Frontpage Story #37

November of 1997 I purchased a Compaq Presario 4814 paying $2200 for computer and 1525 monitor, from the very begining I had trouble any time I played a game that required DirectX, it would play fine for awhile then either lose sound or I would get a loud buzzing sound instead of the sound effects. I tried and tried support at compaq with them giving me a case number and all, but it got to where every time I called all they had to say was Rescue Disk. In March I lost sound in my modem and got tired of Rescue Disk so I took it back where I purchased it (Best Buy), and while I was there one of there technicians put DirectX 5 on, with the problem still there so he said they would keep it and call me in 3-5 days.

After 5 days I called Best Buy and asked about it, they said the technician that was assigned to work on it had quit, but they would call me in an hour. They called in an hour and told me there was nothing wrong with it and to come get it. When I went to get it I told them what was wrong again, they looked at it told me it had DirectX 5 on it, and since it was not original they would not do anything to it, but for $65.00 they would Rescue Disk it and then take a look at it. So I ended up getting thrown out of Best Buy (Evil Store). Ended up having to take it someplace that sent it off, where they put a 292269-001 Modem in it, but when I got it back 2 weeks later, the modem still had no sound, so I sent it back, this time they put a 286165-0001 System Board, and 286535-0001 Riser Card. When I got it back 4 weeks later the modem worked but the DirectX was still the same, Compaq said they did not cover DirectX in there equipment even though DirectX 3 is included, saying that was Microsofts problem and to ask them for help.

The Sound lasted about four months on my modem then went back out, so I sent it off again with them putting a 286009-001 Power Supply in. And guess what, it is now out of warranty and
the modem sound is gone again, and the DirectX sound is still as it was, so support won't even look at me without money involed. PIECE OF CRAP COMPAQ.