Thinking about returning m11x

I really like my m11x r2. It can pretty much handle most anything I throw at it. However, These lockups that are occurring are honestly overbearing. I even get lockups when just having my computer sit over night just to wake up to find it frozen. I even get lockups when just surfing the internet. I have decided that I want to return my m11x. However, I don't want to pay the 15% restocking fee. My m11x is almost 1 month old at this point and I think the lockup problem is pretty much a deal breaker since I have been having the problems since day 1. I have tried reformatting, BIOS update, different graphics drivers...and nothing has helped.

Anyone have any input on the return process?

 

Can you even return it anymore? I know for refurbs the return period was only 21 days. I would contact tech support to find out what is causing your lockup issues.

 

I am honestly hoping they will make an exception considering the gravity of the lockup issue...if you look at the top stickied thread. I work in retail with computers and I know that usually a manager would issue an exchange or return on a laptop that is not that old experiencing problems as such regardless if return policy.

 

We are still talking about Dell, right?
Call support and get the mobo replaced.

 

Yup, I had lock up problems on a brand new m11x. I was so frustrated and ended up calling tech support and they replaced my motherboard and it was all good afterwards. Turns out mine had shipped with a defective motherboard so yeah..

 

My overall point being that I shouldn't need a mobo replacement on a practically new computer. but I guess your saying Dell sucks and will just make me get a mobo replacement...oh well.

 

i understand your frustration but it sounds like you just dont want it anymore... what are you really asking?

you bought a refurb, you have a defective mobo... what else would you expect to happen?

it would be totally logical for Dell to just replace the mobo or issue you a different refurb all together.

 

They will offer to replace parts of the unit, but you can pretty much forget about a full refund. After a time (21-days from invoice) you have to live with your decision. Frankly, I am surprised its still 21-days and not less....

 

It's not a refurb...it's a brand new unit. I am just frustrated with the quality in the parts...mainly the mobo

 

then you must know something about part failures, right?

again i understand your frustration. i went thru a similar issue with Asus. and they kept putting Reburbed Mobos in my BRAND NEW laptop! ive never been so mad at a purchase in my life!

i think here in the case of a new laptop Dell should just issue you a NEW laptop altogether. as they did for me.

but outside of the 21days you really can't expect a refund unless in the rare case you keep sending it back and keep getting messed up laptops in return.

the 21day policy is really awesome. it gives you about 2 full weeks to get your money back. this is 50% of the reason i went with Dell for my next laptop purchase after my issues with Asus.

 

Well, I can going to try to resolve it via new mobo. I am on hold on the phone now waiting for level 1 tech support.

I dont want to give the wrong impression. As I stated originally I am very happy with the m11x BESIDES the locking up / freezing...which to me is unacceptable for paying over $1000 for it.

 

Was on the phone or like an hour just to have the rep have me start a chkdsk test and to tell me to call back...sigh.

 

Don't mean to triple post...but Dell tech support is USELESS!

He pretty much installed a bunch of drivers that may or may not have been missing since I did my fresh reformat. The drivers he installed were like the firewire driver and freefall sensor (neither which would cause freezing / lockups IMO). He set my Nvidia GPU to be ALWAYS ON and he said that this could be the problem. I told him that having the nvidia GPU always on defeats the purpose of having optimus and switchable graphics to save battery life when needed and he agreed. He pretty just told me that he did everything he could and that if the issue persists that I should email him and he would look into possibly ordering parts or replacing my unit. sigh.

 

So it took you more than the 21 day return window to realize that you no longer want it because of the freezing issue, Dell will not give you a refund because it is past due the 21 days, and even without issue if you are still under the 21 day period, once you open the box and you decided that you want to return it for a full refund, you will get hit with a 15% restocking fee unless you know how to bullshyet the rep and the manager or if you get another machine from Dell

 

Period key missing?

 

I would say I was more in denial in the first few weeks of having it.

I just dont think its too much to ask for a laptop that will work without needing a major hardware replacement within the first month of having it...especially after paying over $1000 for it.

EDIT: and my unit just locked up again after playing a very non graphically intensive game for less than 5 minutes.

 

Demand a replacement mobo it's not that hard.
Just because something is defective doesn't mean that you need to get your money back there are always lemons, it's a fact of life. Imagine spending 40grand on a car and having to take it back multiple times. Anyway point is to phone up, demand a tech to come out to your house and replace the mobo, that easy. If they don't want to escalate and escalate.

 

I have lockups but only after waking up from sleep it seems to be and they last from 5 seconds to about 45 seconds at most. Its like it freezes during that period. Similarities?

 

Nope, my lockups are sporadic.

They will happen in any period of time from 5 minutes to 3 hours from any kind of use (gaming, surfing the internet, just talking on ventrilo). They require a hard reset because the unit is just completely locked up.

 

Like DigitalNinja suggested, you should call and escalate the matter. There's a thread somewhere (use search) that shows where you can go to escalate issues to Dell. I think it's something about "unresolved issues" on Dells website. Moping around will NOT fix the problem. Continue calling Dell this gets fixed. You have our sympathy, but that never fixed a computer problem.

 

I just can't believe that of most Dells that I've worked with. Only the Latitude line are the most reliable laptops that Dell makes. Every other model are just borderline from crap to lemons like the Alienware line.

I've had XPS model that die to overheating, Studio XPS also same fate over time, and Inspirons had multiple issues from just bad parts.

 

So...what's wrong with your M11X? You never gave us a reason that you would like to return the particular unit.

Aren't the AW units made at a separate factory? At least that's what I read. Plus they have next-day home tech warranty, unlike the other Dell lines, if I'm not mistaken.

 

On the phone with my 3rd tech support agent now an he is once again remote desktoping to my unit and trying to run 3dmark06. He told me the issue is either a corrupt os, bad ram, or a bad hdd. I told him aain about the motherboard thing, but he ignored me. I told him how he other rep would see about replacing either the hardware or the unit and he ignored me...wow this tech support blows.

EDIT: Representative says that it is a bad HDD. He is having me run one last diagnostic to make sure its nothing else. He is going to issue me an HDD replacement.