DELL is the DEVIL

I will NEVER NEVER EVER NEVER EVER NEVER BUY A DELL AGAIN.


This has been the biggest computer nightmare -- worse than HP.

Here is the complete story. I'm writing it down so I have it on record and I'm hoping it will make me feel better.

•September 10th, I received my YAY brand new XPS420 system. It got rave reviews on the dell.com website. I haven't had a new desktop computer in 5 years and was SO EXCITED. Unfortunately, it was not to be the happy occasion I was hoping for.
•October 17th, my computer died. The video went black and *poof* there was nothing. I rebooted - tried another monitor -- nothing.
•October 24th. I contacted Dell. I told them my computer had no video -- the screen was not getting the signal from the computer and that the monitor was in powersafe mode. The dell technician made me pull out all of the cards (video, sound, memory) and an hour and a half later (and a million restarts) he told me that the power supply and motherboard were dead on my computer. He said that he would be sending out a technician to replace both parts.
•Monday, October 27th, Banctec called to schedule the install. I was traveling for business and was going to have company that week so I scheduled the install for November 3rd between 7 - 8 AM.
•Monday, November 3rd, I was WIDE awake at 7:00 AM and didn't hear from the technician until 8:10 at which point he said he was "on his way". He installed the new components and the computer still didn't work. He said he was going to recommend a new video card.
•Tuesday, November 4th, Banctec called and said they have the video card. I told him to come now because I was going to be home for a few hours. He showed up and was installing the video card. When he did the install he rebooted and got an error message that said: NTLDR is missing. I told him to resolve that before he left. He said running the diagnostics would clear that message up. After it completed, I continued to get the message. I called Dell. When you call Dell they ask for your phone number "in case we get disconnected". I told the guy what had happened and was furious. We got disconnected after I had told him what happened - after I had been on the phone for over 45 minutes (running all of these system tests) - *poof* he went. Did I get a call back? NO! So after 20 minutes I called back. Explained the story - ran the tests and THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN!!!!!! I was LIVID when after 20 minutes the guy didn't call me back and I had to call them back the 3rd time. I had to explain the entire story AGAIN refused to do the tests a 3rd time and the support guy told me that Vista needed to be reinstalled. It was about 10:00 PM by this time and I could not stay on the phone for 2 hours not to mention I needed to back up my data. The guy told me he would schedule a call back for 8:30 on Thursday.
•Tuesday, November 4th con't - I decided to call Dell Finance whom was financing my computer -- to see if there was anything they can do. I really just wanted to return the computer and get a new one. He said there was nothing he could do but his supervisor was on another call - she would call in 30 minutes. I waited and waited and NO CALL.
•Thursday, November 6th - NO CALL FROM DELL
•Saturday, November 8th - I called BACK around 1:30 EST and was on hold forever. Finally I spoke to a rep who said I needed to reinstall vista. (After he tried to get me to run all of the tests again that I ran on Tuesday.) Two hours later vista and my drivers were reinstalled. Windows did an update and POOF -- NTLDR is missing. I called Dell AGAIN. They said the harddrive needs to be replaced. They have shipped a harddrive and I will have to go through this entire flipping process AGAIN. I talled to a Customer Service manager who "got smart" with me and then when I told him "don't get smart with me" he screamed at me I AM NOT.


My biggest complaints are

•The customer service outsourcing is the WORST.
•No one you speak to is from the US
•I'm constantly saying "what did you say?"
•No one knows what the hell is going on
•I paid a lot of money for a piece of crap
•The computer has basically been replaced (except for the memory cards) and still doesn't work.
•Customer Service has ZERO customer service skills.