How long should support take to diagnose a faulty CD/DVD+RW drive?

Question

I have a drive that is almost always burning DVD+R coasters (see my port in the CD/DVD forum). After producing two coasters of the same attempted burn I rang support. Over 30 minutes or more the technician walked me through uninstall/reinstall of software, and registry key changes for another two coasters -- 4 bad attempts at backing up the same data. It's now been about 25 hours since she said they'd see if the same thing happens there with burning a CD (?) and if it does they'll replace the unit -- but no call back so far. Anyone know from experience how long I should expect to wait. They've tried everything they can think of with no luck but still don't want to send a replacement unit. I've even payed the extra for 3yr NBD onsite warranty and 3yr theft/damage but am getting no joy from them. Is this usual? Regards, Steven

johnallg · Answer

She will not call back - a typical ploy to rid themselves of your problem.  I would use Dell Chat Support - you connect to an American at Dell.  I found it very satisfactory.  Relate what you went through on the phone as to troubleshooting.

smr · Answer

Are you serious? Do they really operate this way after all the money I gave them (including for extended support and insurance)?

maggie99635 · Answer

I found out never let them hangup. It is a hassle because you have to go through so much just to get to that last support person.  Never the same one either. I make a pot of coffee and set aside hours before I have called Dell. They can get you an RMA as soon as your done. The tech person can only replace the product.

maggie99635 · Answer

Nothing. You did all the work troubleshooting the product. They just have to issue an RMA #  I had to return two wireless routers and had to go through all the troubleshooting with the wireless tech before mine was issued.

smr · Answer

I rang back and apparently got hold of the guy who sits next to the woman I spoke with yesterday. Apparently they've had a much higher volume of calls than usual today and she will get back to me within the next couple of hours (or tomorrow).

What I don't understand is why when they've seen that the drive burns coasters in both the tests they got me to do that they don't just give me an RMA immediately. Doesn't Next Business Day onsite mean that they should just dispatch someone immediately, not carry out their own tests (supposedly) there -- I mean, what can they possibly be testing there to determine if I really have a faulty drive? :-|

smr · Answer

She just emailed me back. This is unbelievable. I've burnt 4 coasters doing this -- 3 different brands of media mind you, with two different programs (Sonic RecordNow and Nero) with and without their proposed registry setting fixes -- and now they want me to try something else (reinstall the DLA and use drag-and-drop to burn). This is going to make 5 dead DVDs a whole waste of my time and they still aren't certain that it's a faulty drive. Very frustrating.

maggie99635 · Answer

Wait a while and tell them you did. By now you know all the glitches. Get her name!!  They hate that. I'd find a CD to mess up those DVD's get expensive. I had to install the Intel Application Accelerator to speed up my DVD/CDRW.  Turn off indexing if you haven't already.  I really hate all the games you have to go through when you know something  is broken and have to prove it.

EvilZardoz · Answer

Another victim of India? See my thread about the 8200 issue I had - and my experience. Same sort of thing I suspect.

All I can suggest is to be firm and speak to their supervisor. You do have their e-mail address now, so you can identify the person.

donrisi · Answer

The latch on my CD/DVD+RW gave out, and it wouldn't stay shut.  Since that's a pure hardware issue, I sent an email to Dell, and within hours I received word they'd replace the drive.    However, it took exactly one month to the day (and a whole lot of carrying on) to actually receive the new drive.   Also, FWIW, they don't send (or give you) and RMA.  They send the new drive with instructions that you remove the new drive from the box, put the old drive in the box, put the shipping label (that also comes in the box) on the box, and call the shipper (usually DHL).  The shipper will then arrange a time with you when they can come back and pick it up.    They also warn you that should you not return the defective unit within 10 days, they will bill the same card you bought the computer with for the cost of the replacement drive.    And I also have next business day service, and what I just described is exactly how things went.  Send someone?  Unless it's something they can't expect you to be able to replace yourself (like the LCD screen or the motherboard), they won't incur the expense involved in sending someone.    Don 8600

EvilZardoz · Answer

Hey! So it's not just me who has this sort of problem with the next day onsite service.  At least I'm not the only one.

RandyB · Answer

Two years ago, I ordered the i8200 and it had a bad optical drive. They sent a replacement and it took over an hour for me to explain (convince him that I knew what I was talking about) to the guy that the replacement had no bezel and was therefor, useless; oh, wait - the first replacement was a desktop drive (for which they wanted $400)! After the fifth replacement of wrong and/or incomplete drives, I just returned the notebook...wayyyy too much hassle to go through from any company. Welcome to the club!:smileysad:

smr · Answer

Ahhhhh!!!!

I fear I'm starting on the same journey as you RandyB. After 5 failed attempts at burning these 5 650MB files (and one 400 byte file) to DVD+R, Dell sent me a replacement unit. They sent a Sony this time instead of the NEC that I had. It all looked good at first as far as detecting the features in Nero and DVD Identifier, but the first attempted burn hung on writing the lead-in. After 3.5 minutes of writing lead-in I had to physically remove the drive to shutdown -- it was extremely hot, and smelt of burning. After a reboot the disk it wrote to was not empty but contained no files -- a dud again. Why, oh why, can't they send me a working unit? I've wasted so many hours on this now, not to mention over 20 dud burns since I've had the machine (a few months) which is almost $100 wasted.

johnallg · Answer

Two suspect drives is very suspicious of software problems.  Maggie offered suggestions for Windows settings - did you try them?  Lastly, did you try the Dell Online Chat with a Stateside tech?

maggie99635 · Answer

SMR maybe you should reinstall XP. Make sure you put the chipset driver on there first then the rest of the drivers.   The Sony might need a firmware upgrade also. My Samsung DVD/CDRW needed one and then when I put the Intel Application Accelerator 2.2 on there and it went from PIO to DMA-MW-2.  It isn't a fast drive but I've never had any coasters.    Also the DLA might be messing with Windows since Windows is based on Roxio Disk at Once to write to the disks.  Make sure it is disabled in Windows so there isn't any conflicts. I rarely use the packet writer utility. I do use EZCD to burn so I'm not familiar with your burning software.

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