DVD RW Problem.

tomsolomon

My Toshiba is on the blink again :rolleyes: This time its the DVD drive.
It will read original disks but will not read or write CD or DVD + - and when I try to format a rewrite it stops halfway through. Just says cannot perform task, no error nothing. I have all my college work on disk and cannot access it and I need it bad style. I know there is data on the disks but it just comes up as blank. Any idea desperate now
Ive tried all the usual stuff software, drivers, settings and even did a factory reinstall from the rescue disk. Nothing works.
A

woo

Do you have a cleaning disc you can run to check for a dirty laser?

FallingDownMan

We used to replace the DVD units whenever this happened - usually one of the lasers has packed in (or the heads are sticking in one place, but that usually makes a noise).

The agreement with Toshiba was that if a full system recovery didn't fix it it was broke!

First thing we'd do, though, was remove and redetect the drive from Device Manager. Sometimes that would get it working again. All depends on what is actually wrong.

Are you sure there are data being written? I'd have thought if data were there you'd be able to see it.

tomsolomon

Yup its definately Kentucky fried...
Oh well back to PC World for the forth time.
The tech guys know buy my first name now lol :rotfl:

tomsolomon

Ive been back to PC World and they have confirmed that the DVD rom is in fact kentucky fried, the guys instore took it and checked to see what I had spent over an hour confirming with technical support on the phone, was infact true.
They offered me a repair again. I refused and the manager got realy nasty and he got almost violent when I mentioned Trading Standards. I reported it to head office and all they told me was that they would only consider a replacement if I, not them. If I paid for an independant report that stated that the problem was or could be a factory fault. I shouldnt have to do this surely.
I have been through all of the apropriate channels contacting them direct by phone and by letter. Trading standard have refused to help saying it was a civil matter and my laptop is still broken. What is the next step in the complaints procedure "do I have to drive a sherman tank through there front door or sumin"
I have a letter dated 09/05/07 stating quite clearly that there is a problem with the DVD drive, which I sent to PC world head office Trading Standard and local store first class recorded delivery.
Why after four months of me nagging them are they still refusing to accept liability?

FallingDownMan

I can't see what the problem is if they are offering to repair it.

How old is it?

When I said 'we' above, it was when I was in telephone tech support for PC World and people who had had machines for 6 months or more would suddenly decide they wanted their money back. It doesn't work like that - you'd feel the same if you sold something on eBay and 6 months later someone said they wanted a refund because whatever you'd sold had broken.

Your best bet is to keep going with the repair. If it keeps recurring then at some point they will decide that it is BER (beyond economical repair) and it WILL be replaced. This is by far the easiest option for all kinds of reasons (you need the machine, you don't have time, you don't need the grief, etc.)

They're not going to do it for something which is relatively common in computer equipment (knackered CD drives) if it's only happened a couple of time..

tomsolomon

The laptop is now currently eleven months old. It has been into the repair shop four times now, and its had a replacement main board.
Ive been on to them for the last Four months about a fault in the dvd drive, they have looked at it twice and they said there was nothing wrong with it. Now, only when its packed up completely, they decide to do something about it. :rolleyes:
It was the same with the mainboard. There was problems with the USB, WiFi and audio. I had to take it to them Three times, and again they would only do something when the audio packed up completely.
As of now Ive had the laptop about nine months of the eleven, and I havent been able to use it to it full capacity. Besides that PC world have said that I have to pay to prove something that has been noted on there system for eleven months. :rotfl:

They are definately havin a girraffe

ABH_3

tomsolomon wrote: »

The laptop is now currently eleven months old. It has been into the repair shop four times now, and its had a replacement main board.
Ive been on to them for the last Four months about a fault in the dvd drive, they have looked at it twice and they said there was nothing wrong with it. Now, only when its packed up completely, they decide to do something about it. :rolleyes:
It was the same with the mainboard. There was problems with the USB, WiFi and audio. I had to take it to them Three times, and again they would only do something when the audio packed up completely.
As of now Ive had the laptop about nine months of the eleven, and I havent been able to use it to it full capacity. Besides that PC world have said that I have to pay to prove something that has been noted on there system for eleven months. :rotfl:

They are definately havin a girraffe

Ignore the guy whose still got the PCWorld handbook stuck up his whotsit, he probably worked for 'Mastercare' who know less about computers than they do about TV's. PCWorld will only keep on repairing your system whilst you have a guarantee, after the 12 months you'll be on your own. Unless of course you purchased the 'extended waranty' in which case they'll keep taking your system back for a time untill one day they lose track of it and then have to 'search the warehouse', they'll find it again probably, but you'll still be stuck with a defective laptop.

Assuming you purchased this laptop using a credit card, get them involved. Write them a letter and include copies of anything relevant ie: statement\receipt of when you purchased the system, any information relating to when the system was picked up repaired and delivered back to you. Any emails you sent to 'head office' etc (include the headers of the email so they can see it came from PCWorld etc) Ask them for your money back, afterall they share joint liability, they in turn will chase PCWorld and they won't be fobbed off so easily. The laptop obviously isn't fit for purpose or of merchantable quality. Tell them you need the system for your parttime college course or whatever and can't be doing with it constantly in a state of 'repair'.

Option 2 take them to court. Any court will see that if you purchase a piece of equipment such as a laptop that you aren't expected to keep sending it back and having it repaired, you're only supposed to have it repaired the once and if the repair is not sattisfactory, then you can ask for your money back. The belief is that once you've had it repaired and you've not asked for your money back, then you're bound to have it repaired again and again, this maybe true, but not if further faults develop as this resets the clock as far as the courts are concerned.

Option 3 find a solicitor and have them take the case to court for you. It should only cost the price of a solicitors letter to PCWorld as they will see as with option 2 that defending the case is going to entail unwanted publicity and cost them more, so you should get a check by return.

Remember: PCWorld will only take notice of you when it's going to cost them money, they have your money and you have a defective piece of equipment. At present you are at the disadvantage, it's time to make them sit up and pay attention.

Here's some relevant links for you:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/consumer/your_rights/
http://interactive.pcw.co.uk/2005/10/sale_of_goods_o.html
http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/currys-dixons/63574-currys-laptop-sales-goods.html
http://www.moneymatterstome.co.uk/8-Consumer-rights-responsibilities/Sub1/ButingGoods-SaleOfGoodsAct.htm
http://interactive.pcw.co.uk/2005/10/sale_of_goods_o.html

HTH

tomsolomon

Thanks for the links ABH. This is a copy of the letter I sent to them in May.

09/05/07
PC World,
Customer Support,
Maylards Avenue,
Hemel Hempstead,
Hearts.
HP27TG.
Dear Sir/Madam
I perchased a Toshiba L30-134 Laptop from PC World in Worcester,
on the 17th of November 2006. On opening the laptop and after a short time
I noticed there was a problem with the USB connectors and the wireless.
I immediately took it back to the shop on the same day and notified the
Tech Guys of the problem, They looked at it and could not find an apparent
problem, but nonetheless they offered me a like for like replacement.
After using the new machine Advent 7109, for a few day it was quite obvious
that this new machine had nowhere near the capablities of the Toshiba. So
on the 21st of November 2006 I returned to my local PC World in Worcester.
I explained to the manager that I was not happy with the Advent machine and
requested a refund, I was bluntly told that I could not have a refund and that
they would not be prepared to replace the machine with another one, due to the
fact that I had already had a replacement, even though it was not like for like.
Instead I was offered the old Toshiba laptop back, and assured there "was nothing
wrong with it". I took this as word although I was not happy with the way I was
treated, and was well within my rights under The Sale And Supply Of Goods Act
1979 (As Amended) to ask for a full refund.
Over the following months I visited PC World in Worcester on Three more
occasions to complain about the problems with the USB connectors and the
wireless, only to be told there was nothing wrong with the machine. The staff at the
shop only breifly looked at the machine and did not test the machine correctly to
establish if there was, in fact, a fault with the USB conectors and wireless.
Since my second visit to the store there was a fault with the right speaker on the
laptop, and on the third visit I finaly managed to get someone to book my machine
in for repair, where it was found that the main board needed to be replaced, but still
nobody checked the USB connectors and wireless.

These problems are still apparent and also since the return of my machine from
the workshop, there has been a problem with the DVD Rom drive. I have now booked
the laptop in for repair again but unfortunately the Tech Guys cannot collect the
machine untill 1 day before the end of the statutory twenty eight day reasonable repair
time limit, PC world set out in there repair policy, therefore placing PC World in breach
of contract. This being the case, and the fact that I have been treated unfairly by the
staff at PC World Worcester, I request a full refund under The Sale And Supply Of
Goods Act 1979 (As Amended). Copies of this letter have been sent to PC World in
Worcester and Trading Standards.
Please respond within 14 days.

Needless to say they didnt write back to me. :rolleyes:

FallingDownMan

ABH wrote: »

PCWorld will only keep on repairing your system whilst you have a guarantee, after the 12 months you'll be on your own. Unless of course you purchased the 'extended waranty' in which case they'll keep taking your system back for a time untill one day they lose track of it and then have to 'search the warehouse', they'll find it again probably, but you'll still be stuck with a defective laptop.

Sorry, but that's uninformed claptrap.

Repairs are guaranteed for 3 months irrespective of the main warranty. So if the machine is repaired at 11 months 30 days 23 hours 59 minutes and 59 seconds, that repair is guaranteed for 3 months if it is the same fault which recurs.

Under extended warranty you are entitled to a working machine, so that ridiculous comment about losing it is execrable. If someone were to look in their warranty (and few do) they'd see the stuff about 6 week rules and so on, where machines have to be replaced with vouchers to the value of a new machine if the fault cannot be fixed.

Your advice to the OP is to start a fight he probably won't win just because it's what you'd like to see (based on your other puerile comments which clearly indicate a dislike of PC World).

My advice is to fight them directly and using their rulebook. Report faults immediately to the phone line tech support - and keep reporting it. As long as the iron is kept hot in the fire it is classed as a single chain fault and they'll have to do something eventually.

If you play the game by their rules, then a genuine fault will always be sorted to the customer's satisfaction.

Write to Mastercare in Sheffield. Complain in writing. Again and again. Keep copies.

But idiotic war games advised by others (who don't actually know if you have a genuine recurring fault, but are desperate to believe you do) won't get you anywhere.

Tom, you surprise me accepting poor advice like the above just because it's what you want to hear. PC World are offering to repair the machine a second time and you won't let them. It's hardly a good baseline for a court case.

thor

FallingDownMan wrote: »

Tom, you surprise me accepting poor advice like the above just because it's what you want to hear. PC World are offering to repair the machine a second time and you won't let them. It's hardly a good baseline for a court case.

Well reading up on Tom's experiences with his laptop and pcworld I think he has right to be a bit miffed. I can't see why that makes you think he wants to hear that pcworld are incompetent when he has seen their efforts first hand already. If repairs were required won't we all want it to be sorted straight away instead of having to come back time and time again?