Poll: DELL 20% MSN rebate thread #4: HOT upgrade to WIN 2k for free

[LuZeR]

bump

 

[Esquire]

very cool... can someone explain what i8000 is?

thanks

 

[Braxus]

Just wondering... For those that got the W2K discs already is it a Dell W2K notebook restore type CD or just like a strait OEM copy of W2K?

I already have a copy of W2K and installed it. Everything works fine besides those mutlimedia access keys next to the power button. I did get the volume control keys to work but other than that, the rest of the multimedia access keys are unfunctional.

My notenbook was a little creaky but that problem seemed to go away after I rebuilt my notebook by hand.

 

[Dx-treme]

mind letting us know how you *rebuilt your notebook ???

IMHO the dell inspiron series jusr plain underbuilt compared to all other laptops i have ever worked with !

As with the OS upgrade you only have 30 days period to do so.

Also be very very aware that this upgrade will not change your invoice no, order no or any other document number as this may affect your 20% MSN rebate. can someone call and confirm on this as i am getting tired of taalking to so called DELL Tech support that thinks WIN2000 is a beta version for the new and upcoming WIN Me

 

[Braxus]

Dx-treme,

I just took everything apart and re-assembled it. Make sure the screws were all tight and everything snug. I added some heatsink compund on the video card to help cool it better. Thinking about removing the CPU heatsink and replacing the thermal pad with some paste too. After working with it, building a notebook isn't really much harder than building a desktop machine. You just work with smaller componets.

 

[LuZeR]

my i-4k always freezes when running real encoder.
what gives?
this stinks. i am gonna ask for win2k.

 

[jcalvert]

To everybody who posted about getting the OS exchange... thanks for all the helpful info. I was finally able to contact a tech who knew about the exchange after going through about eight CSRs.

Braxus: To get the multimedia keys to work, you can install the AccessDirect drivers off of the Drivers CD Dell sent you or you can download the most current version off of the support web site. It appears that the only reason you would need to get the new drivers are for language compatability issues.

 

[fong718]

got my OS exchanged with the 2nd csr i talked to, just got my replacement of my dvddrive, old one was defective. for my battery, i have the regular one, and the csr wouldn't let me upgrade to get the good one, anyone try this before? the battery right now sucks...its still in the 30day purchase time frame.
thanks

 

[okok]

I won't travel extensively and will use my I4K as desktop most of time and have pulled off the battery. I want to know which method is better for keeping the battery: completely discharge it or fully charge it?

Another funny thing today is, I called Dell CSR to upgrade the Win ME to Win 2K. The CSR told me to replace my current HDD with one loaded with Win 2K. Guess the reason he gave: You cannot completely get rid of Win ME even if you reformat the HDD! Sucks, Dell CSR!

 

[John]

When I called Dell last night, the tech didn't mention that I needed to ship Win ME back. However I did offer and he said "nah we don't need the software...but I do need to product code and number off the bottom of your i8000"

luv2chill, all of the screen printing on my i8000 is near perfect as far as I can tell. The build quality seems very good IMHO.

jcalvert, thanks for the heads up on the Softex Access Direct, it worked beautifully !

You guys have supplied some wonderful feedback on the i8000.

 

[MarkI]

Which of the current Inspiron models is closest to 7000?
I owe 7000 for almost two years. Nice and sturdy machine. Thinking about upgrade because of the processor's speed.

Thanks,
Mark

 

[CrazyJohn]

You guys are awesome! I just got off the phone with Dell's Tech Support.

I told her that WinME was horribly unstable, and that I installed Win2K, but found out that Dell won't support anything other than the preinstalled O/S.

She took my WinME key and said they'd send out a new HD and the CD's. I couldn't get her to just send the CD's, though. She did tell me the HD would NOT be refurbed because my system is still in the 30-day period.

I can't believe I'm getting a free upgrade to Win2K, courtesy of Dell!

Thanks again!

 

[flippo]

d###mn.. just got of with dell CSR and he can only offer me to downgrade to win98 rather than ME.
Actually what you guys tellinng the CSR the get free upgrade to win2K?

 

[Possum]

Wow, looks like Dell took a step down with the 8000 Inspirons. My brother and dad both have the 7000 series Inspirons for work, and these laptops are very nice. The case doesn't feel flimsy and there are no problems with the LCD screen. The DVD drive is very loud though and vibrates the table the laptop is on, but what the hey, pretty decent DVD decoding and Dolby 2 channel surround for a laptop.

 

[luv2chill]

Not to mention the 7000s weight about five tons...

slight exxageration there but I know that is one advantage of the 8000... it is lighter than the behemoth 7000 and 7500.

l2c

 

[MusashiX]

I'm getting the W2k OS upgrade as well. I know that it isn't meant for gaming, but I would like to put in some non-intensive games such as Diablo 2 or the Sims on my i4000. Am I going to have problems installing these games? If so, what can I do to fix them?

 

[MusashiX]

huh? What happened to my message? Anyways, to the point: will I have trouble installing Diablo 2 and The Sims on Win2k? If so, is there anything that I can do to fix it?

 

[Esquire]

Any thought if getting 2k will change my order #?

thanks...

win ME is bonk...

 

[luv2chill]

No, I asked this when I called and they said it wouldn't... it has to do with the fact that you're dealing with Tech Support and not Customer Service. If CS has to change your order in any way, they must cancel the original and issue you a new order number. Tech Support just sends you what you need under a different order number.

l2c

 

[CrazyJohn]

flippo, the key is to talk to technical support, not customer service. See my message above for what I told them.

 

[SodBuster]

Just got off the phone with Tech Support. They will give me Win2k, no questions asked, essentially. Just told them that WinME on my i8000 was freezing every now and then. I like my i8000, and don't feel the sturdiness of the case will matter that much, since one should be careful with puters of this type anyway (it is off limits to my 13 year-old). I have never had any complaints with Dell. They are "heads above the crowd", IMHO.

 

[Midnight Rambler]

<< DEll service is the worst ever. If you ever want to upgrade to the different OS you are basically screwed ! DELL would only trouble shoot and provide phone technical service with the original OS in your laptop. >>

That is a ridiculous statement. As well, it is the standard policy for every major computer OEM I know of, as well as most any other box builder, even mom &amp; pop shops. Expecting someone to support something they did not sell you, nor did they have any quality control over how it was installed, is beyond unrealistic. If you want a valid point to argue, then maybe take arms over the fact tht many OEMs are now just installing the OS on to the drive and only giving you a &quot;backup&quot; CD, rather than a real copy of Windows (whatever version). Now THAT is something that does suck ...

 

[Dx-treme]

I had my IBM Thinkpad 770e from many years back. The thing originally came with Win 95. Early this year i upgraded with win 2000 professional and had many problems with the upgrade. I called IBM and they gladly help me resolved all of my problems and i am a happy win 2k camper now.

OS is virtually universal on any machines. Now if i am demanding support on the new Margi firewire pcmcia card for my DELL, that is a different situation. Not to mention that DELL do sell the Inspiron 8000 with WIN 2k.

It is like your car dealer refuse to check your new under 30 days car because you just changed to a different tire. If you changed the engine then it is understandable.

 

[Dx-treme]

For those that are getting new HD with win 2k replacement, dont worry about the HDD being &quot;refurbished&quot;.

DELL told me that the replacement drives are brand new and because they have to install WIN 2k or any OS in it, by law they cannot call the HDD &quot;NEW&quot; anymore.

You also have more options,

1) just install the win2k cd into your old hdd (if you are paranoid of receiving &quot;refurbished&quot; HDD) and reutrn the new HDD and your old Win me cd

2) Take new HDD and WIN 2k cd and return the WIN me cd and your original HDD

 

[TaylorD]

Since this thread has become the &quot;I8000&quot; owner's group I figured I'd share my story:

I ordered an I8k, approximately $3000 worth, on 12/11... A few days later, I got a call saying my credit card had not been authorized. I told the Dell Rep. that called me that I would call back to work it out, and SPECIFICALLY ASKED IF MY ORDER WOULD BE CANCELLED AFTER A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME. She told me no, they would not cancel my order on me...

So today I called back, and the Dell Rep. I got this time told me that my order had been cancelled because 5 days had passed. I kindly explained to her that I had been misinformed by another rep, but she (rather rudely) refused to acknowledge that the mistake was made by Dell and not myself.

So now I am in a situation where I could have had a $3000 laptop for $2500, but (I feel anyway) I got dicked out of that $500... So do I really want to give Dell my business?

Anyways, I am pissed off... I am trying to find a laptop comparable to the one I had lined up on dells site, and I can't find one, especially not for $2500.

So if any of you guys get so disgusted that you want to sell your I8k, LMK

BTW, I did get my email confirmation that I qualified for the rebate, although I know that means nothing because the order was not completed...