Venting about Dell and my laptop

Not to beat a dead horse but I'm waiting for my replacement system from Dell and I need to vent. I had a M1710 and apparently they cant fly..who knew. So far I'm just a little disgruntled on their process thus far, I'll give you a run down.

7/5) Laptop cannot fly, falls, breaks, and dies

7/7) I get the box and it gets picked up 7/8

7/10) Dell receives the laptop @ the depot.

Now here's where I get upset

7/13) Laptop is put on "Billable Hold" and I will get a call from a tech at the latest Friday.

7/14) I get a call from a tech @ the depot, he says I will be getting my laptop at the latest 7/17 (Friday) and a tech will contact me latest Friday.

7/17) I talk to Dell to see what's going on with my laptop. It's still on "Billable Hold" and I will get a call from a tech at the latest Saturday night.

(two techs were suppose to contact me by Saturday...)

7/18) I contact Dell again; I'm wondering what this "Billable Hold" is all about. They explain to me that it's on "Billable Hold" because it is "Beyond Repair". Also they explain to me that they are waiting for parts to repair it (even though its "Beyond Repair".

So it's been on hold since 7/13 because it's beyond repair.

7/22) I contact Dell, they say that the system needs to be replaced and it will take 7-10 days to build a new system then 2-3 days for shipping and that they are processing the order.

7/25) Contacted Dell again, the order is still being processed so it will be 7-10 days (from today! ) and an additional 2-3 days for shipping.

Now let me get this out of my system right quick.

*Ahem*
lzd ie:

So most likely I will be getting a M1730 from them based on what I've read around the forums. I just don't understand how they can have that bad of communication and how each tech can tell me something different.

And I hope I don't get screwed with a 8700 when I had the 7950gtx.

Now when your talking about unresolved issues, are you talking about the multiple threads about people having 7900's+ and getting the 8600 SLI's, such as Woodstock's problem here?

I know the who issue with the 8600's is the 124 memory bus width opposed to the 7950 with 256.

And yes I know to be calm and collected when talking to Reps, I've been in that position before and I know that I'm more willing to help someone who has their ducks in a row and wont blow up at me opposed to a hot headed customer.

Also, I'm no way illiterate when it comes to computers, and I understand that the memory interface is lower on the 8700M, making it a choke point, but can someone explain to me how? Thanks.

Okay so I got a call from Dell and my order was shipping as of 2 days ago, here's what they're sending me:

1YN582 Base,Notebook,Core Merom T7500,XPS-M1730

10293D Module,Cord,Power,120V,6 Ft

10797C Customer Kit,Documentation, Airborne

15T445 Module,Cable,Video, Digital Video Interface, Video Graphics Adapter, Dimension

1C6439 Module,Techsheet,Recycle, Notebook/Desktop,System

1CU030 Module,Dvd+/-rw,8X,Ide (integrated Drive Electronics),M1730,HLDS

1CW774 Service Install Module Software,Inspiron,M1730

1DX476 Module,Label,Intel,Notebook Centrino Mobile Technology Santa Rosa Merom

1DX631 Module,Insert,Plastic,GRAY Liquid Crystal Display,M1730

1FK244 Module,Software,DT-ICLNR Dell Americas Organization

1FT348 Module,Assembly,Base,M1730 1GW010 Module,Cable,Video,Digital Video Interface,HDMI,INSP

1HP010 Module,Hard Drive,120G,7.2K Serial Ata,F080,INS

1HR105 Module,Card,Graphics IUPGA5D,G84,SLI

1HT746 Module,Software,Quick Fix Engineering,VHP32,Inspiron

1HU144 Module,Card,Graphics Physics Processing Unit,128MB,Notebook

1JN197 Ship Group,Notebook,United States,M1730,DAO-MDS

1KU312 Module,Software,Works,8.5 Office,TRIAL, ENG

1MR589 Module,Software,Dell Media Direct,3.4,SIBERIA

1NP562 Module,Software,VHP32,InspironEnglish,Dell Americas Organization,No Docs/diskettes

1NX186 Module,Software,DSPRT3.4
Gteck0,Dimension,Inspiron

1PU575 Module,Remote Control Notebook,Mobile 2008

1RX386 Module,Software,GRAW,XPS-M1730 1TP270 Module,Card,Network,3945 Inspiron,Most Of World 1

1UN078 Module,Software,Windows Vista Os,Hypertext Markup Language GUIDE,World Wide

1UW429 Module,Keyboard,101,United States,M1730,Dell Americas Organization

1UY392 Module,Information,Liquid Crystal Display,Cover,WCMRA Corsica/Gilligan/Sapporo/Yebis

1WK011 Service Install Module,Intel Matrix Storage Manager,M1730

1WP008 Module,Accessory,Binder,M1730 England/english,Dell Americas Organization

1WR336 Module,Software,VHP32,Digital Video Disk Drive,English,Dell Americas Organization

1WW439 Module,Label,Microsoft,WindowsVista Os,Premium,Small 1WX548 Module,Liquid Crystal Display 17WU,W/CMRA,M1730,SMSN

1WX695 Module,Adapter,Alternating Current,230W,Delta - Ac Adapt World Wide

1XD717 Module,Dual In-line Memory Module,2GB,667MHZ,2X1GB,512

1XG487 Module,Battery,Primary,80WHR 9C,SANYO

1XM387 Module,Software,Roxio,Creator Dell Edition,9.0,TransactionalLine of Business

1XM544 Module,Software,PC-RESTORE Transactional Line Of Business

1YJ372 Module,Cable,S-VID,Sony Phillips Digital Interface Format,Mobile 2007,West

Im wondering if anyone can tell me the components of this, well the main ones (GPU, CPU)

I know I got a 120GB HDD, and 2GB RAM, and that's all I know

EDIT: Okay I figured out the CPU, it's a 2.2GHz, but still not sure on the GPU.

Thanks.

Yeah I've been talking to them online for a bit now, they're trying to tell me the 8700 is an upgrade from my 7950GTX, fools.

WOOOOOOO

2:38:20 PM Sup_Rakesh_32672: I have checked the order once again and the system is already sent out from Dell.

2:38:45 PM Sup_Rakesh_32672: I am sure the technician provided you with a tracking number.

2:39:41 PM You: Yes, though FexEx confirms that the order has not been picked up from the dell location yet

2:40:35 PM Sup_Rakesh_32672: Okay, not a problem that should be dome by the end of the day and You: can expect the system in a day or two.

2:40:48 PM You: Alright.

2:42:05 PM Sup_Rakesh_32672: Is there anything else we can help you here.

2:42:58 PM You: Yes, the big issue with my graphics card that I will be receiving.

2:43:10 PM You: I have a exchange system coming from the Dell Depot, order #<censored>. My original system is an XPS M1710, service tag <censored>, but it had fallen and was covered under the Dell "Complete Care" Warranty. The laptop was deemed "Beyond Repair" so they are doing a System Exchange and I'm receiving a M1730. The video card in the M1730 is a 8700M GT, it has 256MB video memory and a 128 bit bus speed, this is a downgrade from my M1710 which had a 7950GTX. The 7950GTX has 512MB of video memory and a 256 bit bus speed. The 8700M GT is a downgrade, as the 128 bit bus speed will be a bottleneck for my system, causing it to render lower FPS, any gamer with video card knowledge will be able to tell this.

2:44:55 PM Sup_Rakesh_32672: Okay, I understand that Floyd, I am sure when the exchange was done the complete configuration was informed, am I correct?

2:45:07 PM You: No.

2:45:23 PM You: I was not notified of any configuration, in any way.

2:45:35 PM Sup_Rakesh_32672: Okay.

2:45:50 PM You: One moment.

2:46:26 PM You: If you mean the order details given to me after I was informed it was shipped? Then yes, though the Dell website.

2:46:52 PM You: But no person contacted me to give me the configuration, I had to look it up online.

2:47:35 PM Sup_Rakesh_32672: Okay and that was after you got the tracking number, am I correct?

2:48:41 PM You: Correct, I recieved a phone call from an automated dell system this morning. It gave me the order number, then I used that number to look up the order status on the dell website

2:51:11 PM Sup_Rakesh_32672: Okay.

2:53:11 PM Sup_Rakesh_32672: Let me check what best can be done here.
2:53:30 PM You: Thank you.
2:59:06 PM Sup_Rakesh_32672: I see the system was sent out with nVidia 8700M Dual SLI -256MB -IUPGA5C , is that correct?

2:59:14 PM You: Yes.

3:01:11 PM Sup_Rakesh_32672: Have you checked this is a Dual SLI card.

3:02:47 PM You: Yes but its still a bottleneck with the 128 bit bus speed, even though its 2 cards it doesnt mean that 128+128=256, the SLI configuration doesnt work like that, so my games and applications will till be stuck on the 126 bit bus speed chokepoint

3:03:36 PM You: Which means I will be getting a far fewer frame rates than my M1710 configuration with a 7950GTX that had a 256 bit bus

3:04:07 PM Sup_Rakesh_32672: Okay.

3:05:12 PM Sup_Rakesh_32672: As an exception we will send out a upgraded card after you get the system, please understand this will be the best we can do here.

3:05:52 PM Sup_Rakesh_32672: I will send out the part only, are you comfortable replacing the card.

3:06:07 PM Sup_Rakesh_32672: The card is a nVidia GF8800M GTX SLI 512MB IUPGA5C

3:06:34 PM You: Thank you very much. I would prefer a technician to replace the card, will that be possible?

3:07:02 PM Sup_Rakesh_32672: Okay, will certainly do that.

3:07:32 PM Sup_Rakesh_32672: So I will follow up the case after 3 business days and create the request.

3:07:41 PM You: That sounds great.

WIN
I suppose just be calm and curtious does the trick, and it also depends on the rep you get, this was also my first attempt to get this problem solved

I kinda feel bad for people, like woodstock, who got screwed over for such a long time.

Hmm..
Dell informed me that my laptop was ready to be shipped on the 27th but FedEX has yet to pick it up, stating that they "just got the email stating it was ready to be picked up" yesterday, which is BS because the tracking number has been available since the 27th.

Ahh...thanks.
Well it's the 2nd and it's still yet to be shipped out..

:c ensored::cen sored::censo red::censore d:

@!#!@$ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dell says the order has been picked up by fedex
Fedex says the order has not been picked up

I've been on the phone with them for 2 hours
Customer service is trasnferring me to xps technical support
technical support is transferring me to customer care

I'm gonna blow up right now..so pissed.

It really is, I have never had that bad of an experience with Dell. I honestly cannot believe I was transferred between 2 departments time and time again; it had to be at least 10 times in a row.

I finally ended up talking to someone competent enough (I got pissed and demanded a manager or supervisor in the XPS department). He ended up talking to Logistics and he got back to me after being on hold saying, "I cannot believe the nerve of that guy, I talked to 2 reps, the first one was completely incompitent and accused me of not knowing what was going on". He kept going off about this first rep, I'm like "Finally! Someone can relate to what I've been going through for 3 hours."

Let's see where this gets me in 1-2 days.