RMA PROBLEMS-anyone else? - Page 2

For memory I used memtest86, for video I used the standard benchmarks as well as running ATITool to stress the card. These were what you call system tests. I actually used each device to prove they worked properly.

Well, that didn't really work for me. In my 2nd encounter with Emachine Repairing Service, when I sent my M6805 because it had PC2100 RAMs instead of PC2700 ones, I typed out this note (in Times New Roman, 14font) clearly stating that all the components of the laptop was WORKING fine, and all they have to do was to replace both RAM sticks with PC2700 sticks to meet the advertized specs. I printed this note and put it right on top of all those other papers that we need to include in the RMA box. After all this, when I called them after 1 week, I learnt that my laptop was put "on-hold" status and nothing was done because they could not "reproduce the problem". As it turned out, when I first called the tech support to report the RAM problem, I also complained about my DVD drive not reading any of my burnt DVDs. They said that they could not take any responsibility as long as it read commercial movie DVDs. So I backed down on that issue and sent the laptop just for the RAM. But somehow that DVD issue was the only thing that remained in their note and the repair people could not find any problem with DVD drive. Of course, they ignored my own note. So I had to call the corp office to get it out of "on-hold" status and get the RAM changed. Now, its another story that they decided to change only the outer RAM and I had to send it again to get the inner RAM changed...

Bottom line: Now that everything is in order (at last), my laptop is performing wonderfully and I am very happy. But I had to go through a lot of stress to reach this point. So, as far as I am concerned, their tech support stinks and I have pursuaded at least three of my friends not to buy Emachines.

Well, at least they fixed it.

Sorry to hear about your troubles with emachines...

Most notebooks are put on hold due to the fact that they don't know how to proceed unless directed by the customer. In this case you may have included some contradictory information along with the notebook. I dunno...

I don't know what kind of dope they were on when they serviced your notebook but they must have been on some pretty good s**t when they fixed mine!

Every person I have spoken with either at Tech Support or Customer Service has been very professional.

In my experience, you need to suck up to tech support in order to get great service. Tell them how great of a job they are doing. I guarantee results!

Besides, tech support gets hell from irate customers all day. Give em a break. My.02

Thats exactly what I asked the guy I talked to in Corp Office, and I was told that they would have called me shortly. Now, I could not just tell him that "No, you are lying", could I ? .. that would have been so rude (besides, my laptop would not have been repaired).

It is really strange that Emachine believes that as long as they are paying the shipping charge, it is perfectly OK for us to send the laptops as many times as they want. In my first encounter with Emachine, I had to send three times to get a defective RAM replaced. The first time they sent it back without repairing, their excuse was I was running XP-Pro instead of XP-home. So I had to reinstall XP-Home and send again. They paid more shipping and I got harassed: a perfect lose-lose situation. Apperantly, there was no reason why they sent it back the 2nd time. They repaired it only in 3rd time, but by replacing the original RAMs with PC2100 sticks, which eventually led to the 2nd round of harassment that I mentioned in the last post

I just made another RMA today

No charges ... free shipping... tech told me to call back in a week for HOLD RELEASE. I never even mentioned it.

Great service in my book.

Contradictory information??!!! Alright, here is the exact note that I sent to them (copied from the word file). Please tell me which part is contradictory to what!!!!

"This laptop is working properly. The reason I have sent this is, both the RAM modules are PC2100, while they are supposed to be PC 2700. This has been detected by a bench-marking software: PC Wizard 2004. Also, I took out the outer module to check that physically. That module is marked as PC2100. So, I assume the software report is correct and the inner module is also PC2100. Please replace them with PC2700 RAMs as the machine specification states. "

I said "maybe". I never pointed fingers.

I think I got it. Yeah your mad. Well guess what? So are a lot of other people. That's what happens when you are inconvenienced while your laptop is being repaired. It happens to a lot of people.

No.. I am mad because I was inconvenienced when my laptop was NOT being repaired, because I was inconvenienced for reasons that has no meaning at all (like they could not change a defective RAM because I had XP-pro), and because so called "cutomer CARE" is completely insensitive to my inconveniences as they are happy just to barely maintain their legal obligation towards warranty service.

And I know it happens to so many other people. That dows not make it justified.

I understand where you are comming from. But that's just a way in which companies save money. They need to be somewhat insensitive as frivolous warranty claims abound.

Uh Oh! That's a big show stopper. Installing XP Pro is not under the warranty. That will get you a bunch of grief. Sorry to say but you would have been better off reinstalling the original configuration. They have no obligation to service your mistake here (kindly).

Sorry, game over...read the warranty. That's all I am gonna say further.

Thats the point.. they only care to maintain a legal obligation. First of all, what did they gain? Nothing. They knew that my problem had nothing to do with the OS, and they would have to repair eventually when I send it back with XP-Home. They just made an excuse out of it. For what?? God knows.. Makes absolutely no sense to me.
And then, what about installing a software that did not originally come with the laptop, like MS word??? Will they say that " We cannot repair your screen flicker or USB problem because you have voided you warranty by installing something that was not part of the original configuration."
There are certain things that reasonable, and there are certain things that are plain harrasment. We should be able to make that distinction..

I'll take that number please.
Thanks, Vb

I agree


Actually, they did reinstall XPHome, but didn't do anything else. I had to spend hours reinstalling XPPro, other softwares, and transfer a large chunk of data before I realized nothing was done. Also, while talking to the Corp people, I learnt that repairing people are supposed to enclose a piece of paper with the laptop describing what was done or not done or why not done, etc... Do any of you actually get it. I never did, in all the five times I had to send.

AFAIK the service center is in Texas and it's not even run by eMachines. It is owned and operated by Arima.

So I think your focus needs to shift from bad eMachines support to -> bad Arima support.

I called the repair center for Arima once and they told me they never heard of eMachines. Now obviously this is a blattant lie but then again it may be to protect themselves? I dunno.

It appears eMachines does not get along with Arima in some ways. eMachines is probably hung by the gonads here. Nothing they can do. You are at the mercy of Arima. Which is precisely the reason I recommended typing up a letter explaining the difficulties.

Hmm. The only thing left to do is to speak with your wallet and never buy eMachines items again and maybe send a letter to the president of marketing.

I tell you what, I have one semester of college left and I will be getting a decent job (I hope). I will then get an IBM. No more junky/cheap computers for me.

And that's what they are right? Cheap? Junky? The computers sure aint caddies.

Got both my RMA's and a Refurb Machine back within 3 days of sending it in... Usually a Monday or Tuesday.

Sorry to tell you this MH, but IBM just sold their laptop division to one of China's largest computer companies. Right now there is major speculation on whether the IBM quality will remain or if it will settle down to the rest of the market.

Sooooo, you better buy an IBM now before the sales channels/warehouses empty.