Update on the computer from hell
Alienware Area 51 ALX. Was the top of the line machine when ordered, two years ago. Nickname "Godzilla". Fast. Hot. Beaufiful. Black case, green, glowing eyes.
So far, has had replaced:
Mother board
video card (twice)
both hard drives
sound card (3 times)
Power supply
Has been re-packaged and sent back to the Alienware plant 3 times for work, which requires wiping the hard-drives each time.
Has had five tech-support calls for local tech company reps to come in and install/work on various components. We are on a first-name basis with these people now. We know their family's names and they know our address by heart and the hours that we work.
The two-year warranty is up this month and as of last night and my latest 4-hour call to their 24-hour tech support line, and after installing and uninstalling two new Nvid4 drivers and running a diagnostic benchmark 12 times the end result is that the computer refuses to boot up and if I insist, it shuts itself off. This seems to be the equivilant of a two-year-old's temper tantrum. It refuses to boot, and if you put it in a time-out, it then refuses to run. At all.
Today I told the company supervisor that I either wanted a refund of my money or a completely new machine. No parts from the old one. No taint to transfer over. I seriously believe that something, somewhere inside the computer is defective, tainted, or compromised - to where whatever new part you put into it eventually fails. The best run I've had on this machine is six months before something goes belly-up. Replacing parts just gains some time. Sending it back just gains some time. I've re-run Zoo Tycoon 2 (which depends on beating several "challenges" to unlock various cool things for your zoo) so many times that I can't stand to do it again but every time this happens I have to reinstall everything (Windows, all my other programs including World of Warcraft and IRC) and go through all the challenges again. I'm also tired of spending hours online with tech support.
I am waiting for an answer from the supervisor. I'm honestly at the end of my patience and I don't know what else to try.
If this does not work, expect to see a news article about an insane woman who took a $7000 computer up onto the St. John's Bridge and pushed it over the side. Expect to see this because I will call every paper and news organiztion that I can find to have them witness it.
No. I am not kidding.
So far, has had replaced:
Mother board
video card (twice)
both hard drives
sound card (3 times)
Power supply
Has been re-packaged and sent back to the Alienware plant 3 times for work, which requires wiping the hard-drives each time.
Has had five tech-support calls for local tech company reps to come in and install/work on various components. We are on a first-name basis with these people now. We know their family's names and they know our address by heart and the hours that we work.
The two-year warranty is up this month and as of last night and my latest 4-hour call to their 24-hour tech support line, and after installing and uninstalling two new Nvid4 drivers and running a diagnostic benchmark 12 times the end result is that the computer refuses to boot up and if I insist, it shuts itself off. This seems to be the equivilant of a two-year-old's temper tantrum. It refuses to boot, and if you put it in a time-out, it then refuses to run. At all.
Today I told the company supervisor that I either wanted a refund of my money or a completely new machine. No parts from the old one. No taint to transfer over. I seriously believe that something, somewhere inside the computer is defective, tainted, or compromised - to where whatever new part you put into it eventually fails. The best run I've had on this machine is six months before something goes belly-up. Replacing parts just gains some time. Sending it back just gains some time. I've re-run Zoo Tycoon 2 (which depends on beating several "challenges" to unlock various cool things for your zoo) so many times that I can't stand to do it again but every time this happens I have to reinstall everything (Windows, all my other programs including World of Warcraft and IRC) and go through all the challenges again. I'm also tired of spending hours online with tech support.
I am waiting for an answer from the supervisor. I'm honestly at the end of my patience and I don't know what else to try.
If this does not work, expect to see a news article about an insane woman who took a $7000 computer up onto the St. John's Bridge and pushed it over the side. Expect to see this because I will call every paper and news organiztion that I can find to have them witness it.
No. I am not kidding.