unreliable IBM
Discussion
My rubbish IBM T42 laptop has died yet again. I am now mid way through the joy of dealing with their customer aggrivation department. Last time it died I had the same experience - a dozen phonecalls back and forth to confirm whether they will cover it or not. Despite me having a receipt for 3 year warranty.
Now it seems IBM has lost my data. Lost the details of the previous repair and lost my registration details. Now they are saying it may not be covered because they can't find the details. How the hell is this my fault?
I have since bought another brand laptop, at half the price and superior build quality. Never again will I buy the laptop equivalent of porsche - nice badge but crap build and service.
Now it seems IBM has lost my data. Lost the details of the previous repair and lost my registration details. Now they are saying it may not be covered because they can't find the details. How the hell is this my fault?
I have since bought another brand laptop, at half the price and superior build quality. Never again will I buy the laptop equivalent of porsche - nice badge but crap build and service.
interesting comment ... have been using stinkpads for years now, and although not the fastest of laptops, i have found them to be the most reliable and durable (and i treat laptops like sh1t)
Suspect that you have been unlucky and had a friday afternoon one! (not that that is much help)
Suspect that you have been unlucky and had a friday afternoon one! (not that that is much help)
I have to agree the Thinkpads are the best out there as a workhorse. We still have old p3 ones knocking about.. they refuse to die.
Steer WELL clear of fujitsu siemens kit. The worst kit i have ever seen. Cheap and flimsy and crap display and sound. Screws have fallen out of new laptops that havent even left the office !!
Steer WELL clear of fujitsu siemens kit. The worst kit i have ever seen. Cheap and flimsy and crap display and sound. Screws have fallen out of new laptops that havent even left the office !!
KUB3 said:
Granted the case is solid, but the internals are unreliable. Not acceptable on an £1800 machine.
Honestly, i suspect that you have been unlucky with your laptop mate.
Sure its hardware components that are going wrong and not the Operating system / applications causing software fcukups?
Have delivered literally thousands of these things, to some of the most hostile places imaginable, and given them to people who usually wield construction equipment on oil rigs so not the best computer users, with minimal hassle.
(sorry if i sound like i am teaching you to suck eggs, not intended)
Regarding IBM tech support, never had to deal with this on an individual basis, always had a coroprate account to fall back on, this could be a complete POS, granted.
No it's been the hardware, on both occasions. One hard drive total failiure, now I suspect the power stage has gone wrong. The screen went fuzzy like an old tv, then it simply died. In fact a third issue was also hardware related as well, with the speakers failing. All in all, a pile of junk. In a solid case.
We run over 2000 Stinkpads, most are very reliable.
Again, I think you got a Friday afternooner.
I've seen the factory where IBM build them (silicon glen), and it's very impressive. The Lenovo ones seem pretty well made as well.
Just IBM servers that used to be cr4p, no where near as good as Compaq, but even they're getting better.
Again, I think you got a Friday afternooner.
I've seen the factory where IBM build them (silicon glen), and it's very impressive. The Lenovo ones seem pretty well made as well.
Just IBM servers that used to be cr4p, no where near as good as Compaq, but even they're getting better.
I now have a new mid priced £700 machine.
However as prices keep falling I suspect I will be able to buy the spec I require in a year for £400. Then I will treat them as disposable, with annual replacements. It does not make sense to pay top price for sub level reliability. Neither does it make sense to pay for 3 year on site extended warranty when your data is lost and they argue every time. The disposable laptop is vry near. Then we can kiss goodbye to crap customer care and worthless warranties.
However as prices keep falling I suspect I will be able to buy the spec I require in a year for £400. Then I will treat them as disposable, with annual replacements. It does not make sense to pay top price for sub level reliability. Neither does it make sense to pay for 3 year on site extended warranty when your data is lost and they argue every time. The disposable laptop is vry near. Then we can kiss goodbye to crap customer care and worthless warranties.
IBM eh? 
Lenovo are just using the ThinkPad name, which does carry some weight. But it's a fairly generic internal unit combined with the few oddities that IBM's are know for (the little light and the finger print reader). These days I wouldn't trust them more or less than any other box shifter. If you really want an IBM laptop then I believe the last true IBM ThinkPad's was the T40 or T41 era units.
IBM's x86 servers have always... always been a joke. Now the Power based UNIX machines are utter demons... but IBM don't really like to sell them; they'd much rather you leased them and paid for hosting/support and keep the box in an IBM server farm.
IBM... it's just a weird weird place.
Lenovo are just using the ThinkPad name, which does carry some weight. But it's a fairly generic internal unit combined with the few oddities that IBM's are know for (the little light and the finger print reader). These days I wouldn't trust them more or less than any other box shifter. If you really want an IBM laptop then I believe the last true IBM ThinkPad's was the T40 or T41 era units.
IBM's x86 servers have always... always been a joke. Now the Power based UNIX machines are utter demons... but IBM don't really like to sell them; they'd much rather you leased them and paid for hosting/support and keep the box in an IBM server farm.
IBM... it's just a weird weird place.
jimmyjimjim said:
My T42 is fine; much better than the Dell pos sat next to it that is its 'replacement'.
True, the T42 costs more, but it's a much more solid bit of kit, and hasn't given me any trouble. Using it as a test rig at the moment.
True, the T42 costs more, but it's a much more solid bit of kit, and hasn't given me any trouble. Using it as a test rig at the moment.
Oh god not Dell....
I have been cursed with 2 Dells now and my team has proven them to be utterly unreliable! Cheap, nasty and not at all work strong. Not something I would recommend for the work environment - home maybe....
off_again said:
jimmyjimjim said:
My T42 is fine; much better than the Dell pos sat next to it that is its 'replacement'.
True, the T42 costs more, but it's a much more solid bit of kit, and hasn't given me any trouble. Using it as a test rig at the moment.
True, the T42 costs more, but it's a much more solid bit of kit, and hasn't given me any trouble. Using it as a test rig at the moment.
Oh god not Dell....
I have been cursed with 2 Dells now and my team has proven them to be utterly unreliable! Cheap, nasty and not at all work strong. Not something I would recommend for the work environment - home maybe....
Dunno. I've seen plenty of long in the tooth Dell machines that are still chugging away despite abuse, both desktop, laptop and server units. I've also seen the same with HP/Compaq, IBM, Tosh, Fujitsu and so on. Conversely I've seen skips full of every manufacturer and IT departments saying good riddance to those unreliable cr4p.
off_again said:
Oh god not Dell....
People say that about my Viao but i've had no problems what so ever, my brother runs a fairly heft Dell and he's has really abused his machine (proper first year student and all
) and its been chugging on now for over a year and half. I think you can just get unlucky when these things are bolted together...
We use exclusively IBM/Lenovo thinkPads here (T60's currently), we have about 60 of them in various models and configs
I've never had a problem with their Service Dept, and to clear up any confusion currently you call IBM for service on a Lenovo ThinkPad laptop!
Must be a Friday afternoon one, as normally they are bullet proof, drop proof and coffee proof!
BUT Lenovo no longer operate a DOA policy as I found out recently - wasn't too much of a PITA, but was disappointing to discover.
I've never had a problem with their Service Dept, and to clear up any confusion currently you call IBM for service on a Lenovo ThinkPad laptop!
Must be a Friday afternoon one, as normally they are bullet proof, drop proof and coffee proof!
BUT Lenovo no longer operate a DOA policy as I found out recently - wasn't too much of a PITA, but was disappointing to discover.
jamieboy said:
ThePassenger said:
IBM's x86 servers have always... always been a joke.
Depends how long 'always... always' is.
There was never much wrong with the old PS/2 Model 80 - we sold plenty of them. Ahh the PS/2, built so sturdy I could bounce a sledgehammer off the chassis and not dent the sucker. Although that was the era of MCA... which was a good system, worked well and ahead of it's time... but that idiot licensing policy for it. :shakes head:
coopers said:
off_again said:
Oh god not Dell....
People say that about my Viao but i've had no problems what so ever, my brother runs a fairly heft Dell and he's has really abused his machine (proper first year student and all
) and its been chugging on now for over a year and half. I think you can just get unlucky when these things are bolted together...
Dependent on model I am afraid - we run the "business" D600, D610 and now D620 Latitudes. The new D620's are build like IBM's of old, but the older D600 and D610's are cheap, nasty and very poor construction - the chassis is particularly poor and flexes really badly..... not what I would consider as good. Oh, and the drivers are crap too - Dell only even though they are OEM - badly updated too!
I must say i use a IBM T30 and the build quality and reliability as been outstanding,old i know but always using it instead of my main power pc,wireless networked great bit of kit,sorry to here your having problems with your IBM and i have probably not been much help,hope you get it fixed.
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