Glad I don't own a Gateway !!!

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Joan Hansen wrote:
> I'm in the US and have had the pleasure of not understanding the
Tech's
> accent. I hung up immediately and emailed my problem. It got
resolved
> within a work week. The tech who came to correct the problem spoke
with
> an Ohio accent. 🙂
>
> You know if everyone stopped complaining about calling and getting
tech
> voice support from (which truly most of us cannot understand the
accent)
> India, and we chose to email instead, maybe Dell would get the message
> we can't understand them.
>
> Griping on the newsgroup about it, makes me wonder if too many of us
> have too much time on their hands, and no problems with their Dell
> system. 🙂
>
> Dell Tech has never told me to reinstall the OS. I only call when I
> know I have a hardware problem. Software is not their problem, unless
> you didn't install anything and the system is not working properly,
that
> will usually show up immediately or within the 30 days, send it back
and
> order another one. It will never work properly.
>
> Joan
>
I tried that, and the e-mail tech was very quick - sent me a script to
try, none of which applied, then confirmed what I knew (DVDRW drive as
shot, less than a month old).

Unfoirtunately, in Canada e-mail support cannot authorise anything
because they're in the US. So, I had to call... Took me 40 minutes to
convince the "tech" - reading from a script that I needed a new drive.

He had trouble understanding me and me him. He simply could not
understand that the drive read/wrote CD but did nothing with DVD. I
explained it to him 4 times and told him e-mail support had confirmed I
need a new drive.

I don't know what these guys get to see when I tell them my service tag
and name and address - obviously not a profile of my PC since this guy
could alos not comprehend that I had a DVDRom and DVDRW and therefore
could easily verify that there was nothing wrong with the 12 different
DVDs that I had tried. I followed him and deleted some stuff in the
registry which screwed up many many other things. I was running a
system restore back to immediately before I called him when I was giving
him my address *again* to get the drive sent to me.

But, eventually a new drive was sent to me and I replaced it and all is
well. (I had the old one over a month before I convinced Dell that I
was going to throw it out if they didn't want it back because they never
ssent me the return envelope for it - but that's another issue and was
finally done with Canadian web support)

I pity the newbies who don't know enough to back up - restore point,
before they call support (he didn't even tell me to back up my registry
before deleting keys in it). This was so obviously not a software
issue. I was actively waiting for him to tell me reinstall XP.
--
Cynthia

Please delete REMOVE to reply directly

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Yes, Joan, I did ....but the support guy said I'd need to do a reinstall of
XP itself when I hung up (politely, though <g>).

--
David Nimon
dnimonREMOVE@##sympatico.ca

"Joan Hansen" <user@my.net> wrote in message
news:ZEDbc.14738$of.3633@lakeread03...
> I would of too. Most of that stuff is junk programs. Didn't you get
> the program on one of Dell's CD's?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

David, I do feel sorry for computer newbies, but we all had to learn the
hard way, especially if you bought your first computer back in the late
80's. I still do many things in dos and the Win dos prompt. Old habits
die hard I guess. 🙂

Joan

David Nimon wrote:
> Yes, Joan, I did ....but the support guy said I'd need to do a reinstall of
> XP itself when I hung up (politely, though <g>).
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Wow Cynthia, I would think Dell had email support on the web site where
you purchased PC's from in Canada. Bummer :-(

Joan

Cynthia G wrote:

> Joan Hansen wrote:
>
>>I'm in the US and have had the pleasure of not understanding the
>
> Tech's
>
>>accent. I hung up immediately and emailed my problem. It got
>
> resolved
>
>>within a work week. The tech who came to correct the problem spoke
>
> with
>
>>an Ohio accent. 🙂
>>
>>You know if everyone stopped complaining about calling and getting
>
> tech
>
>>voice support from (which truly most of us cannot understand the
>
> accent)
>
>>India, and we chose to email instead, maybe Dell would get the message
>>we can't understand them.
>>
>>Griping on the newsgroup about it, makes me wonder if too many of us
>>have too much time on their hands, and no problems with their Dell
>>system. 🙂
>>
>>Dell Tech has never told me to reinstall the OS. I only call when I
>>know I have a hardware problem. Software is not their problem, unless
>>you didn't install anything and the system is not working properly,
>
> that
>
>>will usually show up immediately or within the 30 days, send it back
>
> and
>
>>order another one. It will never work properly.
>>
>>Joan
>>
>
> I tried that, and the e-mail tech was very quick - sent me a script to
> try, none of which applied, then confirmed what I knew (DVDRW drive as
> shot, less than a month old).
>
> Unfoirtunately, in Canada e-mail support cannot authorise anything
> because they're in the US. So, I had to call... Took me 40 minutes to
> convince the "tech" - reading from a script that I needed a new drive.
>
> He had trouble understanding me and me him. He simply could not
> understand that the drive read/wrote CD but did nothing with DVD. I
> explained it to him 4 times and told him e-mail support had confirmed I
> need a new drive.
>
> I don't know what these guys get to see when I tell them my service tag
> and name and address - obviously not a profile of my PC since this guy
> could alos not comprehend that I had a DVDRom and DVDRW and therefore
> could easily verify that there was nothing wrong with the 12 different
> DVDs that I had tried. I followed him and deleted some stuff in the
> registry which screwed up many many other things. I was running a
> system restore back to immediately before I called him when I was giving
> him my address *again* to get the drive sent to me.
>
> But, eventually a new drive was sent to me and I replaced it and all is
> well. (I had the old one over a month before I convinced Dell that I
> was going to throw it out if they didn't want it back because they never
> ssent me the return envelope for it - but that's another issue and was
> finally done with Canadian web support)
>
> I pity the newbies who don't know enough to back up - restore point,
> before they call support (he didn't even tell me to back up my registry
> before deleting keys in it). This was so obviously not a software
> issue. I was actively waiting for him to tell me reinstall XP.

 

[JustMe]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

I would disagree with the comments about the Solo 9100xl. I have one and
have no problems. It is about 4 1/2 years old and I still use it. I did
buy a dell 600 m and have been less than satisfied with it, as well as dell
support. The only reason I replaced the Solo is because of the age - it was
just getting too slow. The only reason I replaced with Dell was the rumors
about Gateway going under...and I wanted warranty repairs if needed. My
next laptop will be a Gateway if they are still around. It seem blue
screens are a way of life with the 600m. I have reloaded and still
frequently get blue screens...Never did get a resolution from Dell support.

"Quaoar" <quaoar@tenthplanet.net> wrote in message
news:fvWdnQmqD_ZPCvDdRVn-ug@comcast.com...
> TB wrote:
> > Total BS.
> >
> > Just goes to show that anyone with an internet connection and a
> > keyboard can't spout boundless drivel. Quite frankly, Gateway was a
> > consistent innovator that made some mistakes, however, they never
> > made second rate machines. All OEMs use the same parts anyway,
> > idiot! Get your facts in order before you insert your foot in your
> > big mouth and make yourself look like an illiterate putz!
> >
> > As for Dell, they're starting to make some of the same mistakes; it's
> > known in business circles as the maturation of a company. It happens
> > to the best of them.
> >
> >
> > "Quaoar" <quaoar@tenthplanet.net> wrote in message
> > news:w9ydnTsuxoSJIvHdRVn-iQ@comcast.com...
> >> Steve W. wrote:
> >>> According to the latest news Gateway is sliding downhill fast. The
> >>> new warranty on systems purchased after April 1 2004 will only cover
> >>> parts no labor. Laptops will be mail in only no onsite service.
> >>> They are also linking tech support to the warranty and if you have,
> >>> say a 1 year, that is all the tech support you get for free no more
> >>> lifetime support. They are also moving their headquarters again and
> >>> the stores are all up for sale or will be closed.
> >>
> >> Gateway earned everything they are now facing. They started out in
> >> the computer business in the late 1980's making second-rate
> >> machines, they enlarged their business on the dollars of
> >> unsuspecting computer newbies in the mid 1990's, and failed to grasp
> >> the concepts of quality control and quality assurance that other
> >> marketers instituted in the late 1990's. The marketed entire new
> >> lines of computers that had fundamental defects that should never
> >> have passed the prototype stage. They are their own worst enemy.
> >>
> >> Q
>
> Right. Gateway closed their own usenet support groups in 1998 simply
> because many of their new offerings were failed right out of the box and
> their one-time purchaser customer base was revolting. Several of their
> "innovations", the Gateway Solo 9100xl (1997/8) and the D600 (I believe
> that is the designation, 2001) were abject reliability failures, despite
> glowing report from CNET and the rest of that bunch. Mainboards and
> video chips on the former had lifetimes of hours, and the latter had a
> power key capacitor that prevented it from booting a second time and GW
> simply could not admit the problem. Both of these were flagship products
> that demonstrated, according to Gateway, the company's technical
> prowess. Neither were inexpensive. The former was $4K, the latter $3K.
> Both made nifty doorstops. These are just two examples. BTW, Gateway
> made none of their computers, they just sent the sales address to Taiwan
> as do other vendors. Their problems were not the components, but
> fundamentals like contracting a reliable mainboard.
>
> Q
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Joan Hansen wrote:
> Wow Cynthia, I would think Dell had email support on the web site
where
> you purchased PC's from in Canada. Bummer :-(
>
> Joan
>

I would had thought so too. But the link warns that it's taking you to
US support, but I thought that they could at least e-mail Canada and
tell them what's what, but no luck.

I eventually found a customer service e-mail address on the Canadian
site (it was well buried) but had to fill out a form and none of the
pre-selected categories fit my problem (still had their broken drive and
wanted to give it back to them). After three replies of use the form on
page... I finally got someone to understand that the form didn't fit and
if they told they didn't want it I would throw it out.
--
Cynthia

Please delete REMOVE to reply directly

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Hardly a newbie here, Joan....I was TEACHING computer courses in high school
in 1970!

Having said that, all that experience has taught me to know enough to know
when I don't know enough!!

Ah DOS, them were the days..............

--
David Nimon
dnimonREMOVE@##sympatico.ca
"Joan Hansen" <user@my.net> wrote in message
news😛bLbc.15073$of.2073@lakeread03...
> David, I do feel sorry for computer newbies, but we all had to learn the
> hard way, especially if you bought your first computer back in the late
> 80's. I still do many things in dos and the Win dos prompt. Old habits
> die hard I guess. 🙂
>
> Joan
>
> David Nimon wrote:
> > Yes, Joan, I did ....but the support guy said I'd need to do a reinstall
of
> > XP itself when I hung up (politely, though <g>).
> >
>

 

[dude]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Kevin M" <kmiles@directUS.com> wrote in message news:<106s70ofmnh6k47@corp.supernews.com>...
> I think Dell is facing some loss of market share as well. I service PC's and
> many people who have bought Dell within the past year have not been happy.
> Dell's customer service has become a mere joke. You are lucky if you call
> and get someone who can even speak English. For desktop PC's, I recommend a
> custom built PC. As for Laptops, I recommend Toshiba and IBM. Both are much
> better built machines than the Dell laptops.

i had a custom pc built with the following:
antec sonata case with 380watt antec power supply
intel d865perll mainboard with latest p14 bios
sony 16x dvd-rom drive, liteon 52x32x52 cdrw
crucial.com ddr 3200 ram
crucial.com radeon 9600pro 128meg video card with latest ati.com
drivers
western digital 80gig 8meg cache hard disk
sound blaster pci 128 sound card
internal usr performance pro modem v.92 with latest usr drivers
xp pro full version

been getting intermittent blue screens as described at the following
link:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;314492

i did a reformat and reinstall of xp pro and still get the
intermittent bad pool caller errors.

so much for having a computer custom built. seems like blue screens
follow me from new computer to new computer on custom built ones.

am considering my next computer from www.buympc.com or
www.falcon-nw.com. what i like about either of these companies is the
first one is cheaper than dell when configuring online and both allow
selecting of exact components.
i've read that at buympc.com that the same technician on the phone is
assigned to a customer's computer problems.

so is my blue screen error likely faulty drivers, bad software or bad
hardware?

i had a toshiba pcx2600 modem attached via ethernet cat 5e cabling &
that was the last thing i had added hardware wise. since then ive
removed it and gone back to the rented cable modem from the cable
company. could it be the toshiba modem even though it was connected
via ethernet was causing the problem?

most other people that i know of with either almost one year old dell
computers or newer dell computers dont have blue screen errors. also,
people that i know that have custom built pc's don't have these
problems.

any insights?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Cynthia G wrote:

> Joan Hansen wrote:
>
>>Wow Cynthia, I would think Dell had email support on the web site
>
> where
>
>>you purchased PC's from in Canada. Bummer :-(
>>
>>Joan
>>
>
>
> I would had thought so too. But the link warns that it's taking you to
> US support, but I thought that they could at least e-mail Canada and
> tell them what's what, but no luck.
>
> I eventually found a customer service e-mail address on the Canadian
> site (it was well buried) but had to fill out a form and none of the
> pre-selected categories fit my problem (still had their broken drive and
> wanted to give it back to them). After three replies of use the form on
> page... I finally got someone to understand that the form didn't fit and
> if they told they didn't want it I would throw it out.

Did you eventually get it straightened out with email? US'form asks the
same, but gives you a place to explain your problem. My 8300 has no
screws in the system and the little green plastic clamp holding the PCI
cards would not stay clamped down. I just kept asking for screws in the
message that would work, cause the holes are there. 🙂 My return email
said we are sending a tech to replace your motherboard. Ouch :-( Tech
agreed I didn't need the motherboard, he ordered the clamp and was back
out the next day to install it. You know between the hard to understand
accent when you call, and email, Dell pays a lot of money to these Tech
Companies for servicing. Two trips because Dell doesn't stock any items
with the tech company they use. Dell pays for next day delivery. :-(

But at least with all the Dell's I have purchased 6 in all, I really
haven't had any hardware problems to speak of. They are all still in use.

Joan

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

If DOS and cosmic consciousness would return, life couldn't be better...

Rocky

"David Nimon" <dnimonREMOVE@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:7hVbc.1162$wq4.80711@news20.bellglobal.com...
> Hardly a newbie here, Joan....I was TEACHING computer courses in high
school
> in 1970!
>
> Having said that, all that experience has taught me to know enough to know
> when I don't know enough!!
>
> Ah DOS, them were the days..............
>
> --
> David Nimon
> dnimonREMOVE@##sympatico.ca
> "Joan Hansen" <user@my.net> wrote in message
> news😛bLbc.15073$of.2073@lakeread03...
> > David, I do feel sorry for computer newbies, but we all had to learn the
> > hard way, especially if you bought your first computer back in the late
> > 80's. I still do many things in dos and the Win dos prompt. Old habits
> > die hard I guess. 🙂
> >
> > Joan
> >
> > David Nimon wrote:
> > > Yes, Joan, I did ....but the support guy said I'd need to do a
reinstall
> of
> > > XP itself when I hung up (politely, though <g>).
> > >
> >
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Ah yes fella's dos. I still have two systems 486 3.1 & Dos, Pentium
Win98SE reboots to dos. I will never give up my Tex Murphy series of
games. 🙂 I'm 71 and I think I will be covered with dos and Tex for
rest of my life, I hope!!

Joan

Rocket J. Squirrel wrote:

> If DOS and cosmic consciousness would return, life couldn't be better...
>
> Rocky
>
> "David Nimon" <dnimonREMOVE@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
> news:7hVbc.1162$wq4.80711@news20.bellglobal.com...
>
>>Hardly a newbie here, Joan....I was TEACHING computer courses in high
>
> school
>
>>in 1970!
>>
>>Having said that, all that experience has taught me to know enough to know
>>when I don't know enough!!
>>
>>Ah DOS, them were the days..............
>>
>>--
>>David Nimon
>>dnimonREMOVE@##sympatico.ca
>>"Joan Hansen" <user@my.net> wrote in message
>>news😛bLbc.15073$of.2073@lakeread03...
>>
>>>David, I do feel sorry for computer newbies, but we all had to learn the
>>>hard way, especially if you bought your first computer back in the late
>>>80's. I still do many things in dos and the Win dos prompt. Old habits
>>>die hard I guess. 🙂
>>>
>>>Joan
>>>
>>>David Nimon wrote:
>>>
>>>>Yes, Joan, I did ....but the support guy said I'd need to do a
>
> reinstall
>
>>of
>>
>>>>XP itself when I hung up (politely, though <g>).
>>>>
>>>
>>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Joan Hansen wrote:
> Cynthia G wrote:
>
>> Joan Hansen wrote:
>>
>>> Wow Cynthia, I would think Dell had email support on the web site
>>
>> where
>>
>>> you purchased PC's from in Canada. Bummer :-(
>>>
>>> Joan
>>>
>>
>>
>> I would had thought so too. But the link warns that it's taking you
to
>> US support, but I thought that they could at least e-mail Canada and
>> tell them what's what, but no luck.
>>
>> I eventually found a customer service e-mail address on the Canadian
>> site (it was well buried) but had to fill out a form and none of the
>> pre-selected categories fit my problem (still had their broken drive
and
>> wanted to give it back to them). After three replies of use the form
on
>> page... I finally got someone to understand that the form didn't fit
and
>> if they told they didn't want it I would throw it out.
>
> Did you eventually get it straightened out with email? US'form asks
the
> same, but gives you a place to explain your problem. My 8300 has no
> screws in the system and the little green plastic clamp holding the
PCI
> cards would not stay clamped down. I just kept asking for screws in
the
> message that would work, cause the holes are there. 🙂 My return
email
> said we are sending a tech to replace your motherboard. Ouch :-(
Tech
> agreed I didn't need the motherboard, he ordered the clamp and was
back
> out the next day to install it. You know between the hard to
understand
> accent when you call, and email, Dell pays a lot of money to these
Tech
> Companies for servicing. Two trips because Dell doesn't stock any
items
> with the tech company they use. Dell pays for next day delivery. :-(
>
> But at least with all the Dell's I have purchased 6 in all, I really
> haven't had any hardware problems to speak of. They are all still in
use.
>
> Joan

Not to replace the drive - that took a (long) call. But to give them
back the bad drive, they were supposed to send a purolator return
envelope for it - I specifically asked for it from the tech - who said
yes, but clearly had no idea what I was talking about and wanted to get
rid of me because he had *solved* my issue.

Eventually got the envelope - only after the third message clearly
stating that if they wrote back that they didn't want it I would throw
it away - no problem. But a month of sitting my liing room was too
much.

I wrote this in the explanation space of the form message - but got at
least 2 replies telling me to go to their site and fill out the
appropriate form. There is no form for "take your broken stuff back - I
don't want it"!
--
Cynthia

Please delete REMOVE to reply directly

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Yeah. Get that shift key fixed.

"dude" <compsolver@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:5c9daff5.0404041036.21b8df8d@posting.google.com...
> "Kevin M" <kmiles@directUS.com> wrote in message
news:<106s70ofmnh6k47@corp.supernews.com>...
> > I think Dell is facing some loss of market share as well. I service PC's
and
> > many people who have bought Dell within the past year have not been
happy.
> > Dell's customer service has become a mere joke. You are lucky if you
call
> > and get someone who can even speak English. For desktop PC's, I
recommend a
> > custom built PC. As for Laptops, I recommend Toshiba and IBM. Both are
much
> > better built machines than the Dell laptops.
>
> i had a custom pc built with the following:
> antec sonata case with 380watt antec power supply
> intel d865perll mainboard with latest p14 bios
> sony 16x dvd-rom drive, liteon 52x32x52 cdrw
> crucial.com ddr 3200 ram
> crucial.com radeon 9600pro 128meg video card with latest ati.com
> drivers
> western digital 80gig 8meg cache hard disk
> sound blaster pci 128 sound card
> internal usr performance pro modem v.92 with latest usr drivers
> xp pro full version
>
> been getting intermittent blue screens as described at the following
> link:
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;314492
>
> i did a reformat and reinstall of xp pro and still get the
> intermittent bad pool caller errors.
>
> so much for having a computer custom built. seems like blue screens
> follow me from new computer to new computer on custom built ones.
>
> am considering my next computer from www.buympc.com or
> www.falcon-nw.com. what i like about either of these companies is the
> first one is cheaper than dell when configuring online and both allow
> selecting of exact components.
> i've read that at buympc.com that the same technician on the phone is
> assigned to a customer's computer problems.
>
> so is my blue screen error likely faulty drivers, bad software or bad
> hardware?
>
> i had a toshiba pcx2600 modem attached via ethernet cat 5e cabling &
> that was the last thing i had added hardware wise. since then ive
> removed it and gone back to the rented cable modem from the cable
> company. could it be the toshiba modem even though it was connected
> via ethernet was causing the problem?
>
> most other people that i know of with either almost one year old dell
> computers or newer dell computers dont have blue screen errors. also,
> people that i know that have custom built pc's don't have these
> problems.
>
> any insights?