Win7 Upgrade From Dell? Yeah No.

[AaronP]

So I got my "new" DELL on June 30th 2009. I ordered it about 11:30PM EST June 25th, 2009. The Ordered was "Processed" on June 26th, 2009. According to Microsoft's Free Windows 7 Upgrade standards as long as I got a Vista Machine after June 26th 2009 my upgrade to Windows 7 would be free.

Well I hit up Dell's Windows 7 upgrade site (https://win7.dell.com/) to sign up for my free voucher, well it said I wasn't eligible. I figured "No big deal, I'll hit up their chat support and figure out what's going on".

This is the chat log:

Session Started with Agent (Santosh_XVXVXVX)
Agent (Santosh_XVXVXVX): "Thank you for contacting Dell XPS Hardware Premium Support.. My name is Santosh and my rep ID number XVXVXVX. How may I assist you today?"
Leon: "I have questions about the Windows 7 Upgrade."
Agent (Santosh_XVXVXVX): "I will be happy to assist you with that and provide you the information."
Leon: "I purchased my computer late 06/25/09 it was maybe an hour or so till 06/26/09. I didn't recieve my laptop till yesterday and when I went to signup for the free upgrade to Windows 7 they denied it because of my purchase date. Is there any way I could g"
&nbsp et setup for that since I didn't really have my laptop till after 06/26/09?
Leon: "If I had known it would prevent me I would have waited a couple of hours."
Agent (Santosh_XVXVXVX): "I understand your concern, Leon."
Agent (Santosh_XVXVXVX): "As I understand, you are unable to register for free upgrade of windows 7, is that right?"
Leon: "Correct."
Agent (Santosh_XVXVXVX): "Okay."
Agent (Santosh_XVXVXVX): "Let me check with the system details and provide you with the details."
Agent (Santosh_XVXVXVX): "Please give me 2-3 minutes."
Leon: "Okay."
Agent (Santosh_XVXVXVX): "Thank you for staying connected."
Agent (Santosh_XVXVXVX): "Leon, I have checked with the system details."
Leon: "No problem."
Agent (Santosh_XVXVXVX): "I see from the system details, you are contacting regarding an issue with StudioXPS 1340 system with Vista installed, is that right?"
Leon: "Correct."
Agent (Santosh_XVXVXVX): "Okay."
Agent (Santosh_XVXVXVX): "Leon, I do see that the system invoice date is on 6/26/09, so you are eligible for the windows 7 upgrade."
Agent (Santosh_XVXVXVX): "However as you contacted Technical support and we will not be in a position to assist you with the registration and up gradation issues."
Agent (Santosh_XVXVXVX): "I would request you to contact Dell Customer care on 800-964-8321."
Leon: "Can you give me the address to the site i am suppose to visit to register for it?"
Agent (Santosh_XVXVXVX): "Sure."
Agent (Santosh_XVXVXVX) sends page: "http:// https://win7.dell.com/"
Leon: "I likely typed something in wrong so I will try it again before calling in."
Agent (Santosh_XVXVXVX): "Click on the link."
Agent (Santosh_XVXVXVX): "Sure, you can do it."
Agent (Santosh_XVXVXVX): "If still faces any issues, you can contact Customer care and I am sure they will be in a better position to assist you further."
Leon: "Okay, thank you."
Agent (Santosh_XVXVXVX): "I can assure that you are eligible for upgrade and will get the DVD pack."
Agent (Santosh_XVXVXVX): "You are welcome."
Agent (Santosh_XVXVXVX): "Is there any other Dell hardware related issue that I can assist you With?"
Leon: "Nope that's it, thank you."
If you require further assistance, please visit us at support.dell.com

At this point I felt confident that DELL would be able to handle my issue without much fuss so I waited till today to contact them via Phone (Customer Service is by Phone only). I would have earlier but my work schedule tends to keep me from making many phone calls within standard business hours. After going through their phone system I was connection a Customer Support Agent who from this point on will be referred to as Abo.

The conversation went something like this:

Abo: Thank You for calling DELL Customer Service how can I help you?
Leon: Hello, I was having a problem with your DELL Windows 7 Upgrade website. It was stating that I wasn't eligible for the upgrade so I spoke to a Technical Support Rep via your Online Chat. There they told me that because my order was processed on June 26th that I was eligible for the uprade.
Abo: Okay Sir, from the information I have here you ordered the laptop on June, 25th 2009 and the upgrade Program started June 27th, 2009 and runs till December 31st 2009. However if you will hold I will speak to my manager to see if he will make an exception.
Leon: Okay that would be fine.
<-- 5 Minutes Later -->
Abo: Thank You for Holding.
Leon: Yep.
Abo: I spoke to my manager and we will not be able to make an exception to this because Microsoft mandated that the requirements so we will not be able to make an exception.
Leon: Well from my understanding of your website, and Microsoft's the program started the 26th.
Abo: No it started the 27th.
Leon: Okay...you do realize I could return my Laptop, get a refund, and re-order it and get the Windows 7 Upgrade anyway...right?
Abo: Yes sir and if you want to follow through with that I would be happy to help you start the return process.
Leon: ....I'll call you back.
Abo: Thank you for calling DELL customer service.

I was a little upset to say the least so I decided to do some homework. Went to Dell's Windows 7 Upgrade FAQ (https://win7.dell.com/FAQPage.aspx). It says:

Purchase an eligible Dell™ system between June 26, 2009 and January 31, 2010 and visit the Dell™ Windows® 7 Upgrade Option program website at http://www.dell.com/windows7upgrade to register your system and set up your account.

So now I'm upset, either Santosh was lying to me, or Abo was lying to me. Figured I'd double check Microsoft's website. (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/buy...grade-faq.aspx) it said:

The Windows 7 Upgrade Option program runs from June 26, 2009 through January 31, 2010.

Oh C'mon! So now I know for a fact someone is lying. I could return the product...oooor I could hit up some Blog (like Consumerist or Gizmodo) and let them make this pain in the royal ass public. What do you think?

Cliffs:
Dell Lied to me about Win7 Upgrade Eligibility.
Go Public or Return Product and Get it anyway.

[dc4teg]

i would back all your information to an external harddrive and send the laptop back and re puchase it again

[Spaniard]

I always like a good tussle if I feel I'm right.

[RichsBallPythons]

Right now Windows 7 is free PERIOD. No one can charge for it as M$ is giving it free to download or on Disc with free Product keys. Once Windows 7 Official is released in august i believe all the free products will have to reinstall windows again. So i say Stay away from windows 7 unless your using dual boot or vitural machine to testing. Other wise stick with Vista or XP till the official Disc is released.

IMHO as a computer tech Windows 7 isnt any better or DIFFERENT from Vista. Its the same layout, but its less hardware intense for the older XP users left behind will be able to run it with simple RAM upgrades. Thats just my .02

[AaronP]

Right now Windows 7 is free PERIOD. No one can charge for it as M$ is giving it free to download or on Disc with free Product keys. Once Windows 7 Official is released in august i believe all the free products will have to reinstall windows again. So i say Stay away from windows 7 unless your using dual boot or vitural machine to testing. Other wise stick with Vista or XP till the official Disc is released.

IMHO as a computer tech Windows 7 isnt any better or DIFFERENT from Vista. Its the same layout, but its less hardware intense for the older XP users left behind will be able to run it with simple RAM upgrades. Thats just my .02

I am running the RC right now, and I enjoy Win7. I also bought Windows Vista Ultimate x64 on the day of it's release so M$ screwed me on a cheaper upgrade. So really I'm a bit ticked off.

[RichsBallPythons]

Thats M$ for ya

[Darkice]

I will never buy a Dell product. They screwed me over royaly. I bought a computer from them for like 2500 bucks when i was in the military. The computer had tons of problems. It would turn off all by itself and freeze up constantly. I had it a week and decided to return it.
The return process was easy. After they recieved my computer they called me and told me what was wrond with it. The processor was bad.
I told them that i had 30 days to decide if i wanted it and the decision was No. So i got my money back and that was that.

10 Years later im trying to buy a house. On my credit rating its stating that i still owe Dell for the computer. And the loan company wont let me buy a house till i pay off Dell. I contact Dell and they say that according to their records i have never purchased anything from them. I explained the situation and they say i need to produce some kind of paperwork saying That i returned the computer. They never gave me anything.

So to make a long story short because im starting to get flamed up. I had to pay Dell 2500 bucks for a computer that i didn't buy. If i ever run into the owners of Dell, ITS ON!

[Clear]

I would format and install Ubuntu and never worry about anything again. Dont be scared of the change

I will never buy a Dell product. They screwed me over royaly. I bought a computer from them for like 2500 bucks when i was in the military. The computer had tons of problems. It would turn off all by itself and freeze up constantly. I had it a week and decided to return it.
The return process was easy. After they recieved my computer they called me and told me what was wrond with it. The processor was bad.
I told them that i had 30 days to decide if i wanted it and the decision was No. So i got my money back and that was that.

10 Years later im trying to buy a house. On my credit rating its stating that i still owe Dell for the computer. And the loan company wont let me buy a house till i pay off Dell. I contact Dell and they say that according to their records i have never purchased anything from them. I explained the situation and they say i need to produce some kind of paperwork saying That i returned the computer. They never gave me anything.

So to make a long story short because im starting to get flamed up. I had to pay Dell 2500 bucks for a computer that i didn't buy. If i ever run into the owners of Dell, ITS ON!

Easy fix, its been 10 years so just fight the claim and have it removed from your report.

[RichsBallPythons]

Thats why i never buy from the BIG GUYS. I build my own to get what I WANT and pay HUNDREDS Less. The price these guys sell dual cores and quad cores you can build high end gaming computers cheaper.

Phenom II x4 955 BE 3.2ghz@ 4.2ghz
ASUS M4A79T Deluxe
8GB OCZ LV gold edition 1600 1.65 8-8-8-24@1740 17.44 1m
Coolmaster Case w/Corsair 850w PSU
4870 1gb Sapphire Crossfired
Thermaltake SpinQ Idle 31c Load 44oC

Cost me just under 1700.

Now a build like that from dell or hp would be well over the 2500 mark.

[Clear]

Thats why i never buy from the BIG GUYS. I build my own to get what I WANT and pay HUNDREDS Less. The price these guys sell dual cores and quad cores you can build high end gaming computers cheaper.

Phenom II x4 955 BE 3.2ghz@ 4.2ghz
ASUS M4A79T Deluxe
8GB OCZ LV gold edition 1600 1.65 8-8-8-24@1740 17.44 1m
Coolmaster Case w/Corsair 850w PSU
4870 1gb Sapphire Crossfired
Thermaltake SpinQ Idle 31c Load 44oC

Cost me just under 1700.

Now a build like that from dell or hp would be well over the 2500 mark.

10 years ago your basic cpu was $1000 lol