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Just shop Lenovo or HP. I have been a customer of Dell for the last 15 years. I have never suffered the bull$hit that I have over the last 3 damn months. Dell has a problem with their Radeon cards in their flag ship Precision line of laptops... you know, the ones professionals order. That's my opinion, it might be a driver issue, but I don't think so (I have my reasons).
Tech 1 comes out, swaps the card, all is well for 30 days...
Tech 2 comes out, swaps the card, the motherboard and reassembles the unit wrong.
I can no longer remove my 2.5" SSD via the modular bay. He broke my laptop.
Tech 3 comes out, disassembles the unit, finds the problem, orders parts.
Tech 4 comes out, corrects the problem, and leaves. Within 3 days, the laptop starts
crashing again.
Now it's time to send it back to the depot. No Dell, you may not have my hard drive. I have an identical M4700 that I bought off ebay to protect me from your incompetence. It runs fine.
The depot finds no problems, re-assembles the laptop incorrectly, I can no longer insert the modular 2.5" bay. Send it back. After a week of phone calls, voice mails and emails, I finally talk to a live person - I have no idea if they are a tech or not, but my words are quite simple: "look in the drive bay. Notice the crap hanging down? It's not supposed to be there. Got it?"
I got the laptop back today, popped open the drive bay - crap hanging down again. Still interfering with the operation of the bay.
Un elephanting believable.
Charlie Gilley
<italic>Stuck in a dysfunctional matrix from which I must escape...
"Where liberty dwells, there is my country." B. Franklin, 1783
“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” BF, 1759
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I only use desktops myself, and I build those. If someone asks me for a recommendation, I usually go with Asus or HP...recently, Lenovo has gained some points with me as well.
I've never been a fan of Dell.
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Have you checked for a bios Update. I had a radeon card that kept crashing the desktop and a Bios Update solved the problem.
I can't believe you had that many Bad Techs. Wow
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bios, Oh Lord, I know you're trying to help. All drivers and BIOS are up to date. Try to follow the support logic:
Dell: Please make sure you are running the latest drivers and BIOS.
Me: I am.
Dell: Did you get them from our site?
Me: No, YOUR drivers are 3 years out of date.
Dell: Oh, but you must use our drivers.
Me: I did, but the system still crashes.
Dell: Please re-install Windows.
Me: I own three solid state disk drives. I just spent the weekend re-installing Windows.
The system crashed within two hours.
Dell: Oh, I see. Well, did you try the latest ATI drivers?
Me: Yes, but they are not from your site.
Dell: Oh, right.
So, in desperation, I bought a 4700 off ebay (using it now). Plugged in my SSD, and I've been solid ever since.
Me: Yes, but Dell, I take the SSD and put it in another unit. It runs fine.
Dell: Ummmmm
Me: So, the problem is following the system, yes?
Dell: Ummmm
I know I'm $itching, but telling an obvious power user he has to re-install Windows is insulting AND is so Windows 95.
Charlie Gilley
<italic>Stuck in a dysfunctional matrix from which I must escape...
"Where liberty dwells, there is my country." B. Franklin, 1783
“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” BF, 1759
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It figures that their drivers are out of date then.
depending on what the error message was and wht the os was when it crashed may help narrow down what it was.
By your description it does sound like it could be a problem with that drive bay,
Loose connection or broken wire perhaps.
I glad you got something working.
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The issue with the drive bay is strictly mechanical. I just refuse to fix their work any longer.
The original issue had to do with a video card dying. Since I've played the "update your drivers" game before, I knew how to catch them. I would not even get a blue screen. I'd get the scrambled multicolor video - since I've work for graphics companies doing device drivers, I 'sort' of know what this means. Knowing Microsoft may have gotten me by a rogue update (go google "Display driver has stopped updating and has been restarted" for yet another Dell / AMD debacle), I pulled a backup drive from 3 months ago. Video failed as well.
That's when my tech hell started. I know Dell uses returned / refurbed parts that come from other customers, so I suspect part of the problem is recycling marginal components and hoping it fixes the problem. Hell, it might be something as simple as a mechanical restraint issue on the motherboard (laptops move you know) or a substandard connector.
 I'm just hoping someone from Dell scans this site from time to time. I'm all over them on facebook. If I get one more "we understand your frustration" from some Indian call center... No offense to the southern Asian support centers, I just wish I would hear one of them say, "Sir, we're doing the best we can with this elephanting support systems." That would make my day.
Charlie Gilley
<italic>Stuck in a dysfunctional matrix from which I must escape...
"Where liberty dwells, there is my country." B. Franklin, 1783
“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” BF, 1759
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My wife had a problem on hers and since it was still under warenty I let them fix it.
I told them exactly what the problem was.
That was a burnned out power connector.
When they got done everything worked but the Video camera so they came back out and they replaced the screen.
They most likely just forgot to plug the camera back in after pulling the motherboard.
Their tech People must just be replacement parts people but who knows.
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Asus.
I used to buy Dell...used to.
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I'll have to look into them next time. 2 years left on the warranty on the first system as well as the 2nd plus the square trade.
Charlie Gilley
<italic>Stuck in a dysfunctional matrix from which I must escape...
"Where liberty dwells, there is my country." B. Franklin, 1783
“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” BF, 1759
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I worked for them a number of years ago (90s) and one of the things their sales people were NOT allowed to do was sell a specific component set, bits within a Dell can and do change without notice. The same business case probably still applies.
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity
RAH
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Yeah, that was a funny part. When my video card died, they could not replace it with the original board, as the Radeon chip was no longer available. So they gave me the updated board ... which updated the drivers ...
Dell: Sir, you need to use the original drivers that came with the laptop (circa 2012).
Me: I cannot. I don't have the original video card any more.
Dell: Oh. Ummmmm
I know every company has ups and downs, dell seems to be in a down cycle again. I know if I bought a consumer laptop, things are almost always limited. But I did not buy a consumer laptop, I bought a high end mobile workstation.
Anyway...we'll see how this tragic comedy plays out.
Charlie Gilley
<italic>Stuck in a dysfunctional matrix from which I must escape...
"Where liberty dwells, there is my country." B. Franklin, 1783
“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” BF, 1759
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We love to spend money buying new clothes, but we seldom appreciate that the best moments in life are enjoyed without clothes.
Having a cold drink on hot day with a few friends is nice, but having a hot friend on a cold night after a few drinks - PRICELESS.
Breaking News: Condoms don't guarantee safe sex anymore. A friend of mine was wearing one when he was shot dead by the woman's husband.
Arguing over a girl's bust size is like choosing between Molson, Heineken, Carlsberg, & Budweiser. Men may state their preferences, but will grab whatever is available.
I haven't verified this on Snopes, but it sounds legit. A recent study found women who carry a little extra weight generally live longer than men who mention it.
New version: WinHeist Version 2.1.0
My goal in life is to have a psychiatric disorder named after me.
I'm currently unsupervised, I know it freaks me out too but the possibilities are endless.
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I need a new monitor. 
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But seriously, those are all A-cups.
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Quote: Breaking News: Condoms don't guarantee safe sex anymore. A friend of mine was wearing one when he was shot dead by the woman's husband.
That is not a proof, I bet the shot was not in the condom 
Bruno
[Edit]
*lol* I mean the shot from the iron gun....no the real iron one! My English is to weak to explain it.  
[/Edit]
modified 19-Jan-21 21:04pm.
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Mike Hankey wrote: A recent study found women who carry a little extra weight generally live longer than men who mention it.
Had a close call yesterday. There was a big gathering at the local Wat (Temple) yesterday and my wife stopped back home mid-day to get her key so she would be able to get in when I went out for a ride on my motorcycle in the afternoon.
She showed me some pictures she had taken on her phone and asked if she was getting fat!
Red flag!!! 
As I was looking at them trying to come up with something to say she said "maybe it is because I am wearing white".
I quickly agreed that it was because she was wearing white and added that dark clothes make her look skinny. 
That was a close one that could have ended not so well.
Once you lose your pride the rest is easy.
In the end, only three things matter: how much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you. – Buddha
Simply Elegant Designs Jim<</xml>
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Nicely averted, I personally hate hospitals.
New version: WinHeist Version 2.1.0
My goal in life is to have a psychiatric disorder named after me.
I'm currently unsupervised, I know it freaks me out too but the possibilities are endless.
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What, did I miss something since you mention hospitals or did she threaten to sit on him? 
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Mike Hankey wrote: Nicely averted,
To my credit I was trying to come up with something and didn't just blurt out the first thing that came to mind. Bin there, done that! 
If she had not presented a way out, even with trying to come up with a diplomatic response, I most likely would have said something I would have regretted. 
Once you lose your pride the rest is easy.
In the end, only three things matter: how much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you. – Buddha
Simply Elegant Designs Jim<</xml>
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I just keep telling my wife she needs to gain some weight.
She shakes her head.
Problem averted now and for the future.
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/ravi
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Ah, the joys of home ownership! The wife and I returned from a trip last week to find that the hot water heater (located in a little 3x5 closet in my home office) was on the blink...pulled the covers for a quick test and sure enough, the bottom element has no continuity. It needs a new element. Google turns up a series of DIY videos showing how to do this. In a few, they show how to change out an element without draining the tank. Hmm, just a little 'gurgle' of water...and much easier than dragging a hose through the house. What could go wrong?
In the videos, the guys turn off water to the tank by closing a valve on the inlet line. My tank has a valve on what I assume is the inlet line, so I close it. I check the hot water taps and there is no pressure...absolutely none, which I remember thinking at the time was a little strange. Anyhow, I can't be bothered with it, this is how the guy in the video did it...he also said not to screw with the relief valve, since they have a bad habit of not reseating once opened...so I didn't. I managed to get the lower thermostat loosened and to the point where a trickle of water started seeping out...another turn...an all hell breaks loose!
The old element pops out and water starts gushing (under pressure) from the 1 inch hole! I quickly grabbed the new element and shove it into the hole, but no matter how hard I tried, I could not get the threads started...the pressure was just too much!..and for probably 20 seconds or so I tried in vain, all the while water was either gushing or spraying depending on how hard I pushed! This was bad! I had no choice but to just let it go and run sopping wet out to the tool shed, get an adjustable wrench, and run to the front yard where the water meter was, then turn off the main...probably around a minute. Then I ran in, and was able to get the new element threaded and sealed. My office is carpeted with a decent padding. So far I have managed to vacuum out about 20-30 gallons of filthy water out of it, and the damage was confined to a fairly small area. Fans are in place and all should be dry in a day or two...and I now have hot water again.
Now, where did I go wrong? The valve at the top of my tank is apparently on the hot side, not the cold side, so shutting that off did absolutely nothing but stop the flow going out!
Still, it's one of the dumbest things I've ever done! I hope it's worth some laughs!
"Go forth into the source" - Neal Morse
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Isn't that why plumbers never colour code or label the pipes? So whenever the home owner tries a bit of DIY there is a good chance of a callout and some lucrative repair work.
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That's pretty dumb, yes - I normally turn off the water at the point it runs into the house and then open the hot and cold taps, and do nothing until they stop running. For a "near the bottom" element I'd drain the tank anyway, as water likes to run downhill...
But most of the ones I've worked on have been "emersion heaters" where you have a single element which screws into the top of a copper tank, with a three or so inch diameter thread. (You can just see the edge of the nut under the black cover: Piccy[^])
These trickle at worst, but...when they get old, the copper gets pretty brittle, and if the nut is a bit "sticky" and you use the wrong tool, or too much elbow grease...you rip the neck off the tank and have to get a new one.
I've not done that, but a mate did...
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
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Our water heater has sealed tubes in which the heating elements sit (there are two). This system is so smart, one wonders why it's not the norm. The thermal conductivity of the sealed tubes must be pretty good as I don't experience any lack of response.
I've only ever had to replace one and it was ridiculously easy.
Life is like a s**t sandwich; the more bread you have, the less s**t you eat.
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