Frontpage Story #57

I bought a Compaq 1275 laptop just before I was to leave off for a class in California and I currently live in Hawaii. I figured Compaq made a pretty good (duh) laptop so without time to research I bought a 1275 Presario. That night I start the machine and it gives blue screens of death and various other errors. It wouldn't even start after reloading it with the quick restore disk. I just figured bad disk and reloaded it with my copy of Win98 and after some searching I found the drivers I needed off the Quick restore disk.

Next day I jump on a plane and am out of town for 30+ days. So I try to load up some games and other 3d programs only to see that it ran like crap. Even non-3d apps ran terrible. So I research the 1275 model on compaqs website to see that it supports ...haha.."High performance 3D graphics". I load up directX 7 and still a no go. I search for updated drivers with no luck. Then I started reading the newsgroups and bbs's to see everyone having the same problem with 3d support. Come to find out the 1275 and other neomagic laptops DO NOT support 3d.

Now I'm mad and I find this wonderful site. I contacted the BBB, the district manager for the store, Compaq's area marketing dude, and a law firm. After about 5 weeks of email threats to start a class action lawsuit for false advertising. I received a message on my machine from a Compaq rep saying it does support 3d nad that I needed to return the call to give them my seriel number and model and so I do. A week later I get a call from the store manager saying that compaq authorized a return and I could bring the laptop back. Whoo Hoo! (Gee.. me thinks Compaq finally figures that it don't support 3d.)

A week since the return I received a call from Compaq wanting to settle the matter with the BBB complaint. (Go figure they don't even know what they are doing to solve real critical problems.) I tell the gal that Compaq authorized a return and I already got my money back. She sounded surprised and I told her that everything is settled and I'm all happy, then I hung up.

Point is don't take any crap from them. Threaten and threaten, take every route possible to get under their skin. If I can get my money back so can you.

Front Page Story
Author: D. Hayes
Email: impact9@flex.com