Read this before you buy a Dell

[DMC]

About six months ago I bought a Dell Inspiron 8500 Laptop. Of which I was led to believe that it had the DVD/CD RW Combo drive. Wrong It is a CD/RW and DVD R drive. Dell wouldn't make good on that. Today I was trying to get a removable floppy drive for my computer, they had them on their website several months ago, I have seen them on Ebay.

Sales tells me that they don't have any removable drives due to the Christmas rush, but would be glad to sell me an external floppy drive. I browse Dells website and find a removable floppy drive that they claim will work in the 600m or 8500 Inspiron. I call tech support after waiting and waiting and waiting, they tell me that they have never made a removable drive for the 8500. I would have to buy an external. I'm not at all happy after spending $2300 on a new laptop. To find two cases of deception by this company. I got everthing that IBM said I would get on my last laptop from them, just more costly. Just thought I would pass this along hoping more sheep could be spared from the wolves.



Good Luck



Don

 

[ToolManTimTaylor]

I just ordered a dimension 2400 for a friend. The PC was selling for a rediculous price of 489 and it was a celeron 2. 8 with 128 Meg and 30 Gig HD. No monitor. We got it and it came with a 100 dollar rebate putting the final price at 389.



WELL we found the Memory upgrade online from dell for 129 (512 MB) and fired that in the pc bringing total mem to 640.



THIS EXACT SETUP was selling thru DELL for 799 :--)



We did it for 500.

 

[Jeff Clark]

Sorry about your problems with Dell. We use Dell all over our office with no problems (as I type this on one of our POS Mac's with Netscape)

 

[dresslered]

I have bought many Dells over the years and the service seems to be getting worse and worse. They use to really try to make the customer happy, and I am sorry to see this go.



The last incident (which wasn't really and incident since I agreed to it) was a laptop with a $500 rebate. In case you don't know it already, I hate rebates! It use to be that you buy a product because it was a good product and not because it has a better rebate than the next product. Anyway, 8-weeks later a hand-written looking piece of junk mail came with a regular postage stamp on it. It had my $500 rebate hidden inside. What really upset was that it was only good for two-weeks and "Would Not Be Re-issued". I did get my rebate but I sure would have been upset if I had missed that! Companies make lots of money on rebates. They make 100% on the ones that forget to fill out the claim properly, and for all the rest, they get an interest free loan during that time.

 

[DMC]

Well I finally got straitened out with Dell. After 4 more phone calls and two hours of research on e-bay. Someone at Dell figured out that they did in fact carry a removeable floppy drive for the Inspiron 8500. I have accomplished the task after 4 hours of leg work, that should have taken 10 minutes. I'll report back as to whether or not they can remember which one to send me.



Thanks



Don

 

[E7mack96]

I just bought the same laptop early october.



I goofed and got the wuxga? (too much resolution)screen.



Movies look great, but danged, if i can find the pointer.

 

[klenger]

I have an Inspiron 5000 with the high res screen. I love it, but the wife thinks the writing is too small. 1400 x 1050 resolution.

 

[merryman]

I heard a bit on the news last week to the effect that when you call Dell for technical assistance you are actually talking to someone in INDIA! The must really work cheaper to afford that much of a long distance with all the waiting on hold.



Vaughn

 

[skobylenski]

Originally posted by Jeff Clark

as I type this on one of our POS Mac's with Netscape

So, what's wrong with Apple? I can tell you - you are using Netscape (aka Nutscrape). Start using Safari and most of your internet gripes will be gone. Don't bother with Internet Exploder, either, it's just as bad as Netscape. The browsers that Apple designs for use with their computers (Safari, and Mozilla) are rock solid stable.



Sorry if you take this as a flame, but when people bash a system that is more stable than the "popular" system, it really bugs me.



Scott

 

[DMC]

E7mack86:



You can change your screen resolution by going to display settings, then settings, then you can change your resolution. Go to the next setting above 800X600 and you will be much happier. Just get familiar with this fuction so you can switch back and forth when playing DVD's.



Well I guess Dell is trying to make up for the confusion. They shipped my floppy drive out this morning. I should get it tomorrow.

Will check back as to whether they send me the floppy drive, or a floppy hat.



Good Luck



Don

 

[grtescpa]

Dell

I almost bought one but was told they are terrible with tech help.

I went to Gateway. I was very glad I did. You pay more but you also get far more than what Dell had to offer. They give you RD ram with the machine. Its like having an 8 lane highway as opposed to 2 lanes. Gateway also has an excellent 3 yr service contract. The only problem I had with my machine was a video card issue. The Tech I spoke with walked me through to get it going.

 

[fbaurley]

You definately have to watch Dell on prices, they jack with them so much they basically are screwing with people. I watched their deals for 2 months daily before buying a computer, they were up and down like a roller coaster. I finaly decided to buy one, but didnt want to put in on credit card till it cleared, waited the weekend and went to order, and the price had dropped about 125 bucks. So i guess i lucked out. The only reason I bought a dell was that most of them arent integrated components, so therefore you can up grade in the future. Its true about the customer service from India. Business were having so many problems with them that they opened up a seperate help center number that gave american English speaking people to assist them, but you and I still get the Indians

 

[VGiacalone]

Hmmm,



I have had nothing but Dell's for 10 years now, and have never had one problem! They have overnight expressed parts to me when lightening struck and fried my computer (free for everything).



I have found their tech help absolutely amazing! Once I was working over the phone with a customer service rep whose shift was almost over. He gave me his HOME phone number to call if our latest attack didn't work. Our last attempt fixed the problem.



BTW, his number was in Houston, not in India.



Just a different point of view for what it's worth. I will always buy Dell. They have been wonderful to me.



Valarie

 

[dresslered]

I will always buy Dell

Yes, I will probably continue to do the same. Having worked in several companies using both Gateways and Dells, the Dells are far superior in every way. I just have felt that their service and marketing tactics have taken a turn for the worse.

 

[DMC]

Well guys it looks like the situation with Dell has improved. I received my removable floppy drive via Airborne Express today at 1300hrs. And it even works in my computer. Also has a USB cable if I want to use it outside of the computer. It is the drive that will work with the 600M/8500 Inspiron, dell p/n 340-8253, on the unit is LBL P/N: 7T761-AO1, and it does match the silver case on the computer. I am providing this info in case anyone needs it.



I felt it is only fair that I let everyone know that Dell did straighten things out.



My opinion of Dell is better now.



Good Luck



Don Oo.

 

[dresslered]

DMC-



Just out of curiousity, what is the removable floppy drive for? I haven't been able to store anything on floppies for years given their limited space. Now it is CD's and USB memory sticks.

 

[DMC]

I find it quite useful in storing small amounts of info as do other people.



Apparently there is still a demand for a floppy disc drive as they are still being produced.



Just because you don't seem to have any use for this, according to you obsolete drive, doesn't mean no one else has a use for it.



Good Luck



Don

 

[dresslered]

Oops. I must have missed the reply. DMC, I didn't mean to sound like I was criticizing you about the floppy in any way. In fact, I have floppies in all of my computers. I meant it more sarcastically in that the new applications are requiring more and more memory requirements. Even my Word documents frequently exceed the available space on a standard floppy now!



I remember that not too long ago I use to be able to write my tech manuals using a Mac 512 with dual floppies and no hard drive. These held my system, applications, data, and games! No more space could ever be required. Glad it worked out for you.



David

 

[KBennett]

I was a Toshiba fan until three years ago when I started at my present company. They bought me a Dell laptop when I started and it has served me well. I had a hard drive take a dump about a year ago (started making a buzzing sound) and Dell fixed it with no questions asked. I have an old Dimension XPS R400 here at home that I am typing this on that I bought from a guy in the office 2-1/2 years ago. As far as Mac goes I think they make a good machine but all of the control and programming software I run at the office won't run on a Mac.

 

[KBennett]

No it won't.

Good suggestion but try getting support from the software manufacturers when you tell them the OS you are running.