It is now safely (or unsafely) back in the place it was when it got nearly destroyed.
DELL replaced the mainboard, the keyboard casing, and the keyboard itself (so no more unexplained scratch on the “D” key.) It’s not acted up at all since it’s return and I am quite pleased.
Kudos to DELL.
According to the FedEx tracking, the laptop is safely ensconced (and signed for) at the repair facility.
Now I just have to wait for them to repair it.
As I understand, it can take up to 5 business days for that to happen.
The out-ship box arrived today, furtively, as if sneaking up on my doorstep and laid in wait there for me to check for it. (Or perhaps the delivery happened whist I was in the shower, which is quite possible.)
The moment I discovered it on the stoop, I tore into it ravenously, devoured the instructions, followed them as best I could, and packed up the damaged laptop. I included an unnecessarily long-winded description of the problem on the shipping notes and taped it up.
The trek to the shipping center was arduous and I storm brewed a mighty cauldron of dark clouds overhead with mumbling about rain and thunder. (I drove a car anyway, a rare thing for me by myself but not altogether that epic.)
I prevailed.
I dropped it off at a FedEx drop-ship center and discovered I couldn’t get a receipt for dropping it off… Although I did copy down the number and I know the place I left it. I hope that this doesn’t become the next SNAFU in the repair process.
Meanwhile, I look forward to believing that it’s in DELL’s hands now and that repairs may get underway.
Surely, the stars have aligned against me. DELL did ship out the box for my laptop to be shipped back on time and according to FedEx it was delivered yesterday at 11am.
However, it never appeared on my doorstep. I even went out to the front office to see if they’d received it there and left my phone number in case the out-ship box appears. I guessed that if anywhere had received the delivery it might be them.
I have triple-checked the address with DELL (possibly quintuple-checked by the number of phone calls I’ve made.)
Today I contacted DELL again to ask them to send the box again. It looks like it’s expected arrival is sometime next week either Monday or Tuesday. Putting me in the dismal position of being without my work system for yet an extra week.
I hope this was a fluke with FedEx. After all it’s just an empty box and wouldn’t require an signature on receipt—if it’s not a fluke, this could be a problem for when my system is returned to me via the same route it went out on.
Just to be clear: I have contacted DELL to re-send the box; I have not contacted FedEx to attempt to locate it (because at this point why?)
I’ll keep everyone updated.
Burning rubber where angels fear to tread.
