Acer Sucks!

[RbSX]

Clearly no one was thinking of the end user on this one.

My moms hard drive died within a month of purchasing her new laptop, now that she sent out for a replacement, she has to install the hard drive herself.

As if it wouldn't be difficult enough with a guide, as she isn't that technically inclined, Acer's website is terrible and I can't locate an installation/troubleshooting guide for her!

The manual on their website doesn't have any mention of installing a new hard drive.

What a bunch of morons, there are more screws than I could shake a fist at. She's removed all the screws around the hard drive bay and the lid still won't come off, I guess there is some locking mechanism.

Thumbs up to Acer for dumping all the technical support responsibility on the end user!

For the people that care it's an Acer 2312 Travelmate.

 

[mugs]

Is it possible that the original documentation for the computer came with that information? I would hope it would. (because Acer is not the only place you could get a hard drive for that laptop, and retailers can't be expected to provide you with instructions for how to get at the hard drive in every single laptop)

 

[RbSX]

Originally posted by: mugs
Is it possible that the original documentation for the computer came with that information? I would hope it would.

Nope, looked up the computer manual on the internet, basically a pdf file of the documentation.

No dice.

 

[hevnsnt]

so an end user is expected to install the new drive, install the operating system and attempt to recover files from other drive?

That doesnt sound like very good service.

 

[RbSX]

Originally posted by: hevnsnt
so an end user is expected to install the new drive, install the operating system and attempt to recover files from other drive?

That doesnt sound like very good service.

No, it's really not is it.

That being said I was impressed with how quickly they got the new drive here.

2 days, fedex priority international.

 

[ShadowBlade]

install it for her or hand in your nerd/geek card

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: ShadowBlade
install it for her or hand in your nerd/geek card

He's a college student I think, she may be far away.

 

[konakona]

funny as it is, I would much rather prefer that to sending my whole laptop in for repairs(which I may have to do btw )
yeah, for someone technologically challenged tho, that sounds like a total nonsense

 

[RbSX]

Originally posted by: ShadowBlade
install it for her or hand in your nerd/geek card

I am a long ways away, and I'm looking at it via webcam and she's undone all the screws but there is a locking mechanism that I can't spot.

 

[RbSX]

Originally posted by: VanillaH
funny as it is, I would much rather prefer that to sending my whole laptop in for repairs(which I may have to do btw )
yeah, for someone technologically challenged tho, that sounds like a total nonsense

Yeah I definately prefer that too, I don't purchase a warranty extension to have to do the work for myself.

 

[OdiN]

Tell her to take it to the local computer repair place. I will (or should) not cost that much for them to pop a new drive in.

 

[Viper GTS]

Operating system install is a system recovery disk, SOP for the industry.

If she didn't have her files backed up then she's SOL. Again, SOP for the industry.

The HD installation is also pretty common, had she called tech support back I'm sure they would have been happy to walk her through it.

All of this is 100% normal for this industry. Teach your mom how to backup her files so the next time this happens she won't lose anything. An external HD + a bootable Ghost CD would likely be a good investment, when I got my parents a Dell the first thing I did was add a 2nd drive & include a Ghost CD. That way if they experience a HD failure they're back to their last backup in less than 15 minutes.

Viper GTS

 

[RbSX]

Originally posted by: OdiN
Tell her to take it to the local computer repair place. I will (or should) not cost that much for them to pop a new drive in.

Like mechanics working on cars, I've learnt that labor costs a premium.

Either way, now I'm just being stubborn and want to figure out how the fvck to do this.

 

[Viper GTS]

Originally posted by: RyanSengara
Like mechanics working on cars, I've learnt that labor costs a premium.

Either way, now I'm just being stubborn and want to figure out how the fvck to do this.

Do you not believe in tech support?

Viper GTS

 

[DeviousTrap]

Try here

 

[RbSX]

Originally posted by: Viper GTS

Originally posted by: RyanSengara
Like mechanics working on cars, I've learnt that labor costs a premium.

Either way, now I'm just being stubborn and want to figure out how the fvck to do this.

Do you not believe in tech support?

Viper GTS

The tech support I called at acer told me to check the website, so pardon me if my faith is wavering.

 

[OdiN]

Originally posted by: RyanSengara

Originally posted by: Viper GTS

Originally posted by: RyanSengara
Like mechanics working on cars, I've learnt that labor costs a premium.

Either way, now I'm just being stubborn and want to figure out how the fvck to do this.

Do you not believe in tech support?

Viper GTS

The tech support I called at acer told me to check the website, so pardon me if my faith is wavering.

And again...local computer repair shop. The one I worked at would charge $20 for it. Hardly a premium price.

 

[RbSX]

Originally posted by: OdiN

Originally posted by: RyanSengara

Originally posted by: Viper GTS

Originally posted by: RyanSengara
Like mechanics working on cars, I've learnt that labor costs a premium.

Either way, now I'm just being stubborn and want to figure out how the fvck to do this.

Do you not believe in tech support?

Viper GTS

The tech support I called at acer told me to check the website, so pardon me if my faith is wavering.

And again...local computer repair shop. The one I worked at would charge $20 for it. Hardly a premium price.

I'd still like to learn how to do it in case I have to do this for her in the future.

 

[OdiN]

Originally posted by: RyanSengara

Originally posted by: OdiN

Originally posted by: RyanSengara

Originally posted by: Viper GTS

Originally posted by: RyanSengara
Like mechanics working on cars, I've learnt that labor costs a premium.

Either way, now I'm just being stubborn and want to figure out how the fvck to do this.

Do you not believe in tech support?

Viper GTS

The tech support I called at acer told me to check the website, so pardon me if my faith is wavering.

And again...local computer repair shop. The one I worked at would charge $20 for it. Hardly a premium price.

I'd still like to learn how to do it in case I have to do this for her in the future.

Well...if it helps there was never any locking mechanism on any of the Acers that I've worked on. Just screws.

 

[SaturnX]

Usually there's a small pic of a cylinder to indicate where the harddrive is. You undo the screws under there and it should pop out, should be fairly easy.

--Mark