Presenting: The Return Of Gateway Tech Support!

RedfordRedford Monorailcatfjord Join Date: 2002-04-28 Member: 528Members, NS1 Playtester
in Off-Topic
<div class="IPBDescription">Oh god, no.</div> Well, I again misjudged the crappo-ness of Gateway hardware. This time, instead of somthing cheap and easly fixable failing (like my <a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=76098&hl=tech+support' target='_blank'>CD drive</a>) somthing even worse has happened to my PC. My <b>video card</b> is overheating. I have organised a temporary solution in the form of "a small desk fan" but now I have to grapple with techsupport again in order to PROVE my video card is defective, and then manage to install the new one without casuing my PC to explode.

Tomorrow I email gateway and I assure you that all my trials with their assured stupidity will be documented right here. The only good part: Because of my agreement with gateway, they must pay 100% of the cost for the new card.

I need to get my sleep to avoid "crushing insanity" and possibly "being flamed by .txt for having a gateway computer". Until then, watch this space. Amusement (and quite possibly moronity) ahoy!
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Comments

  • Seph_KimaraSeph_Kimara Join Date: 2003-08-10 Member: 19359Members
    edited March 2005
    At least you're not dealing with Packard Bell Activsupport. Their solution to everything? Format. Hardware related sound issues? format. Simple registry error that can be fixed with a scanreg /restore? format. Graphical corruption due to videocard? format. Hard drive not being read at all because it's failing? better format it. It's the cure for all that ails you.
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  • Cold_NiTeCold_NiTe Join Date: 2003-09-15 Member: 20875Members
    edited March 2005
    <!--QuoteBegin-Redford+Mar 10 2005, 10:11 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Redford @ Mar 10 2005, 10:11 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Well, I again misjudged the crappo-ness of Gateway hardware.  This time, instead of somthing cheap and easly fixable failing (like my <a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=76098&hl=tech+support' target='_blank'>CD drive</a>) somthing even worse has happened to my PC.  My <b>video card</b> is overheating.  I have organised a temporary solution in the form of "a small desk fan" but now I have to grapple with techsupport again in order to PROVE my video card is defective, and then manage to install the new one without casuing my PC to explode. 

    Tomorrow I email gateway and I assure you that all my trials with their assured stupidity will be documented right here.  The only good part:  Because of my agreement with gateway, they must pay 100% of the cost for the new card.

    I need to get my sleep to avoid "crushing insanity" and possibly "being flamed by .txt for having a gateway computer".  Until then, watch this space.  Amusement (and quite possibly moronity) ahoy! <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Been there, done that, had a Gateway computer for 3 years, gained gray hair, 50 pounds of weight, high stress levels and suicidal tendencies. <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->

    <b>Seriously though</b>, <u>NEVER</u> trust Gateway. That was possibly the worst 3 years of my life. I've visted the Gateway store and left my computer over there like 15 times. By the end of it, I was almost ready to start taking my dad's Procardia blood pressure medicine.

    So yeah. I hate Gateway, <i>with a passion</i>.

    **EDIT**
    Subsequently, the next 5 years were spent with a self-made machine that worked like a dream.
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  • groKKingmImIgroKKingmImI Join Date: 2005-01-09 Member: 34003Members
    Um. One word.

    eMachines
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  • ComproxComprox *chortle* Canada Join Date: 2002-01-23 Member: 7Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, NS1 Playtester, NS2 Developer, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver, Subnautica Developer, Subnautica Playtester, Pistachionauts
    <!--QuoteBegin-Seph Kimara+Mar 10 2005, 09:16 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Seph Kimara @ Mar 10 2005, 09:16 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> At least you're not dealing with Packard Bell Activsupport. Their solution to everything? Format. Hardware related sound issues? format. Simple registry error that can be fixed with a scanreg /restore? format. Graphical corruption due to videocard? format. Hard drive not being read at all because it's failing? better format it. It's the cure for all that ails you. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    As a tech, who does occasionally phone support, I sympathize with them. The average user can't explain correctly what is going wrong, and can't follow instructions that invovle more than 7 steps. Format is a god.
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  • CyndaneCyndane Join Date: 2003-11-15 Member: 22913Members
    Agreed with comprox. Many "normal" comptuer users have no idea what is going on and can not explain it other then, "this doesn't work".

    So formatting makes it so much easier and almost always fixes the issue. Especially since it is probably user error to begin with. (Deleting autoexe.bat FTW)
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  • FaustFaust Join Date: 2004-11-18 Member: 32852Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    edited March 2005
    <!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->So formatting makes it so much easier and almost always fixes the issue. Especially since it is probably user error to begin with. (Deleting autoexe.bat FTW) <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    I've never done this before. Does it restore itself automatically on windows boot, or do you have to run sfc?


    And what problems can this fix if you delete it?


    And I agree with comprox, I work in computer retail sales, I usually groan internally when a co-worker askes me to help some who is having problems with their computer, due to the fact that most people poorly communicate there computing issues.

    I'm too tired to think of any examples. Maybe later <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
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  • Seph_KimaraSeph_Kimara Join Date: 2003-08-10 Member: 19359Members
    edited March 2005
    <!--QuoteBegin-Comprox+Mar 11 2005, 05:14 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Comprox @ Mar 11 2005, 05:14 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> As a tech, who does occasionally phone support, I sympathize with them. The average user can't explain correctly what is going wrong, and can't follow instructions that invovle more than 7 steps. Format is a god. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    I'm talking from personal experience here, really. Every single problem I have called them about, their "solution" has been formatting. Even if I'm calling them just AFTER I've done the format they told me to do an hour ago.

    Hell, they once told me to format my hard drive that was unreadable in any form because it had failed. Even when I told them I'd tried already tried it several times already ever since the drive access time had increased greatly (such as windows taking 2+ hours to boot (or at least it tried to, it never did successfully make it when it got to that point), or attempting to copy a 100kb file via DOS from the HDD to floppy (emergency backup procedure of text documents) taking 30+minutes) before it had stopped responding completely. I had to go the whole...

    "okay, now type in format - 'eff-oh-arr-em-aye-tee' - space cee colon"
    "...It isn't working. Again."
    "Okay, leave your boot floppy in the drive, hold down your power key and restart the machine"
    "...fine"
    "okay, what do you see?"
    "Yet again, A DOS prompt."

    Loop several times further until they finally said "yeah, your drive has failed"

    It's just always been inept support every time I've called on them. The only time I've ever got them to repair the machine without several hours of frustrating calls doing things over and over was when my PSU blew out. Can't really argue with the thing not even powering up.

    Suffice to say, I don't bother now. Waste of time and money just to get the usual response of "you need to format oloz0r". Only reason I bothered to this point was because replacement parts were free going via them (due to it being under warranty) but the frustration and call cost just aren't worth it.
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  • ShockehShockeh If a packet drops on the web and nobody&#39;s near to see it... Join Date: 2002-11-19 Member: 9336NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Constellation
    This is why having people who use scripts for 'Technical Support' is a mistake (Not aimed at Compy / Lan btw). Either hire people who know what the hell you're supporting, or don't try to do Support at all.

    I despise scripted peons.
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  • CyndaneCyndane Join Date: 2003-11-15 Member: 22913Members
    Agreed with shockwave 100%. Scripted nubs FTL.
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  • ComproxComprox *chortle* Canada Join Date: 2002-01-23 Member: 7Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, NS1 Playtester, NS2 Developer, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver, Subnautica Developer, Subnautica Playtester, Pistachionauts
    Ok well, if the drive totally can't be read, then more needs to be done. Thankfully Shockwave I am not THAT big of a nub... yet <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
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  • ShockehShockeh If a packet drops on the web and nobody&#39;s near to see it... Join Date: 2002-11-19 Member: 9336NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Constellation
    If you were, I'd arrange for you to be fired. From a cannon.
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  • RedfordRedford Monorailcatfjord Join Date: 2002-04-28 Member: 528Members, NS1 Playtester
    edited March 2005
    Trust me, comprox. About 90% of the US population deserves the stupid tech support because they NEED someone to read scripts off to them. This is because they know nothing about my computer. I am actually intellegent with my tech support corrisondence, and it annoys me greatly when I get support staff who continues to insist that I am an idiot by acting like idiots themselves. If the support staff would pick up on the fact that I'm slightly intellegent, I would have no problems with them.

    But they usually don't.

    EDIT: Email away!
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  • twoflowtwoflow Singing Drunk Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 1950Members, Constellation
    intell<span style='color:red'>i</span>gent
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