New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Please, God Helps me...

post #1 of 60
6/12/06 at 12:43pm
Thread Starter 
Hi,

I am French and my first contact with the Alienware company is not a success...

In mid february I'd ordered an Aurora m7700 for 3200 € (around 3500 $). One month later I've received a beautiful box from Dhl with the "most impressive gaming laptop ever build on earth"

My first feeling were good, the laptop was beautiful with its charming deep blue color and small blue LED...

However, the fans was sometimes producing weird noises...
As the touchpad wasn't very handly I 've bougth a mouse after one mouse. Here start my curse.

The USB mouse (and all tested USB devices) have started to randomly disconnect. I have called the technical support but they've said that they cannot fix my laptop (after x-XP reintallation and y-drivers test)

But and this is probably the more important:
We've found why the fans were doing weird noises !



It was because there was an extra-screw IN my 3500$ laptop after the so-called "testing phases"



Due to this annoying discovery the technician said that I should send back my laptop to ireland to change the motherboard which has been apparently damaged by the extra-screw...

But the trouble is that I need this computer for work purpose and I can not send it, even in top-priority.
So I ask them to send me an exact copy to my computer as a replacement... The customer service deny my request. In fact the technician reveals me that because Alienware was a american company, it doesn't really care of small growth French market...

I am telling you this unfortunately real story because I have heard that some Alienware America Staff are on this forum and I hope they are more comprehensive than their Irish counterpart.

Please help me ! I really need to have this replacement machine and not a priority repair...
I'll do anything for that
Reply
Reply
post #2 of 60
6/12/06 at 12:50pm
I highly doubt they will send you out a replacement, acutally they probably wont because they can fix it. Sorry, how badly do you need it for work?
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 60
6/12/06 at 1:56pm
They will fix it, and you’re still under warranty =)

The screw prob came out during their “testing” or at least ready to come out.

I spoke with AW tech about this “testing” and they do TERRIBLE things to your system before they ship it. They run the system at just about max load for 72 hours straight. Being an m7700 owner myself, I find this impressive, notebook systems are not designed to run 24/7 like desktop systems. But the M7700 has more desktop hardware then a notebook and for that to run at max load for 72 hours, there is noting you can do to destroy it!

Honestly, it a better thing for the screw to come out now, then a year from now when your warranty may expire
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 60
6/12/06 at 3:37pm
I haven't had my computer for more than a couple days outa the last four months (since I had to send it back to the depot the first time).

Reply
Reply
post #5 of 60
6/12/06 at 3:59pm
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 60
6/12/06 at 4:05pm
Sorry to hear about your problems, Jack_. But, like Laughterkillsme said, don't expect any miracles... He has had his laptop for a couple days in the four months since he bought it, and I have had mine for a couple of weeks in the six months since I bought it, and there is no way Alienware would even think of sending a temp replacement or anything like that. Even when they finally agreed to build me a new laptop after numerous depot trips, they wouldn't even consider letting me keep my laptop until the new one arrived. The paperwork wouldn't even start until they had received my laptop, disassembled, and inventoried all the pieces.
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 60
6/12/06 at 4:07pm
Quote:
Sorry, but I seriously doubt this. I and others have experienced first-hand receiving a laptop that won't even turn on, overheats right away, or drivers necessary to test the repaired devices not even installed, making any kind of testing impossible. The first time I received my laptop back from depot, the code to start Windows hadn't even been entered, so that means no one even bothered to turn it on and enter the OS after they replaced my LCD screen and motherboard.

If you even try to run a m7700 at just about max speed for even a few hours, it will most likely overheat.

Quote:
Sorry, but I seriously doubt this. I and others have experienced first-hand receiving a laptop that won't even turn on, overheats right away, or drivers necessary to test the repaired devices not even installed, making any kind of testing impossible. The first time I received my laptop back from depot, the code to start Windows hadn't even been entered, so that means no one even bothered to turn it on and enter the OS after they replaced my LCD screen and motherboard.

If you even try to run a m7700 at just about max speed for even a few hours, it will most likely overheat.

nah, im a MMORGP nut, iv run my m7700 for 8-10 hours straight with no issues.

But honestly, i believe this "test" is whats causing so many "out the box" problems.

leaving a notebook running for 72 hours is a great test. if the system overheats, powers down, EXPLODES, AW will not ship it to you.

in the event it does run smooth for 72 hours, i bet they shut it down, pack it up, and send it on it's way.

Anyone else think this is a bad idea? I do. Just the pure heat generated from this system running at max load for 72 hours can cause some components in the "brand new" system to expand, move, ect.

personally, i think they should shut it down, wait an hour, then see if it turns back on! lol

anyway, a lot of the problems users have with this system end up being user errors. i.e. “I normally put my laptop on a pillow so I can see the screen better”

“Iv been playing for 4 hours and the system is SO hot I cant touch it” (press <fn> f2 you noob! {throttles fans to 100%} and while its cooling down, read the darn users manual)
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 60
6/12/06 at 4:16pm
Marker, the 72 hours burn in took them less then 2 days. Thats how I know it didn't happen the last time it was at the depot.
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 60
6/12/06 at 4:19pm
Quote:
Marker, the 72 hours burn in took them less then 2 days. Thats how I know it didn't happen the last time it was at the depot.

haha, now that is funny!

i guess there is no way to verify if they actually run these tests....
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 60
6/12/06 at 4:21pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
I highly doubt they will send you out a replacement, acutally they probably wont because they can fix it. Sorry, how badly do you need it for work?
Well In fact I'm a student in Actuarial Sciences and I do my thesis with this computer... For Internet & Running simulation... I use it also for gaming purpose but that doesn't really matter in this case...
Quote:
Sorry to hear about your problems, Jack_. But, like Laughterkillsme said, don't expect any miracles... He has had his laptop for a couple days in the four months since he bought it, and I have had mine for a couple of weeks in the six months since I bought it, and there is no way Alienware would even think of sending a temp replacement or anything like that. Even when they finally agreed to build me a new laptop after numerous depot trips, they wouldn't even consider letting me keep my laptop until the new one arrived.
That is exactly why I want AW to directly go to the replacement step... I do not want to wait my computer for ages, If I was sure at 100 % that the repair will be efficient in one week I will send it, but as my computer has sucessfully passed their "tests" with an extra screw in it I have serious doubts on their ability to fix it quickly...
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 60
6/12/06 at 5:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jack_
Well In fact I'm a student in Actuarial Sciences and I do my thesis with this computer... For Internet & Running simulation... I use it also for gaming purpose but that doesn't really matter in this case... That is exactly why I want AW to directly go to the replacement step... I do not want to wait my computer for ages, If I was sure at 100 % that the repair will be efficient in one week I will send it, but as my computer has sucessfully passed their "tests" with an extra screw in it I have serious doubts on their ability to fix it quickly...
I really hope that you figure something out ... My laptop went last semester while I was taking a full load of courses, 2 of which were Computer Science ... really screwed me over. I can't imagine how paniced I'd be if I was doing a thesis ... AW support keeps saying that if I requested a refund within the first 30 days it'd be much easier to get. (even though my excuse for wanting a refund is the 4 month string of depot problems lol) They may also be talking about the refund that includes a 15% restocking fee though.
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 60
6/12/06 at 6:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by marker01
haha, now that is funny! i guess there is no way to verify if they actually run these tests....
They also didn't install the graphics drivers, so I'd say there is a way to tell ... logic.
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 60
6/12/06 at 6:12pm
Unfortunately, Alienware will not replace your system until they've attempted to repair it a few times unsuccessfully.

You will need to find another computer to use while yours is sent to Ireland for repairs if you want it fixed.
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 60
6/12/06 at 10:08pm
I don't understand what you mean by 'unsuccessfully repair it a few times.' You'd think they send it back repaired; I can't comprehend why they would send it back if it wasn't fixed.. you may be too used to that logic to notice why it'd be odd, but it isn't professional in the least.

Who decided it was a good idea to send it back to the customer still broken?
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 60
6/12/06 at 11:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Druz
I don't understand what you mean by 'unsuccessfully repair it a few times.' You'd think they send it back repaired; I can't comprehend why they would send it back if it wasn't fixed.. you may be too used to that logic to notice why it'd be odd, but it isn't professional in the least.

Who decided it was a good idea to send it back to the customer still broken?

Obviously I didn't mean they send the machine back unrepaired... You're one of those guys that purposely misinterprets what people say to cause problems...

I don't know if you know it or not, but computers are very complex. It's not like fixing a toaster. Some issues are intermittent, and may not be duplicated by the depot staff, so they do what they can to make sure the system is running correctly and send it back only to have the issue return at a later date. Sometimes it's a bad connection or circuitry on the mobo, sometimes it's bad software, sometimes it's a bad component that doesn't malfunction continuously. Sometimes there's a problem with the power supply and it causes different issues with different components so they're difficult to diagnose. It may appear you got a bad video card, so replacement makes the machine run fine until the power supply malfunctions again and causes another vid card issue, or maybe something else this time.

The warranty says clearly that Alienware will repair your system, and after several attempted repairs the system still develops issues you're entitled to a replacement system or full refund at Alienware's discretion.
Reply
Reply
post #16 of 60
6/13/06 at 12:01am
To the trolls aboard this ship:

Either lend some useful information to the original poster or keep it to yourself. The thread was created for an AW rep to respond, not everyone who wants to take cheap shots at the company. Let's keep it on point and relevant to helping this young lad

To those of you that have been warned before, there are no more to be had..ye be walking the plank ARGGG!
Reply
Reply
post #17 of 60
6/13/06 at 3:11am
Thread Starter 
Reply
Reply
post #18 of 60
6/13/06 at 3:24am
Jack,

I understand your situation, believe me. I had a business computer with all my bookkeeping die on me years ago and it was a nightmare to get fixed. It wasn't an Alienware by the way. Since then I've always had a back up system in case anything goes wrong.

It would be impossible for a company the size of Alienware to have representatives in every city in every country they sell in, but if they have onsite service they will hire a local tech to come to your house and perform the repair if they're well defined and simple enough for onsite service.

Unfortunately anything that will require extensive diagnostics or repairs that will require reinstallation of the operating system or running in again requires that you send the system back to their depot for the process.

I hope you can find a time when you can do without the computer for a week or two, or you can find a loaner computer so you can send in the Alienware for the repairs.

Best of luck.
Reply
Reply
post #19 of 60
6/13/06 at 3:27am
I love the title of this thread. It's the roXors!!11!!

Sounds like the plea of a Scandinavian tourist who just got mugged in Central Park.
You know it's terrible, but you just can't help to snicker a little.

*No offense to the original poster or any other Europeans
Reply
Reply
post #20 of 60
6/13/06 at 4:00am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
I hope you can find a time when you can do without the computer for a week or two, or you can find a loaner computer so you can send in the Alienware for the repairs.

Best of luck.

I will try to find a 2nd laptop but first I will buy an external Hard drive to protect my data...

Thank you for your emotional support

Quote:
Sounds like the plea of a Scandinavian tourist who just got mugged in Central Park.
You know it's terrible, but you just can't help to snicker a little.

LOL
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home