Thread: Currys extended warrenty on pc problems

Originally Posted by Laura03

Hi All first time i have posted here so apologies if i dont do this correctly

I purchased an EMachine from Currys in 2004 with an extended warrenty for 5 years the pc was an EMachine - approx 1 1/2 - 2 years into the warrenty the pc broke and it was according to the Tech guys it had to have the motherboard replaced(since have discovered that this was a problem with the emachine as the psu went and took out the motherboard with it) - they replaced the motherboard and gave me a set of recovery discs - this is a long story but in the end it turns out that the recovery discs do not have the sound device on them ie. when i have to do a full recovery on the machine i do not have sound on my computer - i found this out after i had another problem and had to do full recovery - i contacted the Tech guys - who had me download many different sound devices none of which worked - in the end it took 3 x technicians to come out they ended up replacing a drive - no actually they had my son initially install the drive which at that time i thought they meant put a disc in and install something - he was to actually take the computer apart and put in the drive - anyway that did not restore the sound and eventually on the third technician he realised the problem and used a disc to install the sound device (he took this disc with him when he left apparently they are not allowed to leave them with the customer and it is my responsiblity to go to the manufacturer and get new recovery discs with the sound on them) - again 4 months later i had a problem and had to do full recovery and hey ho no sound - when i contacted the tech guys i got several different people who each told me to download completley different packages for sound devices none of which worked i spent 2 1/2 hours doing this over the phone - it ended with them saying they would contact me back with the chief engineer - they rang back and had me hold on the line for 10 minutes - it went dead - no other contact - the next morning rang them again - this time guy said that they were not responsible for the software - i said yes you are you should have given me the correct recovery discs when you carried out the repair initially - he actually started to yell down the phone at me and i told him i was going to go to Trading Standards - went to currys the next morning and they told me that The Tech Guys were not responsible for the Software - but they said for me to bring the computer to them and they would try and sort it

1. Why should i have to carry this computer to them i have no car to get it there and i paid for the extended warrenty to cover me for these things

2. This is sharp practice on the part of the warrenty stating that they are not responsible for the software - if they change a part on my machine that is driven by the actuall software installed at time of purchase should i not have been given the same software to operate the second motherboard that they changed the original one to - i am at a lose as to where i legally stand here - please note that this is still under warrenty - The Tech Guys are saying as it is a software problem they are not responsible and the 4th tech guy said that as they already fixed the sound once then they fixed the computer ? how can that be if a need to do a full recovery i will never have sound as there is none on the recovery discs

Sorry about the length of this but i am not very good with computers and am not all that sure of what they are telling me - i think that they have fobbed me off from the minute that they replaced the initial fault ie. motherboard

Right, couple of points to note.

Firstly under their extended warantee software is not technicaly covered. Although if someone bought a computer and found windows was corrupt they would have to change it over. So software is a grey area, the way I always judge it, and so do most of my colleagues goes along the lines of, if it came with the computer it's our responsibility, if it didn't then it's yours. So the odds are they're just using this to try and fob you off, don't let them.

What I suspect they've done is replaced your motherboard and given you drivers for your old motherboard on the recovery disk, meaning you've got no sound because the audio chips are probably different models. Downloading the drivers should fix the issue, if you can find out what motherboard you've got it should be a 5 minute fix.

As for taking it back to the store, you've probably hit lucky and caught one of the few tech savvy sales members in the store and they've offered to have a look at it to save you having to go though the techguys again. They're technicaly not allowed to do this, so s/he's putting themself out to do it. As all repairs need to go though the techguys usualy. So I think it's a bit unfair to complain about going back into store, when they've offered to have a look rather than do as they're told and refer you back to the techguys.

Keep the following in mind, if you have to go though the techguys again:

• They only have 28 days from the date of collection under their own policy before you can ring up and request it written off and get replacement vouchers sent out.
• They can collect your computer from either the store or your home.
• They can deliver to the store or your home on completion.
• Make sure you get a copy of the service docket and a copy of the engineers report upon completion of the repair.
• They can only repair your computer 3 times under their own policy before it must be written off and replaced with vouchers.
• They will also issue vouchers for a pro-rata refund on any time left on your extended warantee.
• Fuel, Telephone and other costs incurred by having to get this sorted can all be claimed back from head-office if you provide them with reciepts and itemised statements.

just a quick update....

the emachine issue is well documented at the call center..

the reason they give out new recovery disks is they dont use the same mainboard as was origionally in there so there generic disks rather than the origionals

just a quick aside if you go into windows update and select the optional updates sometimes that will update drivers

I haven't read you entire post but I a quite sure that "hardware" includes the drivers to make it work.

I am sure that a judge would agree with me

Originally Posted by BankFodder

I haven't read you entire post but I a quite sure that "hardware" includes the drivers to make it work.

I am sure that a judge would agree with me

That's what he said - if it comes with the PC they usually say it's their responsibility, if not, it isn't.

Anyway, I have a possible way out... If you go to Start > Run type devmgmt.msc and press Enter, you'll probably notice that the sound device is in the list but with a ? or a ! next to it, and something generic like Multimedia Audio Controller as its name. Double click it, and go to the Details tab - under Device Instance ID post what it shows. It won't make much sense but it should give us enough to identify the real chip and hopefully find the driver for it.

easily sorted.

goto this link:

|MG| EVEREST Free Edition 2.20

and download and install everest home edition.

run the prog, and drill through the icoms till you find your listed sound card/device [prob under motherboard resources or sound]

the prog will display a link to download the require drivers [prob one of the many ac97 drivers]

that should sort the issue.

as a side note, software/drivers are not included under the hardware nor an extended warranty, though i feel its a shame none of the tech guys simply gave your the disc or showed you how to get it.

IF par-change, everest does not sort the issue
it will tell you the motherboard maker & number

just pop up on their website, click on support & drivers & get them that way.

dx