M14x Doa??

Hi All,

just joined here, what a great resource. Once I have a product that will switch on, I plan on using it a lot and hopefully eventually contributing myself.

Not so great is the fact that late yesterday afternoon took delivery of my brand new M14X lappy, which I happily unboxed immediately, keen to get it fired up.

210-35448 Stealth Black with Soft Touch Finish Base 1 1,435.45 1,435.45
200-88846 U510600AU-Alienware M14x Laptop 1
213-13298 Intel® Core? i7-2630QM processor 2.00 GHz with Turbo Boost 2.0 up to 2.90 GHz 1
219-14593 None 1
230-11925 14" (35.6cm) WLED HD+ (900p) display (1600X900) 1
320-11676 Stealth Black with Soft Touch Finish 1
320-11679 System Documentation (English) 1
340-24987 Stealth Black with Soft Touch Finish (Info Mod) 1
340-24983 Shipment box (for Black) 1
340-24171 Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 Label 1
340-24989 1.5GB DDR3 NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 555M using NVIDIA Optimus? technology (Info Mod) 1
340-25991 Killer? Wireless-N 1103 Drivers 1
340-24980 System Resource Media 1
340-24981 System Drivers 1
340-24984 Internal High-Definition 5.1 Performance Audio with WavesMAXX Audio 1
340-21244 Directship Info Mod 1
340-24991 2.0 Megapixel HD Video and Picture Camera with dual digital microphones 1
340-24992 Integrated 10/100/1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet NIC 1
340-24993 2.1 Speaker configuration with Subwoofer Powered by Klipsch 1
340-24439 Personalized Nameplate Trigger 1
340-24985 Alienware Custom Nameplate 1
340-23430 Thank you for Purchasing Alienware 1

I plugged in the charger, which had its blue LED illuminated on the cable. The Alienware logo above the keyboard was illuminating in different colours. However when I went to turn the system on, nothing would happen. Zero activity. Screen remained black, no sound. Just dead. I thought maybe it needed to charge a little more so left it on charge for 20 minutes or so, still nothing. Tried unplugging the charger, still nothing. Tried plugging charger back in, this time nothing AND also the Alienware logo above keyboard which had previously been illuminating was no longer lighting up. Now I'm not sure whether the colours stopped lighting up during the first 20 min of charge or after I re-plugged charger back in, I wasn't really taking notice as I really thought it would be fine and would turn on being a brand new unit.

Having spent a decent amount of money to purchase what I considered would be a premium product, I wasn't real happy about my lappy (which I had patiently waited several weeks for) turning up DOA. There wasn't a hint of damage to the box, and as owners would know the packaging is first-rate.

I called Dell and was on hold for 15 mins before getting some clown who was about as helpful as roadkill. Straight off the bat, his demeanour was like I was keeping him from somewhere else he wanted to be. No 'I'm really sorry your Dell laptop arrived in this state, let's see what we can do to help'. It was like pulling teeth. Initially he told me I could either wait another month for a new replacement to be sent out or take it to an authorised repairer for it to be looked at and possibly parts replaced. Both options sounded pretty lame considering I'd just spent over one and a half thousand dollars with their company for a product that wouldn't switch on out of the box. I ended up convincing him to arrange a repairer to come out to my home to inspect it and go from there. He told me he was putting me on hold to set up the home repairer visit, and I sat like a dummy for a further 35 MINUTES listening to that maddening music they have while you're on hold. By this time my mobile was running flat and I had a screaming baby in the background so I had to hang up. He had confirmed my mobile number at the start of the call but of course, no call back. I will be calling back after 10am this morning.

Anyway, very underwhelmed so far on what is my first venture into Dell Land. Aside from this rant purely to vent, was wondering:

1. Anyone have any idea what the common causes are for DOA such as this? I have googled but not found much.
2. I am not real keen to have my brand new lappy go under the knife and have new parts installed, I would probably prefer a brand new replacement but 20 to 30 days is SO long (yes, I am impatient). I don't know a lot about laptops, this is my first, what would you guys recommend I do?
3. Experience with Dell in-field repairers?
4. I read in one of these threads that in the past 3 weeks or so, Dell has started using a new processor in the M14X? I ordered mine around 20th August 2011, equipped with the following processor: Intel® Core? i7-2630QM processor 2.00 GHz with Turbo Boost 2.0 up to 2.90 GHz. Is there a newer model now available since I ordered? If so, that may sway me to just ask for a new replacement.

Thanks for any advice you can offer,
Cheers
Jon

 

I don't think any upgrade is available for the 2630QM i7, only the 2720 (now 2760) and 2820 (now 2860).

You say there is damage to the box. Is there damage to the actual computer, physically speaking?

 

Thanks Drakk.

No, I said there wasn't any hint of damage to the box. Not a mark on the laptop itself either.

 

Usually a flashing LED is hardware fault, maybe open the bottom and reset the RAM sticks?

I used to be Dell certified for my last position in my company, and can see if I can find the service manual for it.

 

Thanks Deval. I don't know how the Alienware logo above the keyboard usually works in terms of lighting, but it wasn't really a flash ie lights up, no lighting, lights up series. It was more like constant illumination morphing from colour to colour, it looked to me like a lighting display confirming that the unit was charging?

 

Just took the back off, removed battery, removed ram, put them back in and checked everything was seated properly. Put the back cover back on, fired it up and ITS ALIVEEEEE!!!!!!! Woot woot.

 

That's odd that it wouldn't havebeen seated securely, especially for a 1,500.00$ machine.

maybe something slipped out during shipment.

NOW, just an FYI, because I am ungodly anal; if I had to remove the cover on my new machine like that, even if I got it to work I would probably actually return and order a new one or exchange.

But I am ungodly anal. gl

 

Awesome!!

Glad it works now.

 

I've seen that happen before with laptops I've deployed for work. It's weird but easy to fix

 

I have been waiting on my notebook repair since the middle of august. The notebook was sent to dell and then sent back from them without being fixed. Now I am waiting for an inhouse repair agent. The customer service from dell is god awful.

 

Dell/Alienware customer service is terrible and stressful to deal with. They will try to send s repairer out to your house until your 21 day return policy is up. Get your money back, or demand a replacement. It won't take no where near a month. Be assertive. Get what you deserve. Don't put up with their bull. You spent the money, so get the working laptop you paid for. Or you could call your credit card company and let them handle it if you put in on a card. Just don't let them push you around. I have and will be dealing with them again after replacing a laptop that still wasn't working right.