[OT] Laptop Repair?

On 2013-04-14 12:34, Paul wrote:
Rhino wrote:

If anything, I suspect they are underestimating the time involved. I
think the store is probably telling me what has proven to a duration
that most customers will accept.

You are wise beyond your years :-)

No, I've just ridden this merry-go-round a couple of times ;-)

Yes, that could happen. Asus repair time could go from
three to eight weeks. In the eight weeks case, you'd
already be chasing them to find out what happened to it,
and the extra time is for them to dig up something to send
you.

Any time a computer leaves your hands, do a backup of the
hard drive. Even though a keyboard is required, just about
anything can happen to it. Hard drives get erased by repair
facilities, as the clueless can be working there.

Computers even get lost, when sent for repair. It happens.


Yeah, I'm cynical/experienced enough to have suspected that already ;-)
There is almost no data of any importance on the computer since I do
most things on my desktop. But I will backup anything critical and
delete stuff I don't want them seeing, like my email.

You will need an RMA number, before sending it to them.
The RMA number has to be written on the outside of the box,
so the shipment will be accepted. The RMA number proves
they're ready and waiting for your returned product.
They're expecting it. They will not accepted un-announced
shipments. With Asus, you fill out a web form, to get an
RMA number.

They've replied to the inquiry I sent to them and mentioned the need for
an RMA already. I'll do that if I decide to send it in.

They did NOT send me a manual though. They didn't actually refuse to
send the manual, just basically ignored the request and added this
sentence after advising me to try some driver updates (which changed
nothing) and suggesting an RMA if that didn't do the trick:

===
I don't suggest you disassemble the laptop by yourself, because it will
invalid your warranty. Please confirm this.
===


If the company had repair depots in major centers, and it
didn't require boxing up, maybe things would be different.
It's possible Asus has a single repair place (like in California).
I really haven't researched them, for that sort of thing.

I've replied to their email to ask where the repair depot is and for an
estimate on how long it will take to do the repairs. I've also asked
them what happens if they deem the problem my fault due to, say, a food
particle under the key. I'm very curious to know if they will allow me
to have the laptop back in its current state for free or if I will be
forced to pay a possibly large price for the repairs or at least the
return shipping.

Based on that answer, I may very well just live with the sticky key. I
don't know if they are going to be able to detect that I caused a
problem but if they want a lot of money for a new keyboard or even just
a lot of money for the return shipping of the unfixed computer, I may
very well just live with the problem.

I also don't know, if it's true that the "store has no warranty",
and it's "manufacturer warranty all the way". If you could
get the repair done locally, it would be a simpler matter
of just ordering a keyboard for it.

That might be a better option, even if I have to pay for parts and
labour. At least I'd get it back quickly. Well, maybe. One of my friends
had her desktop in for repairs locally and it took them days just to
diagnose it and then additional days to copy her data to another hard
drive when the problem turned out to be too expensive. I could have done
what they did in half an hour.

Have a look around here, and see if your keyboard is available.
If you could get a service manual for the laptop, you might be
able to locate a part number for the keyboard. In the keyboard
listing here, I don't see a "compatibility" list with each
item. Still, at least this is a source of keyboards, even if
you don't know whether it's the right one.

They never sent a service manual. They didn't exactly refuse but I got
the impression that they didn't want me to have one while the computer
was under warranty. That means I have no idea what the right keyboard is
for the computer out of the ones listed below. I don't know if a US
keyboard would plug into my laptop without bad side-effects; do you?

http://us.estore.asus.com/

http://us.estore.asus.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=53

Paul

I just tried to find their Canadian repair depots but all I got was US
(and Puerto Rico). I hope that doesn't mean it has to go to the US for
repairs!

I googled on ASUS Canada, which took me to ca.asus.com. I chose English.
Then I clicked on "Support" in the big grey box at the bottom, which has
a title of "Canada/English". That took me to service.asus.com and
clicked on "Authorized Repair Service Locations". And that shows only
authorized service centers in the US (and Puerto Rico). I wind up on the
same page if I choose ASUS Notebook Service. Uh-oh! I'm beginning to
think 3 weeks is awfully optimistic....

--
Rhino

Rhino wrote:


I just tried to find their Canadian repair depots but all I got was US
(and Puerto Rico). I hope that doesn't mean it has to go to the US for
repairs!

I googled on ASUS Canada, which took me to ca.asus.com. I chose English.
Then I clicked on "Support" in the big grey box at the bottom, which has
a title of "Canada/English". That took me to service.asus.com and
clicked on "Authorized Repair Service Locations". And that shows only
authorized service centers in the US (and Puerto Rico). I wind up on the
same page if I choose ASUS Notebook Service. Uh-oh! I'm beginning to
think 3 weeks is awfully optimistic....


Give the process a chance, before giving up on it.
If they're doing this on purpose (to avoid honoring
the warranty), then that's reason enough to persist.

*******

Now, this is interesting.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/asus...ide-print.html

"For Canadian residents, all your RMA numbers will start with "CAA1" which
directs your RMA to the Markham, Ontario facility. Canada only has one
service center and while Canadians are only limited to the one facility,
it is often regarded as one of the best and most efficient Asus service
centers in the world."

And some more reports here.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/asus...am-9000-a.html

If you live in Markham, sounds like "good times".

Paul

On 17 Apr, 19:24, Paul wrote:
Rhino wrote:

I just tried to find their Canadian repair depots but all I got was US
(and Puerto Rico). I hope that doesn't mean it has to go to the US for
repairs!

I googled on ASUS Canada, which took me to ca.asus.com. I chose English..
Then I clicked on "Support" in the big grey box at the bottom, which has
a title of "Canada/English". That took me to service.asus.com and
clicked on "Authorized Repair Service Locations". And that shows only
authorized service centers in the US (and Puerto Rico). I wind up on the
same page if I choose ASUS Notebook Service. Uh-oh! I'm beginning to
think 3 weeks is awfully optimistic....

Give the process a chance, before giving up on it.
If they're doing this on purpose (to avoid honoring
the warranty), then that's reason enough to persist.

*******

Now, this is interesting.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/asus...rranty-guide-p...

* * "For Canadian residents, all your RMA numbers will start with "CAA1" which
* * *directs your RMA to the Markham, Ontario facility. Canada only has one
* * *service center and while Canadians are only limited to the one facility,
* * *it is often regarded as one of the best and most efficient Asus service
* * *centers in the world."

And some more reports here.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/asus...-markham-9000-...

If you live in Markham, sounds like "good times".

* * Paul

I used to work in Markham twenty years ago. Markham is one of the
Toronto suburbs, just north of the city. It's about a two hire drive
(one way) in good traffic so it doesn't make a lot of sense to drive
it in given that a courier will be cheaper. (Mind you, I don't know
how a courier will handle it; for all I know, they'll throw it around
and REALLY break it.)

I meant to get back to this thread days ago. I emailed ASUS to ask
about the warranty and where the service center was for Canada and
determined that it was indeed in Markham. They also assured me it
should not take more than two weeks to repair it. I was pleasantly
surprised to find that they would notify me when they had diagnosed it
and would tell me if the warranty was void at that time. At that time,
I could ask for it back unrepaired and not have to pay for anything
but the shipping. I'm starting to be a lot less concerned about
shipping it in for repair. I can't do it until I have the desktop back
up and running but it's a definite maybe for when the desktop is
working again.

However, it may not be necessary. All the typing I've been doing on
these threads seems to be improving the behaviour of the comma key. I
don't have to hit it hard any more. It sometimes doesn't type and
feels a little spongey but actually gives me a comma quite a lot of
the time now. I'm starting to think the problem was a crumb of food
that somehow got under a corner of the key; maybe all the hammering on
the comma key has broken that crumb down into tiny crumblets that
don't keep the key from making contact....