Worst experience EVER

Sharoane,

I can speak to some of this...

Ok, first mistake--the MX11 is heavy and  the screen is TINY. I had no idea just how small it would look until it arrived.
* The weight and screen size were on the sales website? We did not hide this data. Did you just not see the Specifications tab?

Second, it's a gaming computer and I somehow missed that it didn't have a CD or DVD drive. Um, what? I paid over $1200 for this tiny thing and it doesn't even have a drive?
* Again, that data was apparent on the website specifications.

Honestly, while the graphics are decent, the screen is dull and the colors look washed out, so what the heck did I pay for?
* We can troubleshoot this if you want. But using the correct video card drivers should fix this.

Within a few months the computer flat out died. I mean, the hard drive quit. I spent HOURS on the phone with tech support,  they finally dispatched a tech with a new hard drive and of course I lost everything that I'd saved on the system.
* That is normal. We do not support your data. We only support the operating system and drivers. It is up to the user to backup their data to USB drives or to an external optical disk drive CD-RW disk.

What they neglected to tell me when they installed the new hard drive is that they didn't include any drivers for the computer, so there I was with no internet and no way to get drivers, and of course the tech didn't bother to check either, he just put Windows on the thing and took off. I had to use an older computer and I had to purchase a jump drive since the one they sent me wasn't writeable...yeah, you're getting the idea.
* You should have received the Alienware Resource DVD which has the drivers on it. We could have sent you one if you could not find it.

One of the many tech support guys I talked to promised to extend the warranty on the computer three months to make up for the fact I had to go spend money to fix something they should have fixed, only I never saw the time added. I finally got the system working again and then...it broke. This time it was overheating. I would start playing a game and it would get so hot that I couldn't touch the mousepad. Tech came out again and replaced pretty much the whole inside of the system. At this point I'd asked Dell if I could just return this lemon and get a different model, obviously paying any difference in price. They refused.
* They were correct. At the most, we would do a "like for like" system exchange. But not an upgrade to a different model.

After the tech left the computer was not the same. It was sluggish and stubborn about connecting to the internet. Also, an issue with the mousepad from day one was never fixed and one tech person told me it was just a design issue and to live with it.  Basically, when I'm typing if I even come near the mousepad with my hand (I don't have to touch it) it will randomly highlight and delete what I'm typing.
* Sounds like you needed to reinstall the touchpad driver and the OSD (On Screen Display) driver.

Well, as we speak the computer is in a box getting ready to be shipped back to Dell for more repairs. The second hard drive stopped working and the last tech who worked on my computer tightened the screws in the back so much that I can't get the case open so that we can check to see if maybe it just came unplugged. I seriously hate this computer, I wish I'd never bought it and I can say that Dell has no interest in keeping my business since they won't return any customer communications. Why should I be content with a computer that I've had ten months and it has broken and become unusable three different times?
* Keep us posted of the "Return To Depot" repairs.

My apologies. I did not intend to have tone in my writing.

First, Chris, the specs don't do the computer weight and size justice. What was I supposed to do, build a model out of cement to get an idea of what I was doing?
* Good point. I think I would have got the specs and compared them to what I could actually hold at Best Buy. It would have given you a better idea.

Second, whether or not the specs/info included info about the disk drive, my above question remains...who builds a GAMING computer that costs over $1200 without some sort of disk drive? Seriously?
* That was the design choice to keep the chassis as small as we wanted. The larger laptops do have the internal CD drive.

Third, I wasn't expressing disbelief that my data was lost, I'm saying it's ridiculous that a three month old computer lost a hard drive, causing me to lose my data. I'd expect the system to last a little longer...clearly, that point is lost on you.
* Understood. A HDD should have lasted longer.

Fourth (and out of order) I've had two techs here working on the computer and talked to several more on the phone, no one could fix the display. I think it's the design, not the drivers.
* I have worked with many other M11x customers on display/video issues and corrected them. Hopefully the Depot will fix this.

Fifth, how the heck would a DVD help me when I HAVE NO DISK DRIVE TO PUT IT IN? Did you actually remember addressing this (in a distinctly smarmy tone, I might add) in an above paragraph?
* We could have sent you the external USB CD drive to help with the loading of the drivers from the CD.

Sixth, I was not asking for a free upgrade. I was asking for an upgrade WHERE I PAID THE DIFFERENCE IN PRICE. Caps are included because I am not sure you read my original post...
* Understood. In theory that might have worked. But I have never seen it done.

Seventh, the techs I spoke to for help with this issue told me it was a design flaw and that there was nothing I could do to fix the touchpad, and the internet issue happened AFTER one of your guys "fixed" it for me. So I'm not buying that one, Chris.
* I can only tell you that there is not a systemic issue. Perhaps your LCD is faulty. It is hard to say which component is faulty without tearing it down myself.

First, Chris, the specs don't do the computer weight and size justice. What was I supposed to do, build a model out of cement to get an idea of what I was doing?

Second, whether or not the specs/info included info about the disk drive, my above question remains...who builds a GAMING computer that costs over $1200 without some sort of disk drive? Seriously?

Third, I wasn't expressing disbelief that my data was lost, I'm saying it's ridiculous that a three month old computer lost a hard drive, causing me to lose my data. I'd expect the system to last a little longer...clearly, that point is lost on you.

Fourth (and out of order) I've had two techs here working on the computer and talked to several more on the phone, no one could fix the display. I think it's the design, not the drivers.

Fifth, how the heck would a DVD help me when I HAVE NO DISK DRIVE TO PUT IT IN? Did you actually remember addressing this (in a distinctly smarmy tone, I might add) in an above paragraph?

Sixth, I was not asking for a free upgrade. I was asking for an upgrade WHERE I PAID THE DIFFERENCE IN PRICE. Caps are included because I am not sure you read my original post...

Seventh, the techs I spoke to for help with this issue told me it was a design flaw and that there was nothing I could do to fix the touchpad, and the internet issue happened AFTER one of your guys "fixed" it for me. So I'm not buying that one, Chris.

Last, what I can tell you is that I'd better get back a working system from Dell, which I will unhappily keep until it dies again or is paid off, which ever happens first, and then I will be buying a new one from someone other than Dell.

If you think your answers or tone were appropriate for someone in customer service, let me point out to you that all you've managed to do in this post is make me even more frustrated and disgusted with Dell. Being defensive, smarmy, sarcastic, etc., doesn't help you make your point and cause me to go "Oh...sorry, I'm imagining that my experience with Dell was awful. My mistake." It makes me realize that I shouldn't have bought a computer from your company, which luckily was what I said in the first place. I can see you and your colleagues have no interest in retaining loyal customers...just sucking in unsuspecting new ones and then talking down to them. Customer service, indeed.

I think again, you miss the point. Setting the lack of CD drive aside and the specs of the computer (if I'd gone to Best Buy I'd probably have bought from them, so poor example there), the computer is a mess, a new computer should never act like that, and tech support is next to useless if they can't fix all of these so-called easy problems you keep telling me you could have fixed. In the end, result is the same. I can't recommend Dell both for the lack of quality in their computers AND the complete travesty that is tech support/customer service. End.

I might also add that no one suggested, offered, etc, to send me any kind of external CD drive. They told me that I could use the thumb drive that had my operating system on it with another computer that was connected to the internet. WRONG. The drive was not writable. Ok...so they told me to go buy one and they'd add time to my warranty. I did so, no time was added.

Chris, I don't feel that you're addressing the many issues that I legitimately had with Dell, I think you're stuck on being defensive and trying to make a faulty system and bad communication/bad tech service my problem, and that's just another reason I'm going to keep telling folks to go anywhere but Dell. I haven't seen one Dell person even try to help me. In the meantime, I've lost my hard drive for the second time in ten months plus I have had all the innards (video card, motherboard, etc.) replaced at least once, and I have a computer that, AFTER being touched by a tech your company sent out, worked worse than before! 

One last story...when I was buying the computer, no, I didn't notice it didn't have a disk drive. I didn't see an option to upgrade it, which usually comes up when buying the computer. However, most games I play are online and I don't need a disk, so it was actually over a month or two after I got the system that I went to play The Sims 3 and realized I had no way to play it. I went back to the Dell website and the only place I could find info on the system NOT having a drive was when I went through the order process again to see what happened. This time, a message came up alerting me that the system didn't have a CD drive, did I want to buy an external. That didn't happen when I actually bought the system.

Anyway, there's a reason why the model was discontinued. I'd love to hear from anyone else that was stupid enough to buy the Alienware MX11.

Never buy the extended warranty either. My employer purchased Dell and the service agreement. My power supply/cord died and I spent a few hours on the phone with a Dell "support" person trying every way they could to get my employer to have to pay for the power cord instead of being covered. Really? You pay a tech person to stay on the phone with me for three hours rather than eat the cost of a power cord?

Dell is a joke.

Well, for those of you who asked for an update, get ready to laugh. Here goes.

I sent off the computer earlier this week to get repaired. I got an e-mail saying it was fixed (and an automated call, actually) and on its way home. I checked the tracking number and it was set to arrive Monday. Okay, I figured I would be happy with such a quick turn-around.  I went to check my mail today and tripped over a box on my porch. Computer was two days earlier. Even better, I decided that this was good news and I eagerly opened the box.

Out came a check list of things that were fixed: Hard Drive, LCD Panel (because I mentioned it was giving me a hard time) and Windows Software.  I pulled the laptop out and noticed a piece of paper sticking out. I opened up the lid and found the following letter: "After extensive testing by Dell certified technicians, we have determined that your system requires software reinstallation and/or hard drive replacement so that your system operates correctly.

"Since you asked us not to either reinstall the software for you on your hard drive (which would remove any existing data from your drive) or replace your hard drive, we were unable to complete repair." 

There's more, but that's the gist of the message. So, first of all, WHAT? The whole reason I sent the computer in was to get the hard drive fixed or replaced! So, I called Alienware support. The first tech seemed confused, and wanted to run a diagnostic with me again. I refused and explained that all I wanted was to find out why the hard drive wasn't fixed or replaced. He went away for awhile, came back and wanted to run the diagnostic. After I asked for a supervisor he suddenly found notes saying that they were repairing the hard drive and would send it along on Monday. Again, what? I asked him about the fact that I couldn't open the computer to install the hard drive because of the previous tech who came out tightening the screws too much and he assured me that they were loosened. "So," I asked, "If I opened the computer there would be no hard drive?" "That is correct," he said.

So I opened it, of course (and at least I could this time, he was right about one thing), and guess what? There's a hard drive in it! So I called back.

The second tech was much less friendly or helpful and this is where I got really angry. She looked up the notes and told me that actually, the hard drive had to be replaced and was on order. Then she changed her story and said that actually, the hard drive in the computer is new. Okay. She said that I would have to reinstall all OS and drivers. I asked why and was given some story about how they only fix the parts, they don't do software installation at the repair place. Okay...so I looked all over and didn't see the OS sent along. She told me they could send me one if needed. By then I was getting cranky--I mean, the computer has been out of commission for a couple of weeks at this point and this isn't the first time it's broken on me. I was polite enough but I know my tone was getting pretty unhappy. So she decided to start arguing with me. "Well, you know those marks you saw on your screen? Water got into your computer." I told her I didn't put water on my computer, so she told me if I didn't someone else here must have. Excuse me? There are two of us living here and my other half has a computer and doesn't go near this one and would tell me if water got spilled on it.  She started telling me how my warranty didn't cover water damage but they fixed the LCD anyway, yadda yadda, and I told her that if it was such a big deal they could have left it alone because MY MAIN CONCERN WAS THE STUPID HARD DRIVE. I was actually a lot nicer than I am making it sound, but I know I sounded frustrated, so she kept arguing. 

Side note: I work customer service and the last thing an angry customer wants to hear is how it is somehow all their fault, especially if it's not, so I escalated on her, which means I demanded a supervisor.

He was actually also kind of rude and at one point offered to send me a CD of the OS and drivers after I'd reminded him that this unit doesn't have a CD or DVD ROM built in. He snarkily said something like "You could always buy one."  When I went off at him about how it was ridiculous that I should have to buy equipment to fix an issue caused by shoddy design or parts, he insisted that I was putting words in his mouth. He said they could send me a jump drive for the drivers, but at this point I was so upset that I told him that I thought it was totally unfair and ridiculous that I have to do this much work and spend this much time fixing a problem that shouldn't have happened in the first place and that I wasn't ever going to buy another Dell computer again and hung up.

It's true, though. I've owned Macs, HPs and other brands over the years and never had this amount of trouble with any of them. I don't treat this laptop I just got back any differently--actually, I babied it compared to how I knock the Mac around--and no other system has ever given me any problems. I have had two hard drives just quit on me, the motherboard, fan and video cards malfunction and have to be replaced and the LCD give me issues (no idea where this water damage issue came from, but from the day I unwrapped the laptop the LCD was dull and washed out-looking and silly me thought that was part of the design) and after the attitude that tech support and the online CSR here have given me, I can say that if you guys are waiting on an order or thinking of placing an order, don't.

Want to know the worst part? I bought the stupid thing because they offered me financing, not because I really believed in Dell. I would have been better off just plunking down the cash up front for ANYTHING ELSE. I don't know if Dell could do anything at this point to convince me to try them again.  What a waste of my time, money and energy.

Please folks,  take note.  Except for the technical specifics' my experience is identical.

I am experiencing identical problems.I feel  your pain.  I am 69 years old, retired and stuck with this dud. We are getting the a bad deal.