25 days warranty on refurb replacement SXPS 1645 - what to do?

Updated: 06/23/2010

Ok, 1st off sorry for the long post, I created this new thread to record everything that happens with my 1645 and make a summary list of resources so I can find them again

Long story short, i got a replacement refurbished SXPS 1645 system for a E1505 (problems with the E1505 started 12/09/09, after replacing tons of parts problems persisted as of 03/15/10 they approved a dispatch for replacement system), shipped 03/26/10, received 03/29/10(?) 111 days later I had a working computer again, needless to say i am very happy with the replacement! (Maybe i spoke too soon now 05/05)
(attached are a few comparison shots to a Gateway LT-2005u 10" netbook...my cheap temporary computer I bought in Dec. to use until Dell got everything fixed)

After starting to read the forums here I am concerned about the longevity of the computer, don't get me wrong, i love the computer...its an awesome replacement But i've already started to notice some issues/problems with the refurb I got...Ok the title is answered, i bought Dell's expensive warranty extension 2 years/$500.

12/09/09 - Problems start with my E1505
03/29/10 - Received replacement 1645
06/23/10 - Received replacemnet 1645 #2

196 - Overall days Since my 1st call to Dell and problems still existed
86 - Days Since my 1st 1645 arrived, till replacement #2 arrived

Current Questions

Current Issues
- new system yet to be determined...HOPEFULLY NOTHING!

What the "awesome" replacement upgrade 1645 (1 & 2) has cost me so far...
10.00 - DVD cleaner kit (actually sill had from when they had me buy it for the E1505)
15.00 - Screen cleaner kit + extra micro fiber cloth
25.00 - 2nd OEM Dell 130w AC Adapter (replaces the 2nd adapter I had for my E1505)
500.15 - 2 year warranty extension (to cover the problems of the 1645)
18.00 - Larger black Belkin laptop sleeve to fit the 1645
70.00 - NZXT Cryo LX notebook cooler
TOTAL: $638.15 + countless hours: trouble shooting, on phone w/dell and in home tech people
+ proposed future purchases:
15.00 - Arctic Cooling MX3 thermal paste
20.00 - protective screen cloth (shaggymac.com? or other)

Conclusion: Should have just sold the lemon and just bought a fresh refurb 1645 or 1647 w/2-3 year warranty for $700-900 on Dell's sale The techs seem to cause more problems then they fix

My favorite quote, in regards to throttling & heat problem:

THANK YOU FOR ANY THOUGHTS ​

 

Log summary:

T he Saga of a Dying Inspiron E1505
and the Continuing Saga of the replacement "refurbished" Studio XPS 1645
(Cliffnotes version...will be editing to remove excess text)​

Phone Call to Dell ( BLUE): 15mins MIN; w/problem 1hr AVG
Tech Visit ( RED): 1-2hrs; 1.5hr AVG

TIME SPENT (estimates)
Phone: 22.75 hours+
In Home Techs: 12 hours+ (doesn't include waiting time, or time taken off work)
My Time troubleshooting: ???...way too much

11/xx/09 - Screen hinges are having problems (death wobble), don't have time with school to deal with it right now, computer still functions fine. Also AC adapter is having intermittent power problem (I think wires are breaking up internally).
12/09/09 (~1hr+) - Called Dell, explained problems include screen wobble, plastic by power button, paint worn through on track pad area, AC adapter intermittent power problem, and that it randomly wakes from sleep. Dell will be sending tech out for Friday to replace "parts".
12/10/09 - Two keys mysteriously pop off keyboard while typing...
12/11/09 - Tech came to my home, they replaced the screen hinges and every plastic piece on the computer (palm rest, power/button strip, LCD surround and back) except the bottom carriage.
12/14/09 - Hard drive has started making ticking noises while on, still have random wake from sleep, backed up all my data.
12/16/09 - Hard drive fails manufacture test utility, I put the E1505 aside until I have time to get fixed after the holidays, still suffers from random wake from sleep and occasional crash/freeze.
12/xx/09 - Purchase Gateway LT-2005u 10" netbook (~$227) from BestBuy until I can get my E1505 sorted out.
01/08/10 (1.5hr+) - Called Dell, they will be sending out tech to replace hard drive and keyboard.
01/11/10 - Dell sent parts, mailed to me, I replaced the hard drive (now 160GB) and the keyboard
01/15/10 - Starts to have more frequent random crashes, continues to randomly wake from sleep (when touched or moved), and a high frequency noise is coming from the graphics card area.
01/28/10 (1.5hr+) - Called Dell transferred from hardware to software, (because I installed WIN7 which they won't support) Dell had me run number of trouble shooting options, and thinks it maybe the motherboard or LCD, transferred back to hardware, more troubleshooting. Concludes a Dell tech will be coming to replace the motherboard, LCD screen and graphics card.
02/05/10 - Tech came to my home, they replaced the motherboard, graphics card, and LCD screen (with new hinges and all new plastic). New motherboard or graphics card lasted maybe 5 hours then started making high pitched electrical noises and then screen goes black (will still work with external monitor), reinstall WIN XP so tech will support me.
02/06/10 (1.5hr+) - Called Dell, explain problems persist, concludes Dell will be sending a tech to replace bottom plastics, speakers, fan, heat sink, AC adapter, motherboard, palm rest area, says I probably got a bad motherboard.
02/11/10 - Tech came to my home, they replaced the motherboard, palm rest area, upper plastics, CPU heat sink assembly, cooling fan, speakers, back side plastic body and AC adapter. Soon as it boots up the LCD has shadows (one side darker than the other), tech says nothing he can do, just call them back.
02/12/10 (~0.5hr) - Called Dell, tech forgot my Bluetooth module (missing), LCD screen has shadows, concludes Dell will be sending a tech to replace the LCD screen and Bluetooth module.
02/19/10 - Tech came to my home, they replaced the LCD screen and Bluetooth module.
02/28/10 (1hr+) - Called Dell, BSoD error 0x0000007E, multiple times, problem resuming from sleep, won't wake or wakes crashed, fan seems to be running way more than it used to, they run a bunch of tests, have me reset memory, concludes it is a ATI driver conflict problem, updates drivers and said to watch for one week.
03/06/10 (~1hr) - Called Dell, still having BSoD error, also WiFi card is now dying?, at this point I ask about a system replacement, they say no because it is a software issue and to call Microsoft about the ATI driver problem: 1-800-386-5550, and transfer me to Dell WiFi department 1-800-822-8965 x 7246008, after being transferred got disconnected, give up with dell for the night.
03/06/10 - Called Microsoft nothing useful
03/07/10 - Called Microsoft, left message, machine says they will call back within 1 business day
03/07/10 (~1hr) - Called Dell WiFi department, did troubleshooting, disabled "hot switch" in BIOS, now WiFi is now always on, 9:05 PM says will call back in 1/2 hour to check on things. 10:40? PM got a call back, inform me the problem is happening because so much hardware has been replaced, but no better explanation. Also told them the DVD drive has become "slow" and having hard time reading discs
03/09/10 (~1hr) - Called Microsoft, Left message, 5:00 PM returned call, tech did diagnostics said thought problems with ATI drivers, took control went to 3rd party site and installed new drivers (omegadrivers.net), will keep case open and give me a call back in a week to check up.
03/09/10 (~1hr) - Called Dell, explained DVD drive problem, in short told me to buy a DVD lens cleaner kit, transferred to WiFi dept 11:20 PM, troubling shooting, switched lots of WiFi settings, said will call back to check on status.
03/12/10 - As of the 12th, I've now noticed a loss of ALL audio (either from Dell WiFi or Microsoft changes), WiFi continues to drop signal, crashes while going into standby, WiFi dead on restart 1, back on restart 2, waking from sleep computer is crashed/frozen at "preparing to stand by", WiFi/Bluetooth lights come on when in sleep and lid is closed, DVD drive is having problems reading discs, and can't burn at all (even after cleaning).
03/14/10 (~1hr) - Called Dell, says if my warranty expires I will still be covered on the parts that have been replaced if i continue to have the same problems, I mention all the above issues and tech suggest system replacement will take 7-21 days or if i want a computer faster i can sent in mine to the depot for additional repairs, I tell them I no longer trust my computer with all the problems the tech visits have caused, says he will move it to the escalation team to handle the order replacement and will call back monday.
03/15/10 - Dell told me the request has been sent, waiting on manager approval for a replacement system
03/17/10 - Received call from Dell WiFi department checking up on wireless status, told them I was getting a replacement system, they said it shows it is still waiting on approval.
03/18/10 - Called Dell, said the dispatch was approved on 03/15/10 and that I will be receiving a different system as the E1505 is no longer shipping, the process will take 7-21 business days, and that the process has already been started and is at the warehouse and that i will be receiving a "new" system.
03/26/10 - system shipped
03/29/10 - received replacement SXPS 1645 system
03/30/10 - key marks visible on screen, issue with dell drivers disc and/or DVD drive
04/08/10 - cpu throttling issue occurs while gaming, AC adapter extremely HOT
04/10/10 (~0.5hr) - called dell: will be sending 130w AC; DVD going to be replaced; screen marks and warranty questions unresolved, but will contact back with more information
04/11/10 - noticed audio issues: vol adj popping, distortion/scratchy noise…
04/12/10 - noticed the "sink hole" around "k", monitored the GPU throttling at 84C
04/13/10 - received email dispatch shipped (i assume 130w/DVD), no info on screen or warranty yet, system wakes a few times from sleep and crashes hard
04/14/10 - received call from tech to do service on 4/15, system again wakes from sleep a few times and is crashed
04/15/10 - tech came to home replaced DVD drive, but they sent wrong AC adapter...only a 65w emailed dell to get more information
04/16/10 - computer didn't wake from sleep overnight ...but 90w AC has developed an electric buzz/high frequency noise
04/16/10 - tonight when i got home the 130w AC adapter was waiting for me
04/17/10 (~1.5hr+) - got a call from Dell to check if i got the 130w AC, told them my other issues, will call back wednesday to check, updated to A08 bios
04/18/10 - GPU throttling at 84c while playing left 4 dead, logged some data showing this
04/19/10 - audio popping while vol adjust solved...updated IDT Driver to 6.10.0.6267
04/21/10 (~0.75hr) - dell tech called back, going to redo gpu and cpu thermal past and replace right speaker, still NO help with warranty concerns
04/22/10 - received email from dell stating dispatch has been shipped
04/23/10 (~3.5hr) - 3+ hours on phone w/dell customer care about warranty, in the end i am defeated, best they can do is 2 years @$ 500 w/$75 dell gift card
04/23/10 - / tech came to house, replaced motherboard, heatsink, fan, palm rest area/speakers - problem fan is on full always (4500 rpm?)
04/25/10 - dell tech called for follow up, he didn't know why the fan would be running at full, and noted there are still marks on the screen, he will check with the technical dept. and follow up again on wednesday
04/28/10 - no call or follow up from dell today like they said they would, fan still on full blast
04/30/10 (~0.5hr) - had some free time friday night, checked on my case, nothing new yet, dell tech said to expect a call sat or sun from my case technician, fan is still louder than my desktop!
05/01/10 - finally got some time to play game, GPU still throttles on old games Left 4 Dead (1) and WoW, laptop is HOT in general...hoping to order NZGT laptop cooler soon
05/02/10 - missed the call by a few seconds, no call back #, but says will call wednesday. Called dell back, said tech was not available, but will leave note of my call and that the GPU is overheating again
05/05/10 (~0.5hr) - got a call back from dell, going to replace the fan and possibly the screen, yet another disemboweling of my computer They will be sending me details via email
05/08/10 - Dell still hasn't set out an up date email like they said, spoke too soon tonight i got a call from the Dell tech, he updated me saying he is still waiting on approval from his manager and that he would call back wednesday (5/12)
05/12/10 - No call or email from Dell letting me know what's going on.
05/13/10 - Missed Dell's call, wife said he will call back after 9:00PM. 9:50PM Dell called to give update, they will be sending a tech to replace the fan and LCD screen, will be sending an email update with dispatch # (received email 10:27PM)
05/17/10 - Tech called today, he will be coming tomorrow to replace parts
05/18/10 - Tech came to home, replaced the fan (no help), then replaced motherboard, heat sink and the LCD screen assembly (with a 1080p ). Fan problem solved, now i need to test to see if GPU still overheats.
05/20/10 - GPU still overheats and throttles with L4D(1), missed the Dell Tech follow up call as the wife had the phone, said they would call back tomorrow (05/24 or 05/25)
05/21/10 - Install BIOS A09 with mixed results...no GPU throttling but laptop gets SUPER hot and i think CPU throttles, NO return call from Dell as stated
05/23/10 - Did more data logging, I seem to have different problems with A09 then others
05/26/10 (~0.5hr) - Still no call back from Dell , called tonight and the short is my 1645 is going to the "Depot" for repairs for heat problems, silver border coming loose and plastic vent piece not aligned right.
05/27/10 - Shipping box arrived this evening, pulled the battery, hard drive and packed it up
05/28/10 - Dropped off at FedEx
06/03/10 - FedEx tracking reports the package has been delivered and signed for
06/07/10 - Tonight I got an automated call from Dell stating my repairs are done and my computer is on its way...I can't wait!
06/08/10 - Got my system back from the "Depot" they FAILED, sent in with 3 problems, they fixed none!
06/08/10 - Spoke with Dell tonight, convinced me to have one more in home repair, said tech would call me tomorrow and they would be replacing lots of parts including the chassis.
06/09/10 - Got call from tech said he could come over today, tech came to home and replaced motherboard, heat sink, fan, palm rest, i/o board (audio + 2usb), ac internal plug, esata port, ieee1394 plug...but no chassis the only piece they haven't replaced yet.
06/10/10 - Noticed that the PCMCIA port on the "new" motherboard doesn't hold the card in...its just loose and the blank memory card is gone...but temps are better than depot
06/11/10 - / Yes it is better...but it still throttles the CPU when playing games
06/12/10 - Called Dell up, the short they are sending a replacement computer
06/14/10 - Got a message from Dell saying call back, called back they said the replacement is going forward and I will get another call regarding exect specs later
06/18/10 - Got a call back from Dell from a new rep saying he will be calling me with updates on the status of my replacement computer, he will call again next week (mon), as he dosn't have specs yet.
06/22/10 - Dell didn't call back when they said they would...will see if they call back by friday
06/23/10 - FedEx dropped off a replacement system today, see post for details, time and testing will tell...
06/29/10 - Called Dell because they hadn't sent any return instructions, they will be emailing me a label later today. On an up note the new system runs GREAT!
06/29/10 - Dell called back, will re-issue a shipping label and send to email so I can drop off at FedEx.
06/30/10 - UPS stopped by the house to pickup the laptop? No one told me they were coming, said he would be back tomorrow, same time.
07/01/10 - UPS picked up the laptop to return to Dell

 

STUDIO XPS 16 RESOURCES
(this post is mainly for myself, to find things again)

**The Official Studio XPS 1645 Intel Core i7 "Owners Lounge"
**The Official Studio XPS 1645 Intel Core i7 "Owners Lounge" - Part 2

** The Official Studio XPS 1640/45/47 replacement thread **

**Latest Driver/Softwae Updates for Studio XPS 1645**
NBR - Dell Studio XPS 16 - Where to get Win7 DVD
NBR - A09 BIOS update released for XPS 1645
NBR - A07 - A10 BIOS 1645
NBR - Upgrading or Downgrading your BIOS


Manuals/Documentation
DELL Resources for Studio XPS 16 Laptop
Dell Technology Guide
Service Manual
Setup Guide

Throttling
NBR - S-XPS 1645 Throttling Info. and Updates
NBR - S-XPS 1645 AC Power Throttle Issue Investigation (OLD, see above)
Attention Sudio XPS 1645/47 and Studio 1747 owners
Direct2Dell - Throttling Update for Studio XPS 1645 Customers
XPS1645 Owners & Potential Owners... Information regarding Throttling Issues (Throttlegate)
DELL Studio XPS 16 1645 i7 power problem

GPU Throttling
NBR - SXPS 1640/1645/1647 GPU Throttling

Audio
NBR - S-XPS 1640 and 1645 Audio buzzing/cracking/distortion 60-80%+ volume (to Bill for engineers)
NBR - SXPS 16- Speaker Rattle
Studio XPS 16 audio distorted
NBR - Solution to the crackling noise from the speakers. SXPS 1645
NBR - Studio XPS 1640 Crackling/Popping Audio

Unwanted wake from sleep
Vista - Power Options and Sleep Mode Problems
SXPS 1645 unexpectedly wakes up from Sleep or Hibernation in Windows 7

Other
Studio & XPS Users experiencing video lockups and freezes / Throttling issues
NBR - SXPS 16 aluminum near palmrest dissolving/pitting!
NBR - Arghh.. Key marking up display?
studio xps16 power supply making little tick/spark noises?
NBR - Studio XPS 1645: random crash problem
NBR - Who knew the chewing gum will do the trick for XPS speaker grills
NBR - LIST of DELL Higher ups: Here you go...this is the list I have passed around!!
NBR - What is a e-sata/usb combo port?
ThrottleStop settings: http://forum.notebookreview.com/del...update-released-xps-1645-a-9.html#post6273455

Heat Related Topics
NBR - XPS 1640/1645/1647 heat vent issue
NBR - Xps16 Hard Drive Failure And Dell Design Defect : Excess Heat And Vulnerable Hd Destroy Hard Drive
New XPS 1645 - LCD blocking air vent!!!
NBR - Video Guide: Changing thermal paste(AS5) on Studio XPS 1645
Extreme temperatures cause a number of difficulties to LCDs (kyocera)
LCD Temperature Ranges
NBR - NBR Cooling Central

Notebook Coolers
NBR - Notebook Coolers: A Buyer's Guide
NBR - XPS16 - http://forum.notebookreview.com/dell-xps-studio-xps/413754-studio-xps-16-cooler-these-four.html
NBR - XPS16 - http://forum.notebookreview.com/dell-xps-studio-xps/487494-best-laptop-cooler-pad.html
NBR - The 15.4” Smackdown: Zalman NC1000 VS NC2000 *detailed*
NBR - http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=235021
NewEgg - Customer Reviews for ZALMAN Notebook Cooler Model ZM-NC2000 Black
Amazon - Zalman ZM-NC2000Black Notebook Cooler
NBR - XPS 1640/1645/1647 heat vent issue: Zalman vs NZXT (post 299)
NBR - NZXT Cryo LX Review
Big Bruin - NZXT Cryo LX Notebook Cooler Review
OCC - NZXT Cryo LX Notebook Cooler Review

 

First-I would demand that you be given 111 days of warranty to account for the time you were without your system- explain that you have been given a system that too has issues that you and Dell need time to work out-

If that does not work- I would tell Dell you need a better price on the extended warranty- like 1.2 price- again to account for the days you were with-out.

I would not use an XPS16 without a warranty - from thottleing to dust under the screens, to bios updates that brick these systems or leave it not detecting the AC adp. To much can go wrong.

Ill be buying 2 years extra for mine. I will try to negociate the costs leveraging with my list of problems to get a better price.

 

Raether916 - Thanks for the reply and ideas, i will definitely be negotiating with dell for additional warranty.

Tonights thoughts are on the audio...

1) Popping noise when adjusting volume
- While listening to some music I started to notice that when I adjust the volume up or down there is a popping noise associated with touching the sound buttons, this come from both the left and right side, sometime louder than others. Seems to become noticeable starting anywhere from 10-60% vol, depending on output and music. Also makes popping noise when changing volume from task bar, or when switching stations in itunes.
- Popping follows through to external speakers and/or headphones, although to a lesser extent.
- This reminds me of a dirty rheostat in old stereo equipment, but this is all electronic
edit: SOLVED 04/19/10 - Updated to IDT Driver 6.10.0.6267 from dell and this seems to have cured the popping noise while adjusting volume.

2) The 2nd headphone port in has its low frequencies clipped, 1st headphone port has way more base. This is very noticeable at moderate volumes with a pair of Grado Labs SR60 headphones.
edit: SOLVED 04/17/10 -The IDT control panel has different frequencies outputs to do 5.1 channel.

3) I can reproduce similar issues to the 1st link below, at around 60-70% I can start to hear scratchy distortion/rattle happening on the right hand side, not real bad until 80-90%, this really just reminds me of speakers that are being overpowered, most laptops I’m used to having to crank the audio all the way up…the 1645 limit seems to be around 60% power. The solution link didn't solve the problem, perhaps muted it to a lesser extent...
edit: SOLVED 04/25/10 - Seems as though the speaker replacement and tightening of all the screws has solved this issue..time will tell

Given all that for the most part the audio still sounds pretty good, it just has issues that a $2k laptop probably shouldn't have...

Associated links i have found:
S-XPS 1640 and 1645 Audio buzzing/cracking/distortion 60-80%+ volume (to Bill for engineers)
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=461076
Studio XPS 16 audio distorted
http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/laptop/f/3517/t/19258055.aspx
Solution to the crackling noise from the speakers. SXPS 1645
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=465501


MOVED from 1st post (4/11) to here...to make more room
1) it shipped with a 90w AC adapter and i have noticed throttling issues while playing games, power pack gets very hot, even smells hot close up
edit SOLVED?: 04/16/10 - Dell replaced 90w with a 130w AC, so far no cpu throttling, at least with wow and left 4 dead (1), gpu is another story though
2) I thought the reinstall/drivers discs were bad, 1645 wouldn't read them...turns out the DVD drive seems to have intermittent problems reading, can't read most burnt dvds, and sounds like a jet taking off
edit SOLVED: 04/15/10 - Dell replaced DVD drive, i can now read all everything and playback seems good
3) i had issues playing some HD video content...
edit SOLVED: 04/10/10 - after reading forums, i updated BIOS, video drivers, flash...online content now plays without issues
4) Near the bottom of the screen i can see a row of square impressions from the keyboard rubbing the screen, they are faint, i can't really see them when its on, small issue I can live with, but annoying
edit: SOLVED: 05/18/10 - tech replaced entire LCD assembly
------------------------
04/10/10 - Called Dell XPS laptop department
1) described the throttling problem playing games, after tech researched the issue, asked what BIOS I was running (see 3), conclusion they will be sending a replacement 130w AC adapter, and told me too buy a laptop cooler
2) had me try multiple discs, connected to computer and did remote troubleshooting, tried firmware update, still wouldn’t read some discs, tech is putting in a request for a replacement dvd drive and will call or email me back with details as there were no managers available for approval
3) I described the issues playing HD content, told them I updated to A07 bios (from A03), ATI Catalyst 10.3 and Adobe Flash Player 10.1 beta, that seemed to resolve the issue, she said this was good
4) Said would ask her manager if micro fiber cloth would clean it, suggested I buy a “screen shield” to protect it from further rubbing against the keyboard
X) Tech told me my warranty was going to expire soon 05/26/10, 25 days, “Dell Support Center” panel on the computer lists warranty as expiring on 12/13/2011, unfortunately this is wrong I since added the system to my dell online account and confirmed the 25 days remaining. Tech started quoting me prices 1 yr $275-484, 2yr $454.37 , said nothing seems to be available for over 2 years on this system, and would email me a quote for the different warranty options

 

Well i've been looking at laptop coolers, so far the Zalman NC-2000 seems to stand out, bit pricey but great reviews...any other models that people like?

Notebook Coolers : A Buyers Guide
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=304671

Zalman NC2000(B) Review: Pictures, Statistics and more
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=235021
NEWEGG - Customer Reviews for ZALMAN Notebook Cooler Model ZM-NC2000 Black
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16834998686
AMAZON - Zalman ZM-NC2000Black Notebook Cooler (Black)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0012WXFO8
---------------------
With monitoring software I watched the GPU hit 84C while playing Left 4 Dead and throttle itself back, hopefully a laptop cooler will help with this. I need to read more up on the GPU throttling, and heat vent issues it seems

SXPS 1640/1645/1647 GPU Throttling
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=462786
XPS 1640/1645/1647 heat vent issue
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=460540&highlight=heat+vent
---------------------
After reading some more of the 1645 discussion I noticed that i too have a "sink hole" around "K"...still not sure exactly what that means
Starts around J-K-L-:, and a little bit on O, and >-?
Function and number row look good all the way across

---------------------
04/13/10 - got an email that my dispatch has shipped, I assume my 130w AC adapter and DVD drive are on their way, still haven't heard anything back from them about extending the warranty or key marks on the screen...
---------------------
Added a couple of poor quality images trying to show the key rub marks on the screen, dust seems to gather on the scratches, images have quite a bit of dust and are inverted to better show the wear areas. 1) shows bottom right side of screen, 2) shows a central area

 

I was on the phone with a Dell Escalations Specialist who assured me that every replacement system comes with a 90 day warranty. The current warranty on the previous system will also be transferred over and either the 90 day warranty or the transferred warranty will go into effect, whichever is higher. So if I were you, I'd ask them about the 90 day warranty for system exchanges. This is the first I've heard of it so until I get some confirmation from a secondary Dell rep, I'm hesitant to believe it as much as I'd like to.

Of course, when speaking to the regular XPS reps, all of them tried to get me to buy extended warranty. One calls me EVERY DAY to attempt to get me the warranty extension purchased. I think they make commission off it so be wary...

 

AoshichanX - thanks or the info on the replacement systems coming with a 90 day warranty, i will email them and see if i can find out more about that.

Technician came over today replaced the DVD drive and now it seems i can read all the discs BUT, they sent the wrong AC adapter, it was only a 65w instead of the 130w, so that is being shipped separately now They had to take the whole computer apart to get to the drive, i took a couple of pictures while they had it open...see attachments.

I've had some issues with the laptop waking from sleep and crashing over that last few days. Checked a few things and found some stuff out...I'm hoping by disabling "Allow wake timers" will solve it.
edit SOLVED?: 04/18/10 - is has slept through several nights now with out waking, so i am am guessing this was the issue...I still will only use "shut down" or "hibernation" when carrying in a bag.

1) Check, “Device Manager”, “Network Adapters”, “Power Management”
- Make sure “Allow this device to wake the computer” is unchecked
2) Check, “Control Panel”, “Power Options”, “Change plan settings”, “Change advanced power settings”
- Under “Sleep”, “Allow wake timers”, I disabled both on battery and plugged in

SXPS 1645 unexpectedly wakes up from Sleep or Hibernation in Windows 7
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=5753510#post5753510
(even though vista has some good info)
Vista - Power Options and Sleep Mode Problems
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/63567-power-options-sleep-mode-problems.html

NOTE: When your computer is in hibernation, the only way to wake it is to tap the case power button.

 

04/16/10 – when I got home today there was a 130w AC adapter waiting for me

There is a significant difference between the 90w and 130w adapters, the 130w is much larger, heavier and has a longer cord, i've attached a few comparison shots of the two. Now I just need to try some gaming on my laptop this weekend and see how the 130w performs…

90w AC Adapter
PA-3E Family
Model: DA90PE1-00
P/N: WK890
INPUT: 100-240v 1.5A
OUTPUT: 19.5v 4.62A
DP/N 0WK890
146 x 70 x 17 (mm)
8.2 oz
AC adapter plug in portion 3’ long

130w AC Adapter
PA-4E Family
Model: FA130PE1-00
P/N: CM161
INPUT: 100-240v 2.3A
OUTPUT: 19.5v 6.7A
DP/N CM161
154 x 75 x 25.5 (mm)
14.4 oz
AC adapter plug in portion 6’3” long

 

Well i've had a little time to play some games and log some data...for me anyway the 130w AC adapter seems to have fixed the cpu throttling issue, i have not noticed it in wow or left 4 dead (1). GPU throttling at 84c on the other hand is another story...see attached graph with a small window recording the GPU throttling before i stopped playing

So it looks like i need to order a cooler...Both the Zalman and NZXT seem to be well reviewed, any other suggestions?

04/17/10 - a dell tech called to check and make sure i got the 130w AC adapter and asked if there were any other issues...
1) Told him about the GPU throttling at 84c, and that it seems to hit this temp faster after having the dvd drive replaced, said to watch it and he will call back wednesday.
2) Told him about the audio issues about, said the popping w/vol adjust may be electrical surge, but couldn't explain beyond that. Low base on 2nd headphone jack is due to IDT control panel 5.1 channel speaker distribution.
3) Key marks on screen, suggested i buy, a "screen shield" (a clear film) and
Monster Cable Products Inc ScreenClean LCD Display Cleaner - $14.99
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/...etail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=A2650299
4) warranty - 14 days left , no clarification, quoted me 541.36/2yr, about 100 more than the first person, told him this and he said he would look into it and email me details...still have never gotten an email reply from dell other than the automated ones...

 

That's quite a bit for the 2yr warranty. I got a 1 year ext. for about $365. That was with a sale and a slight discount so, it would have maybe been closer to $400. The 2 yr shouldn't really go over $500. Usually Dell warranty's cost less the more years you buy, so try and push for a quote below $500 (as low below that as you can get). Be firm, as these Dell reps. can really act like you're drawing blood from them, when you're just trying to get a reasonable price. Jeez, you could get 2 PS3s for that price .

 

I got a 2 year warranty extension in Feb. for right at $130-140. Just gotta get lucky in these games, we all know that...

 

2 YEARS FOR $130-140?? Wait, what did you do to get that? It can't just be luck now, can it? Dam...

 

M715- you have to consider that your came from an older system - were you at the end of your 3 year? if that is the case- your 2 year warranty is actually years 4-5 which Dell charges its highest prices for- even though the xps is new- Dell views warranty years 4-5 at the highest risk - for good reason

 

They're pretty wild on their warranty quotes. I had a quote of 300 for 2 years NBD. 200 for the first year, and then 100 for the second year. I then paid 99 dollars and got 2 years of complete care.

Random to say the least.

 

Raether916- Yep i bet your right it would actually be years 5-6 , in their eyes even though its a new xps it was a replacement for an older system that had a 4 year warranty, guess i'll try and work them down as much as i can...

Wow...nice price...wish i could get anywhere close to that

 

If you are needing another replacement, just call them and ask. I had my replacement filed with two days left to go on my warranty.

 

You want talk about random. I had 2 year NBD that came with my system and then the CS rep sold me 5 years of Complete Care for $99 without having to add another 3 years of warranty. Don't know how that works but it shows up in my warranty page on dell.com.

 

that is so awesome...CC without having to add regular warranty...

If somehow your system experiences damage beyond economical repair in those five years, that's a replacement system for basically $99. That's like returning a leased vehicle and getting a newer model replacement for practically nothing!

I've been getting consistent quotes for my 1340. Maybe I need to try more reps. Are these chat reps or phone reps?

$219 - 1 year
$319 - 2 years
$419 - 3 years
$493 - 4 years / EOL

 

It was a phone rep. He sold it to me when I called in because of a failed keybaord. I am guessing he was just trying to make a quick sale and didn't realize I did not have 5 years of warranty. I jumped on it. I will hold them to it if it becomes necessary to get service.

 

I 2nd that awesome deal for $99!

04/19/10 - quick update on the audio, i installed the new IDT driver 6.10.0.6267 (released 4/5/10) from dell and this seems to have cleared up the popping noise while adjusting the volume.
- Also screen cleaner seems to have cleared up much of the key marks on the screen, but there is still some faint marks there...

Wednesday i'll be making my push in negotiation for the warranty...

...text pulled from my post on:
Re: SXPS 16- Speaker Rattle - http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=6162816#post6162816

I too had rattling/scratchy distortion on the right side which was especially noticeable with music with bass. I had my DVD drive replaced last weekend (which meant the disassembly of most of the laptop), the tech tightened everything down and i think even had to add in one missing screw
I didn't realize how much the right side had been rattling until i started to play a bunch of bass heavy music...this made a world of difference, now the bass is tight and 90% of the rattle is gone There must have been something very loose in there...

BUT at higher volumes, certain tones and voices are still another story, they seem to make the right side go crazy, lots of vibration, this seems to be quite noticeable with talking on skype...almost acts like in part a resonance issue? The vibration can be heard around the card reader in particular.

MOVING A COPY OF MY POST to here...
Re: SXPS 1640/1645/1647 GPU Throttling
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=462786&page=11&post=105

Ok, looks like i have GPU throttling while playing Left 4 Dead (1)...
(as a amusing reminder...I could play this fine on my old E1505 they replaced)
I have 1645 w/130w AC, A08 BIOS, LED LCD, no cooler yet

With a room temp of about 60F (15.6C)
CPU idle 52-55C
GPU idle 52-55C

My concern is with a recent tech visit where I got a 130w AC adapter and they replaced the DVD, so he had to pull the heat sinks and put on new "stuff", the "thermal compound pad"? for the GPU was not large and he had to use 2 My gut feeling is now things heat up faster and higher than before Unfortunately i don't have much prior data...
Max temps i have seen now: GPU 85C / CPU 80C

When playing Left 4 Dead, the GPU can hit 80+C in less than 5 mins

1st Graph show full log (about 1 hour)...after about 15 mins of playing you can see the temp climb to 84C, then the GPU throttle back to 300MHz, and then that cycle continue, full speed/throttle/full speed/throttle...

2nd Graph is just an expanded snapshot of the throttling that is happening

When gaming what temperatures should i be seeing on my CPU
All 4 cores go up to high 70's-80c

Oh placing a thermometer near the exhaust vents on the left side of the screen i have seen 125F+ I need to pickup a thermocouple for my multimeter so i can get a reading closer to the vent without blocking anything...

 

04/21/10 - tonight dell tech called up to check on things
1) told him I got a screen cleaner kit, and after 4 or 5 times cleaning the screen I have got most of the keyboard marks off, I have noticed now several scratches in the outer black bezel, especially around the battery at the bottom…I guess I can live with that, still annoying consider my 3.5+ year old screen looked better than this one...
2) told him new audio driver fixed popping, and that most of rattling with base is gone, right speaker still goes crazy with certain tones and voices…they are going to be replacing the right hand speaker
3) expressed my concern with the gpu and cpu temps climbing quickly and higher than before the laptop was taken apart…they will be sending a tech out to redo the thermal compound with the cpu/gpu
4) warranty concerns…NO HELP HERE SO FAR, said he can’t do anything to help with price, even talked with “2nd level of support”? said I could talk with customer care dept…but gave wrong 1-800 # and they were already closed for the night. I can’t get the same quote twice: 1st- $454.37/2yr everything CC, accidental; 2nd- $541.36/2yr w/everything; 3rd- $482.60/2yr w/everything but accidental (emailed to me), So the $541.36 is the only "good" quote so far

 

So this sweet upgrade replacement laptop looks like its becoming more of a headache and is going to be a bit more of an investment than expected...

541.36 (+8% tax!!) - 2 year warranty (still have some hope this will go down)
10.00 - DVD cleaning kit
15.00 - LCD cleaning kit + extra microfiber cleaning cloth
70.00 - laptop cooler - zalman or NZXT
15.00 - Arctic Cooling MX3 thermal paste (or other...)
20.00 - protective screen cloth (shaggymac.com? or other)
20.00 - new laptop sleeve (to big for my old e1505 one)
691.36

I am seriously thinking if i'm going to have to pay over $500 for a 2yr warranty i should have jumped on one of the refurbished deals w/coupon at the dell outlet for a 1645 or 1647, as there have been some sweet deals and just sell my current system replacement...

So sell my system $500 easy, take the $500 i'd spend on 2yr warranty and get a fresh refurbished 1645 or 1647 with a 3 year warranty (and keep my 8GB of RAM)

examples: + options to get 3-4 year of warranty!
$690 - 1647/i5/1080p RGB/500GB/4GB/Netgear Router/n-card/9cell/4670
$679 - 1645/i7-720QM/4GB/500GB/1600x900/WiFi N/9cell/4670
one of the highlight finds i saw in the discussion - 1647 for $586
http://slickdeals.net/forums/showpost.php?p=29149742&postcount=579

too bad all the good system are long since picked over at this point
edit: 11:56pm ... apparently some xps 16 systems are still dropping...but can't type the codes in fast enough
Studio XPS 16 - 1647
System Price : $509.00
Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium
4 GB DDR3 SDRAM 1066MHz (2 DIMMs)
500 GB SATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) with Free Fall Sensor
1 GB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4670
8X DVD +/- RW w/dbl layer write capability
Certified Refurbished
6 Cell Primary Battery
Facial Recognition Version 2.3
Dell Wireless 1520 802.11n Half Mini-Card
15.6 inch High Definition+ (900p) W/LED Display and Camera
Processor: Intel Core i5-430M Processor (2.26GHz, 4Threads, turbo boost up to 2.53Ghz,3M cache)

 

Yeah once it hits slickdeals...it's game over. Now that I think about it I got my SXPS 1340 during last year's spring cleaning.

http://twitter.com/dellOutlet

There will be some more 15% off deals sprinkled here and there once the spring sale is over but there is nothing quite like the annual 20% off liquidation sale.

And geeez I thought I got an amazing deal on my 1340 when I got it for $699 last year (before 20% coupon and 10% CA tax). I had to camp on the site for 4 days to get that one...finally got it at 4 am PST.

Well thanks for your info; I am FOR SURE not extending my warranty on my replacement 1647. I doubt it will break down in a year but if it does...I'll just sell it get another from outlet + warranty as you advised.

Also, it seems like those amazing warranty deals are only off hand and usually sales rep mistakes. Once a case # has been filed and it is noted in your support history that you are interested in warranty, I guess it's pretty much game over with regards to pricing. I've gotten consistent warranty quotes across multiple departments so I'm just gonna give up.

 

Yep...absolutely right outlet inventory bottomed out during that sale

AoshichanX, again i think your right here... doesn't seem to be much room for negotiation in warranty department, except for the occasional mistake or outlier

This morning I spent 3 hours on the phone today with dell trying to get a warranty extension, what a pain that was

In the end, after 10+ transfers, managers, and arguing back and forth, this is the best they can offer me, each includes complete care:
1yr - 340.00+27.20 (8%tax)=367.20 +$75 dell gift card
2yr - 466.88+33.27 (8%tax)=500.15 +$75 dell gift card

I think i'm just going to give up, go against what i said and get the 2 year warranty, I could sell my current 1645 after i finish getting the warranty work done to it and then wait for another deal from the dell outlet store, but at this point its the end of the semester at school and the next few weeks everything comes due and i just don't really have time and i have not seen any 1645/1647s below $1k since tues/wed

 

04/23/10 - Yesterday evening the tech came over to the house to fix the gpu over heating problem, and the last of the odd noise from the right speaker. Turns out they are replacing the full motherboard, the heatsink assembly, the fans and the palm rest area with the integrated speakers. Basically this meant the disassembly of the entire computer... attached is a picture of the label from the new motherboard bag, and a couple of the old motherboard (top/bottom)

Problem being since hitting the on button the fan is running at full speed (4500 rpm?), which is quite loud. Fan passed the tests in the dell bios diagnostics and i haven't had time to call dell back yet.

Also basically 1.5 days after trying to clean the screen the best i can, in the direct sun i can still see vertical lines on the screen from where the keys are rubbing the screen.

 

05/01/10 - Well this weekend I got some time to use my laptop and play a few games...
Needless to say I still have GPU throttling and heat issues , I’m not trying to play things like Dragon Age Origin or Crysis, but older games I could play on my old Inspiron E1505 like Left 4 Dead (1) (2 years old) and World of Warcraft (WoW) (4+ year old game). And this is with the fan running at 4700+ rpms all the time…

All temperatures are in a room at 25c (77F)

At idle, nothing open just sitting on the desk
GPU - 50-51c
CPU cores 0&2 - 49-52c
CPU cores 1&3 - 41-43c
HD 42c

Left 4 Dead (1) @ 1600x900
CPU - 80-81c
GPU - 85c (throttles <10 mins)
HD - 49c
FRAPS - 57-61, drops to low 20s
(See graph 1: 1645-20100501-L4D1_1600x900.jpg)

Left 4 Dead (1) @ 1280x720
CPU - 80c
GPU - 85c (throttles <10 mins)
HD - 49c
FRAPS - 57-61, drops to low 20s
(See graph 2: 1645-20100501-L4D1_1280x720.jpg)

WoW @ 1600x900, w/high effects
CPU - 78-79c
GPU - 84c (throttles ~7 mins)
HD - 51c
- Oh and for some reason the CPU went to a multipler of 7.0 on all cores and stayed that way until i restarted?
(See graph 3: 1645-20100501-WoW_1600x900H.jpg, only played till throttled)

--> Wow @ 1280x720, w/effects dropped down
CPU - 75-79c
GPU – 75-80c (DOES NOT throttle)

Summary CPU is not as hot as before, GPU still a problem...
Will be ordering a NZGT Cryo cooler, hopefully this will help.

BUT in the end i should be able to play games I could 4 years ago on my old laptop

 

Sad to say, but welcome to the club . Mine does the same thing on Bad Company 2 (which is more modern than all the games you tested). Sad that even the older games do the same too. Posted results here

Quick question, any reason you're getting the NZXT Cryo over the Zalman nc2000? Zalman seems to have better reviews everywhere and seems to be cheaper. Also some Newegg reviews confirm that it's compatible with the XPS 16. Just wondering.

 

Yep its sad that the 1645 GPU throttles even with old games

Both the NZXT Cryo and Zalman NC-2000 look like good coolers...i'm still debating actually
Reading the reviews and discussion about them here @ NBR it seems a pretty equal split...

Price wise they are about the same from newegg.com
Zalman NC-2000 - 59.49+7.87 s/h=67.36
- is near silent, only 2 usb ports, no external AC
NZXT Cryo - 69.99 w/free s/h ... But out of stock most places
- 3 fans more air (but louder), 4 usb ports, external AC option

Here is one post i remember from the heat vent discussion that was a push in the direction of the NZXT
http://forum.notebookreview.com/del...1645-1647-heat-vent-issue-30.html#post6033743

Here is another quote:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/accessories/427111-notebook-cooler-studio-xps-16-a.html#post5448393

 

Thanks for putting those quotes up. I guess I'll have to think about it a little myself as well. I was thinking the same thing as houstoned. The vents on the Zalman don't span all the way to the back of the XPS 16, meaning it doesn't reach the GPU/CPU vent. Theoretically, the Cryo seems like it'd be more effective. Hmmmm ? Please tell me what you decide on, if you decide to buy one soon.

 

Newegg had listed they were getting the NZXT cryo in on 5/4, but now 5/5 none in stock...If i get one i'll let you know how it works.

05/05/10 - received a follow up call from dell technical support, he said he had talked with the tech guys and that the fan probably has a bad temperature sensor, causing it to run all the time (I didn't even realize the fan had a temp sensor ). So they are going to have to come for a 3rd time and take apart the computer.
- Next he said because of the marks on the screen, he could have the screen replaced while they were out replacing the fan. At this point i say sure...but can i get the 1080p instead of the 900p because of all the problems i have been having (hasn't worked right since i got it). He says that the 1080p screen part was never an option for the 1645 model, it was only on the 1640 and the 1647, I pull up outlet.dell.com and read off a few 1645 models with the 1080p, he basically says odd, but that he can't order it. After politely asking again he said he will have to talk to his manager and will get back to me about it.

So at this point who knows what they will do
I've had this computer about 5 weeks and they are still trying to work all the "bugs" out of it...

Oh he also hinted at the case going to some other level of management because this will be the 3rd time the laptop is going to be serviced...I have no idea what that means

 

05/13/10 - Got a call back from Dell tonight they will be sending out a tech to replace the fan and LCD screen. Sounds like I may be getting a 1080p, I'll believe it when i see it, he apologized for all the problems, Dell is trying...but we will see if I get a good or bad tech

I might try and build a homemade cooler this weekend out of spare parts while waiting for the NZXT Cryo to come back in stock.

 

05/18/10 - Ok my favorite tech came out today and replaced more parts on my 1645. Its bad when you recognized the tech's voice on the phone and the cats don't run away anymore. He tried replacing just the fan to start, but that was no help. So he ended up stripping the laptop down to the chassis and replacing the fan, heatsink, motherboard and the LCD assembly. So I did end up getting the upgrade to the 1080p LCD and there are no marks or scratchs

After thinking about maybe not so favorite anymore...when he put the new fan on he also put the new heat sink on...BUT when he replaced the motherboard he pulled the new heat sink back off, and he did not have new thermal pads when he put it back on, it was the already squashed paste that was on there...

And now it is SO QUIET...silence when i open the laptop
And no MARKS or SCRATCHES on the screen
Now to try some games and see if the GPU still throttles.

 

Ok some updates
05/20/10 - GPU still over heats and throttles with L4D(1) and WOW at higher settings (BIOS A08)
05/21/10 - Just finished reading the thread on A09 BIOS, then installed A09 and did some testing with mixed results. See thread: http://forum.notebookreview.com/dell-xps-studio-xps/484614-a09-bios-update-released-xps-1645-a.html
Computer in general seems to be running hotter, I think reusing the "used" thermal pads on the heat sink was a BAD idea
I do like the 1080p screen nice upgrade...
BUT with all the heat issues I would rather not be able to COOK on my laptop

I WILL BE BUILDING a laptop cooler this weekend as the NZXT cryo is still back ordered and i have a ton of scrap computer parts/fans laying around.

Pasted below is a copy of my post to the above thread (and also my attachments i used):
http://forum.notebookreview.com/del...update-released-xps-1645-a-9.html#post6272822

 

Here's a couple of shots of the parts i'll be going through...
and now to find something to mount the fans in...

 

05/26/10 - Didn't get any call backs mon or tues from Dell, so called them up tonight and explained the problem, asked a bunch of questions saw how many times the laptop has been serviced and asked to have it sent in to the "Depot" for repairs I don't really want to send it in but at this point the in home tech seem to fix one things and cause another problem, they said to keep out my hard drive and battery. So it looks like 7-10 business days i'll be without my laptop

Also added in two other cosmetic issues at the time, the plastic piece with the vent wouldn't go all the way on so there is a gap, and the front left corner of the silver border is starting to come loose (glue melting from the heat maybe?).

Pasted below is a copy of my reply and attachments to the A09 BIOS update:

 

06/07/10 - Received an automated phone call from Dell stating the repairs are done and my laptop is being shipped back out...I can't wait...fingers crossed they got everything right!

Sad thing is for the fun of it i installed World of Warcraft on my 10" netbook w/1.6 atom cpu and it will play it...slow but playable to do quests and sit in WG and collect tokens, with a tiny fan and the back elevated, no heat issues with hours of playing....on the 1645 previously would cause overheating and throttling to occur and when that happened I would have worse performance than my netbook!

 

Ain't it ironic? lol. Well I hope it works as it should upon return. You could right a book based on all that you've been through.

 

06/08/10 - I wish I could say it was over...but after I got my system back today the Dell repair "Depot" FAILED It was sent in with 3 problems, they did not fix any of the 3. The throttling I did not expect to be completely fix, but at least lessened to a degree to which I could play some older games like World of Warcraft.

I had even typed up a simple letter with a list numbering the problems #1, 2, 3 (and yes also listed them on dell's form that was included as well), guess they don't read anything sent in with the laptop

----------------------------------------------------------------
Below are quotes taken from my replies in a couple of different threads...
(Pasted here for my own records)

http://forum.notebookreview.com/del...i7-owners-lounge-part-2-a-69.html#post6333840

http://forum.notebookreview.com/del...pdate-released-xps-1645-a-21.html#post6334044

 

Dang....Really sorry to hear that. Oh Dell... This is the point where you really have to put your foot down. Call them, immediately ask for a manager, and sternly (but not rudely) tell them that you are extremely unsatisfied. Explain all that has happened to you and seriously lay it on them. Then you could use the magic words I used to get my system exchange: "I do not want this system anymore (and just want something that works)" (doesn't make it seem like you know anything about Dell's replacement/exchange program ). Not guaranteeing that it would get you an exchange, as it might just get you a refund, but it would really show them that you are beyond fed up. Who knows, maybe a 1647 or an Alienware (if you wanted one) might be the result of it. Sorry to hear that all this starts over again for you. Just keep going and hopefully it'll end soon and satisfactorily enough.

 

06/08/10 - Well i should have been more forceful but i was tried and defeated feeling when i called dell up last night...they convinced me to have one more home tech visit. Apologized for the bad service at the depot. Said they would send out the parts and have tech call me tomorrow or the next day. Said they would be replacing lots of parts including the chassis (which is one of the few parts that has not been replaced yet).

06/09/10 - Tech called today and said he could come over, so another 2+ hour in home visit, they replaced the motherboard, heat sink, fan, plastic heat vent piece, palm rest, i/o board (audio + usb), internal ac plug, Esata port, Ieee1394 port, but no chassis After reassembly no sound...turns out the i/o board they sent had a problem, so the tech took it apart a 2nd time and used my old board...so far all seems good...Knock on Wood...

The 5 min impression it is certainly running cooler than when it came back from the repair "Depot"...Now I need to play some games and see how it does...

I will say this is the fastest response time i've seen...called very late yesterday and tech was at my house today...

If it doesn't work this time that's it I'll be talking with a manager to see what they can do.

 

This is absolutely ridiculous. Michael Dell should call you himself and hand deliver a new laptop.

I would NEVER let a Dell 'tech' touch my laptop; they cause more problems than they solve. Half of the stuff in your list was undoubtedly caused by someone working on the machine.

 

E.D.U. and Jedis...thanks for the support

Sadly bad parts, techs and the Dell "Depot" were the cause of many of the problems.

Update:
06/12/10 - Well guess what CPU still throttles when playing games, no surprise there...it has been the best assembly so far tho...no more 101+C after the "Depot" "fixed" it. I can play Left 4 Dead (1) on high rez/high details with an external screen, lid almost closed and a cheap laptop cooler
- BUT 1: on the replacement motherboard the PCMCIA card slot dosn't lock the plastic blank in, it will click but if you touch or jostle it, back out it comes...
- BUT 2: when the tech put the new motherboard back in we noticed there was no more card reader blank...guess the "depot" kept that piece (along with the rubber strap on my power pack).

So I called Dell again today and explained my problems at first they wanted to replace the motherboard, heatsink and fan again...I said NO, after consultation with her supervisor they suggested a replacement system which would take 3-4 weeks, I said fine and they said someone from Dell will be contacting me that I can discuss the specifications of the replacement system with...so we'll see how it goes

 

I don't want to get your hopes up too much, but I hope this leads to some end to this debacle for you (I think I've said this before ). However, if they have approved you for a system replacement, don't expect them to keep to their "contacting". I was told during my replacement process that I'd be called to "discuss my specs.", never heard a word until the thing landed on my doorstep (even then it was just a recorded message telling me the thing was on my doorstep ). Just incase you hear no word, don't hesitate to call them and really push for a newly built system replacement. Tell them your story 15 times if you really have to, but a new replacement system would be your best chance to fix these problems (you could luckily get the recently revised 5730 system). Good luck, keep kicking soldier .

 

“E.D.U.” - You were right, a system showed up at my door today, Dell never called back with info, no message, no email, nothing in my account, never told me any specs, and never got a chance to speak with the “system specialist“.

BUT I think Dell did well. Hopefully this new system will solve my problems…”Knock on Wood”, check out the specs below

Old System:
“Refurbished” - Studio XPS 1645
Intel® Core™ i7-720QM Quad Core Processor 1.6GHz (2.8GHz Turbo Mode, 6MB Cache)
8GB DDR3 @ 1333MHz
ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD 4670 - 1GB
8X Slot Load CD/DVD Burner (Dual Layer DVD+/-R Drive)
15.6” Full HD WLED LCD (1920x1080)
320GB 5400RPM Hard Drive
Intel WiFi Link 5300/Dell Wireless 370 Bluetooth Module (2.1+EDR)
Windows 7 Ultimate, 64bit, English
Obsidian Black
9-cell Battery / 130w AC Adapter

New System:
Brand New - Studio XPS 1645
Intel® Core™ i7-720QM Quad Core Processor 1.6GHz (2.8GHz Turbo Mode, 6MB Cache)
8GB DDR3 @ 1333MHz
ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD 5730 - 1GB
8X Slot Load CD/DVD Burner (Dual Layer DVD+/-R Drive)
15.6” Full HD WLED LCD (1920x1080)
256GB Solid State Drive
Intel WiFi Link 5300/Dell Wireless 370 Bluetooth Module (2.1+EDR)
Windows 7 Ultimate, 64bit, English
Merlot Red High Gloss Finish with Leather
9-cell Battery / 130w AC Adapter

So basically almost 3 months, $600.00+, 20+ phone calls, 4 tech visits, 1 depot attempt, 3 motherboards, 4 heat sinks, 3 fans, 2 palm rests, 1 DVD, 1 LCD, many small parts and countless hours later I have a new replacement 1645 system.
(NOTE: this is only issues I experience with the 1645, not the prior 4-5 months of problems with the E1505 that was replaced…so in total 196 days or about 6.5 month of problems)

 

Here are some images of unboxing the new system:
(only cosmetic issues I have seen is 2 black marks on the back of the leather part...if that's it I can happily live with that!)

 

Firstly, I so expected Dell to not keep to their "contacting," as they are well known for that when it comes to their Exchange/Replacement program. However, as you rightly said "I think Dell did well" as well. I mean WOW! Fantastic specs you got there and you most definitely deserve it for all they've put you through. Honestly you will probably have one of the coolest running i7-720 configurations out there, with the help of the cooler 5730 and ofcourse the beastly, non-mechanical 256 GB SSD. I'm very happy for you, and I hope as well and fully expect that system will solve all the past problems you've been having. From the little info that I've been picking up from NBR members that have received this new 5730 revision, I really feel like your problems will cease to exist. You most definitely have the nicest system of the lot .

Hopefully you can put this behind you, so that one day you can tell your children's children about the above "soap opera" that you went through with Dell (You could really write a suspenseful book on it).

Thanks for putting up the pictures (Did the cat come with the system? ). I'm guessing the 2 marks might have occurred during the boxing/packaging stage. That shouldn't worry you too much though. Test out the system and tell us how it runs and feels when you get the chance. I also suggest that you get a screen protector like THIS ONE, just to make sure that pristine screen doesn't get marked up by the keyboard (as can happen with this system). I ordered a custom sized one with the measurements from this post HERE and it fits quite perfectly (the pics also show how it fits). I applaud your perseverance and it's really sad for Dell that this kind of thing can happen to a customer of theirs. Enjoy the system though, and I hope to hear that it surpasses your expectations.

 

Well so far so good...the new system runs far cooler under load, lets me play my older games without throttling, so it finally looks like it's over...knock on wood...I REALLY HOPE SO!
The new system will even run Prime95 + FurMark without throttling...sounds like I got lucky, its probably right on the edge of not having enough power...BUT it runs!

Cat didn't come with the system...but they love boxes, even if they only barely fit. The 2 marks came off with some cleaning.

I will be ordering one of those screen protectors now that I "know" I'm keeping the system.

Oh and here's a couple of images of my 1/2 hour scrap bin ghetto cooler...it does make a noticable difference. So as my birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks I'll be getting a Zalman NC-2000 cooler as the NZXT Cryo is NEVER in stock...