GregHowley.com

Will my computer ever work?

October 25, 2005 -

The saga of my PoS computer continues. A while back, I wrote about the problems I was having with this new machine. It seems that while the sound card is installed, I get occasional static, and eventually (sometimes 5 minutes, sometimes an hour) the machine will emit a LOUD noise and freeze. Sometimes it just locks up, sometimes it restarts. I talked to the third-party tech support service CyberPower uses many many times over the past few months. During all those calls, I think I spoke to two people who actually had a clue. The majority of them had no idea. One guy literally spent ten minutes in silence going "uhhhh...." - he did not know what else to try. Another started asking me for VB coding tips. After updating drivers, trying the card in a new port, testing memory, tweaking BIOS settings, and a number of other things I can't even remember anymore, I unplugged the sound card and ran onboard sound. This worked for me for a while. The sound was full of static and pops, which is substandard even for onboard sound, but at least it didn't freeze once while the sound card was out. In the meantime, they shipped me a new card. It got here last week, and I cheerily installed it saturday. One crash saturday, and then five crashes Sunday while playing F.E.A.R., most accompanied by a noise so loud that it startled me and actually hurt my ears - I was wearing headphones.

Yesterday, I called CyberPower's customer service. The guy on the phone refused to even talk to me until I had a Customer Number and Invoice number. So last night I pulled out my paperwork and found an order number. Couldn't find anything else, so I hoped that was enough. In the meantime, I pulled out the sound card and started hunting for an onboard sound driver. I couldn't find one, so I called tech support since they'd located the driver for me last time. I called at 8pm, and they took my number to return my call, as is their policy. They never called back. So currently, my PC has no sound.

Today, I called, and the customer service rep told me in a condescending voice that the order number and the customer number were the same thing. He then proceeded to tell me that a refund was impossible since it was past thirty days, and that they would not replace the machine - they don't do that. I'd have to call "the number on the side of my computer" (tech support) and talk to them. My biggest issue with this guy was how rude and snippy he was. I get the feeling that they're going to try to string me out for so long that my warranty eventually runs out.

So now, it looks like I may have to ship out my computer to these tech support guys and let them tinker with it for god knows how long. My main issue here is that they may test it for hours without encountering the crash, and then assume it's fixed. Then I get it shipped back in the same condition I sent it out. My guesses now are that the problem is #1: The motherboard, #2: wiring, #3: software.

In any event, I won't be buying from CyberPower anymore.

Comments on Will my computer ever work?
 
Comment Tue, October 25 - 2:13 PM by tagger
Here's a little story: Last year, I picked up an Acer TM 8000 notebook with 1.25 GB of memory in it. After about 6 months, the 1 GB add-on memory failed, so I emailed the vendor, an outfit called "Transcend," and was put through an _unbelievable_ amount of crap (are you sure it's one of OUR memories?, is it physically damaged? How do you know it's the memory that's bad? , etc.) before being given an RMA. I finally got the new memory, and all seemed well. Two months later, I started getting everything from blue screens to syslog entries that made no sense to registry corruption to freeze-ups in BIOS Setup. After fiddling with virtually everything else on the system, I pulled the new memory out and Presto! -- the problems go away. An email to the vendor produces an INSTANT RMA. seems they had some bad memories out there, KNEW ABOUT IT and just sat back to see who would bitch.

The Moral: Don't give up and don't let them stall you past the warranty time out. Go as high up on the food chain as you need to.

That said, there appear to be known problems with Hauppage sound cards in CyberPower systems and unsigned drivers that cause weird noises and crashes. Look around the Newsgroups for details. Google 'CyberPower sound problems' and click the "Groups" link if you don't use a news reader.

Have you tried a vanilla sound card? Remove the card and delete all references to it in device manager and get rid of whatever installed software talks to the card. Then, install some cheap-o creative labs board and see what happens. That, at least, should help you figure out if you have a sound card problem or a system/Windows problem. Sounds lame, maybe, but it might be worth a try.

 
Comment Tue, October 25 - 2:41 PM by Greg
The fact that I'm getting very unusual sound pops and static while running onBoard sound makes me think it's not the card.

I checked Google Groups like you mentioned, but the references to Hauppauge seem to refer to a TV tuner card, which I don't have. I also found one review by a guy who told a horror story - now I'm afraid to ship the PC out to them. From what he says, I'll be without it for a month and still have problems.
 
Comment Tue, October 25 - 4:29 PM by tagger
Ouch!

The trouble with PCs is that they're - well - PCs. Being portable, the companies that do the real maintenance work of replacing parts and such feel justified in telling users to send them in. As Greg points out, who knows if they even see the same problem you're having before declaring the problem "fixed?" It's kind of like TV sets in the sixties. The thing could weigh, say, 150 lbs, but if it had a handle on the top (which would snap off if you ever tried to lift the set up using it), then it was a "portable" and you had to bring it into the shop rather than have the TV guy come to your house.

The part of both Greg's and naokothewarrior's story that I find most bothersome is, of course, the rudeness and "don't care" attitude exhibited by the support staff at CyberPower. It's the old "we have your money, so we're done" attitude I'm so used to seeing from used car dealers.

I don't suppose there are a lot of choices to be made here unless the idea of spending more money is appealing. Sending the machine back may result in a favorable outcome, but seems just as likely to improve things not at all.

If you're thinking of going the complaint route, the steps you should follow are:

1. Give CyberPower a chance to make things right. This probably involves sending the system back to them.

2. Document everything - save emails, invoices and all paperwork associated with the computer from the time you bought it.

3. Complain to both the Better Business Bureau and the State Attorney General's office. The AG's office has actual power to take action, which the BBB does not.

4. If you wind up getting screwed, make sure as many people know about it as possible. Emails to editors work wonders sometimes - especially if you "cc" the guys at CyberPower. Make enough noise and maybe you can get a new machine out of them. Just make sure you stick to the facts. Nobody needs a libel suit.

I just don't like seeing people get ripped off. I'm currently involved in a legal action against an auto mechanic who screwed up two of my cars. I know I'll never recover the $400 it cost me to fix the results of his incompetance or the $150 he charged me to mess things up to begin with, so why am I doing it? Because I want this guy out of business, that's why.

Anyway, good luck.

 
Comment Tue, November 1 - 3:30 PM by Karna
I recommend emailing your CyberPower story to Cnet. I did that a couple weeks ago, no word yet but I hope if enough people send, then eventually they will have to pay attention.

After over a year, my computer was fixed by a friend who just knew a lot about computers. I had bought new RAM and a new PSU and they didn't make it work any better--the thing that made my computer work was by messing around with BIOS.

Don't know if you made a lot of upgrades when you were buying your computer, but that seemed to be one of the problems, especially with new hardware still going through the "growing pains" process. Also, when they test the systems it doesn't test compatibility, they only check if the hardware is malfunctioning.

When I sent my system in to them, they didn't do anything. Ran it through testing and sent it back to me. Plus you have to pay for it.

I also recommending wiping out your whole system. Get a real Windows XP disk and re-install it, instead of the Cyberpower Windows version you got with your system.

Compatibility issues seem to be the biggest problem with Cyberpower PCs. Try posting on tech forums.

Hope it ends up working out for you.