Just got my XP M1210 before lunch. Didn't really get to check for any hardware defects. The only thing I notice is that it wobbles. So I open it up, put it on a table and press on the left side of the laptop, it wobbles. Bah.

It's not major wobbling but it can be quiet annoying now that I notice it. I will have to test out the system later to see if there are any other defects... if the software and everything else is ok, maybe i should keep it. i'm scared if i change it, i might get a lemon.

dunno...

Hello, thanks derred for feeling my annoyance.

I called DELL Customer Service yesterday (Sunday) and they told me I'd be called by someone today. She called at lunch and told me that after speaking to her manager, she was going to replace my laptop with a new one. It's good but I'm obviously scared the new one might have software/internal problems. She said usually they just send someone to fix the problem but since my problem happened on the first day, they are giving me a new one.

So far, I've been playing around with my current DELL XPS M1210 and it seems ok. Nothing too wrong wth it. Except there was this once when the system was critically low in battery and I had to plug it to a power source to resume working on it and the sound wouldn't stop ... (the resume Vista sound..) so every few seconds it'd go... "brrring..." or whatever welcome sound it makes.

So we'll see what happens. They say they hope to send it this week so we'll see.

Hopefully, I'll get a perfect system that's not a lemon. I can't believe we have to be scared to get a new system. It's weird. Most people will feel confident about getting a new system but here I am, scared the new system might have other problems.

Do you think they'll give me a laptop that someone had problems with before or one that's fresh from the assembly line?

So worried and scared that they'll give me old parts or something. Or someone's reject.

Well they didn't say new. They just said they were going to replace it. Oh no.

What happens to the unit that I return then? I mean... I'm sure other XPS owners return theirs too. They just fix it up and send it out as new ??

Their XPS Promotion this week comes with webcam and 2GB RAM! GRRR...

That's good to know. So they will dismantle my laptop and use it to repair/replace other laptop parts? My system works pretty ok... just the wobbly part which I think is easily fixed.

Although my system hung yesterday. It turned off on his own after nobody used it for two hours. Then when I tried to resume it, it didn't work at all... I had to take out the battery and put it back to get it working again... that's two times it hung since I got it last week. The last time, the welcome sound kept on coming on after resuming my laptop.

This post has been edited by pigduck: May 29 2007, 02:23 PM

What happens is this... I leave my computer idle and it shuts off after awhile. Then when I want to turn it on again, I notice the power light is blinking... so I think I should use the touchpad but nothing works. Then I press the power button and still nothing (this was one scenario)... the power light is still blinking and after trying again, it just doesn't work anymore so I have to remove the battery to get it work again.

The other scenario is when I try to resume by moving my finger on the touchpad or pressing the power button, windows comes back on but the welcome sound replays over and over again... like it's jammed (like a broken record).

Guess what? I was informed by DELL this morning that my replacement unit will come with a webcam too. 'Cos I casually mentioned to the customer service person in charge yesterday that the DELL promotion this week includes 2GB RAM and a WEBCAM for the same price that I bought mine last week. I don't know if it was me or because it's this week's promotion. Not bad...

I'm beginning to wonder if it's just my XPS (they haven't called me to send the replacement unit) or just Dell is general.

Having problems playing DVd. First I thought it was the DVD 'cos I couldn't play it on my home theatre or on my PC. finally it worked on my Dell after multiple tries... but after trying 2 more DVDs on my DELL and facing the same problem, i am wondering what's wrong?? It makes horrible and loud spinning noises... and grinding noises... then when it plays, some times it spins so loudly it overpowers the sound.... then it hangs midway...

I played the exact same DVD on my Compaq V3204TU and it detected it immediately and got to work playing it...

What's up with DELL?!

Could it be Vista you think?

I was halfway watching the dvd then it hung... and now it's just stuck.. and grinding... I'm quite annoyed at DELL actually. It could be the DVd but if Compaq could run it perfectly 1st time, I don't see why it should be so problematic on my XPS. I restarted it .... ejected and put in the CD so many times and when I finally got it working, it hung... ARGH!

I sent my Compaq for repairs and just got it back today so I thought, maybe it's the DVD, do one more test and it runs perfectly on my Compaq. Compaq and intermittent sound issues so they changed my system board. They did it all in three days.

Anyway, I'm getting really annoyed with XPS.

They are sending my new unit tomorrow. we'll see how it goes.

So far, I'm still trying to play the DVD. I thought maybe the Compaq was just lucky... inserted the DVD into Compaq again and it resumed where I left off! Smoothly and no glitches.

Dell on the other hand can't seem to play the DVD... after at least 10 times of ejecting and inserting and even then it hangs when I maximise the screen. I tried using Media Centre and MediaDirect and both hang! Or I get it successfully to play the video and 5 minutes into the video, it hangs...

I didn't know I could get a full refund within 14 days. Maybe I should test it over the weekend and if the new unit still gives problems, I'll ask for a full refund on Monday ('cos I bought it 2 Mondays ago) which would make it exactly 14 days I think... I should have called them earlier with my wobbly problem, eh?

I'm so annoyed, I am thinking getting an ACER is better off. GRR!

After hanging for 15 minutes... the dvd suddenly started playing. SO SCARY! Less than 2 minutes later, it's hanging again....

This post has been edited by pigduck: May 31 2007, 08:09 PM

Thanks for the heads up Eiraku... boohoo Dell. Well hopefully they won't replace a lemon with a lemon. To be honest, if I have to pay R100+ to get rid of something that annoys me and makes me unhappy... it's better than suffering for the next few years with RM4000 lemon.

Normally, you get products that work ok in the first few months and you know, you live with it but like you say, I pay a couple of thousands in the hopes that it works from the get go. Obviously, it's not a worthy investment so far.

hee hee No need tutorials for now derred. Thanks...

I mailed the customer service yesterday and she hasn't replied yet. I wonder what's going on.

---

Added on June 1, 2007, 2:32 pmSo, my replacement Dell XPS M1210 arrived!!

Good news is that it played the DVD that I couldn't play on my lemon.

In fact, I sat it side by side, put the DVD into my lemon to see if I was just being mean and it didn't work. Then I put the DVD into my replacement and it played perfectly.

Decided to try ejecting and reinserting and the replacement started from where I left off.

Then I tried to maximise and minimise the screen. It still worked although a bit... jerky. Then when I carried it around the DVD stopped spinning for a bit but resumed after.

Here's the thing. On my lemon, the left wrist part of my laptop was wobbly slightly and a bit unstable. On my replacement, the right side is unstable! I tested them next to each other on the floor.

Then I put it on the table and the replacement seemed more stable. A bit strange. Could my tiled floor be uneven? I placed each laptop on a tile each (since one tile can fit the whole XPS).

Here's my question... how solid is your XPS? When you press down on the wrist pad, does it bounce? i.e. does it move? Does it cave in slightly (since it's made of plastic)? When I press down the left side of my lemon, it bounces and caves in and when I press down on the right side of my replacement, it caves in slightly and bounces.

Let me know how your XPS-es are... do they do this?

This post has been edited by pigduck: Jun 1 2007, 02:32 PM

Flex is the word. It's weird on my lemon the left side flexes and the right side's solid but on the replacement the left side is solid and the right side flexes.


My Compaq doesn't flex. In fact, it's solid. My previous Compaq was also solid.

I dunno if I'll be enjoying my laptop. I'll have to go home and do more wobbly tests. I'm just a bit unhappy with the whole thing. That's all. I was muttering, "unbelievable" when I noticed the wobble today. Although it's just slight, it still wobbles... if my other laptops in the house don't wobble then why should my Dell.

If only I didn't have anything to compare the Dell to...

Yeah they should if their XPS QC is anything to go by.

I'll let you know what happens later when I go home.

What constitutes as wobbling to you? If I press on the right corner side of my laptop, it jiggles a bit... still a bit unstable.. I'm not sure if that happens with your XPS? Tell me... 'Cos I'm seriously looking at getting a full refund or... should I just live with my slightly wobbly replacement unit?

Hello derred, yes, I do believe I'm saying my replacement unit has a slight wobble. AGAIN.

Dell must think they can dupe girls or something... by giving them lemons and thinking they will accept them. *ahem*...*waves*

My web camera gives electric leaks I believe... when you touch it, you get a nice fuzzy furry feeling... definitely electricity yes? Had it before on my compaq so I think I know how it feels.

Get a full refund, you think?

portability is something for me.

we'll see what happens. I'll ask...

oh yeah... i plug my adapter to the wall so it still leaks electricity...

I feel like a cow....

anyway, the camera is leaking electricity as we speak. plugged it into a singapore wall socket (in singapore now), still leaking...

dunno...i feel like such a bad person...