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Notebook display issue - ATI Radeon 200M

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Darwin:
I learned a lesson today - always check out the equipment that is returned after a repair before messing around with it...

Background: I sent a notebook in for extended warranty work (DC connection wasn't working). Before sending it in I removed the aftermarket RAM and harddrive upgrades that I had installed and replaced them with the original equipment (two reasons: 1. if the machine wasn't going to be repaired I wanted the RAM and the harddrive and 2. the original harddrive has nothing on it other than a vanilla install of XP Home so no worries about banking information, etc. falling into the wrong hands). I received the notebook today and verified that it was receiving power from the AC adapter... I wish that I had turned it on first...

The warranty repair shop had FESTOONED my notebook with "Warranty Void if Seal is Broken" stickers over the screw covers for the RAM access panel, one of the screws for the Harddrive cover, and a couple of other screws (presumably allowing access to the motherboard or something). Anyway, to cut to the chase, I broke the seals, re-upgraded the components, and fired up the notebook. 25 to 30% of the lcd is a solid black band. As far as I can tell, this is likely an issue with the video adapter (ATI Radeon 200M).

Any advice? Should I take it back to Staples and argue that claiming that the warranty is voided when the end user upgrades components that the manufacturer deems "user upgradeable" is ludicrous (incidentally, this was the third trip to the warranty repair shop for this notebook and the first time it came back with any stickers on it at all - and it certainly didn't have any on it when I purchased it brand new)? Any other suggestions? It's a Compaq Presario R4225CA, if that helps. I have a pdf version of the repair manual but it is silent on the issue of the video card.

Not happy in Courtenay...  :(

cranioscopical:
I'd head back to Staples.

Sometimes their store managers aren't drawn from the deep end of the gene pool but, in the case of in-store reluctance and/or ineptitude, I've usually managed to bully coax someone higher up into a state of compliance. In my dealings with Staples they've been more reasonable than not, sometimes they just need to be shown the light.

SpoilerAnd, should it be that DoCo is populated by Staples' managers, may I say what a fine body of people you are!

Darwin:
Heh, heh - I'm reading Gum, by Douglas Coupland at the moment. Very apros pros...

Anyway, thank you for your comment, Chris. I dread going back to Staples, but suppose I have nothing to lose - except time. The notebook will be sent back to your neck of the woods (Vancouver Island all the way to Toronto) for repair, so I won't see it for a good long time...

J-Mac:
Either that or rip the remainder of the stickers off and then say, "Stickers?  What stickers?"   8)

Jim

mouser:
What if you go back to the store and tell them when the monitor didn't work you went looking for what was wrong, which included opening the stickers.

The nice thing about Staples is that they don't seem to be interested in being bastards.  My experience is that since it's so soon after you took it in and with the warranty, they probably won't think twice about taking it back to fix again.  Don't stress over it, just go back and tell them what happened.

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