NotebookForums.com › Forums › Notebook Manufacturers › Dell Forums › Dell Home (Inspiron, XPS, Studio) › E1705 Warranty Replacement - Advice?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

E1705 Warranty Replacement - Advice?

post #1 of 33
10/8/09 at 4:22pm
Thread Starter 
Hi All, I'm currently in the middle of a warranty replacement for my E1705, which has gone through its 4th 7900GS. The most recent incident occurred 8 days before my warranty expired. (whew) Yesterday an order popped up on the website for a Studio 1737 configured as follows: Replacement System
Code:
1    224-4296    Studio 1737, Intel Pentium Dual Core T4200, 2.0GHz 800Mhz, 1M L2 Cache     $480.00
1    310-0173    Airborne Documentation, System Exchanges,Factory Install     $.00
1    310-8628    You have chosen a Windows Vista Premium System     $.00
1    310-8756    Intel Pentium Yonah Label     $.00
1    311-8622    2GB, DDR2, 800MHz 2 Dimm     $.00
1    312-0707    56 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery     $.00
1    313-6256    8X Slot Load CD / DVD Burner (Dual Layer DVD+/-R Drive)     $.00
1    313-6280    NO FINGER PRINT READER     $.00
1    313-7198    Jet Black Paint Studio 1737     $.00
1    320-6653    Integrated 2.0M Pixel Webcam     $.00
1    320-7265    Glossy, widescreen 17.0 inch LCD (1440x900) w/ 2.0M pixel Camera     $.00
1    320-8018    512MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3650     $100.00
1    330-0171    S and P Drop-in-Box Marcom forDHS Notebooks     $.00
1    330-0559    Standard Keyboard     $.00
1    330-1800    DELL RESOURCE DVD,BACK-UP INSP 1737     $.00
1    341-7833    160G 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive     $.00
1    410-1883    ADOBE READER 9.0 MULTI- LANGUAGE     $.00
1    410-2186    McAfee Sapphire MUI, 24-Month     $99.00
1    412-0359    Soft Contracts - Qualxserve     $.00
1    420-6436    PC-Restore, Dim/Insp     $.00
1    420-7622    Dell Support Center Software 32 Bit 2.0     $.00
1    420-7938    Dell Connect 2.1     $.00
1    420-8183    Roxio Creator DE 10     $.00
1    420-8585    Microsoft Windows Vista SP1 Ultimate 32-bit Edition English     $150.00
1    420-9100    Dell Dock Consumer     $.00
1    420-9106    eBay Web Access Icon     $.00
1    420-9691    DataSafe Local BackUp 2.0 Basic     $.00
1    421-0170    Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi MB(Panzer) Application 1.0     $25.00
1    421-0304    Microsoft Works 9.0, English For Inspiron     $.00
1    421-0323    Windows Live Search,Multiple User Interface     $.00
1    421-0427    Dell Movie Store     $.00
1    421-0540    Cyberlink Power DVD 8.3 Playback     $.00
1    421-1009    Dell Webcam Software 1.4 Application Kit     $.00
1    421-1193    Download Store Links     $.00
1    430-2931    Dell Wireless 1510 802.11n Half Mini Card     $25.00
1    430-3209    Dell Wireless 370 Bluetooth Module (2.1)     $20.00
1    463-2282    Dell Owners Manual installed on your system,click on icon after system set-up to access     $.00
Original System
Code:
1    MK011    Processor, T2250, 1.73, 2MB, Dual Core Yonah, C0
1    NC929    Keyboard, 87, United States ENG, SINGLE POINTING..., D Plus Series
1    DF771    CORD..., Power, 125, 1M, C7, 2P Dual, United States
1    XD757    Assembly, Adapter, Alternating Current, 90W, MOBILE 2007..., Delta - AC Adapt
2    W5966    Dual In-line Memory Module 1GB, 533, 128X64, 8K, 200
1    RJ421    Card, Wireless, Lead Free, Internal, Bluetooth, 355
1    F5133    Battery, Primary, 11.1V, 6C Lithium, Sanyo
1    FF045    Liquid Crystal Display, 17 WXGA+, Video Elec. Stds. Assoc., Samsung
1    RG688    Assembly, Cable, Coaxial, Liquid Crystal Display, 17 Zanzibar/rikers/suva
1    NJ449    Card, Wireless, Minicard, DW1500 Multiple Output
1    KC736    Case, Carrying, Nylon, Back Pack
1    DY654    Kit, Software, Works, 8.5, Office TRIAL, English
1    KH474    Hard Drive, 120G, Sata, 9.5, 5.4 W060
1    UF650    Kit, Software, Trend Micro, 12 English, Dell Americas Organization
1    KJ485    Kit, Compact Diskette, MTG3, M3
1    UJ368    Assembly, DVD+/-RW..., 8X, TOSHIBA SAMSUNG STORAGE TECHNOLOGY..., SULLIVAN/TOBAGO...
1    DG008    Card, Graphics, 256MB, I9400 G71
1    YD479    ASSEMBLY..., BASE (ASSEMBLY OR GROUP)..., 10/100, 9400, DISCRETE...
1    H6422    KIT..., DOCUMENTATION..., RECYCLE..., NBK/DT, SYSTEM
1    WG516    Assembly, Cover, Hinge, Plastic E1705
1    X9535    TECHNICAL SHEET..., REMOVE..., COMPACT DISKETTE..., MEDIA REDUCTION INITIATIVE..., ENGLAND/ENGLISH...
1    CF199    Assembly, Bezel, Liquid Crystal Display, Notebook, 9400/M1710
1    DF050    Assembly, Cover, Liquid Crystal Display, 17, Notebook, 9400
2    F5649    Cover, Screw, Bottom, Plastic Sullivan
6    J7841    Bumper, Liquid Crystal Display Rubber, Small, Notebook
0    01322    INFORMATION..., FLYER, DELL HOME SYSTEMS..., INSPIRON
My primary concern is with the processor... I feel that even though the T4200 is a little faster, it has only half the L2 cache as my old T2250, and so it's not a suitable replacement. I'm not 100% sure about the Radeon HD3650 as a replacement for the 7900GS either, but it is double the memory. Can anybody here please give me some advice to keep me from getting screwed here? Also, if there are any other glaring deficiencies, could you help to point them out? Thanks!
Reply
Reply
post #2 of 33
10/8/09 at 5:06pm
According to Notebook check the 7900 GS is stronger. Also IMO the Pentium Dual Core is weaker as well. However you are a 160GB HDD.
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 33
10/8/09 at 5:22pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the advice... My previous system also had 2GB RAM, and I don't think 40GB hard drive extra is a good tradeoff. Talking with Dell now.

Update: I had a chat session with Dell Tech support:

They asserted that the T4200 in the new system was a Core 2 duo architecture, which it isn't.
They also asserted that the clock speed was higher, which it is, but that doesn't make much difference, considering the cache size is half the T2250.
I told them that the T4200 architecture was inferior, and that the L2 cache size is critical to CPU performance, which I have the tech in the chat agreeing to in the chat log.

They also pointed out that the Radeon has 512MB of memory, where my 7900GS had only 256. I told them it made no difference whether there was 1TB of video memory on the card, considering the memory bus width of the Radeon is only 128 bit as opposed to the 256 bit bus width of the 7900GS. After providing intel links to the processor specs, and notebookcheck links to the respective video cards, the support guy asked if he could call me back in 30 minutes after he "Sees what he can do". I agreed, and we ended the chat.

1 minute after I ended the chat, somebody else from Dell tech support called me and tried to sell me the same BS about the clock speed and the extra memory on the video card, which I refuted with the same arguments as above. He said that the order was in process, and it was coming to me, come hell or high water. He suggested I "try out" the system for a couple of days, and if the performance was inferior, then they could do another system exchange.

I'm still waiting for the other guy to call me back in oh... 25 minutes now, and we'll see what happens. Obviously the right hand doesn't know what the left is doing.

Any other advice or argument points folks can share with me would be appreciated.
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 33
10/8/09 at 6:18pm
I would complain about the video card and processor. You deserve better ones. Maybe the 1GB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650 is suitable.
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 33
10/8/09 at 6:41pm
Thread Starter 
We'll see what happens... hopefully I don't have to get the BBB involved. I know this system wasn't the Cadillac of all systems, but it served me well, and I don't want to get a system that appears to have good specs on the surface, but is dumbed down where it counts, like bus width, L2 cache, etc.
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 33
10/8/09 at 6:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Merum View Post
We'll see what happens... hopefully I don't have to get the BBB involved. I know this system wasn't the Cadillac of all systems, but it served me well, and I don't want to get a system that appears to have good specs on the surface, but is dumbed down where it counts, like bus width, L2 cache, etc.
I would threaten them with the BBB though. I remember people like you has had a tech come out and upgrade the CPU and GPU. But yeah, be sturdy do not back down.
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 33
10/8/09 at 8:03pm
Thread Starter 
OK, so here's what I know so far:

They've upgraded the processor to a T6200, which is acceptable. They're still arguing, however, that the 3650 is better than my old 7900 GS, which based on the memory bus, just isn't so. The only systems that I can see that have cards with a 256 bit memory bus are the XPS 16 with a 1G Radeon HD 4670, which has a 1" smaller screen, and the next model that has a 256 bit memory bus is the Alienware M17. (sweet day in the morning if I could get up to one of these)

The tech support guy that I was talking to just kept banging the 512 vs 256MB drum, and so I asked what I had to do to escalate this, or should I just call the BBB? Now I'm waiting a supervisor to call me back in 15-20 minutes.

I'm really not willing to drop an inch of screen size, but realistically, what are my chances of getting them to give me an M17? Any more advice would be greatly appreciated.

Is settling for the 1GB Radeon HD 4650 with 128 bit data bus my best bet, or continuing to push for the 256 bit bus? Thanks!
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 33
10/8/09 at 8:23pm
here is a comparison of the two cards

http://www.notebookcheck.net/NVIDIA-...GS.2133.0.html

http://www.notebookcheck.net/ATI-Mob...50.8839.0.html

see for yourself...the 7900GS and the HD3650 are pretty close...but no harm in trying to get a better deal

the HD4650 is much faster

http://www.notebookcheck.net/AMD-ATI...0.13883.0.html
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 33
10/8/09 at 9:04pm
Thread Starter 
So basically here's where we stand now... The supervisor called me and told me there's basically no way in hell he's able to replace an Inspiron with an Alienware system. He said that XPS can be replaced with Alienware because they're "premium" systems. I put on my "angry voice" and told him that I paid 2300 bucks for this system when I bought it and he demurred, but held firm on the no-go for the brand swap.

He tried to argue again the superiority of the HD 3650 over the 7900GS because the HD 3650 has DDR3 memory whereas the 7900GS only has DDR memory, so even though the bus width is smaller, the card will perform better. I told him that was BS, that the 7900 has DDR3 memory as well and so that argument was moot.

After going round and round with him I told him if he can give me the current configuration (which is the same as the config in the first post except now the processor is a T6500) and upgrade the video card to a Radeon 4650 (Which I know is available in the Studio 17 line) that I would consider myself to be a happy customer. If not, my next call was going to be to the BBB.

He told me that he would "See what he could do and he would call me back to let me know". He also said "If you had told us about the video problem when you complained about the processor this would have been much easier to resolve" which pissed me off, so I said hold on a damn minute chief, I did tell you about both at the same time, so don't be blaming me for your screwup. I then asked him when I could expect to hear back from him and he told me 1 hour to 48 hours. I wasn't happy with that either and told him so, and he committed to calling me back within 1-2 hours to let me know what the skinny is.

We'll see what happens from here. I didn't have much hope for a M17 swapout, but hey, when you're negotiating, start high and settle from there, right?

Thanks again to all who gave advice and those who will continue to.

Update: Supervisor called me back in 30 minutes, said that he needed approval above his level to make this change, and that he would contact me within 2 days to advise me of the status. He said he was working this as a "priority" and that it could take less time than that when I challenged him on the 2 days issue. Currently the modified order is "in production" and we'll see where it goes from here. Anybody else have similar experiences?
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 33
10/12/09 at 5:21pm
Thread Starter 
Update: Major Win! This is what I woke up to this morning:
Code:
1    224-6922    Studio 17 Laptop    $0.00
1    310-0173    Airborne Documentation, System Exchanges,Factory Install    $0.00
1    310-8628    You have chosen a Windows Vista Premium System    $0.00
1    312-0949    85 WHr 9-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery    $45
1    313-8044    Black Chainlink    $0.00
1    313-8115    8X DVD+/-RW Dual Layer Drive    $0.00
1    317-2448    Intel Core i7 720QM 1.6GHz (2.8 GHz Turbo Mode, 6MB Cache)    $850
1    317-2718    2GB, DDR3, 1066MHz, 2 DIMM    $0.00
1    320-0828    17.3 inch HD+ (900p) Bright LED Display with TrueLife and Camera    $0.00
1    330-0171    S and P Drop-in-Box Marcom forDHS Notebooks    $0.00
1    330-4434    Standard Keyboard    $0.00
1    330-4532    No Mobile Broadband Card selected    $0.00
1    330-5790    ATI MOBILITY RADEON HD 4650 1GB    $0.00
1    330-6363    DELL RESOURCE DVD,BACK-UP,1747    $0.00
1    341-9980    250G 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive    $0.00
1    410-1883    ADOBE READER 9.0 MULTI- LANGUAGE    $0.00
1    410-2186    McAfee Sapphire MUI, 24-Month    $99
1    420-6436    PC-Restore, Dim/Insp    $0.00
1    420-8183    Roxio Creator DE 10    $0.00
1    420-9100    Dell Dock Consumer    $0.00
1    420-9103    Microsoft Windows Vista SP1 Home Premium 64-bit Edition English    $0.00
1    421-0224    Creative Compact Diskette Sound Blaster X-Fi MB (Panzer)Application 1.0    $25
1    421-0304    Microsoft Works 9.0, English For Inspiron    $0.00
1    421-0323    Windows Live Search,Multiple User Interface    $0.00
1    421-0427    Dell Movie Store    $0.00
1    421-0540    Cyberlink Power DVD 8.3 Playback    $0.00
1    421-1009    Dell Webcam Software 1.4 Application Kit    $0.00
1    421-1193    Download Store Links    $0.00
1    430-2929    Dell Wireless 1397 802.11g Half Mini Card    $0.00
1    430-3496    Dell Wireless 365 Bluetooth Module (2.1)    $20
1    463-2282    Dell Owners Manual installed on your system,click on icon after system set-up to access    $0.00
Dell has now made me a happy camper. Thanks again to all who offered advice for the fight. I'm glad I landed here.
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 33
10/12/09 at 5:32pm
Congrats!

cheers ...
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 33
10/12/09 at 5:33pm
Wow. you should be extremely pleased with Dell. A studio 17 laptop, an i7 processor, and HD 4650 vid card for your e1705.
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 33
10/12/09 at 7:26pm
Congrats
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 33
10/13/09 at 5:18pm
LOL! You got an i7 and a 4650! Congrats man!
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 33
10/13/09 at 7:26pm
"Old" parts are running out again on Dell? The longer one waits, the better specs one will get?
Reply
Reply
post #16 of 33
10/13/09 at 11:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by qhn View Post
"Old" parts are running out again on Dell? The longer one waits, the better specs one will get?
That's the truth, let's hope the rule also applies to Woodstock.
Reply
Reply
post #17 of 33
10/14/09 at 9:26am
^^ The guy does get his good share of headaches with Dell
Reply
Reply
post #18 of 33
10/16/09 at 12:19pm
hey merum i was also in your position in terms of getting the right computer replaced, if you read my postings I eventually got a m6300 with the x9000 and fx3600m processor without needing a supervisor. I remember aiming for the computer your received and the next comp they were planning to give to me was a vostro 1720 and eventually they finally did what was right and just simply upgraded the gpu of my m6300 to a fx3600m.

grats on your new system
Reply
Reply
post #19 of 33
12/5/09 at 8:37pm
so whats the status on this replacement? the 1745/47 is a great computer
Reply
Reply
post #20 of 33
12/12/09 at 4:18am
Thread Starter 
Hey guys, just a quick update... I finally received my 1747 and so far I'm quite happy. I'll come back tomorrow and post a more detailed recount of my experience (and figure out how to do a detailed review so you guys can see)

In the meantime, I'm reluctant to send back the HDD from my E1705 due to the fact that I can't really get into the PC to wipe it properly, and I don't want to share my deep dark secrets with the $10/hr tech who gets the thing. Has anybody had any success with keeping their HDD, and can you give advice as to how to work it?

Thanks to you all for your support, I won't be a "get my advice and run" sort for sure. This is a great forum.
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
NotebookForums.com › Forums › Notebook Manufacturers › Dell Forums › Dell Home (Inspiron, XPS, Studio) › E1705 Warranty Replacement - Advice?