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presario 2100 repair estimate / credit card insurance



 
 
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  #1  
Old December 22nd 05, 11:31 PM posted to alt.sys.pc-clone.compaq
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Default presario 2100 repair estimate / credit card insurance

Hello everyone,

This is my problem:

1. DC power jack broken (this one is pretty explanatory).

2. LCD screen is dark
Even at the maximum brightness and contrast the LCD screen is darker
compared to other laptops (like my R3000). If you compare the white
color of the screen and any white paper – you can see how gray the
screen really is. I was told by the Hewlett-Packard technician after
extensive display driver troubleshooting that this is a hardware
issue and that an LCD replacement will probably need to be performed.
This is a 15 inch SXGA+ (not XGA) screen.

3. Strange screeching sounds when laptop is on battery power.
When I unplug the laptop from the power outlet and just let it run on
a battery – there is a strange screeching sound coming from the
hard-drive whenever programs access the hard-drive. This is very
annoying and it also seems to diminish the battery power quite
quickly. It comes from the direction of the area where the network
adapter, USB ports and power jack are located (so maybe not really
from the hard drive) - but it oscillates when hard drive is being
accessed - meaning if I am not doing anything - no annoying sound is
present, but if I'm loading a page or some file - I can hear these
sounds. They disappear as soon as the laptop is back on DC power. And
this problem was there even before the power jack problem in #1
happened.

4. DVD drive is acting strange. Sometimes refuses to read CDs
(unscratched originals). Sometimes makes strange noises.

-----

So here is the problem I have. I bought the laptop in Sept. 2003.
Since I have the credit card warranty extension - I called it in in
August 2005 and they said take the laptop to a repair place and then
file a claim (I have until February). If the estimate is more than
what I paid for the laptop (around $800) then they will probably just
say that they will give me my money back. If it will be lower, then
they will pay for the fixing.

I took the laptop to best buy. Waited for 35!!! days for the estimate,
because they shipped it somewhere to Chicago. And at the end, the guy
said that all he can see is the faulty power jack - even though the
local guy in best buy agreed and saw all these 4 problems as I showed
them to him. Eventually I paid $50 for the estimate, didn't get
anything fixed and they didn't even type up the estimate!!!

I took the laptop to circuit city, they had it for 3 weeks! They wrote
a clumsy looking estimate saying a replacement of LCD, hard drive and
power jack repair is needed, priced it at $1100. But they didn't even
put the serial number or laptop model on that piece of paper and when
I faxed it to Citibank, they said I need to have that. I came back to
Circuit City and they said they would have to send the laptop back to
them (they outsourced it again) so I was looking for another 3 weeks
of lost time.

I am still using this laptop - and finals were just around the corner,
I had to use it.

So... my question is - where in Minneapolis area can I just take this
laptop to get an estimate done that my credit card company will be
happy with? Or where can I ship it so that the turnaround time will
be much less than best buy / circuit city? I am actually looking to
have at least the power jack repaired for my own sake (regardless of
whether citibank decides to approve or not). But the laptop has
problems, so if it can be fixed for less than $800 - then great, but
if not, I do need that price estimate so that they can just give me
my money back.

Please any advice on how to deal with this would be greatly
appreciated!!! I thought of sending the laptop to 800tech.com or
ikenfixit.com, but then I am worried that they wouldn't give me the
estimate I'm looking for, because maybe they would be afraid, that I
don't get the laptop repaired with them? I don't know what to do, I
just know that I finally want to get this resolved!

  #2  
Old December 31st 05, 08:28 AM posted to alt.sys.pc-clone.compaq
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Default presario 2100 repair estimate / credit card insurance

I'd press Circuit City to connect the dots for you and give you useable
estimate paperwork. For one thing, I can't believe that the serial
number was not recorded by their contractor as protection against
someone alledgedly (or actually!) getting the wrong laptop back. If so,
they should be able to fax Circuit City a more complete estimate; after
all, they should want to keep THEM happy. If not, it should still be
resolvable. Combined with your existing estimate, laptop, and firm,
on-site logic (harder to ignore than a phone call), you should be able
to have them fix you up with complete paperwork at the customer service
counter. Make it clear that you are not asking them for fiction-- just
completeness! Even if this is a bit of a hassle, it should(?) take less
time than starting over with other alternatives.

Of course, my suggestion is not definitive; if someone has
Minneapolis-specific (or not) info that might help, jump in! Good
luck... and let the group know how it went.

 




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