Dell has a new policy- MUST READ

**techs** · July 16th, 2002, 08:52 AM

Are you ready for this. Customer buys a Dell Dimension 4400 in March of this year. He needs to restore winXP home in July. The recovery disk is scratched. Dell says he cannot get another copy of the recovery disk. HE MUST BUY A NEW RETAIL copy of Windows XP Home. They only replace the disk within thirty days. I ask to speak with the tech support supervisor. He confirms this. I call the spare parts ordering line. They say the same thing and ask if I want to buy the retail version. Are they kidding? Is this unbelievable or not?

**celeste9519** · July 16th, 2002, 09:03 AM

Have you tried to call Microsoft to see if they will give you one? There should be no reason why they cannot give you a new copy. Dell makes their own images, so its not like you got a retail version in the first place.

Customer service is getting worse every day.

**geoscomp** · July 16th, 2002, 09:14 AM

But then again, HP doesn't even give you a recovery disk..it's a hidden partition on the hard drive accessed by pressing f10 on system start..always wondered what happens if you get a boot sector virus or mechanical problems and need to reformat?..guess you just have to buy a disk then..seems as if customer support is the easiest way for companies to increase the bottom line by decreasing service.

**Garak** · July 16th, 2002, 09:17 AM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by techs:
Are you ready for this. Customer buys a Dell Dimension 4400 in March of this year. He needs to restore winXP home in July. The recovery disk is scratched. Dell says he cannot get another copy of the recovery disk. HE MUST BUY A NEW RETAIL copy of Windows XP Home. They only replace the disk within thirty days. I ask to speak with the tech support supervisor. He confirms this. I call the spare parts ordering line. They say the same thing and ask if I want to buy the retail version. Are they kidding? Is this unbelievable or not?<hr /></blockquote>Dell have been getting worse for years, last year i swapped out a duff disk and the replacment was a drive i had sent back to them 1month prior - we kept a spreadsheet of duffed and replacment discs...
not to mention the drive was still stuffed!

G/

**nytiger73** · July 16th, 2002, 09:18 AM

It's things like this that I have my own personal policy to NEVER, EVER purchase a pre-built PC such as a Dell or HP. I build and service my own. Never need to worry about stuff like this.

**Draggar** · July 16th, 2002, 11:32 AM

Interesting how they won't ship out a copy of the CD, its not like its piracy, you already have a lisence agreement, but I can kinda see their side, it is physicaly damaged, and not their fault.

Well, we can all agree, they have you where they (and MS) want you.

I know this might not be in the best terms with priacy / copyright issues, but since you have a lisence, if you know someone with a copy of WinXP, can't you install it on your machine and use the lisence that came with your system, or is there more added to WinXP that won't allow that (I've only used a pre-release version)...

**techs** · July 16th, 2002, 01:00 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Pikachu:
Interesting how they won't ship out a copy of the CD, its not like its piracy, you already have a lisence agreement, but I can kinda see their side, it is physicaly damaged, and not their fault.

Well, we can all agree, they have you where they (and MS) want you.

I know this might not be in the best terms with priacy / copyright issues, but since you have a lisence, if you know someone with a copy of WinXP, can't you install it on your machine and use the lisence that came with your system, or is there more added to WinXP that won't allow that (I've only used a pre-release version)...<hr /></blockquote>For this particular problem I want to use the Dell disk just for that reason. When I spoke with Microsoft they told me every WinXP disk is different(has a code on it) and you can't just use another disk like with the other windows versions and enter the product key. As to it being the customers problem to pay for a new disk I have not problem with that. Maybe 10-15 dollars tops, But Not 179.00 for a retail version.

**Draggar** · July 16th, 2002, 01:30 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by techs:
For this particular problem I want to use the Dell disk just for that reason. When I spoke with Microsoft they told me every WinXP disk is different(has a code on it) and you can't just use another disk like with the other windows versions and enter the product key. As to it being the customers problem to pay for a new disk I have not problem with that. Maybe 10-15 dollars tops, But Not 179.00 for a retail version.<hr /></blockquote>Ouch...
Let me guess, Dell offered to sell you a copy? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

I do not agree with that, not allowing one copy to be used with different lisences.
I see places where you can just buy an extra lisence (I have WinME, I want to put it on my wife's PC, so instead of shelling out $180 for a full version, I shell out $80-$100 for an extra lisence, and use my disk...)..

I guess everyone is starved for money nowadays.. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="frown.gif" />

**Damned Angel** · July 16th, 2002, 01:38 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by geoscomp:
But then again, HP doesn't even give you a recovery disk..it's a hidden partition on the hard drive accessed by pressing f10 on system start..always wondered what happens if you get a boot sector virus or mechanical problems and need to reformat?..guess you just have to buy a disk then..seems as if customer support is the easiest way for companies to increase the bottom line by decreasing service.<hr /></blockquote>Hp will be more than happy to send you a xp cd, for about $20+ shipping.

check out partsurfer.hp.com just plug in your hp computer model number and look up the other accessories for it.

**geoscomp** · July 16th, 2002, 02:34 PM

That's true, Damned Angel, however, the last customer that ordered one from HP waited almost two weeks for delivery, and the postage was $7..not a lot compared to the Dell way of doing things, but still almost $30 extra for something that should be included with the computer is a bit much. Regarding Dell..the registration number for the computer and a returned damaged disk should be enough for them to be able to replace the imaged disk for a lot less than full retail. If you have an old win98 cd around you can just get the upgrade, since even with a blank hard drive it will just ask for proof of an old OS at some point during the install. You would save about $100, but still wouldn't get the Dell customizations..(don't know if that is good or bad

)

**GHSTECH** · July 17th, 2002, 06:49 AM

I would return the harddrive as bad. Since most OEMs ship replacements with the correct image pre-loaded. You could then ghost the drive and back the image up to cd for archiving and return the trashed drive to them. note: this may not seem ethical to some, but most techs would agree that Dell is not working very hard to keep their customers happy by not even offering to sell you a retore disk.

**techs** · July 17th, 2002, 01:36 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by GHSTECH:
I would return the harddrive as bad. Since most OEMs ship replacements with the correct image pre-loaded. You could then ghost the drive and back the image up to cd for archiving and return the trashed drive to them. note: this may not seem ethical to some, but most techs would agree that Dell is not working very hard to keep their customers happy by not even offering to sell you a retore disk.<hr /></blockquote>Dell discontinued the practice of loading the image back onto replacement hard drives. I found out when 6 hard drives failed on some Optiplex's (drive defect). Had to reinstall on all of them. Customer changed to gateway after that fiasco.

**jc033** · July 17th, 2002, 02:32 PM

I'm not sure about OEM, but I have been able to use different reg codes for XP professional . I have used 3 diff codes to install from the same disk, no problem.

**Zerotech** · July 17th, 2002, 05:58 PM

techs,

This may sound like a dumb one out of left field but, have you tried one of those CD scratch repair kits? Or is the scratch too deep?

If you can crutch the original restore CD back to readability one last time, you might be able to burn a copy for future rescues of this machine.

Just a thought.

**techs** · July 17th, 2002, 07:55 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by jc033:
I'm not sure about OEM, but I have been able to use different reg codes for XP professional . I have used 3 diff codes to install from the same disk, no problem.<hr /></blockquote>Ah ha. Microsoft told me that would work but you would not be able to activate it. I wondered if that was true or not. Anyway the oem from dell may be different from the oem I buy from my supplier. As to the idea of repairing the cd in this case it is way too damaged, and Dell said they would send a disc(I buy Dells for other clients and I was pretty pissed so they decided to placate me this time)

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