I would also check to make sure a supervisor passwork hasn't been set in bios as, if set, won't allow you to change any bios settings. This may not be important now but could potentially be a problem in the future.
Inputting the service tag quoted on eBay into the Dell website reveals that this is a UK model shipped 26/12/2010, albeit maybe not yet registered. It should therefore have a UK keyboard. If you have a USA keyboard then the keyboard has been changed at some point.
I would contact the vendor and Paypal and demand a bullet proof explanation as to what is going on. If for example, there has been an unauthorised repair, then the warranty might be void. The same might apply if the system was not retailed direct from Dell, but from a retailer. Say a damaged Tesco return that has been bought by someone and repaired.
If you are certain this is a USA keyboard as distinct from a UK keyboard wrongly set-up in Windows then I would be very suspicious.
It says on the listing it is a used computer with only 5 or 6 months left on warranty. You might be able to transfer the remainder of the warranty by filling out the form HERE. Not all warranties can be transferred to a new owner. You should be able to change the keyboard to UK English in Region and Language settings in Control Panel.
hrova, the seller doesn't take returns unfortunately but I may still have to take this up with eBay.
1eee488. this is a possiblity I am going to contact the vendor, hoping he has the receipt or can tell me which retail outfit from which it was purchased.
(Talk of Bios and the like goes over my head I'm afraid Mary, but I'm sure my* husband will have taken care of that)
Although keyboard is US *he has set it up (within somehow :) ) so it acts as a UK one which I can live with, but raised the point that maybe it was brought in from the States and would that mean any guarantee/warranty may actually be void?
It does make me suspcious that although he said he had the warranty documents he didn't send them, but then again he posted it in a large Jiffy bag.......all credit to the British postal system, my laptop arrived undamaged and working!!
Although keyboard is US *he has set it up (within somehow :) ) so it acts as a UK one which I can live with, but raised the point that maybe it was brought in from the States and would that mean any guarantee/warranty may actually be void?
The laptop shows up in the Dell UK database, not Dell USA database, so it was not purchased here in the USA.
If you intend on returning the laptop, do not anything further to it until you either return it or decide to keep it.
Check if the service tag on the base agrees with the eBay listing. And use F2 at power-on to enter setup. The service tag will be listed there as well. Does it still agree? Assuming it does then you have a UK system not a USA import. If the keyboard is truly the US variant then you would be best off using the US keyboard driver.
If you use a US layout keyboard with the UK driver then you will find certain keys mixed up versus the key caps. This might not matter to you, but is irritating for most of us.
EG. The US KB has # above the 3. The UK KB has £.
The US KB has ALT to the right of the space-bar versus AltGr. This might not matter for most purposes.
The US KB has @ above the 2. On the UK version it will be on a key adjacent to/just above the right hand shift key.
And a couple of others.
If you use the US driver then at least everything will work as printed on the keys. You will be missing £. You can get £ by hold down the alt key and pressing 0163 on the numeric keypad.
That's if you are happy with the laptop as is. My concern would be why was the keyboard changed in the first place. USA market keyboards are widely sold on eBay UK and used to repair broken laptops. Because they are usually more available and cheaper.
So why was the KB changed? And by who, it was not Dell! And ask yourself what is the main reason why keyboards are changed on computers. (Now where did I put my coffee mug?)
Regardless of the vendors stance on returns, I would open a dispute with Paypal until you get the warranty transferred. And a credible explanation if you can. Unless you feel the price paid reflects a system with no warranty at all. If the warranty cannot be transferred or is void then the item is not as described, you are entitled to a refund from Paypal.
BTW did you get any recovery media with the laptop? If not you should check if the recovery partition is present on the hard drive. And also check that the installed version of Windows agrees with the license stick on the base. Home v Professional v Ultimate and 32bit v 64 bit.
Well unfortunately it appears the vendor is a stranger to the truth. He replied quickly to my questions. However he claims his cousin bought the laptop in the States, which thanks to IEEE488 I know not to be true. I shall press him for the warranty documention he "forgot" to send and see what happens....but I see an eBay/Paypal dispute being opened very shortly.
You might want to double-checck on the Service Tag #.
Go to http://support.dell.com and enter it. This is Dell USA. See what shows up there.
eBay / Paypal's policy is that the seller would refund the purchase price + the shipping, when you return the item. The buyer has to pay the shipping back. I ran into this when I bought a used laptop which had a fan which never came on.
When you do send it back, use the Recorded Signed For option. In general, eBay/Paypal sides with the buyer, but it always helps to have the documentation in place.
hrova
2 Intern
•
2.2K Posts
0
June 8th, 2011 10:00
Work with the seller for a return. If not, dispute it with eBay - especially since he said it had a warranty.
ieee488
4 Operator
•
11.1K Posts
0
June 8th, 2011 12:00
Perhaps it hasn't been registered yet. At a minimum Dell laptops all have 1 year warranty.
Please note: If your product has a service tag and was purchased at a retail location, please register your product at www.dell.com/register
bacillus
2 Intern
•
14.4K Posts
0
June 8th, 2011 15:00
I would also check to make sure a supervisor passwork hasn't been set in bios as, if set, won't allow you to change any bios settings. This may not be important now but could potentially be a problem in the future.
Enceladus
297 Posts
0
June 8th, 2011 15:00
Inputting the service tag quoted on eBay into the Dell website reveals that this is a UK model shipped 26/12/2010, albeit maybe not yet registered. It should therefore have a UK keyboard. If you have a USA keyboard then the keyboard has been changed at some point.
I would contact the vendor and Paypal and demand a bullet proof explanation as to what is going on. If for example, there has been an unauthorised repair, then the warranty might be void. The same might apply if the system was not retailed direct from Dell, but from a retailer. Say a damaged Tesco return that has been bought by someone and repaired.
If you are certain this is a USA keyboard as distinct from a UK keyboard wrongly set-up in Windows then I would be very suspicious.
Mary G
4 Operator
•
20.1K Posts
0
June 8th, 2011 15:00
It says on the listing it is a used computer with only 5 or 6 months left on warranty. You might be able to transfer the remainder of the warranty by filling out the form HERE. Not all warranties can be transferred to a new owner. You should be able to change the keyboard to UK English in Region and Language settings in Control Panel.
savingsara
3 Posts
0
June 9th, 2011 01:00
Thank you for all your replies...
hrova, the seller doesn't take returns unfortunately but I may still have to take this up with eBay.
1eee488. this is a possiblity I am going to contact the vendor, hoping he has the receipt or can tell me which retail outfit from which it was purchased.
(Talk of Bios and the like goes over my head I'm afraid Mary, but I'm sure my* husband will have taken care of that)
Although keyboard is US *he has set it up (within somehow :) ) so it acts as a UK one which I can live with, but raised the point that maybe it was brought in from the States and would that mean any guarantee/warranty may actually be void?
It does make me suspcious that although he said he had the warranty documents he didn't send them, but then again he posted it in a large Jiffy bag.......all credit to the British postal system, my laptop arrived undamaged and working!!
ejn63
9 Legend
•
87.5K Posts
0
June 9th, 2011 04:00
Unless you can get the seller to transfer the warranty (which I suspect he/she cannot), then yes - you have an orphan system with no warranty.
ieee488
4 Operator
•
11.1K Posts
0
June 9th, 2011 07:00
The laptop shows up in the Dell UK database, not Dell USA database, so it was not purchased here in the USA.
If you intend on returning the laptop, do not anything further to it until you either return it or decide to keep it.
Enceladus
297 Posts
0
June 9th, 2011 08:00
Check if the service tag on the base agrees with the eBay listing. And use F2 at power-on to enter setup. The service tag will be listed there as well. Does it still agree? Assuming it does then you have a UK system not a USA import. If the keyboard is truly the US variant then you would be best off using the US keyboard driver.
If you use a US layout keyboard with the UK driver then you will find certain keys mixed up versus the key caps. This might not matter to you, but is irritating for most of us.
EG. The US KB has # above the 3. The UK KB has £.
The US KB has ALT to the right of the space-bar versus AltGr. This might not matter for most purposes.
The US KB has @ above the 2. On the UK version it will be on a key adjacent to/just above the right hand shift key.
And a couple of others.
If you use the US driver then at least everything will work as printed on the keys. You will be missing £. You can get £ by hold down the alt key and pressing 0163 on the numeric keypad.
That's if you are happy with the laptop as is. My concern would be why was the keyboard changed in the first place. USA market keyboards are widely sold on eBay UK and used to repair broken laptops. Because they are usually more available and cheaper.
So why was the KB changed? And by who, it was not Dell! And ask yourself what is the main reason why keyboards are changed on computers. (Now where did I put my coffee mug?)
Regardless of the vendors stance on returns, I would open a dispute with Paypal until you get the warranty transferred. And a credible explanation if you can. Unless you feel the price paid reflects a system with no warranty at all. If the warranty cannot be transferred or is void then the item is not as described, you are entitled to a refund from Paypal.
BTW did you get any recovery media with the laptop? If not you should check if the recovery partition is present on the hard drive. And also check that the installed version of Windows agrees with the license stick on the base. Home v Professional v Ultimate and 32bit v 64 bit.
savingsara
3 Posts
0
June 11th, 2011 02:00
Well unfortunately it appears the vendor is a stranger to the truth. He replied quickly to my questions. However he claims his cousin bought the laptop in the States, which thanks to IEEE488 I know not to be true. I shall press him for the warranty documention he "forgot" to send and see what happens....but I see an eBay/Paypal dispute being opened very shortly.
ieee488
4 Operator
•
11.1K Posts
0
June 11th, 2011 12:00
You might want to double-checck on the Service Tag #.
Go to http://support.dell.com and enter it. This is Dell USA. See what shows up there.
eBay / Paypal's policy is that the seller would refund the purchase price + the shipping, when you return the item. The buyer has to pay the shipping back. I ran into this when I bought a used laptop which had a fan which never came on.
When you do send it back, use the Recorded Signed For option. In general, eBay/Paypal sides with the buyer, but it always helps to have the documentation in place.
Good luck.