Dell Support Forums

[nakile]

I came across Dell's forums today and decided to browse it a little bit. So here I am thinking the iMac is having a lot of problems, check out some of the stuff going on here:

http://www.dellcommunity.com/supportforums/board?board.id=dim_other

And that's only a small section of their technical support site.

USB ports not working, ethernet not working, keyboard and mouse not working. But the thing the strikes me real odd is that there are a ton of threads on failing power supplies. These are really some of the last things I would think of having problems with.

After all, how hard is it to perfect a USB port?

Next I decided to check out the Notebook section. I first stumble across this:

http://www.dellcommunity.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=insp_general&thread.id=261362

I have a Latitude D505 with a standard config. After swapping out the two original 256MB modules with two new 512MB modules the laptop won't start up. When I press the power button the power LED lights solid for 5 seconds then goes out. I put the original memory back into the system and get the same results (no start just the 5 second power LED).

This system just came off warranty about 40 days ago, so if there's a way to revive without new parts I would be very grateful.

Thanks much!

Did the system beep when you tried to boot it with no memory?

No beeps, just the illumination of the power LED for 5 seconds.

If the system didn't beep when no memory was detected, the mainboard is history.

It seems a simple memory upgrade kills your motherboard. I don't know what you could do for that to happen.

This brings me to my question: Wouldn't it be more cost efficient for Dell to built their computers with higher quality components so that they wouldn't have to have a ton of repair service and technical support available for customers? I'm no business expert, but it seems like it would to me.

 

[yg17]

No offense, but Macs have had their fair share of widespread problems in the past. Anything that's mass produced in the numbers that Dell produces computers is bound to have several bad units, and the people who have broken units are going to be more vocal than the people whose computer works fine.


And a simple RAM upgrade can kill the mobo if you're not grounded and zap your mobo with static electricity.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

also rememeber it is a numbers game. Dell sells a lot more computers than Apple so you should expect to see a lot more things like that crop up.

As for USB ports failing I am not surpised. The front ones on my home build PC have been busted for a few years now. If you start looking closely at them you can see how USB can fail.

Before you bash just because of a memory upgrade macs for a while where plague with memory problems when doing upgrades.
As for PSU sadly they are pretty common for a part that fails across the board. But it is the nature of the part. Plus manufacturers (yes apple included) do not put much over head on there PSU so they are running closer to there limit. I would not expect any manufactures to put a PSU in one of their computers as the one I dropped in my homebuilt rig but I built mine so I put a high quality one in it that has a lot of overhead in it.

 

[tersono]

As for USB ports failing I am not surpised. The front ones on my home build PC have been busted for a few years now.

I recently had to move one of our workstations at work. The PCs in question have the usual motherboard-mounted USB sockets and the one in question was connected to a printer, which was working just fine. I pulled the USB plug out of the socket (gently, I might add) and the whole port came with it!

Yeah, I can see how USB ports could fail

 

[Ariez]

You wouldnt find much praise going to support forums. Thats like surveying how Dell is doing on thier computers on the technical support line.

 

[Sesshi]

A lot, and I mean a lot, more people own Dells than Apples. They're built about the same in terms of quality. What will you get? Statistics dictate that even if the failure percentage is about the same, there will be far more actual failures. And that there will be all sorts of failures.

First, plug in brain - then browse & post.

 

[Killyp]

A lot, and I mean a lot, more people own Dells than Apples. They're built about the same in terms of quality. What will you get? Statistics dictate that even if the failure percentage is about the same, there will be far more actual failures. And that there will be all sorts of failures.

First, plug in brain - then browse & post.

I disagree. I've got a Dell computer, and it isn't built to anywhere near the same quality as even my original G3 iMac. The Dell has had a drive failure, RAM failure, failed graphics card, and crappy motherboard design (to the extent that installing two hard drives on the same IDE channel results in sketchy graphics and popping audio). This is all on a 'top of the range' machine. My G3 had a drive failure, after 7 years.

We've also got a Dell laptop, which has had two screen replacements (backlight replacement) and numerous bits have broken off. This is one of the later models, so not a mk1.

Then my dad got a Dell for use at work, and that failed four days outside of it's warranty, and Dell wouldn't give any kind of 'exceptional' warranty.

To add to that, the quality of the plastics and casing on all the Dell stuff I've had has been no way near the same quality as my Apple stuff. Heck even the Acers my dad went with for business were built better (although they're all failing now).

Apple replaced my mk1 MacBook Pro more than two months outside of it's warranty (overheating, fading screen and logic board issue). My new MacBook Pro is flawess, my dad's MacBook is perfect and my G3 is still going strong.

Apple definitely builds to a higher standard than Dell.

 

[Sesshi]

If you compare a £500 Dell (or a maxed-out low-end model) with a £2000 Mac, there might just be some variances in build quality. What I said about plugging in the brain.

 

[0098386]

I dunno about overall quality, but I broke my old 2005WFP and they shipped me a brand new 2007 model. It was my own fault but they just gave me it.

Can't really fault that kind of service! It arrived 3 days after contacting them too.

 

[Stampyhead]

A lot, and I mean a lot, more people own Dells than Apples. They're built about the same in terms of quality. What will you get? Statistics dictate that even if the failure percentage is about the same, there will be far more actual failures. And that there will be all sorts of failures.

First, plug in brain - then browse & post.

Ok, you love Dell. We get it. No need to be rude to the OP. It's not his fault their computers break.

 

[Sesshi]

Ok, you love Dell. We get it. No need to be rude to the OP. It's not his fault their computers break.

It's not a matter of what I love - It's a matter of what I dislike. Oh, and I just offer relevant advice.

 

[Killyp]

If you compare a £500 Dell (or a maxed-out low-end model) with a £2000 Mac, there might just be some variances in build quality. What I said about plugging in the brain.

Actually, I spent £1800 on a 'top of the range' Dimension 8300 (of my own money I might add). It never crossed my mind that I could buy a Mac, knowing I would want to use the computer to make music. A PowerMac of the same cost at the time would have seriously outperformed it, and been massively superior in build quality and longevity.

 

[nakile]

If you compare a £500 Dell (or a maxed-out low-end model) with a £2000 Mac, there might just be some variances in build quality. What I said about plugging in the brain.

I might not know much about European pricing, but I don't think that even with VAT added that most Macs would could £2000. Isn't that something like $4000 USD?

 

[Sesshi]

Standard/base-spec 17" MBP + Applecare = >£2000 inc VAT.

Actually, I spent £1800 on a 'top of the range' Dimension 8300 (of my own money I might add). It never crossed my mind that I could buy a Mac, knowing I would want to use the computer to make music. A PowerMac of the same cost at the time would have seriously outperformed it, and been massively superior in build quality and longevity.

Yes I know. Which is why I qualified my post with a 'maxed-out low end model'. You can easily double the price of a Mini with accessories and parts, and that's basically what you did. People don't know that many manufacturers go higher. I'd refer you to some of my comments regarding workstations and why Apple sells "consumerised workstations". I'm sure you can search if you're bothered enough - which I think you're not, and neither am I.

 

[nakile]

Standard/base-spec 17" MBP + Applecare = >£2000 inc VAT.

But that's a rather extreme example. What about the 20" iMac or the Macbook?