It would seem that the only option left to you, is to contact the Better Business Bureau, this is primarily a user to user forum, not a user to Dell forum.
Yeah, I know the forum is user to user. I'm hoping that if anybody out there has had the same problem, they could give me some suggestions for getting this issue resolved. I'm not expecting anybody from Dell to answer me here, especially considering that Dell has pretty much ignored my direct requests via the Unresolved Issues form and the email to the Executive Support Team.
Hey guys, I am very disappointed to inform you that I am having a similar problem. Here is my long and very frustrating story of dealing with dell. Ok so I purchased my XPS M1710 about a year and a half ago. Everything worked great, I loved the system and was especially impressed by the performance of the NVIDIA Geforce go 7950 GTX 512MB video card. The trouble started about 5 weeks ago when my laptop randomly failed. I tryed to restart the computer only to see a series of dots in the background of the loading screen. I immediately called the XPS premier support (first time I ever had to) and they diagnosed the problem as being a Vista issue and I would have to reinstall vista. The problem was that I am at college and my vista cd's were at home. Once I got my vista cd's I called up xps support again and this time the technician diagnosed the problem as being a video card failure. The only way to fix it, he told me was to either replace the card or set up a system exchange. The technician also specifically informed me that the system exchange would exchange my broken xps m1710 for a NEW XPS M1730. I jumped at this option and the technician informed me that he would complete the system exchange paperwork and that I should expect the system to arrive within 3 weeks. A week and a half later I recieve the replacement system and to my surprise they sent me a REFURBISHED M1710 with a NVIDIA Geforce go 7900 GS. I was infuriated. So far this meant that dell had 1. initially diagnosed my problem incorrectly, 2. Mislead me to believe that I was recieving a m1730 to replace my m1710, 3. downgraded my video card. SO what did I do now? I called tech support again. This is where it became extremely stressful. In order to convince dell that they had replaced my system incorrectly (the replacement graphics card is sub-par to my original card) I had to call tech support every day for 2 weeks (each of those calls averaged 1 hr+). I finally talked to a manager who said that the reason I was given that replacement was that the NVIDIA Geforce go 7950 GTX has GPU problems and is on backlog at the parts warehouse. A day later she calls me back to inform me that they did get the card in and that she could set up an order for an on site technician to install the new card, but first I would have to send back the replacement system. So I sent it back. A week later I call dell to set up the on site technician order only to find out that once again, the graphics card is out of stock! So I argued with the technician who managed to inform me that the card will be on backlog til december. I informed him that I am a student who needs a computer to get my work done so I can not wait until december. He said that they could process another system exchange. I said that this time the system needs to be replaced properly with an XPS M1730 with the newer graphics card. The technician told me that he had no authority to specify how the system would be replaced. I tried to speak to someone higher up, but it turns out that this technician is the head technician that handles system replacements. So I asked if there was anyway that I could get the correct system exchange (1730), and the technician said it is possible if they can not replace my original with an equivalent system. So now I am waiting for the next replacement to be shipped to me, and to ensure that they get it right this time I have a technician callback set-up to inform me of the replacement system specs before they ship it to me.
Prior to this I have had no major issues with dell, or any reason to doubt the level of their service. However, after dealing with this issue for 5 weeks now, my confidence in dell has dropped to nothing because of the incompetence of their staff on a few major issues: 1. Failure to diagnose the problem correctly, 2. Failure to replace the system properly and truthfully (the tech said he was sending me a 1730), 3. failure to admit that they had wrongfully replaced my system, 4. Failure to reserve a video card for me while it was in stock so that an on-site technician could be set-up.
What should I do if they fail to replace the system correctly again? (It's too bad I can't order the replacement myself) If you guys have any tips on dealing with dell and this issue, I would greatly appreciate it.
I'm now at 9 weeks of waiting. I managed to contact somebody at the Executive Support Team, who finally understood what I was saying. He understood that the Smoke Grey LCD panel on the XPS 1730 is heavily backordered, and put through a new order for me for a Crimson Red. Not my first choice of colours, but it'll match my fancy scarlet jacket at least.
Anyway, I was contacted by XPS Premium support yesterday to inform me the laptop would be shipping this week. Given my previous problems, I'm not getting my hopes up until I have the thing in my hands.
As for your problems...wow. Are you in the USA or Canada? Each has an Unresolved Issues form on the website, though I'm not sure I would put much fait in it, as my request was completely ignored after I filed it...
my m1710 took a dump earlier today as I was playing Battlefield2 online, it has a NVIDIA GeForce Go 7950 GTX 512MB video card in it. I called Dell and they said they would send me out a m1730 as my replacement since there is a six-week backlog on 7950 GTX cards. so hopefully I'll get a replacement soon.
wow. I just joined this forum to see if others have had the same difficulties as I have. My xps1730 was bought in April 08 and started to fall apart in July. Today it is totally dead. and just like techguy317, I have gotten nothing but misinformation from Dell. They promised a new replacement, and, when viewing the order specs, it was clear they were downgrading me. So, after a 2 hour "discussion" with online chat, I hope the new order goes through as it is supposed to. Needless to say, I have no confidence that the new machine will be any more reliable than the last one. And just like you techguy317, this is my last Dell. I wish you the best of luck and will look for your posts here to see what unfolds!
Apparently, the order that had been put through for me for the non-backered Red system was cancelled due to a 'software upgrade fom Microsoft'. So the guy who's helping me out has put the order back through. Which means I back to square one!
OK. I have finally received my replacement. Unfortunately, they either missed the second video card for the SLI setup, or I'm missing something in regards to enabling it.
I am in the UK. I have the same problems with my GFX card green squares lines etc. XPS premium support next day. Been a week now and still no replacement part. On back order but not been told how long it will take.
Well I am "happy" to see I am not the only one with this problem: Green squares, dots in the background, computer that cannot boot, etc.
I just used the Diagnostics tool and everything is OK according to it. But the squares and dots are still there...
The funny thing is that I was playing BF2 like some other guy on this forum when it froze up for good...
I bought my computer 1 1/2 year ago (no more warranty). I hope my 1-year supplement I get with my credit card will help me here. VISA has been good with me so far (seriously). Otherwise, I wonder how laws are in Ontario. I know that in Quebec any item must function for a reasonable amount of time whatever warranty the manufacturer offers. It could ba a Canadian law. I just cannot find anything online so far on that. Laptops should last at least 5 years right?
I have to admit one thing: the Dell tech guy I talked to on the phone was really helpful and friendly. I hope this whole ordeal will end well.
well, dell is a terrible place to be for sure.. i have had my gpu (7950 gtx) replaced 7 times now, and my motherboard 4, and nothing ever seems to last on my machine, finally got authorization for a notebook replacement and i got a old beat up m1710, i mean the condition of this thing was shocking, but i figured if it worked it would be no problem for dell to replace all the damaged trim for me because my laptop is kept in immaculate condition. well, didn't even boot, no hd, no battery or ac adapter, so i just installed all that stuff from my broken computer, still wouldn't boot, not even to bios, nothing at all. so i contacted dell, and i was told it would need to go to depot........
ya, very frustrating.... so i just refused the replacement and am waiting for another refurbished m1710, hopefully it will be in better condition, and at least work
Francois666, there is consumer protection in Canada called Sale of Goods Act that states "goods will be durable for a reasonable period of time having regard to the use to which they would normally be put and to all the surrounding circumstances of the sale or lease". There is more to it obviously but that is the main jist of it. You can google from there.
My XPS M1710 is also dead again with the exact same failure and the same problem everyone is having. Ridiculous.
shesagordie
10 Elder
•
46K Posts
0
November 8th, 2008 11:00
techguy317
Welcome to the new Dell forum. :emotion-2:
It would seem that the only option left to you, is to contact the Better Business Bureau, this is primarily a user to user forum, not a user to Dell forum.
Bev.
techguy317
9 Posts
0
November 8th, 2008 13:00
Heya shesagordie,
Yeah, I know the forum is user to user. I'm hoping that if anybody out there has had the same problem, they could give me some suggestions for getting this issue resolved. I'm not expecting anybody from Dell to answer me here, especially considering that Dell has pretty much ignored my direct requests via the Unresolved Issues form and the email to the Executive Support Team.
Thank you though. :)
Greguskc
1 Message
0
November 12th, 2008 21:00
Hey guys, I am very disappointed to inform you that I am having a similar problem. Here is my long and very frustrating story of dealing with dell. Ok so I purchased my XPS M1710 about a year and a half ago. Everything worked great, I loved the system and was especially impressed by the performance of the NVIDIA Geforce go 7950 GTX 512MB video card. The trouble started about 5 weeks ago when my laptop randomly failed. I tryed to restart the computer only to see a series of dots in the background of the loading screen. I immediately called the XPS premier support (first time I ever had to) and they diagnosed the problem as being a Vista issue and I would have to reinstall vista. The problem was that I am at college and my vista cd's were at home. Once I got my vista cd's I called up xps support again and this time the technician diagnosed the problem as being a video card failure. The only way to fix it, he told me was to either replace the card or set up a system exchange. The technician also specifically informed me that the system exchange would exchange my broken xps m1710 for a NEW XPS M1730. I jumped at this option and the technician informed me that he would complete the system exchange paperwork and that I should expect the system to arrive within 3 weeks. A week and a half later I recieve the replacement system and to my surprise they sent me a REFURBISHED M1710 with a NVIDIA Geforce go 7900 GS. I was infuriated. So far this meant that dell had 1. initially diagnosed my problem incorrectly, 2. Mislead me to believe that I was recieving a m1730 to replace my m1710, 3. downgraded my video card. SO what did I do now? I called tech support again. This is where it became extremely stressful. In order to convince dell that they had replaced my system incorrectly (the replacement graphics card is sub-par to my original card) I had to call tech support every day for 2 weeks (each of those calls averaged 1 hr+). I finally talked to a manager who said that the reason I was given that replacement was that the NVIDIA Geforce go 7950 GTX has GPU problems and is on backlog at the parts warehouse. A day later she calls me back to inform me that they did get the card in and that she could set up an order for an on site technician to install the new card, but first I would have to send back the replacement system. So I sent it back. A week later I call dell to set up the on site technician order only to find out that once again, the graphics card is out of stock! So I argued with the technician who managed to inform me that the card will be on backlog til december. I informed him that I am a student who needs a computer to get my work done so I can not wait until december. He said that they could process another system exchange. I said that this time the system needs to be replaced properly with an XPS M1730 with the newer graphics card. The technician told me that he had no authority to specify how the system would be replaced. I tried to speak to someone higher up, but it turns out that this technician is the head technician that handles system replacements. So I asked if there was anyway that I could get the correct system exchange (1730), and the technician said it is possible if they can not replace my original with an equivalent system. So now I am waiting for the next replacement to be shipped to me, and to ensure that they get it right this time I have a technician callback set-up to inform me of the replacement system specs before they ship it to me.
Prior to this I have had no major issues with dell, or any reason to doubt the level of their service. However, after dealing with this issue for 5 weeks now, my confidence in dell has dropped to nothing because of the incompetence of their staff on a few major issues: 1. Failure to diagnose the problem correctly, 2. Failure to replace the system properly and truthfully (the tech said he was sending me a 1730), 3. failure to admit that they had wrongfully replaced my system, 4. Failure to reserve a video card for me while it was in stock so that an on-site technician could be set-up.
What should I do if they fail to replace the system correctly again? (It's too bad I can't order the replacement myself) If you guys have any tips on dealing with dell and this issue, I would greatly appreciate it.
techguy317
9 Posts
0
November 18th, 2008 14:00
An update from me, first.
I'm now at 9 weeks of waiting. I managed to contact somebody at the Executive Support Team, who finally understood what I was saying. He understood that the Smoke Grey LCD panel on the XPS 1730 is heavily backordered, and put through a new order for me for a Crimson Red. Not my first choice of colours, but it'll match my fancy scarlet jacket at least.
Anyway, I was contacted by XPS Premium support yesterday to inform me the laptop would be shipping this week. Given my previous problems, I'm not getting my hopes up until I have the thing in my hands.
As for your problems...wow. Are you in the USA or Canada? Each has an Unresolved Issues form on the website, though I'm not sure I would put much fait in it, as my request was completely ignored after I filed it...
jmikottis
3 Posts
0
November 19th, 2008 00:00
my m1710 took a dump earlier today as I was playing Battlefield2 online, it has a NVIDIA GeForce Go 7950 GTX 512MB video card in it. I called Dell and they said they would send me out a m1730 as my replacement since there is a six-week backlog on 7950 GTX cards. so hopefully I'll get a replacement soon.
techguy317
9 Posts
0
November 20th, 2008 06:00
I've been 'hoping to get a replacement soon' for over 9 weeks now. :(
I can't even view my order status online. And my email to the address given on the error page has been ignored so far. I'm gonna call in later.
I thing what's REALLY me off is the number of times I've tried to contact Dell, other than by phone, and been ignored. Let's see...
Unresolved Issue form - No Reply
Executive Support Team email - No Reply
CA_canadacs@dell.com email - No Reply (EDIT - OK, I got reply back today, telling me to call Tech Support)
Last email to the fellow who put through my last order - No Reply
I'm looking at buying a tablet PC for next semester. Guess who I will NOT be buying it from after this fiasco?
ejplatinum
1 Message
0
November 21st, 2008 05:00
wow. I just joined this forum to see if others have had the same difficulties as I have. My xps1730 was bought in April 08 and started to fall apart in July. Today it is totally dead. and just like techguy317, I have gotten nothing but misinformation from Dell. They promised a new replacement, and, when viewing the order specs, it was clear they were downgrading me. So, after a 2 hour "discussion" with online chat, I hope the new order goes through as it is supposed to. Needless to say, I have no confidence that the new machine will be any more reliable than the last one. And just like you techguy317, this is my last Dell. I wish you the best of luck and will look for your posts here to see what unfolds!
techguy317
9 Posts
0
November 21st, 2008 17:00
Apparently, the order that had been put through for me for the non-backered Red system was cancelled due to a 'software upgrade fom Microsoft'. So the guy who's helping me out has put the order back through. Which means I back to square one!
techguy317
9 Posts
0
November 27th, 2008 13:00
OK. I have finally received my replacement. Unfortunately, they either missed the second video card for the SLI setup, or I'm missing something in regards to enabling it.
Enragedtrebor
5 Posts
0
November 28th, 2008 07:00
I am in the UK. I have the same problems with my GFX card green squares lines etc. XPS premium support next day. Been a week now and still no replacement part. On back order but not been told how long it will take.
Francois666
1 Message
0
November 30th, 2008 07:00
Well I am "happy" to see I am not the only one with this problem: Green squares, dots in the background, computer that cannot boot, etc.
I just used the Diagnostics tool and everything is OK according to it. But the squares and dots are still there...
The funny thing is that I was playing BF2 like some other guy on this forum when it froze up for good...
I bought my computer 1 1/2 year ago (no more warranty). I hope my 1-year supplement I get with my credit card will help me here. VISA has been good with me so far (seriously). Otherwise, I wonder how laws are in Ontario. I know that in Quebec any item must function for a reasonable amount of time whatever warranty the manufacturer offers. It could ba a Canadian law. I just cannot find anything online so far on that. Laptops should last at least 5 years right?
I have to admit one thing: the Dell tech guy I talked to on the phone was really helpful and friendly. I hope this whole ordeal will end well.
Francois
jmikottis
3 Posts
0
December 4th, 2008 10:00
Dell came through I called them up on 11/21/08 and Dell shipped me a new!! not refurbished XPS M1730 shipped on 12/01/08 and I received it 12/02/08
Thank You DELL!!!!!
XPS M1730, Intel Core 2 Duo T8300(2.4GHz, 800Mhz, 3M L2 Cache)
2GB, DDR2, 667MHz 2 Dimm for XPS M1730
2X Blu-ray AND DVD+/-RW
NVIDIA SLI Dual GeForce 8700MGT with 512MB GDDR3 Memory
AGEIA PhysX Physics Accelerator
120G 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive Free Fall Sensor
Intel 3945 WLAN (802.11a/g) Mini Card
Dell Wirless 355 Bluetooth Module (2.0+EDR)
wodstlk
14 Posts
0
December 6th, 2008 14:00
well, dell is a terrible place to be for sure.. i have had my gpu (7950 gtx) replaced 7 times now, and my motherboard 4, and nothing ever seems to last on my machine, finally got authorization for a notebook replacement and i got a old beat up m1710, i mean the condition of this thing was shocking, but i figured if it worked it would be no problem for dell to replace all the damaged trim for me because my laptop is kept in immaculate condition. well, didn't even boot, no hd, no battery or ac adapter, so i just installed all that stuff from my broken computer, still wouldn't boot, not even to bios, nothing at all. so i contacted dell, and i was told it would need to go to depot........
ya, very frustrating.... so i just refused the replacement and am waiting for another refurbished m1710, hopefully it will be in better condition, and at least work
XPS_DEAD_AGAIN
1 Rookie
•
36 Posts
0
September 22nd, 2009 17:00
Francois666, there is consumer protection in Canada called Sale of Goods Act that states "goods will be durable for a reasonable period of time having regard to the use to which they would normally be put and to all the surrounding circumstances of the sale or lease". There is more to it obviously but that is the main jist of it. You can google from there.
My XPS M1710 is also dead again with the exact same failure and the same problem everyone is having. Ridiculous.