/Photo editing/ Games .... and yeah ITS a 5,000$ Paper Weight.....

 

When did you originally send your machine in for repair???

-joseph

 

April 7th 2009