I swear somebody there hates me. Just kidding. But my most recent deallings with windows and Dell has driven that point home this month.
Go back to July 2008 Goofy computer didn't want to start up. Actually Windows didn't want to load. It would load if it was cool i.e. left off for an hour or so. But if it needed a hard reboot or even just to be restarted, forget it. During this time, it usually had to be shut down by holding the power button for 10 seconds or so. It got to the point that it wouldn't even start in safe mode. So I got out my trusty Lapple-apple as Katie calls my ibook, and went on Dell's chat support ** Note to Dell users: If possible use chat instead of phoning them. You get a print out as proof of what you went through and you don't have to deal with accents** No one there could figure out what the problem was, so as usual the suggested fix was to re-install Windows. I have done this so many times, I could do it in my sleep. After the re-install, I only loaded the bare essentials (Windows programs that I absolutely needed) and then was forced to learn to use this trusty I-mac.
The system was never very stable but since I wasn't using it, my kids had to deal with it. The Blue screens happens to Andy most but I figured it was because of his new game. After a while, they couldn't take it any longer and started to copy down all those letters and numbers on the stop error screens.
Fast forward to Oct 14th Called Dell this time. We did so many diagnostic programs, repeating ones I had already done and a few more that I didn't know were on the Dell resource disc. They all passed. It's not hardware, they said. Must be software. I was told to remove as many programs as I could, clean up the disc, defrag, run ckdisk etc. and then run the tests again. Nope didn't work
To chat this time. Ok It must be service pack 3. From what I heard and read, this made sense. Take it off. Well that's easier to say than to do. Lets just say, it's impossible.
Back to chat: we'll try reinstalling windows. That should take it off. Did that. Reinstalled the drivers and updated them. Still didn't work.
Back to chat. This time reinstall windows but instead of updating the drivers, just put on the new ones. Huh? ok fine. Nope.
Now with each "fix" the problem is actually getting worse. BSOD s are more frequent and the display is just wonky.
Back to chat with a real piece of work. She was something this one. She kept saying that this wasn't a hardware problem and to send a tech out wasn't going to help, and it was software related. It didn't matter how often we told her that there was no software installed, she kept saying, it was software. She finally said she could send out a hard drive if that is what we wanted. Of course that means another reinstall of windows, which they call a OSR. Nope didn't work.
Back to chat: now they decide to send out mother board Nope
Back to chat Lets try a new motherboard and some new memory sticks Nope
Back to chat: Ah! Now they decide that they should try all three at once because that of course will make all the difference and of course another OSR.
Poor Dwight. (the tech who had to come out for all these installs) He even tried to get Dell to send out a new power supply, No they said, just try those last three parts. If they didn't work, they'd consider a system exchange, which is what I asked for about mid-way into this nonsense
Today is November 11th. So a new computer is coming out, this one with that POS Vista. Not for long. the warranty ends in April Linux here we come.
Oh did I mention that this current unit was part of a system exchange for the original unit. They put 3 motherboards in that one too, even though I kept suggesting that it might be the power supply (I'm not that smart, I researched it with my geek friends on line)
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