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Anielsen487
6 Posts
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April 21st, 2021 15:00
Alienware Aurora r10/r12 boot loop/DOA
This has been the worst experience I have ever had with any company. I ordered the aurora r10 months ago. It took longer to receive it than I was told it would but I can understand that. However, upon receiving it I started it up and was doing the necessary updates and such. 2 hours into use I received a blue screen. Tried restarting it and the r10 seemed to be stuck in a boot loop. I called technical support and spent nearly 4 hours on the phone with them only to be told that it was probably a bad motherboard. They said that they would have a technician out to replace the motherboard in 3-5 business days. 2 1/2 weeks later the technician finally arrives. Installs the new motherboard and the r10 is still stuck in a boot loop. I was told to call technical support again as the technician doesn't actually work for dell he is just contracted out by them. I call technical support and they inform me that it could possibly be the memory that is causing the issue. I told them at this point I would just like a replacement. They said that they had to put in a request for that and that I should hear back the next day. 5 days later I hear back from them that they will be sending the replacement as soon as possible. Finally received the replacement which was an r12 because they didn't have any r10s available. I open it up and plug it in and it won't start. I call technical support. Spent 2 hours on the phone with them and they are telling me that this replacement probably has a bad motherboard. Beyond frustrated at this point I decide that I just want a refund and I am not interested in going through the whole process that I went through with the r10. Technical support tells me that I need to call customer care for that because they are who would handle returns. So I call customer care, explain what has happened so far. They tell me that I need to talk to technical support in order to get a refund and before I can even explain that they told me to call customer care they transfer me. After accouple more transfers I finally talk to someone about the return and they have informed me that because I am outside of their 30 return policy it is very unlikely that I will get a refund at all. In what world does it make sense that I can't get a refund for a product when I never even received a WORKING PC. I am at a loss as to what my next steps should even be. Dell/Alienware has the worst customer service I have ever experienced in my life.
Yeah, best practice IMHO when there is a defect within the 30 day window is return for a refund and repurchase. Note that if you do a warranty replacement it can be replaced with a refurbished PC (as opposed to a brand new PC) at Dell's discretion. If that matters to you, it may also be something to ask about before accepting a replacement.
"Dell, at its sole discretion, may dispatch a replacement part to you, arrange for you to send your product or defective part back to Dell's repair depot or replace the part or product with a comparable part or product that may be new or refurbished."
Yeah, best practice IMHO when there is a defect within the 30 day window is return for a refund and repurchase.
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Agreed.
I also think these bad machines and Out-of-Box-Failures should be re-captured by Dell and examined (to see what went wrong so quickly).
During that initial test/break-in period ... I try not to mess with it a whole lot (no immediate hardware upgrades). Just do a basic setup, install minimal programs, and just use to normally to make sure it's reliable and stable.
Dell Rockstar
Microsoft Windows and Apple iOS Developer (Retired)
- Like many of you, I can appreciate a good game-engine.
- I answer questions here, but I'm not a Dell employee.
- Consider giving posts you like a "thumbs-up"
- Posting models-numbers and software versions speeds trouble-shooting.
- Click "Mark as Accepted Answer" on any post that answers your question best.Might as well look at other vendors.
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Like who exactly?
For fairly high-end retail pre-built gaming systems ... not much else out there (unless you want to use one of the higher-priced boutique shops). But those are more like a custom-build than a retail pre-built.
Dell Rockstar
Microsoft Windows and Apple iOS Developer (Retired)
- Like many of you, I can appreciate a good game-engine.
- I answer questions here, but I'm not a Dell employee.
- Consider giving posts you like a "thumbs-up"
- Posting models-numbers and software versions speeds trouble-shooting.
- Click "Mark as Accepted Answer" on any post that answers your question best.New Aurora-R10
- was doing the necessary updates and such. 2 hours into use I received a blue screen.
- Tried restarting it and the r10 seemed to be stuck in a boot loop.
- spent nearly 4 hours on the phone with them only to be told that it was probably a bad motherboard.
- Installs the new motherboard (weeks later) and the r10 is still stuck in a boot loop.====================
I hope you get it worked-out.
Sounds like your original problem was just a minor BIOS setting or corrupt Windows. Even if Windows-10 needed to be reloaded from scratch, it's a 45 minute job with SSD installed.
It would be nice if Dell went back to sending on-site Technicians that actually did some trouble-shooting when required. I think it would cut down on mis-diagnoses and over-compensation of problems with new machines in the field. I still recommended it when I have Dell's ear.
Unfortunately, I think the time for that has come and gone. Now-days, only "fast-and-easy" solutions are ever considered for accepted problem-resolution work-flows.
Dell Rockstar
Microsoft Windows and Apple iOS Developer (Retired)
- Like many of you, I can appreciate a good game-engine.
- I answer questions here, but I'm not a Dell employee.
- Consider giving posts you like a "thumbs-up"
- Posting models-numbers and software versions speeds trouble-shooting.
- Click "Mark as Accepted Answer" on any post that answers your question best.@Tesla1856 @Ibuypower, cyberpowerpc, omen. I’ll even wait out the parts shortage. These issues are not something a customer should be dealing with when paying $3000 or more for a machine. Iam currently literally being ghosted by support just trying to find out status
Anielsen487
6 Posts
1334
0
Posted April 22nd, 2021 16:00
I forgot to mention that I did try and reinstall windows with the technician but every time we tried to boot from the USB it's like it would think about it for a second and then resume the boot loop.Anielsen487
6 Posts
1336
0
Posted April 22nd, 2021 16:00
I would definitely get your refund while you still can. I was informed that they won't be giving me a refund because I am past the 30 days. Even though I never even got a working system to begin with."Finally received the replacement which was an r12 because they didn't have any r10s available. I open it up and plug it in and it won't start."
So what happens when you push the power button? Flashing amber lights or nothing at all?
If the latter check that all the cables including the power cable are fully inserted on both ends.
MGorin830
1 Rookie
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17 Posts
1462
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Posted April 21st, 2021 20:00
Jeez pal. I’m waiting to hear back regarding a replacement pc, but after reading your experience I think maybe I should just get a refund while I’m still within the window. This company has gone downhill