Unsolved
This post is more than 5 years old
1 Message
0
3493
January 16th, 2004 19:00
Another Smartstep/SmartPC with overheating problems
Hi,
Yes I am yet another very unhappy person who owns a Dell Smartstep / SmartPC 250N.
And yes its just over a year old.
I am an IT professional and thought I would post a couple of my thoughts (and vent some spleen also!) on this shoddy piece of hardware that anyone can call a notebook PC.
First off - I believe the Smartstep/SmartPC 250N is a grey import model (not illegal) - a grey import is basically a way for a PC manufacturer to make a quick buck by buying in cheaply made hardware from foreign countries - HP are well known for doing this (and admitting it!) also. The proof I have is in the fact that I recently worked on another manufacturers notbook (Fujitsu, I believe) and other than the cover on the lid (ie having a fujitsu logo rather than a dell one) and a slightly different keyboard (eactly the same design and layout - just a different color) - other than that this was an absolutely identical piece of equipment (fans, vents, battery, dvd/cdrw combo drive, power supply etc..).
Secondly I would like to suggest steps that could possibly help to aid the problem slightly (although I have no intention in attempting this due to warranty concerns) - could it be that the fan is getting clogged with dust and dirt and hence reducing its efficiency - especially if the unit is a year or so old (plenty time for some gunk to build up!).
Like I say, I have no intention of attempting this as it would require opening the laptop up and getting the fan out to clean it - this would invalidate my warranty - so I cant promise that it would make the situation any better.
If anyone has the balls to try it out let me know if your successful as I would consider doing it - if it helped!
Regards
Paul Adam, Senior Support Engineer, Aberdeen IT, Aberdeen, Scotland.
0 events found
redman100
4 Posts
0
January 17th, 2004 14:00
SUPRISE..............im another 250N owner with shutting down problems, try to understand my situation from the following information:
im unemployed 19 year old IT student with as much money as Dell has happy notebook customers.
the "smart"PC 250N financially cripppled me, but was needed for my course of study.
i was unable to send away my 250N due to time pressures on my work, and resorted to aiming a domestic fan directly at the back of my laptop so that i could do my work.
It is now out of its 1 year warranty.
After reinstalling and reformatting i have the same problems.
After reading many posts about this ghastly device, i have decided i dont want anything more to do with Dell even after my entire family bought Dells and suggested to me that i got one.
Im shocked that a large international "company" like Dell have chosen to ignore their customers after releasing faulty goods, which is what it is, in all honesty its faulty goods.
I have e-mailed Dell after discovering their Customer Support department was closed, although i think they were just clogged up with calls from 250N customers.
As a last resort, i have requested a replacement laptop other than a 250N of equal spec or a full refund (so i can get a real Laptop).
If Dell check their records, they will see the address the Laptop was purchsed under has had many Dell machines sent to in the past, so "loyal" customers and all that.
Do i have a chance? will i simply be fobbed off with myths of bios updating? am i doomed to be computerless throughout my IT study?
Please reply with your thoughts fellow 250N victims.
Oliverof
10 Posts
0
January 18th, 2004 16:00
Micheal Dell,I would really like a replacement system, or my very hard earned money back...perioid!
DJboarder
1 Message
0
March 12th, 2004 13:00
i have a smartstep 250N also, and like everyone else have suffered with overheating and subsequent shut down issues. I was unable to return my laptop under warranty as shortly after receiving my laptop i was accepted to study overseas for a year. I could not be without my laptop for study purposes in that time, let alone afford the cost of shipment for repair, so now i'm stuck with an out of warranty laptop, which still overheats.
I read about the issue, and saw a description of how to clean the fans. I have been unable to locate that description since, but another one (http://nfn15037.tripod.com/) is very helpful. Even if not applying the silver heat conducting compound, the steps remain the same for reaching the fans to allow you to clean them with compressed air. This has been my solution so far, albeit a temporary one which requires repeating every few months. I remember how quiet my laptop was when i first got it, but now its a constand hum of the fan. Nothing puts me off working well more so than a noisey computer.
Dell are well aware of the issue at hand, and have the ability to be loyal to their customers, but seem very reluctant to do anything. They have the ability to contact us, and offer us assistance, which would be beneficial to those of us who know whats wrong, but also to those still suffering without knowledge of the cause.
As many members have posted, we are loyal customers with numerous Dell products. How come we cannot be treated as such, with the support and assistance we deserve.
A lot of people won't waste their breath on complaining to dell about the issue, why should we? They know whats wrong, its up to them to fix it. My laptop only had a year warranty, but I know, as Dell do, that a purchase such as this is meant to last a lot longer than a year, and even though my warranty is over, they should be obliged to do something about it. Its not too late, and it would make such a big difference.
A reply from dell forum administrators would be welcomed in more of these message boards to let us know the situation.
Message Edited by DJboarder on 03-12-2004 03:32 PM