I have a Dell at home.  A few months ago my wife went and unwittingly downloaded "Starwear", which is pretty much a spywear that attached itself to the IE.  When I removed it (via the "Add/Remove Programs") it took some parts of Internet Explorer with it.  Computer hasn't been the same since, so I decided to do a complete reformat and restore.

I get together all the program disks, and get out the packet that came with the computer.  Hmm, which one of these 15 disks that all say "System Disk" is the one I need?  Damned if I know.  None of them say "If your computer is all Phuked up use this", so I call Dell on the phone.

"Hey, I just need to know, which one of these disks do I need to do a system restore?"

"Your warenty is expired, we have a fee-based customer support you can use, would you like me to transfer you?"

"Yes"
transfer over-

"Hey, I just need to know, which one of these disks do I need to do a system restore?"

"We offer 1 year service agreements for $250.00 and 72 hour agreements for $99.00 that include {sales pitch goes on for a long time}, which would you like?"

"Look, all I'm asking for is somebody to tell me if it's Disk "A" or Disk "B", do you have a 72 second service plan?"

"It sounds like the 72 hour service option would be best for you.  Would you like to put that on your credit card?"

"So your going to charge me one hundred dollars to tell me if it's disk "A" or "B"?  Let me think about that."

"CLICK"

It would be far cheaper for me to just order the Recovery CD from their on-line store.  In a few days, when it arrives, I can just compair it to the ones I have.  But in all reality, what kind of customer support does it show when a company basically tells you "Pay up or go away" as a thanks for buying our junk in the first place?

Big shocker here.  My NEXT computer will NOT be a Dell.

I read that only because I wouldn't know how it feels. I built my PC.

If your out of warrenty, ANY OEM maker will do the same thing..... They make there money on extended warrenties and service calls....

Although Dell's customer service sucks, this isnt just a Dell issue...

The one that has Windows or OS written on it.

This reall isn't a Dell problem but a user problem.  They include what you need to reformat your system.  They just don't hold your hand through the process unless you pay them.  Industry standard.

Sorry to hear that you had a problem with Dell.  I highly suspect other companies will treat you the same.  In the future if you have problems, try posting here in the GD forum, we have many computer-saavy people who may help.

"Your warenty is expired"

Are you sure it actually is?  We've had their support lie and say our one week-old systems were out of warranty even though we had purchased three year on-site service.  The Dell employees always lie to get you off of the phone as quickly as possible.  They are judged by how long they spend on each call so they'll do anything to get rid of you.z

If Dell, or any other End-User support firm did you a little 72-second favor, then they would have to do a little 72-second favors for everyone. That would tie up the whole day doing favors and not getting paid.

Try doing a search on Google with the name of the spyware that has infected your system. You'd be surprised how much info there probably is on it.

Quoted: The one that has Windows or OS written on it.

My dell came with no windows disk at all.

All 15 disks same the exact same thing?

Quoted: If your out of warrenty, ANY OEM maker will do the same thing..... They make there money on extended warrenties and service calls.... Although Dell's customer service sucks, this isnt just a Dell issue...

Actually it is a Dell issue.  Until recently they would always support their products for the life of them.  Only in the last 2 years have they set limits on what they will do to fix their own systems.  Combine that with the fact that they now charge tax to my state (CA) and  they didn't before, I too will be saying GOOD-BYE forever to Dell.  

Used to be a huge Dell fan, now I agree, they sux

Quoted: Actually it is a Dell issue.  Until recently they would always support their products for the life of them.  Only in the last 2 years have they set limits on what they will do to fix their own systems.  Combine that with the fact that they now charge tax to my state (CA) and  they didn't before, I too will be saying GOOD-BYE forever to Dell.   Used to be a huge Dell fan, now I agree, they sux

Really? I havnt seen that before in the years I have had to deal with them.....I have NEVER seen Dell or any OEM support the life of there products unless they were getting $$$$.

Quoted: Really? I havnt seen that before in the years I have had to deal with them.....I have NEVER seen Dell or any OEM support the life of there products unless they were getting $$$$.

Yes, unfortunetly its true, I found out because I have one Dell "grandfathered in" and serviced for its life (for phone advice issues, not free hardware replacement for life) and one Dell that has only a one year period for the same thing.  

I think Dell is choking on all their government contracts and doesn't like dealing with the little guys.  

Dell sux

Their CS and TS both suck..    I only got one because I spent a few months on occasion surfing through the refurb section, and finally ran across this one at the right time and pretty much stole it.   I've built all my own previously, and no way I could build one for what I paid for this..   the TS wasnt much of a concern to me since I work on my own stuff anyway.  

But after having this one, I think I will go back to building my own again.   Simply because the 2.8 that I built 2 years ago would still smoke this 3.4 Dell that I got last year.   It's ok though, not sure when, but I will be building something pretty soon, this will end up being my new bit torrent  box at work. (if nothing else the hard drive bus is alot faster than my current box at work, so my BT transfers wont cap out at 4.5MB/sec)


ETA.  Plus I am still bitter that I bought 2 WD raptors to run RAID0 for my programs knowing that I had 4 SATA headers on my mobo.  and planned on using the 2 160s that came with it for storage.  Would have been great, but there is no damn place to fit 4 drives in the case

I am not a fan of Dell for the most part. Some of their "special offers" are horribly overpriced compared to what one can buy the parts for and assemble it oneself. Dells come with "warranties", but Dells also use "shitty generic parts", which causes you to need "a warranty". And then when anything goes wrong you are left waiting for Dell to handle it, because if anyone else does anything with the hardware that can void the precious "warranty" youpaid for.

Building it yourself (or buying from somewhere that lets you pick ALL the parts, including the motherboard) lets you get name-brand parts that tend to work better overall. Yes it costs a bit more, but it's worth it not to have problems at all. Top-end PC parts are very expensive and yet nobody who buys them worries that "they only have a one-year warranty".

....

Helpful Hint (if you insist on buying Dell)--if you buy one of their BUSINESS machines, you always get reinstall CD's and you are eligible to get American phone tech support. If you buy the consumer machines, you don't always get reinstall CD's included (you have to call them up and bitch to get them to mail you one then) and you get to deal with Indian phone support.
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The manual that came with the system will cover how to do your recovery

anyone who buys a dell computer in the future

make sure you read the warranty on the pc you are getting.  the low end systems only get a 90 day warrnaty on them.  TS is only 90 days also


sounds like you bought a refurb

I think the 90 day warranty is a shame. What does that tell you right there? "We would love for you to buy from us but we don't care if it breaks in 90 days". Had a guy come in with a cheap Dell $599 laptop that I am sure he thought was a great deal and the motherboard failed after 90 days. I guess you just can't tell some people the old saying "you get what you pay for".

Quoted: Actually it is a Dell issue.  Until recently they would always support their products for the life of them.  Only in the last 2 years have they set limits on what they will do to fix their own systems.

This is true, my Dell Dimension 8100 (purchased new in 2001) came with phone (not on-site or other support) for the life of the machine.  I had a one-year "additional" on-site service policy, which expired sometime in January 2002.

Quoted: Building it yourself (or buying from somewhere that lets you pick ALL the parts, including the motherboard) lets you get name-brand parts that tend to work better overall. Yes it costs a bit more, but it's worth it not to have problems at all. Top-end PC parts are very expensive and yet nobody who buys them worries that "they only have a one-year warranty".

Agreed, I am firmly in the "build it yourself" crowd after 15 years of buying Dells.  My Dell 8100 (which was top of the line when purchased ... it used one of the very first P4 1.7 GHz chips) features a cheapo power supply, fan and other items.  Not what you'd expect for a top of the line desktop (in 2001).  

Hell, a decent fan from Antec costs $7 ... they couldn't even put that in my machine so instead I had to put up with a fan that sounds like a friggin' lawn mower.