Inspiron support nightmare

Question

I'm pasting what I just emailed to tech support.  If I have to go through another 2 hour long phone call that ends with the 'tech' being clueless and trying to shuffle me off to software support I will a) pull my hair out, b) scream until I shred my vocal cords, and/or c) put the laptop on the floor and jump up and down on it unmtil I feel better....   (troubleshooting steps from the support email form) Original problem - laptop would freeze when power cord and network cable attached.  Only option was to reboot, and it would come up to a blue screen error 0X000007F - which is hardware according to the MS knowledge base.  Called hardware support.  They had me run the Dell (F12) diagnostics, which passed, and said it was a software problem.  Reloaded all of the software, including the operating system, and continued to have the same errors.  Called hardware support again.  Was told it could be an intermittent problem and a box would be sent to send the laptop to the depot.  The box never came.  Called again and was told the dispatch order was never entered into the system.  The hardware support person wanted to troubleshoot, ran through all the same steps again.  All diagnostics passed.  He tried to send me off to software support.  Asked to speak to a manager.  The manager said he would transfer me to software support, and I could explain the issue to them and IF they agreed it could be hardware, they might dispatch a box.  Software support refused to even speak to me unless I paid for support.  I am not the end user and cannot make that decision.  So I called the after-purchase support line and explained the whole problem, including the steps I had taken so far.  I was told that it is under warranty so there's no reason why it shouldn't go back to the depot to get checked out.  I was told to hold on, and then the support person hung up on me.   After a few days to calm down from that whole fiasco, I formatted the hard drive and installed Windows XP again.  I was not able to install the driver for the Broadcom integrated network adapter that I had downloaded from Dell's web site.  I had to go to Broadcom's web site and download the driver there.  As soon as I installed it, the laptop went to the same blue screen error 0X0000007F.  I called Inspiron hardware support at that point, went through all the same troubleshooting steps, and was told it was software.  I called the end user to get an OK on paying for software support but the person I need to speak with is out today.  I am convinced this is a hardware error, especially considering that the software has been reloaded multiple times, so I continued troubleshooting.  I downloaded the Broadcom control suite from Dell's web site on another PC, burned it to CD, and installed it on the laptop.  I ran the diagnostics in the control suite and the loopback tests failed.  I restarted the laptop to run the Dell disgnostics AGAIN and got a BIOS error, lost date and time - like it has a bad BIOS battery.  So I called support again.  This time I was told that failing the Broadcom diagnostics in the control suite is a software problem - even though these are hardware tests. This has been going on for months now and the problem has yet to be fixed.  The software has been reloaded.  The drivers have been reloaded.  This laptop is used on a corporate network and a wired network connection is required for the user to do his job.  It must be fixed.  Please advise. (end of troubleshooting part of the email support form)   SO if anyone is still reading, I have spoken with the customer and advised them that Dell IS NOT GOING TO HONOR THE WARRANTY THAT THEY PAID FOR and their only recourse is to purchase a PCMCIA NIC so this guy can get his laptop back and do his job.  I don't expect to get any sort of assistance from posting this, but I will feel better letting others know.  If you don't pay for Gold support, you are basically dead in the water (they won't let me use the word I want to use - think screwdriver).  Oh and my neverending thanks to Dell for being the sole source of stress in my otherwise wonderful job.

techgrrrl · Answer

I got a response from Dell -

Please read the first sentence below to see if our Email Automated Response addresses your question; if not, follow the bold blue instructions at the bottom of this message.

Dear Dell Customer,

Dell's e-mail software interprets your message as a request for help with peer-to-peer networking of two or more Dell computers.

So I go to the bottom of the message and it tells me to call hardware support. I can't. I just plain can't. The insanity of this whole thing is more than I can take.

tonebalone · Answer

This advice is too late to be of help:  buy Latitudes for better support.  The home lines (Inspiron, Dimension) are outsourced to people who apparently get their kicks with endless transfers and hangup calls.

sixopace · Answer

you seriously shouldnt have gotten a dell, go custom build all the way, the computer i am working on for a freind didnt even come with the windows xp disk or the drivers disk, how fr!cken stupid, dell s*cks

btw, xps systems are horrible pieces of ****, my custom athlon 64 would kick their a$#e$.

Message Edited by sixopace on 03-16-2006 07:39 PM

Message Edited by sixopace on 03-16-2006 07:40 PM

tonebalone · Answer

Good plan, for someone with the time and inclination.  But not exactly practical for the corporate setting.  And I don't know if I could stand not having my own forum, and having to go give my highly informed opinions on somebody else's.

tonebalone · Answer

Here's a timely humorous article in the NYT re Dell Support:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/16/technology/poguesposts/16pogues-posts.html?ei=5088&en=394aa58bc415b5d9&ex=1300165200&adxnnl=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1142552050-Cpre5fK5FE7eeFwBPVqEjg

takemusuaiki · Answer

I understand your frustration. I too would feel the same way when I can't get my computer running. However there's some options you can try. Since you had an OS reinstall already, the original diagnostic partition was erased. If you can get to WINDOWS, run the DELL DIAGNOSTICS. The correct diagnostic sequence is this: Run PreBoot Sytem Assessment (PSA); while the DELL splash logo is displayed on the screen hold down Fn key while powering on the system. A series of diagnostics will follow. If all test passes, then go to 32-bit diagnostics. If you have the Drivers and Utilities CD, run it from there. If not, request it from DELL (customer hardware warranty support). This test will verify hardware functionality. This is hardware specific. Choose the EXPRESS TEST option. This will give a distict message pointing to the component causing the issue. If this passes without any error message(s), then you need to reboot your computer. If it encounters the same error, you may need to reseat the Customer Replaceable Unit (CRUs), i.e. memory, HDD, optical drive, MDCs, and memory modules. Restart the sytem. If it still shows the same error, reinstall the OS. After installing the OS, install the NOTEBOOK SYSTEM SOFTWARE first before all other drivers. This is necessary so that the chipsets will work correctly. You can download all these drivers at support.dell.com/downloads. Just key in your service tag so the right device drivers will come up. I hope this helps. If this doesn't solve the issue, call back CHWS (DELL). They have a team of dedicated technicians ready 24/7.

P.S.

There's also a Broadcom Utility that technicians can run to verify the functionality of your networking hardware. Mention this to the technician. Hope this helps....

techgrrrl · Answer

I know about the diags - that was the problem all along.  It passes the F12 (Dell) diags, but fails the Broadcom loopback tests.  Plus, when you connect a cable to the LAN port, the laptop either freezes or BSODs.  And I'm the one who reloaded the OS, so I know exactly what is and isn't installed.   We did get some resolution.  My boss called Dell and discussed the fact that I have spent many hours on the phone with them - had a manager or team lead or whatever they are pull up the notes on all the calls.  He said he was going to send them a bill for all of my time on the phone - and they bill me at $70.00 an hour.  They agreed to dispatch a box to send it to the depot.  The customer just wanted to disable the thing in BIOS and buy a PCMCIA NIC for it, but my boss is a bulldog about making people honor their warranties.  We'll see what happens next.

Ed C · Answer

You really need to run the FULL/extended Dell diagnostic. I had a problem with a hard drive that passed the short HDD test but came up with a error when running the extended test. The tech kept telling me to run the short test and give him the error code it returned. It didn't give a error code with the short test but did with the long test, which I had given him 3 times. Finally I told him to either send me a hard drive, as per my warranty, or turn me over to a manager. He sent the drive and then called back 3 days later to find out if I need any help setting the new drive up. This was on a Inspiron 8200 with the normal send in warranty, although a 3 year warranty and it was 1 month before that warranty ran out.

Also I am unaware of any Dell notebook or desktop that uses a Broadcom Ethernet NIC. Most all Dells use either 3COM or Intel onboard NIC chips and the only Broadcom chips are in a wireless card. Is this a wireless card you are talking about and did it come with the system from Dell, included when you bought the system???

Message Edited by Ed C on 03-17-2006 09:00 AM

tonebalone · Answer

Also, run an eyeball check on the RJ-45 connector, looking for a loose/bent pin that might be shorting out when a Cat 5 cable is plugged into it.

takemusuaiki · Answer

I think the original warranty for Inspiron systems cover hardware only (please see your contract). Just in case there is software issue or any other issue not specifically covered by the hardware warranty, you will be directed to a special queue (DELL on Call) handled by specially-trained personnel-and that's fee-based phone support. Check DEVICE MANAGER for possible driver conflict. If your computer freezes when you connect it to the network, try removing the last driver you installed then reinstall it again. Check the LEDs on the network link if it lights up. You may want to check if the NIC is enabled in the BIOS (F2 when the DELL splash logo is displayed during boot up). Try reseating NIC. If the NIC is working correctly, contact your network administrator to setup dialing properties.

Have fun using your Inspiron!

Locked Topics – Laptops General

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