Is there any help for Tech Support (or lack thereof)

[MasterIvoree]

I am turning here in hope that someone at Alienware (Dell) is reading and can help work this out ...

• I bought an M18X on Feb 15th, and received it on Match 20th.
  
• On March 22nd, just two days later, one of the drives in the RAID set was indicatine a fault.
  
• I went into the BIOS and ran the diagnostic, and it indeed showed that drive 0 in the RAID set failed.
  
• I called Tech Support to get a tech dispatched to replace the drive, and I was told that I had loaded software that had corrupted the RAID set. The tech couldn't explain how loading software would cause the drive to fail in the BIOS diagnostic, he just insisted that I to a factory restore.
  
• After letting that run all night long (and never getting past 0.1% complete), I killed it and called tech support again.
  
• This time I was told that I had to recreate the RAID set, which I did.
  
• I reloaded the system, and all was well for about a week. Then the problem started again.
  
• This was Easter weekend, and I didn't have time to mess with it. But I did discover that I could run the "Intel Rapid Storage Manager" and reset the drive status to ready and use the system. (I had to do that on each boot up.)
  
• I finally decided to recreate the RAID set and load just the minimal software products that I had to have to isolate what was causing the problem.
  
• (I should note here that I also have an M17X with a 1.5TB RAID set that ALL of this software had been load on and functioning for nearly a year.)
  
• After about a week and a half, the problem was back. (That was April 19th.)
  
• I called Tech Support again. This time the tech stated that I should have never been told it was a software issue, that it was a bad hard drive. This person put in an order for two hard drives and the restore software, and told me that the tech would be out to repair the system, probably the next day (this past Friday). ... This call was placed in the morning, so there was plenty of time to get the parts sent out.
  
• On the evening ot the 19th, Dell's computer called me and told me that the tech would be here between 9:00 and 5:00.
  
• At 3:30 on the Friday, I had heard nothing, and I call tech support to get a status, and I am told that the tech wouldn't be out until Monday because they had not received the parts. I asked why they hadn't called me to say that they wouldn't be out as scheduled, and I was told in a very rude tone of voice: "I'm telling you now." When I asked why there was a problem meeting the next business day service contract that I purchased, I was told, "We have 3-5 days to complete the service. 'Next day' just means that we will send an e-mail to dispatch the next day."
  
• Yesterday (Monday) I called to get a status, and again I was told that the parts had not shipped. This time I asked to speak to a supervisor, and I was told that the restore software was not available, and that was the hold up. I told him that I just wanted the system fixed. At this point I have recreated the RAID set four times, and restored the software each time. He offered to cancel the current parts order, and to sent me the two hard drives directly so that I could install them myself. In frustration, and out of a desire to just get the $5,000 laptop that I had paid for, I said okay.
  
• I just now looked on-line at the parts order, and it looks like he has sent me two 750 GB drives, not the 1TB drives I purchased. (I have not actually received the drives yet.)

I am about at my witt's end with the incompetance of the Tech Support folks, and just want a WORKING laptop. I have had service out on my M17X in the past, as well as on an XPS17 that I owned before that, and I had immediate next day service every time, so I know this isn't typical of tech support a year ago. But ...

-- Ralph

[Mr. Fox]

MasterIvoree - sorry to hear of your woes. We have several Alienware reps in our forums, including one from Level 3 Engineering and Support. Since you are new and cannot use the PM system, I will send a PM on your behalf. You will need at least 5 meaningful posts before the PM system can be activated for your account and that will be an overnight process.

You may want to set up permission on your account for others to send you an email (at least temporarily) so the person I am sending the message to can reach you outside of the forum.

[MasterIvoree]

Thanks you, Mr. Fox.

I have to believe that this is not typical, but it certainly is frustrating.

[Dell-Bill_B]

Ugh. Sorry for the poor experience. This is not the user experience we strive for. I have alerted a couple of agents about your post. One of them should be along to help out shortly.

[AW-FedericoH]

Hi MasterIvoree,

I worked for Dell / Alienware. I will be more than glad to assist you. Please contact me through a private message to take ownership in your cases ASAP.

Regards,

AW-FedericoH

[BorntoPumpGas]

Ugh. Sorry for the poor experience. This is not the user experience we strive for. I have alerted a couple of agents about your post. One of them should be along to help out shortly.

Hi MasterIvoree,

I worked for Dell / Alienware. I will be more than glad to assist you. Please contact me through a private message to take ownership in your cases ASAP.

Regards,

AW-FedericoH

Agian... awesome to have you guys aboard. +1 for both

[Mr. Fox]

We love our Dell/Alienware forum members. They're awesome. Bill and Federico +1 Rep to both of you. Chris also sent me a PM, so I'll need to give him rep next time he posts.

MasterIvoree - you need at least 3 more meaningful posts today and overnight processing before you can use the PM system. (By meaningful, it cannot be off-topic nonsense.) After you have reached 5 posts you will need to wait for usergroup promotions which runs at 11pm EST every night. LINK

If you click the link in the left side of my signature, right above the alien head, you will find an index of useful posts. You may find things in those threads that catch your interest and give you a reason for meaningful posts.

[MasterIvoree]

Federico has contacted me via private e-mail ... Thanks much for the help!!!

[locust76]

Federico has contacted me via private e-mail ... Thanks much for the help!!!

Good luck MasterIvoree, this is definitely not typical of Alienware support. I got my system with the wrong drives installed and got replacement drives two days later. I hope you get your problem resolved ASAP!

[MasterIvoree]

Well, the latest I have is: "The 1TB drives are not in stock for service dispatch. I will call you tomorrow." (Which was yesterday.) Haven't heard anything more, so I assume that the parts are still not available.



-- Ralph / MasterIvoree