Faulty Dell after four weeks - compensation

rcssmb

Hi
I have a new (four week old) Dell inspiron and discovered a fault on 12th January. Since then Dell have been analysing the problem (over four nights) and have been unable to fix the problem. They are sending me a replacement pc. Delivery 10-15 working days.

I am concerned about the transfer of my data from one machine to another (with only one mouse, keyboard and screen) the security of my data (old machine may be sold through Dell outlet) and in addition want some compensation.

I proposed that they provide an external USB drive enclosure and that I keep the old disk.

To me this seems to address all my worries with little cost to Dell but was told that my compensation would be to receive a new pc!

News just in Dell have offered me a 512mb memory stick! Wow worth at least £3 and doesnt address any of my issues.

Am I being unreasonable, my wife is a teacher and hasnt been able to access online resources for planning and teaching, I have spent four nights with Dell connect while they analysed the problem. Missed out on quiet story time with my kids. This seems to be wothless to Dell.

We will have to book time off work to receive the new machine, set it up, transfer data.... again worthless to Dell.

Vomityspice

What you seem to be wanting is 'consequential damages', i.e. you want to make the manufacturer responsible for every possible problem that happens. A bit unfair

How would you assess your damages? Let presume laptop was £500 and it should reasonably expected to last 3 years this gives 45p per day. Your nominal loss is 45p x 28 days = £12.60 loss of use. However, look at the terms of sale (which you agreed to!)

Dell have replaced your laptop. They are responsible for the hardware they supplied and they have remedied the problem. Well done Dell:T

tsimehC

Hopefully they'll reformat the HD before placing it on the Outlet. As for their customer service, you've just found Dell! woo! Compensation is a long shot though, I'd be happy with the replacement PC and the erm 512Mb stick. :P

robt_2

Is the OP serious about wanting compensation?

They are sending you a new PC to replace your broken one.

PaulK_3

Dell will run their recovery software on the hard drive if the unit is resold, this will format the drive and return it to factory sealed conditions.

isofa

Why not ask Dell to swap your HD from one machine to the other, or depending on what is happening to the faulty PC do this yourself.

I think Dell are being fair, if you are worried, wipe the HD before you return it.

vivatifosi

We had problems with a Dell laptop. Would have been very easy to change a part, but the way Dell works they change the whole thing. Then there was a small problem with the plastic paper tray on their free printer. Again, they replaced the whole thing. We ended up with two printers and a better laptop, so not complaining!

As isofa says, just wipe the drive before you return it.

weegie.geek

One mouse, keyboard and screen is all you need. Hook them up on the home network (or use a crossover ethernet cable), and either:

set up network shares on the old machine, unplug the monitor/mouse/keyboard from it, plug them into the new machine, turn it on and connect to the old machine's shares, and transfer the needed data to the new machine

or

do more or less the same, but forget about the shares and just connect to the old machine via remote desktop, remembering to tell the RD client to mount the local drives, and transfer across that way.

I'd definitely be running my own secure drive wiping software on the old pc before sending it back though, I'm not sure I'd trust Dell to securely wipe it.

slicksurf

Make sure you wipe your drive properly like using proper free space deletion programs like these http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Best/disk-erase-free.html
Personally, the last time Dell took a machine off me for replacement, I bought an Identical drive and replaced the drives machine. Unless Dell do a different form of format which overwrites every bit of the drive like the aforementioned programs, then it is astonishingly easy to recover that data, I do it for friends.
I refuse to allow the chance of someone else getting family photos\videos and other personal documents. That thought is enough for me to pay for the extra drive. You can always use that drive in a cheap external USB drive cage.

rcssmb

Vomityspice wrote: »

However, look at the terms of sale (which you agreed to!)

OK lets look at them...

Sale of Goods Act 1979 (as amended), i.e that goods be of satisfactory quality, as described, and fit for their purpose, durable...

Wireless networking failed, 1394 connection failed.

Description: "you're connecting to the Internet or wirelessly networking within your home"

Originally they wanted to offer me £15 for the 'faulty' wireless card as it wasn't Vista compatible. Remember this is a new machine, set up by them... Lets all applaud Dell for their breach of contract! :T

robt_2

rcssmb wrote: »

OK lets look at them...

Sale of Goods Act 1979 (as amended), i.e that goods be of satisfactory quality, as described, and fit for their purpose, durable...

Wireless networking failed, 1394 connection failed.

Description: "you're connecting to the Internet or wirelessly networking within your home"

Originally they wanted to offer me £15 for the 'faulty' wireless card as it wasn't Vista compatible. Remember this is a new machine, set up by them... Lets all applaud Dell for their breach of contract! :T

Don't see how that is relevant - they are replacing the computer for you.