Consumer Watch: Avoiding the Upgrade From Hell
How to have the latest software without experiencing installation disasters.
Anne Kandra
On Your Side
I called MicronPC technical support to ask about the BIOS setup of my computer. A rep said she couldn't help me since my three-year-old machine was out of warranty.
I was surprised. Working in the software industry, I talk to many PC manufacturers--including Compaq, Dell, and Gateway--whose reps are willing to give advice or direction even on products with expired warranties. I understand that I have to pay for parts and labor, and in some cases I may have to pay for phone support on systems that are beyond the term of the service contract. But the rep didn't even offer me the option of paying for support. What gives? MicronPC's unwillingness to help is disturbing to the point that it's mean-spirited.
Tim Curran, Omaha
On Your Side responds: According to MicronPC spokesperson Michele Casey, the rep should have offered Curran the alternative of calling the company's 900-number for $3-per-minute support. After the warranty expires, the company will still provide assistance with hardware and software problems, but you have to pay. Many PC vendors, including MicronPC, cover most of a system's components for three years and installed software for 15 days from the day you bought the machine. (Gores Technology Group has acquired MicronPC, but is retaining its policies on service.)
--Grace Aquino
Have you gotten a raw deal? Or a great one? E-mail the details to onyourside@pcworld.com. We'll follow up on and publish items of the broadest interest.
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