Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!VAX1.CC.UAKRON.EDU!tim
From: tim@VAX1.CC.UAKRON.EDU (Timothy H Smith)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Problems with my Dell   (somewhat long)
Message-ID: <75971@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu>
Date: 21 Jan 90 09:26:22 GMT
Sender: news@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu
Reply-To: tim@VAX1.CC.UAKRON.EDU (Timothy H Smith)
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Organization: University of Akron, Ohio
Lines: 57

Netlanders,

     I got my Dell 316sx about 3 weeks ago.  And I would like
to tell you my story on it's performance and reliability.
First of all, here is what I ordered:

     316sx 1MB memory, 3 1/2 Floppy, 20meg HD, mono VGA, and
     no DOS.  ~2000.00

here's what came:

     316sx 1MB memory, 5 1/4 and 3 1/2 floppy, 40meg HD,
     mono VGA, and no DOS.  ~2100.00

not wanting to cleat anyone I called up Dell (my sales clone)
and Told them what happened.  After talking with there
manager they told me to keep the unit.  No extra charge.
I thought that was great.  But the next day Dell calls me
back and says that "It won't be covered under warranty."
After much fighting with them.. We finally compromised on me
sending back the 5 1/4 floppy and me keeping the 40meg HD for
only a addition $100.  I thought was would be OK.

The performance of the machine is fair.. Although it's about
the slowest 386sx according to my running of PC-Labs bench
5.0 and the PC article on SX machines (Jan 30, 1990).
I still say the performance is fair because it is a SX and
slower then a 16mhz 286 type machine. But it can run 386 bit
software.  It also runs IBM os/2 1.2 fine. It has Phoenix
BIOS version 1.10, and uses 256K or 1Mb simms. Upto 8meg
using 1Mb simms (100ns).

The reliability of the machine is very bad.. I've had the
machine about 20 some days and already have had 2
motherboards replaced.  The machine still acts funny but at
least it's not crashing any more.  Dell has always replaced
the parts at no charge to me, and they have been very
helpfull in getting the machine back up and running.  And
Xerox has been good about on-site fixing of the machine.
There also was apparently a hardware problem that caused them
to glue another chip onto one of the ASIC's on the main board
and run wire traces all over the place.. There are about
10-15 wire traces on the main board.. To me that's a bad
design from the start.

My problem now is should I return it before the 30 days are
up or keep it and hope it holds up. I would like to here from
any one having a Dell and how they have held up.  And what
would you do in my place.


                          Thanks to all who reply.
                          Timothy Smith
Timothy Smith             | INTERNET: tim@vonneuman.math.uakron.edu
Department of Mathematics |  
The University of Akron   |  What kind of world is it, when a man, dressed
Akron, ohio 44325         |  as a BAT, gets all of my press?  --The Joker