Okay, since a grand total of none of you read what I wrote, I guess I’ll move onto other topics.
My laptop, hammerhead, died last night. I saw the warning signs of blue screens and other nonsense, so I offloaded any personal data I had on it and then did a full system recovery and restore. 5 minutes into the newly-restored laptop, it blue screened again. I called technical support at Toshiba and they asked me to take it into an authorized service provider.
This is not atypical. I just needed to grab a case number from them.
However, while I had the technician on the phone, I asked him some pretty point-blank questions. I asked if my laptop was still in rotation (ie: they had spare parts for it) and he said yes. I asked him if the laptop was discontinued, he said no. Okay, so that helps, because if the laptop is discontinued or out of rotation, then the ASP can’t help me. They won’t be able to order any parts for a laptop that has no support from Toshiba.
When I bought the laptop, though, I spent the extra $100 bucks for a warranty extension of 2 years, so the laptop is covered until March of 2009.
I took it into the service center and they got all itchy when they saw it. The first thing the technician there told me was, “Yeah, I don’t think we’re going to be able to help you. I’m pretty this model’s discontinued.” Color me shocked. Toshiba got it wrong? No way. They were pretty apologetic, though, and suggested I contact Customer Relations and have them ship me a brand new model, because they don’t even have my P25-S676/80 in their reserves anymore.
Also, the system’s mainboard was recalled due to serious problems. Gee, thanks for letting me know, Toshiba.
I called Toshiba’s customer relations and they bounced me all over the damn place. I waited on hold for nearly an hour before I got to the right department, and then she took my information, gave me a new case number, and then told me to stand by for 2 days while she seeks approval from ‘Corporate’ to offer me other options. And if they do decide to ship me a new laptop, it could take up to 2 weeks for it to get to me.
Joy.
So, here I sit, waiting for them to call me back. How much you want to bet it’ll be me calling them?
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I’d have read, but do you know how SWAMPED I am? I’m behind 3 chapters, 4 websites, and 2 manuscripts.
One day I’ll be caught up…really….IN MY DREAMS! 😛
Toshiba’s parts bank is a joke. I had the same thing – a three-year warranty on a Toshiba laptop, and the videoboard went at 2 years.
It took them, quite literally, two full calendar months to find a new board to go into the machine. It was sitting at the repair depot from March to May of 2004.
That’s why I will never buy another Toshiba product ever again. They jerked me around, they made me wait, they lied to me on the phone, and then when I basically said ‘I’ve been without a machine, because it’s been with you, for TWO MONTHS, what the hell is going on here?” they told me that it wasn’t the repair depot’s fault that the parts banks are not stocked, and they would ‘send a message’ to the person that handles the parts stocking about this. Oh, and a $100 credit to use in the Toshiba webstore.
Well, that decides that. One day I will be able to get a laptop. I thought about Toshiba and Viao, among others. Obviously a Toshiba will not be it.
Soon’s I get through this week (10pp to write, another 500 to read), I’ll be glad to take a look at your writing.
I’ve heard nothing but bad things about Toshibas. My Compaq isn’t that great, tbh, so maybe laptops just SUCK in general?
The Toshiba ASP that work uses (and i’m pretty sure they’re the only one around) is ridiculous. With the support contract, it still takes upwards of 2 weeks for *any* laptop to be fixed. Over Christmas last year, they stopped fixing any, because they weren’t sure of the contract terms. Ooooh, and if you’re in Queensland, and need an update on your repair, good luck to you. No one in that office responds.
I have nothing but love for my MacBook Pro.
I’ve been trying to get through it. As fast as a reader as I am, I’ve been distracted. I did like the first chapter of the Agamemnon part and have just started the second. I’ll let you know if anything jumps out at me as wonky, but so far seems good! 🙂
You should sign up and put up some of your stuff. It’s open registration and ad free.
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