New Dell Laptop issues - should I do what Tech Spprt is telling me?

[vegan]

I purchased a new Dell Studio 1535. Upon delivery, the screen was black, and the battery statuds light above the keyboard began flickering white, bright, then dim, fast, then slow, then it would go black. The system sounded as though it was trying to start up, then shut itself down again, while the screen remained black.

After talking w/2 techs, I shipped the new laptop back to Dell. Even though I included a detailed letter on what the issues were, Dell shipped the laptop (and my letter) back to me, the battery status light still flickering madly. (I really expected Dell would have shipped out a new laptop, seeing as tI've never even used the one they delviered, and as it appeared to have been knocked around - there's a small nick in the laptop cover itself.)

I called Tech Support again, and was told by both a tech + his mgr that the issue would be resolved if I left it plugged in for a few hours. Seeing as 2 techs had already told me I had to ship it in to have it examined, I rather doubted this, but...

8 hours of AC power later, the battery LED light us still flickering madly.

I contacted Tech Support via chat, and was told I need to UPGRADE THE BIOS, and to contact them again if this didn't work.

My question for anyone who can respond is as follows: On a brand new, never used (I'm typing this on my older model overheating Gateway) Dell Laptop, which I haven't so much as typed a single word on, would you now upgrade the BIOS to see if it works, and if not, contact Tech Support yet again - or would you go with the instinct that says the new laptop was roughed up before being sent to me, and probably has more issues yet to find, so just pack it back up, return it to Dell, and contact the Better Business Bureau? I really don't want to log on to the internet on the new laptop to do the upgrade, seeing as I've yet to use it.

Thanks for any advice!

 

[overclockingrocks]

I'd go with my gut on this one. if there's nicks in the actual casing itself as yo state. and the screen is remaining black and such there is no way this would have passed QC testing from the factory. I'll bet what you got was an open box model that someone mistakenly put into a sealed box to ship out as a new instead of open box model. I'd pack it up return it dell ask for a refund of your money and go buy a laptop in a store say best buy or Fry's etc. just at least then you'll see that the laptop you are getting works before you leave the store. If Dell balks at the return tell them that they shipped you a non working product and that you have already phoned them. if they still refuse to accept the return I'd be filing a small claims suite for your money back and then go and as I said buy something at an actual store and not online

 

[theworminator]

Yeah, basically, there's a point where you might as well return it while you're still within the return window, because once you're outside that, you'd out of luck in case your computer decides to actually not work. As for listening to Dell, if you're planning on still fixing it, yeah, listen to them, otherwise they might claim you didn't and if anything else happens, they can blame you. So basically either listen to them or just return the laptop.

 

[dwellman]

Sounds like a bad or somewhat faulty system board. . . . have you tried powering up without the battery? Needless to say it's all moot.

A new system should work perfectly without any issue. Generally, with issues such as yours, I advise people to call Sales or Customer Relations (aka Consumer Relations aka Customer Retention), not Tech Support (unless you say right away that you need RMA. If they ask why, say It does not power on. If they balk ask to be escalated. If the level 2 balks, ask to be escalated again.) Tech Support only works well when it's the user's fault and it's nothing catestrophic.