My Computer related stuff...

Why I don't like Dell computers (anymore)

since 2001-06 I'm a happy customer of Dell with an Inspiron 8000. Ordered, pre-payed and delivered within timespan of 10 days.
Three months (2002-03) prior to warranty-end, the backlight of the LCD failed. The repair (collect and return) was handled accurately in a timespan of 4 days, I believe.

I noted:

Dell repaired machine under warranty. New topcover was installed. Machine was returned within 2 working days.

Due to my good experience here, I ordered a new system (august 2002) with Dell: Dell Dimension 8200 with video-capture adapter (Dazzle). After several phonecalls and so on, where Dell explained that the delay was caused by back-order problems for the Dazzle device, It was finaly delivered oktober 2002 (2 months delayed).
During first activities in movie-editing (using Adobe Premiere), I discovered the Dazzle adaptor wouldn't work with Adobe Premiere, but would only work with the Dell-delivered MovieMaker. so first capture through MovieMaker, then use it in Premiere. That was acceptable.
But handling like copying (but also ONLY selecting them in explorer) of files >1G caused the system to require an unusual amount of time. copying a file of 1 GB would take more than 2 hours. (don't make me start about files of 16G).

While this was no problem on the Inspiron, the Dimension blocked on it.
According to Dell helpdesk, this was a software (i.e. Windows) problem. It was never resolved, but for daily purpose (so no movie-editing anymore), the machine worked.

In september 2005 I ordered a new Dell Desktop system. Once again the order wouldn't proceed, causing me to cancel the order october 17.

Now febuary 2006 the aforementioned Dimension machine started to have the display "flicker" (LCD turns off and comes back in a second or so) when a window was redrawn or anything else. This rendered the system inoperable.
After experimenting (discovering that replacing the video adapter didn't solve the problem), I discovered that disabling the Accelleration of the video-adaptor solved the problem (well yes, only prevented the symptoms).
Now april 2006, the system stopped responding altogether.
Replacing motherboard learned me the hard way that Dell powersupply - Dell Motherboard is a combination you don't want to separate (so replace both simultaneously with standard devices, OR buy motherboard with dell (or better for Dell: send in you system for repair (and probably pay the price for it)).
The Power Supply for Dell Dimension LOOKS like a regular ATX Power supply but is twisted to put 12V+ through the MB-Data (and vice versa) thus gladly frying the (newly acquired non-dell) motherboard.

Oh yeah, don't forget: The dell processor plug is non-standard too. It "hovers" over the connector firmly glued to its passive-cooling block, so to re-use the processor, you have to recuperate the holding braces and the passive cooling, or also buy a new processor :(.


So since october 2005 I'm no happy customer of Dell anymore. But note.... The Inspiron 8000 is still running fine (be it that they probably forgot to insert a problem).

posted by Dieter @ 15:52