Ok this is a long story but I will try to make it as brief as possible, but the story does lead up to my computer question; so bare with me. I got this Inspiron 2500 in late 2001 and my warranty expires this December. It was a refurbished laptop when I purchased it. About a month after having it, I got the blue screen error upon trying to start the computer if I remember right it was some kind of Kernel error; and I would have to reinstall XP. Everytime I had to do this, I would loose what I had on my computer. At the time I barely knew anything about computers, but after dealing with Dell about my laptop I have learned more than I ever thought I would.
After about a year of constantly calling Dell about this error, they finally put a new motherboard into the system. For a few months the laptop was fine, then keys would randomly quit working, I called and they would set it up for the laptop to go to depo to get rekeyed. I've also had trouble with keys falling off also, I am the only one who uses this laptop and I don't type hard at all, I could barely touch the keys (when they were working mind you) and it would be easy to type.
The last time I had the key problem was in June of 2003, then about a week and a half ago random keys quit working again. I called tech support( was in shock to get someone in the usa) and he walked me through some things to check the laptop and he concluded it needed to be sent to depot to be rekeyed once again. Each time this laptop has gone in concerning the keys they have always put a new system board in too.
When I sent the laptop in, the laptop was running fine except for the key problem, and the hindges needed to be tightened on the laptop.
When I got the laptop back, which it came back a day and a half after Airborne picked it up. I plugged it in and expected to be able to use it. I was wrong to have that expectation, and the problems I am having now is what lead me to write this really long post here. The laptop froze after being on it for about 20 min, I mean totally froze; holding down the power button for over a minute wouldn't even make the thing turn off. I would have to remove the battery and unplug the adapter to get the thing off. After having this happen it made me examine the puter to see if anything else wasn't as before I sent it in. I'll try to describe this the best way I can, the right side of the screen the back part holding the screen in is almost broken; and also on the right side it looks as if the screen is pushed back some. The hindges had not been tightened either. So I called back tech support, anc described all of the above; and so Airborne came and got it later the same day that it had been returned to me earlier. I just got it back again a couple of days ago, and as soon as I got on the laptop when I got it back it was still doing the freezeing thing. And neither the screen or the plastic part on the right had been fixed. Also after the first time the laptop came back, the box looked like it had gotten wet and been through world war 3. Which leads me to my questions.
Over the past couple of days I have been trying to backup my harddrive in between when the laptop would freeze. I was unable to get this done. I got out the diagnostics CD and tried to run that. and it froze during that also. After unplugging the adapter and removing the battery to get it off, and after about 15 min; I tried plugging it back in again. The laptop would make this sound as if it was trying to come on but just couldn't, and the only light that would light up was the one saying it was plugged in with the adapter. All I had sent this laptop off for was because some of the keys were not working and the hindges needed to be tightened. I never imagined all this would 20 min after getting it back from depot.
Could this be a Windows XP problem?
Could this be from the system being dropped in shipment or something else?
Has anybody else had this happen or heard of this happening?
After about a year of constantly calling Dell about this error, they finally put a new motherboard into the system. For a few months the laptop was fine, then keys would randomly quit working, I called and they would set it up for the laptop to go to depo to get rekeyed. I've also had trouble with keys falling off also, I am the only one who uses this laptop and I don't type hard at all, I could barely touch the keys (when they were working mind you) and it would be easy to type.
The last time I had the key problem was in June of 2003, then about a week and a half ago random keys quit working again. I called tech support( was in shock to get someone in the usa) and he walked me through some things to check the laptop and he concluded it needed to be sent to depot to be rekeyed once again. Each time this laptop has gone in concerning the keys they have always put a new system board in too.
When I sent the laptop in, the laptop was running fine except for the key problem, and the hindges needed to be tightened on the laptop.
When I got the laptop back, which it came back a day and a half after Airborne picked it up. I plugged it in and expected to be able to use it. I was wrong to have that expectation, and the problems I am having now is what lead me to write this really long post here. The laptop froze after being on it for about 20 min, I mean totally froze; holding down the power button for over a minute wouldn't even make the thing turn off. I would have to remove the battery and unplug the adapter to get the thing off. After having this happen it made me examine the puter to see if anything else wasn't as before I sent it in. I'll try to describe this the best way I can, the right side of the screen the back part holding the screen in is almost broken; and also on the right side it looks as if the screen is pushed back some. The hindges had not been tightened either. So I called back tech support, anc described all of the above; and so Airborne came and got it later the same day that it had been returned to me earlier. I just got it back again a couple of days ago, and as soon as I got on the laptop when I got it back it was still doing the freezeing thing. And neither the screen or the plastic part on the right had been fixed. Also after the first time the laptop came back, the box looked like it had gotten wet and been through world war 3. Which leads me to my questions.
Over the past couple of days I have been trying to backup my harddrive in between when the laptop would freeze. I was unable to get this done. I got out the diagnostics CD and tried to run that. and it froze during that also. After unplugging the adapter and removing the battery to get it off, and after about 15 min; I tried plugging it back in again. The laptop would make this sound as if it was trying to come on but just couldn't, and the only light that would light up was the one saying it was plugged in with the adapter. All I had sent this laptop off for was because some of the keys were not working and the hindges needed to be tightened. I never imagined all this would 20 min after getting it back from depot.
Could this be a Windows XP problem?
Could this be from the system being dropped in shipment or something else?
Has anybody else had this happen or heard of this happening?
<---- What I am feeling like now, 
< --- What I'd like to do to the people at Dell.
