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Computer question - return or keep Dell XPS8300

Discussion in 'Community Broadband & Computers' started by Mike-and-Kim, Sep 2, 2011.

  1. Mike-and-Kim

    Mike-and-Kim Member

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    When I first received this and it had a loose screw inside rattling around inside...should have perhaps taken that as an omen of things to come...

    Two and a half-ish months later the system is dead after returning home, repeatedly. Costco concierge service helped me trace it to bad memory using the diagnostics, and ultimately a bad motherboard.

    They contacted Dell, who is offering to come out and swap the motherboard. On the other hand maybe I should just cut my losses and return this. I have a few days until I am beyond the 90 day return.

    Any advice appreciated.

    http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11652306&whse=BC&Ne=5000136+4000000&eCat=BC|84|56671&N=4047237%204294899772&Mo=9&pos=3&No=7&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C&ec=BC-EC5-Cat84&topnav=
     
  2. Rhaegar

    Rhaegar Member

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    I would return it. The parts failed for a reason and you don't want to be stuck in a perpetual whack-a-mole trying to figure out why it might be a lemon.
     
  3. hornerjo

    hornerjo Senior Member

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    Dell is quite good with their at-home service if you want to keep it. I have the XPS 8300 as well, bought it a couple weeks ago from Dell Outlet. Hope you get it fixed!
     
  4. Mr. Linux

    Mr. Linux Senior Member & Moderator Forum Staff

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    Cut your losses and return it. Take the money and buy a new one, which will most likely have *slightly* better specs, since they tend to update the models every few months. Order straight from Dell; look for online sales and coupons and you'll be amazed at how cheap you'll be able to pick one up for. If your time horizon is flexible, you might want to consider the upcoming Black Friday sales as an additional option.
     
  5. MikeK

    MikeK Member

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    My brother recently did what Mr. Linux suggested and found some coupons and built a good system from Dell online. His is also an 8300.

    How long did it take to start exhibiting problems? The reason I ask is because I just received almost the exact same PC from Costco on Thursday.

    http://www.costco.com/Browse/Produc...pageHorizontalTop-_-PopularProductsInCategory

    Same model just different RAM and hard drive. I've only had it for a day but now I'm nervous. I'll run some diagnostics on the memory now just to verify that is ok.

    Please let us know how this turns out.

    Thanks

    Mike
     
  6. Mr. Linux

    Mr. Linux Senior Member & Moderator Forum Staff

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    Mike had what he believed was a 'loose screw' inside his which most probably attributed to his issues. If yours doesn't make any rattling sounds, etc, you should be okay. Dell laptops are rock solid.
     
  7. Mike-and-Kim

    Mike-and-Kim Member

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    I'm not exactly sure. Kim thinks it was a month to a month and a half ago in terms of acting up, but coming home to the dead screen was fairly recent. We used the diagnostics under the F12 key at startup to find the problem.

    My parents have a recent Dell desktop with quite a few problems (they bought some service thing so have had numerous hard drives replaced etc). Kim's old Dell on the other hand has been just fine but is getting pretty old.

    This one also after I removed the loose screw and put the side cover back on the fan made a huge racket as the PS cables were not tied down and were getting smacked around by the fan blade...

    Reading the reviews on Costco it seems other people have had problems with this locking up etc. Maybe this was just a bad batch. Sales at some places seem to correspond to bad batches - I remember when they had the first problems with the old i7's I think there were a lot on sale just before it hit the news.

    If I return it I'm just not sure what I'd replace it with if not the same thing, I like the idea of the Costco concierge services.

    When this thing works it is amazing, compared to an Athlon quad core (ZT systems) we have it has less power draw and a lower processor usage.
     
  8. Mike-and-Kim

    Mike-and-Kim Member

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    That is a good idea, thanks!
     
  9. Mike-and-Kim

    Mike-and-Kim Member

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    Well, somewhat out of laziness I decided to let Dell replace the motherboard (at our house).

    Monday: no phone call or email from them. I figure it's a holiday, maybe they meant Tuesday.

    Tuesday: no phone call or email.

    Wed: I call Costco, who calls Dell. Motherboard should be arriving today. Receive computerized phone message from Dell saying they will not be able to install today.

    Thur: Costco calls back, to make sure everything is going OK (they have been top notch, as always). I say no problem, I still have time to evaluate the repair since I have until the 10th to return it (as I've verified with them). No they say, it is today the 8th.

    I take off work midday to return this to Costco (wanted some margin in case they said I was missing a power cord and could not return it).

    Then received phone call from a Dell technician trying to set up appointment, I explain that I've returned it.

    An hour later got another phone call from Dell saying technician is on the way to the house...
     

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