Question for the computer experts

[Catlady (Rita Prince Winston)]

"Tonks" wrote in
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPFGU-OTChatter/message/30194>:

<< I would have nothing but Dell. Their service is very good. Be sure
to get the extended service. >>

My previous computer was a Dell laptop with the 'extended warranty'
(service contract). Its big problem was from time to time it became
unable to drink electric power from the cord/charger that plugs into
the wall socket, so that it could neither run on AC power NOR recharge
its batteries. The reason was that the receptacle for the plug is
attached to the motherboard and it came loose (or went bad or
something) and the solution was for Dell to send a tech to my house to
swap out the motherboard. Two times the monitor went bad and they sent
a tech to swap out the monitor. One time the keyboard went bad and two
times the touchpad went bad and they sent the tech to swap out the bad
stuff. And somethings went bad and they sent me replacements in the
mail. And never charged me money for all this time and materials.

So I was very happy with Dell service, and determined to keep with
Dell for that reason.

But then Tim forgot to renew the 'warranty' so when the touch pad went
bad AGAIN I just plugged in an external mouse and made do. But then
the stupid electric receptacle went bad again and I don't know any way
to work around that problem.

So I bought a new Dell laptop with 'extended warranty' for three years.

So I'd had it about one month when suddenly it flickered and went dark
and wouldn't start when I pushed the button.

So Tim spent DAYS on-line (on his computer, which he bought from
Costco on a whim while shopping for mass quantities of frozen chicken)
with the nice Dell tech support people in India who walked him through
bringing it up in Safe Mode, wiping out everything, re-installing the
entire operating system, re-installing my stuff from sort-of-backup
... I seem to recall that receiving (from the mail) a new chargerbox
with a cord on one end to plug into the wall and a cord on the other
end to plug into the computer was part of this solution ...

And about a month after that, around Thanksgiving (late November), it
had the electricity receptacle problem and we phoned Dell to send
someone to swap out the motherboard.

And first the Dell tech made an appointment and didn't come and
claimed that the reason was that he had phoned us and we hadn't
answered, which was a lie. So we called again and again and eventually
found out that the Dell sub-contractor in our area had written in
their log that our home is an unsafe working environment and therefore
they wouldn't send anyone to our home. And Dell said our contract is
with their sub-contractor and we have to sort out any problems with
the sub-contractor ourselves.

And eventually, early February, I got my new motherboard by arranging
that the service call would be to Lee's house instead of my house. Tim
and Lee and the computer were there well before the appointed time.
Well after the appointed time, they phoned the service people, who
said their person had driven by but been unable to park and come in
because the sprinklers were on. So Lee persuaded them that the
sprinklers were off now so please send the person again.

And a couple of days later, they mailed me an official-looking
announcement that my 'warranty' had been voided for not taking proper
care of the computer.

If I weren't such a neurotic, phobic wimp, I would have sued in Small
Claims Court to get back 5/6 of the money I'd paid for 'extended
warranty' (paid for three years and got six months, such as it was).
Instead, I complain to friendly ears and eyes, such as this list.