Ian,
A few incorrect statements in your post...
Re: "Everything you buy for the computer has to be ordered from Dell or it will not run properly"
If you, for instance, want to upgrade your sound card to the newest CreativeLabs sound card, where you purchase the card has nothing to do with the functioning of the computer. Dell doesn't magically re-do the wiring and make the card only work with their systems.
Re: "or they will not honor the service contract."
They WILL honor the service contract if you installed a new sound card and your hard drive fails at a later date. They will NOT honor the service contract if you fry the motherboard by trying to install a new sound card yourself, like if you forget to ground yourself. If you are unlucky enough to get a damaged sound card from CompUSA and it frys your motherboard, your complaint has to be with CompUSA or CreativeLabs. Dell should not be required to fix problems casued by other components after the sale of the machine.
Re: "I bought new RAM from a 3rd party but Dell told me if I installed it they would not be liable for the warranty"
Dell's waranty will NOT cover the 3rd party RAM should the RAM fail, but your system IS still covered as long as any computer failure isn't a direct result of the 3rd party RAM.
Re: "I went and bought a Windows home xp upgrade yesterday from Staples that is half a mile from my house but it will not work in my computer because it did not come from Dell."
Didi you do the installation correctly? Is your computer XP upgradable ready? Can you imagine the ramifications if every DELL owner who wanted to upgrade from Windows 98 was REQUIRED to purchase the XP upgrade from DELL? Just isn't so!! Windows XP upgrade is a WIndows product, manufactured and shrink wrapped by microsoft, not DELL. Whether you purchase from Staples or Dellware, you get a microsoft product, not a DELL product and it has NO bearing on its functioning in a specific computer.
I ordered an 8200 last month sans sound card and with the least expensive video card. Since the purchase, I've upgraded to a Hercules nvidia Ti500 based video card, and a CreativeLabs Audigy sound card. If my DELL installed memory goes bad a year from now, it's DELL's problem and they will fix/repalce it. If something goes astray with the sound card....its back to CreativeLabs. Its not DELL's problem then. This is the way it has always been with DELL; it's outlined in their warranty and I know it from experience with DELL. Its unfortunate that the rep you spoke to didn't fully explain the policy. ALso, all the major computer makers have almost identical policies.
You are correct, the DELL systems are beautiful computers, so upgrade away until your hearts content and don't worry about the warranty issue. You probably will never need it anyway!
Cheers,
Kaka |
