Stompy

For 45 minutes now I've been trying to get a hold of someone to tell me how much it would be to repair the power connector at the back of my laptop (it's loose).

These stupid fucking assholes keep transferring me around (I lost count after 6 transfers), giving me different phone numbers (about 5 total).

I can't fucking find a single person to give me a price.

What can I do about this? This is absolutely f'n ridiculous.

On top of that, these dicks will probably try to get off charging me for a new motherboard since the power connector is on the mobo... so basically this laptop I got just a year ago (the warranty expired in March, how convenient).

1. WTF can I do about this runaround bullshit? How the hell can a company operate like this?

2. Is there any way I can fix that power connector problem without sending it in? There's no f'n way a loose power connector should cost anything more than $100 (unless you're blatantly trying to rip someone off, which they will no doubt attempt).

As I typed all this out, I spoke with a stupid-assed supervisor who told me "I"ll transfer you to where you need to go and they will have the info you need.."

2 transfers later, ANOTHER FUCKIN NUMBER TO CALL. There HAS to be something illegal about this.. I can't get a hold of anyone for a goddamn thing!!!

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cartmen34

Sad to say it, but I don't know of a way around this problem. I had to do it for my wife's laptop keyboard, and I got the royal runaround for about 25 minutes before someone told me "they do not give out quotes over the phone." What?!? I just need a new keyboard!....??

The day someone sets some laptop standards, so that we can build our own, just like a desktop machine, is the day I bust nuts in happiness. Fuckwads, all of them.

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Dilbert1234567

magic word

Supervisor

ask to talk to them, tell them you are getting the run around and want a straight answer. remember everyone has a supervisor.

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Stompy

I talked to a guy who claims that he will call me back with a price quote (yeah right) and mentioned something about the cost will be high since it's on the mobo.

They're tellin me they can't solder the goddamn thing? If I get screwed outta this laptop, which again, is just over a year old, I'll be gettin this money back in some shape or form.. (probably through downloading goodies on p2p/usenet).

I'll be damned if a company like this is gonna get away with screwing me outta $1400.

[edit]
Yeah, Dilbert, I ended up talkin w/ a supervisor. They managed to get me someone that's takin care of this (or so they say).

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the_marq

Well I guess you won't be buying another Compaq (I hope).

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#3 in a series

wonderwench

Why not try to find a little owner-operated repair shop in your local area? I have found one near me that does better, faster repairs than the "company-run" service centers.

EG: we have a Sony TV I purchased in 1988. Something happened so that everything was purple. The chain place estimated $500 to fix it (more than the replacement costs). We found a little shop that was able to repair it for $130. The guy also handles computers. We have since had a printer repaired by him and will continue to patronize his business.

Stompy

I actually know of a way to scam a laptop from them. I'm thinkin about trying it.

It's a pretty ingenious little method, too (I know a few people who've done it). Once I do it, I'll share with you guys how to do it

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Scorpion23

Try www.compaqsucks.com
They have all kinds of posts on how to get the most out of the tech support, and a whole lot of horror stories about compaq.

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Boo

AST was worse. Six months of calling to find out that they had a recall on their CD-Rom drive. What asshats.

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Back button again, I must be getting old.

Flyguy

Just thank god you're not dealing with Dell. Those Indians can't speak english for shit.

Flyguy

Please do.

aeturnum

Good luck, I had a power connector come loose in a Compaq laptop - their solution is to replace the whole motherboard. So, I took it apart and soldered on a new plug. Of course, for some reason that I never figured out, opening the laptop caused the display to become pseudo-broken, so it only displays on 800x600 of the screen.

Stompy

Haha, that's Compaq, too. I swear their calling centers are in the heart of India.

It wouldn't be bad if you could actually understand them, but you CAN'T. On top of that, they can't even HEAR english properly.

One of the people I talked to, I asked, "I'd like an estimate on how much it would cost to repair a power connector on a presario laptop" and he goes "So you would like to buy a laptop?" wtf? No matter HOW mumbled I could've possibly said it, what I said sounds NOTHING like what he heard.

And that stupid dick still hasn't called me back I knew he wouldn't.

[edit]
Are there even any good laptop manufacturers anymore, or do they all pull this same stunt? I know dell at one time was good, but like with anything else, the bigger they get, the crappier their products become.

I'll probably end up having to get either a Sony/IBM.

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timberwolf72004

hey try to see if you might be able to fix it and order it yourself. Try going to www.pricewatch.com or check at www.tigerdirect.com

Stompy

A friend just told me about a power pad that you can set your laptop on and it will charge up!!

There are two metal circles on the bottom of the laptop that you can sit on top of a certain pad.

I'm lookin around for it now, but not really finding anything. Anyone hear anything about these?

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God of Thunder

The problem most of the "big name" computer compnays is that they really don't care about the end user. If you have a problem such as your, they would rather just sell you an upgrade.

Go with what wonderwench said and try and find a local repair shop to fix it. I do stuff like that all the time on the side and save customers hundreds of dollars. My aunt has a Gateway and they wanted $199 for a 128mb DIMM and that was just for the part. It would have cost her another $80 to have it installed somewhere. I bought the DIMM for around $60 and put it in for free since she was a relative (She made me dinner ).

Unless the unit is under warranty, do not call the company for service. Go to find a local company. Or, chances are one of the guys in your company's IT department can do it on the side. That's how I get a lot of my business.

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Cynthetiq

having worked with manfac repair depots, laptop mobos screens and case parts are VERY expensive....what you think it costs vs what it REALLY costs are two different animals.

you'll need to find an authorized repair center in order to get it fixed.

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Stompy

What about a docking station?

There has to be a way around this.. either a docking station or that power pad thing.

Yeah, but you don't need to replace a whole mobo to fix a loose connector. All ya gotta do is solder it or attach it back into place. What more is it?

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mikec

hehehe, I'm sorry....I laughed out loud just reading the title of this thread.

compaq tech support has made my blood boil on more than 1 occassion. I feel your pain, and hope your issue gets resolved.

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Stompy

I found a shop (via their website) in CA that repairs laptops.

They're registered with the BBB, so it's lookin pretty good so far. $150 to repair, parts & labor.

Not bad.

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Cynthetiq

dunno but most of my techs weren't allowed to resolder any parts. it was always just replace the board.. faster and guaranteed against cold solder points, quality control.

good you found an inexpensive solution.

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JohnnyRoyale

I'm gonna say this: Since Compaq was bought out by HP, they've competely gone to shit. I ordered a proliant server from Compaq, and it didn't show..for two and a half MONTHS. I eventually had to call a reseller friend of mine & beg a system from him. Of course, they did ship the tape drive...which they've been asking for for the past month...I keep telling them it's been sent, and it's just their system that can't see it as having been shipped...which they've bought, so far.

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berkut

My bother had the same exact problem with his Presario 1700US laptop: our uncle solved it by soldering another connector outside of the notebook housing, lesson learned: never buy compaq again. POS.

Scorpion23

Can't go wrong with IBM if you can afford it. They have the best equipment out there, and the tech support is good too.

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ratbastid

As long as you're on a rampage, see if you can't kill the SOB at Compaq who designs their proprietary desktop cases.

I've lost more knuckle skin inside Compaq cases than anywhere else.

asittler

Yeah, I agree ratbastid. To boot, my router's built in an old borked-up Compaq case... without the card holder piece of metal. Hence, you have to be /very/ careful or the NICs or the display card will actually pop out into the case. That, and the power switch is a ghetto-fabbed old ATX switch bolted on to the back of the case in a serial port hole. Did we mention this case is a piece of crap?

Cynthetiq

oh... i kept thinking those were potato chip bits.

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nanofever

Changing *anything* on the inside of a Compaq is going to result in at least two of the following:

1. A bleeding hand

2. Several screws lost in the case for eternity

3. Having to take the entire case apart to reach the CMOS, ram, HD's, fans, ect

4. Dust Bunnies rampaging across your room set free from their draconian prison

5. Complete disgust for Compaq



My first computer was a tiny Compaq Presario Circa 1999 and it lasted me about four years. My new computer is lovely and is incased in an Antec Server Case. I could take my motherboard out of that case and live in it. The difference between the two is massive if I ever have to do maintainance on the Compaq.

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Stompy

Good stuff. I completely disassembled the laptop and found that the connection (solder) points to the AC jack were broken.

We have a tv repair shop next door and I had one of the guys resolder it. Works PERFECTLY now! The guy only asked for $5, too! Man, I should've handed him a $50 since even the cheapest of laptop repair centers said it would've been $150.

Now I'm happy. Not at Compaq, but happy my laptop is back in use! Those bastards still haven't returned my call. I'll never buy from them again.

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Redlemon

Sweet! Perhaps you could go spend $50 on other stuff around his place.

Frowning Budah

Compaq has always been shit. Everybody I ever knew that bought one had problems with it. I have a Toshiba Lap Top that is 6 years old and I have never had a problem with it. Don't know how Toshiba's help desk is, but if they make a good product you shouldn't have to be dealing with their help desk.