I bought a new laptop last November. A nice, shiny, top-o'-the-line Dell Inspiron. My old computer just wasn't cutting it anymore, and I was ready to make my life a bit easier. Yesterday I came home from work and turned on my laptop, only to find that I had no display picture. Odd, I think, but I go ahead and reboot the computer to try again. Then I do that again. And on more time after that. Finally, I call tech support. After being on the phone for an hour, the nice man at the end of the line had the computer working, but he told me that I MUST update my video card driver at their website. O-tay, I say, and this afternoon I sat down and did just that.
Now I have no picture. None. Except sometimes I have some picture. Like, just 'til the XP welcome screen. From there on there's nothing. I'm a bit frustrated, and a bit annoyed. So I called tech support again.
This man was not so nice and patient. Fist of all, he could barely speak english, which made communicating with him a bit harder than the other guy, and second of all he just didn't care WHAT I had to say. He's telling ME what the characteristics of my problems are, and I'm saying "No, that's not actually what I see on the screen" and so he proceeds to tell me that I'm wrong? Um, hello. I see the screen. I know if there's a picture there or not. He doesn't.
Then he keeps telling me to read to him what is on the blue Dell screen. "But sir," I say, "I can't actually SEE the Blue Dell screen. My display is blank." He then repeats himself. "Please read to me what it says on the blue Dell screen so that I can better determine the problem. This goes on for about 10 minutes, with him having me reboot the computer at least once each minute.
THEN he tells me to go ahead and hook up my external monitor to the laptop. "I don't have one" I say. He says it again "Please hook up the external monitor to the laptop so I can verify if the problem is your screen or your video card" Again I tell him I don't HAVE an external monitor. Aagain he asks me to set it up.
I tried to be patient with the man. I really did. I know it's not his fault that I'm having computer problems, and that I just need to let him do his job, but it just got to a point that I couldn't take his not LISTENING to me anymore.
Then he said we were going to "re-install XP."
"Won't that erase my HD?" I ask. He tells me that yes, it will. So, not trying to question his authority, but wanting to know why he wanted this, I asked him. He says "I just want to see what happens."
At that point I say no way, no how, and I tell him he needs to diagnose my problem before I take ANY life altering actions.
He then says he's pretty sure my LCD display is bad, and that I need to send the computer in. "Will they be reformating my HD?" I ask. No. They won't. Why? Because he said to just take the whole thing out and send in the computer without it. Grr! Why even TRY to get me to reformat then???
I'm a bit frustrated now. I REALLY am. The guy yesterday didn't think it was my monitor at ALL, and now this guy does. And he still is convinced that I can see the screen. But I can't. And he wouldn't LISTEN to let me tell him that. And then when the monitor DID work, his response always was "Okay, let's reboot now to see what happens." Then it wouldn't work. Which annoyed me.
So I'm done venting. I just needed to get that out. Pleh. Grr. Goodbye.
~LOA
Posted by The_Tom (Member # 38) on :
Sorry to hear. My odd brushes with Dell tech support in the past have by-and-large been positive. *glances at nonfunctional printer* Can't say the same of HP.
Posted by Vogon Poet (Member # 393) on :
When I first started out in IT, I worked on a Dell-using site. After a while I got to be on first-name terms with they guys and girls on their corporate-support helpdesk. I like Dell stuff, and intend my next new PC to be one, but everything I've heard about their customer services and support has been less than positive. Whether worse than Hewlett-Packard (annoying non-English-first-language helpdesk people, obtuse questions, inane requests), I haven't been able to ascertain.
Posted by YrdMehc (Member # 417) on :
Well, good luck LOA....
You like Dell, but you had a first name relationship with the help desk???
I like my Gateway and my HP, the only person I know from Gateway is my sales rep, Meridith, and at HP, I know no one.....
Posted by Grokca (Member # 722) on :
LOA, I have had 2 dell laptops from work and both of them have had the backlight for the monitor go bad.As well as my brother's and about 6 or 7 guys from work. If you get a flashlight and aim it at the monitor while it is on you should be able to see what is on your screen. An lcd monitor does not produce light on it's own but it is backlit. If you can see what is on the screen then it is the light or the light driver board. Strong sunlight if you don't have a flashlight.
They asked you to send it in? If it is a new dell should not they be coming to you, or at least sending you the parts to fix it yourself? I'm not sure how handy you are but changing the lcd and the driver board in most laptops is fairly simple. But I fix electronics for a living and my be biased on this.
[ April 28, 2002, 07:43: Message edited by: Grokca ]
Posted by Matrix (Member # 376) on :
I thought Dells are indestructable??
Mine is, I have had for four years and besides from the floppy drive not working, it works just behind the ages. In computer terms, it's a dinosaur.
So now, I am slowly upgrading the CPU and my laptop for a few weeks now with some stuff that my cousin sends to me.
Posted by LOA (Member # 49) on :
No, I need to send it in..... that's kinda my own fault.... when I was picking my warrenty, I decided to save the $200 extra it would have cost for next day on site repair.... I'm regretting that one now.
As for sending the parts to me, I'm pretty sure it's because they aren't completely sure WHAT the problem is. It's the monitor or the video card, they think, but they're not sure. Oy. Plus it's warrenteed, so I'm pretty sure they have to do the repairs themself anyway......
BTW: I AM on my laptop right now though... this morning it decided to work. Yay! I'm still going to send it in, but at least now I can get my current stuff off of this computer and transfer it onto my other computer so I can keep working Posted by Grokca (Member # 722) on :
LOA, my first laptop with the backlight problem went for a week with intermittant monitor problems before it quit altogether.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
"I tried to be patient with the man. I really did. I know it's not his fault that I'm having computer problems..."
No, but it's also not your fault that he's an idiot. If he told me three times to read the monitor after I told him there was no picture, I'd hang up on him.
Posted by Vice-Admiral Michael T. Colorge (Member # 144) on :
Well why don't you just buy an extended warenty from a place like Best Buy?
Posted by Matrix (Member # 376) on :
The man was obviously stuck up with himself. If you think about it he is the so called computer expert and you are not. So there is some sort of superiority between you and him. So when you tell him that he's wrong, he will just think that you are just stupid. After that point, I'd get his name and hang up. Then call again and ask for someone besides that guy. If possible tell them why you don't want him.
Posted by EdipisReks (Member # 510) on :
quote:Then he said we were going to "re-install XP."
"Won't that erase my HD?" I ask. He tells me that yes, it will.
that's actually not true. you can easily reinstall windows XP without reformatting the hard drive. actually, doing a reinstall of windows over your current install would probably fix your problem, since it would overwrite the entire driver database. have you tried booting into safe mode? hold down f8 while the computer is booting (wait a couple seconds after the computer turns on, otherwise having a key pressed may interfere with the boot process). it should go into safe mode and you will be able to replace the driver that is messing you up (safe mode bipasses the drivers and operates the video chipset as a standard VGA adaptor). well, whatver happens, good luck.
[edit: duh i should have read further down the thread *slaps forehead*. it is working now so you don't need to get into safe mode. i would uninstall the display adaptor and let windows replace it with whatever driver it deems appropriate (windows XP has a HUGE driver database). i wouldn't deal with the whole hassle of sending the thing back to dell, but then again i never bother to deal with manufacturers warranties unless something is DOA.]
--jacob
[ April 29, 2002, 09:35: Message edited by: EdipisReks ]
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
Dude, you're getting the corporate cold shoulder!
Posted by LOA (Member # 49) on :
*psst* I did reinstall the driver. And I know how to get into safe mode. And I've done it several times. It really is the hardware they're positive now.... the only question is whether it's the video card or the monitor.
And I have an extended warranty. I was just to stupid to get next day on site repairs. My bad. Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
Well, I know you haven't got an external monitor, but take the laptop along to anywhere that has a computer and plug it in to that monitor. That should at least help you determine if it's the monitor or graphics card.
Posted by EdipisReks (Member # 510) on :
well, did you try reseating the video card? it is a very simple procedure on the 800,8100,8200,and4100 series inspirons. bascially, you just remove the keyboard, remove the screen and upper case, undo the ribbon cable between the vid card and the screen, and then take the unit out. put it back in and reassemble in reverse. takes about 5 minutes. they even have instructions on the website. all you need are some assorted screw drivers and a 14 gauge piece of wire for popping some pins out. i doubt that the hardware is defective. it is probably either a software conflict or a bad connection, imo (probably software since the picture works until you actually get into windows. have you looked at the refresh rate? the drivers will sometimes allow refresh rates that the LCD won't support), but since you know so much you can do whatever you want. including sending it to a company that may or may not fix your system in a timely manner.
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