Dell technician took my failed drive!

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Mike

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Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Hello,

Last week the hard drive on my Dell Dimension 8300 failed.
I called Dell tech support and they arranged to have the
drive replaced by a technician. I assumed (stupid of me)
that I would have the option of holding onto the failed
drive for a few days so I can try to salvage any data.

The technician arrived three days later. (He was a fat
black guy who was 4 hrs late and very rude.) He took
the hard drive and refused to leave it behind. I tried
to reason with him but he refused.

The next day I called the PC repair company that sent
the technician, and they told me they had already
mailed the drive back to Dell. The following day I
called Dell again and they said there is nothing they
can do about it now. I asked them for the phone
nukmber of the department that receives the drives.
None of them had a clue.

I hope this case is not totally hopeless. Does anyone
know the name and number of the department that receives
damaged drives? There has to be someone I can contact
who can help me. :(

Does anyone have any other helpful recommendations for
my case? Any help is sincerely appreciated.

Thank you,
Mike






____________________________
If replying via email please
remove NO SPAM from address.
 
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Guest

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Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Mike wrote:
>
> <snip>

"He was a fat black guy..."

What does this have to do with anything, other than the
fact that you're an ignorant little prick?

Notan
 
G

Guest

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Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

In article <acom311nvmm83hasmnohv0cu11kqpojej9@4ax.com>, mhrd1@NO-
flashmail-SPAM.com says...
> Last week the hard drive on my Dell Dimension 8300 failed.
> I called Dell tech support and they arranged to have the
> drive replaced by a technician. I assumed (stupid of me)
> that I would have the option of holding onto the failed
> drive for a few days so I can try to salvage any data.

Mike,

This is the fault of the tech who set up the dispatch for you. He
should have told you that the technician is responsible for bringing
back the parts. If he doesn't, the service company will be charged by
Dell for the drive.

If you had put it in yourself, you would have had more leway since you
have 5 days to return the old drive after the new one arrives.

Sadly, once the tech returns it to the service company there is
literally nothing that can be done to retrieve it.

I should mention, however, that this information *is* located in your
service contract with Dell. Unfortunately very few (if any) people read
their service contracts.

A hard drive really is a very simple thing to replace in a computer and
I would HIGHLY suggest that unless you really REALLY need a tech, you
have Dell just send you the part and install it yourself so that you
have time to recover your data.
 
G

Guest

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Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Mike" <mhrd1@NO-flashmail-SPAM.com> wrote in message
news:acom311nvmm83hasmnohv0cu11kqpojej9@4ax.com...
> Hello,
>
<snip>
> Does anyone have any other helpful recommendations for
> my case? Any help is sincerely appreciated.
>
> Thank you,
> Mike
>


What exactly did you expect? Why hadn't you salvaged what you could BEFORE
they showed up.

Or just restored your backup?

You do have a backup, right?
 
M

Mike

Splendid
Apr 1, 2004
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Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

On Sat, 19 Mar 2005 01:16:07 GMT, "Tom Scales" <tomtoo@softhome.net> wrote:

>
> "Mike" <mhrd1@NO-flashmail-SPAM.com> wrote in message
> news:acom311nvmm83hasmnohv0cu11kqpojej9@4ax.com...
> > Hello,
> >
> <snip>
> > Does anyone have any other helpful recommendations for
> > my case? Any help is sincerely appreciated.
> >
> > Thank you,
> > Mike
> >
>
>
> What exactly did you expect? Why hadn't you salvaged what you could BEFORE
> they showed up.

I couldn't boot from the drive. I was waiting to receive
the new drive, install Windows XP on it, and then connect
the damaged drive to the secondary SATA slot. I might
have been able to salvage something that way. (I had a
"disk read error" on the damaged drive, by the way.)

> Or just restored your backup?
>
> You do have a backup, right?

Umm, no. :(

I never expected something like this to happen.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

In article <kc6n31167qg0oidbl884g3foq3md153uk1@4ax.com>, mhrd1@NO-
flashmail-SPAM.com says...
> I never expected something like this to happen.
>

Famous last words...

Looks like Murphy's living at your house.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Mike wrote:
> On Sat, 19 Mar 2005 01:16:07 GMT, "Tom Scales" <tomtoo@softhome.net> wrote:
>
>>"Mike" <mhrd1@NO-flashmail-SPAM.com> wrote in message
>>news:acom311nvmm83hasmnohv0cu11kqpojej9@4ax.com...
>>
>>>Hello,
>>
>><snip>
>>
>>>Does anyone have any other helpful recommendations for
>>>my case? Any help is sincerely appreciated.
>>>
>>>Thank you,
>>>Mike
>>
>>What exactly did you expect? Why hadn't you salvaged what you could BEFORE
>>they showed up.
>
> I couldn't boot from the drive. I was waiting to receive
> the new drive, install Windows XP on it, and then connect
> the damaged drive to the secondary SATA slot. I might
> have been able to salvage something that way. (I had a
> "disk read error" on the damaged drive, by the way.)
>
>>Or just restored your backup?
>>
>>You do have a backup, right?
>
> Umm, no. :(
>
> I never expected something like this to happen.

Hm, do you still believe in the Tooth Fairy or is this your first computer?

Re: your OP, how did "fat" or "black" relate to your problem? Rude &
late (4 freaking hours!) are a different matter.

Everyone has bad days, however, including service tachs & delivery
people. My new HDTV didn't get here until 7PM when it was delivered last
month - it snowed that day (02/24) and the truck was stuck on the NJ
Turnpike Extension behind a jackknifed 18-wheeler. I didn't hold that
against him - threw him a bone, in fact, because he finished his
deliveries long after quitting time.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

You deserved it because God read your ugly thoughts about this man!
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Mike;
Unfortunately you just learned a few lessons the hard way.
1. Always keep back-ups of important data.
2. It is not a question of if a drive will fail, but When the drive will
fail.

Once you let the drive out of your home, the data was gone.
Even if you get the office that receives the drives, they will most likely
be unable to locate your drive with the many others they receive.

--
Jupiter Jones
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar
In memory of our dear friend, MVP Alex Nichol
http://www.dts-l.org


"Mike" <mhrd1@NO-flashmail-SPAM.com> wrote in message
news:kc6n31167qg0oidbl884g3foq3md153uk1@4ax.com...
> I couldn't boot from the drive. I was waiting to receive
> the new drive, install Windows XP on it, and then connect
> the damaged drive to the secondary SATA slot. I might
> have been able to salvage something that way. (I had a
> "disk read error" on the damaged drive, by the way.)
>
>> Or just restored your backup?
>>
>> You do have a backup, right?
>
> Umm, no. :(
>
> I never expected something like this to happen.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

On Fri, 18 Mar 2005 19:54:20 -0500, Mike wrote:
>
> Last week the hard drive on my Dell Dimension 8300 failed.
> I called Dell tech support and they arranged to have the
> drive replaced by a technician. I assumed (stupid of me)
> that I would have the option of holding onto the failed
> drive for a few days so I can try to salvage any data.
>
> The technician arrived three days later. (He was a fat
> black guy who was 4 hrs late and very rude.) He took
> the hard drive and refused to leave it behind. I tried
> to reason with him but he refused.

Dell SWAPS, not gives you another drive. It's always that way. They
provide the repair center with a drive, they swap it out, they return the
bad drive to the vendor for replacement.

All computer shops are this way - unless you PURCHASE the new drive you
will always have to surrender the old one.

> The next day I called the PC repair company that sent
> the technician, and they told me they had already
> mailed the drive back to Dell. The following day I
> called Dell again and they said there is nothing they
> can do about it now. I asked them for the phone
> nukmber of the department that receives the drives.
> None of them had a clue.

You are not entitled to the drive in any manner, that's why they don't
have a means for you to get the info or track it.

--
spam999free@rrohio.com
remove 999 in order to email me
 
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Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Mike <mhrd1@NO-flashmail-SPAM.com> wrote:
>I assumed (stupid of me)
>that I would have the option of holding onto the failed
>drive for a few days so I can try to salvage any data.

Nope, unfortunately (as you've learned the hard way), once they give
you a new drive, they own the old one, and in the end, they really
don't care about your problems. Your drive is long gone, and even if
they wanted to they couldn't find it again, much less get it back to
you.

I always buy a new drive, salvage as much data as I can off the old
one, and send the old one back for warranty replacement, but not
everyone can do that...
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

In article <iwg%d.1927$cC6.466@fe2.columbus.rr.com>, void@nowhere.lan
says...
> and in at least 30 of those, the person smelled so bad that
> the customer asked them to let us install the parts while they waited
> outside

HEY!! I resemble that remark!
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Isn't it just easier to make backups? Let's assume for the minute that you
were able to keep the drive for a while. What's to say you would even be
able to salvage from it. You've got to be prepared for ANYTHING to happen to
your drive. In fact, depending on how important your data is to you, you
should be prepared for your backup to fail. That means you should keep 2
backups, min. (if you have really important stuff). One of those backups
should be kept off-site (online storage, bank safe deposit box, etc.) in
case of fire, flood, etc.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"pengulin" <apes@nd.edu> wrote in message
news:2NmdnQz_cq1_yd3fRVn-tw@midco.net...
> Isn't it just easier to make backups? Let's assume for the minute that you
> were able to keep the drive for a while. What's to say you would even be
> able to salvage from it. You've got to be prepared for ANYTHING to happen
> to
> your drive. In fact, depending on how important your data is to you, you
> should be prepared for your backup to fail. That means you should keep 2
> backups, min. (if you have really important stuff). One of those backups
> should be kept off-site (online storage, bank safe deposit box, etc.) in
> case of fire, flood, etc.
>
>


Live as if your hard disk or Windows will take a dive tomorrow. Plain and
simple. Yep.


Stew
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

With hard drives being as inexpensive (or was it cheap?) as they are, there is a
lot to be said for a hard drive mounted in an external USB case. First, do a
mirror image of the main drive, then occasionally plug in the USB drive and copy
the My Documents folder and whatever else needs to be copied... Ben Myers

On Tue, 22 Mar 2005 11:25:23 -0600, "pengulin" <apes@nd.edu> wrote:

>Isn't it just easier to make backups? Let's assume for the minute that you
>were able to keep the drive for a while. What's to say you would even be
>able to salvage from it. You've got to be prepared for ANYTHING to happen to
>your drive. In fact, depending on how important your data is to you, you
>should be prepared for your backup to fail. That means you should keep 2
>backups, min. (if you have really important stuff). One of those backups
>should be kept off-site (online storage, bank safe deposit box, etc.) in
>case of fire, flood, etc.
>
>
 
D

dogface

Distinguished
Feb 12, 2005
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Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

I'd carry it even further. I'll never have another PC that doesn't mirror
all the drives. I'm sick and tired or building, rebuilding, restoring,
reloading, etc. Still gotta have backups though! But the shadowing should
save you from a sudden disk failure event.

<ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers)> wrote in message
news:42408304.5184766@nntp.charter.net...
> With hard drives being as inexpensive (or was it cheap?) as they are,
there is a
> lot to be said for a hard drive mounted in an external USB case. First,
do a
> mirror image of the main drive, then occasionally plug in the USB drive
and copy
> the My Documents folder and whatever else needs to be copied... Ben Myers
>
> On Tue, 22 Mar 2005 11:25:23 -0600, "pengulin" <apes@nd.edu> wrote:
>
> >Isn't it just easier to make backups? Let's assume for the minute that
you
> >were able to keep the drive for a while. What's to say you would even be
> >able to salvage from it. You've got to be prepared for ANYTHING to happen
to
> >your drive. In fact, depending on how important your data is to you, you
> >should be prepared for your backup to fail. That means you should keep 2
> >backups, min. (if you have really important stuff). One of those backups
> >should be kept off-site (online storage, bank safe deposit box, etc.) in
> >case of fire, flood, etc.
> >
> >
>
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Dogface wrote:
>
> I'd carry it even further. I'll never have another PC that doesn't mirror
> all the drives. I'm sick and tired or building, rebuilding, restoring,
> reloading, etc. Still gotta have backups though! But the shadowing should
> save you from a sudden disk failure event.

One downside to mirroring (RAID 1) is that any software
corruption(s) will just be duplicated across disks.

But, as far as planning for the inevitable drive crash,
it's the only way to go!

Notan
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

On Tue, 22 Mar 2005 17:30:14 -0500, Dogface wrote:
>
> I'd carry it even further. I'll never have another PC that doesn't mirror
> all the drives. I'm sick and tired or building, rebuilding, restoring,
> reloading, etc. Still gotta have backups though! But the shadowing should
> save you from a sudden disk failure event.

The best method is to have a second computer that runs GHOST and make a
network aware GHOST boot disk to boot your laptop from and then save a
full disk image on the second computer as a single file - this will let
you restore the full laptop to a last saved image in about 15 minutes.

--
spam999free@rrohio.com
remove 999 in order to email me
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Ben Myers wrote:
> With hard drives being as inexpensive (or was it cheap?) as they are, there is a
> lot to be said for a hard drive mounted in an external USB case. First, do a
> mirror image of the main drive, then occasionally plug in the USB drive and copy
> the My Documents folder and whatever else needs to be copied... Ben Myers

I wrote myself a little REXX program which copies certain folders/files
(determined by a control file) to another HDD (also determined by the
control file) and scheduled it to run 2/day so I never have to go back
very far to recover Quicken or email files (among others). I also use
Ghost to clone the HDD to a USB2 drive and stick one external HDD in
offsite storage/month (so if my building explodes or burns down, my
worst case scenario is to recover to the prior month end). I cannot
afford to lose everything if ... *when* a HDD or Windows goes toes up
and had a scare about 6 months ago which motivated the REXX program.
 
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davidleelong

Distinguished
Jul 1, 2011
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I am a dell technician and he should have let you keep the drive and left you with a return waybill. You would then have 10 days to return the drive and during those 10 days you would be able to back up your data. I leave hard drives with customers all the time, then just post them as customer kept defective part. Then my company will not be held liable for the hard drive. My guess is he took the hdd himself knowing he could leave it with you and legally has to if you ask him to, the reason being is that he can now go home and retrieve any data on that drive (picutes, credit card info, emails, passwords, etc...) There are a lot of bad techs out there be careful if you have a failed drive, take it somewhere to have it backed up or it you have the knowledge do so your self. Then make sure you use a program that writes 0's and 1's to the drive over and over so you know data is retrievable. Now you know...
 
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davidleelong

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In fact I have had to call Dell's Dispatch a number of times to explain that the customer wants the parts and they always tell me to leave them with the customer...
 
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jewie27

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