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From: shawn@eddie.mit.edu (Shawn F. Mckay)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
Subject: Help w/PB286LP
Message-ID: <1991Jan18.041132.6861@eddie.mit.edu>
Date: 18 Jan 91 04:11:32 GMT
Sender: news@eddie.mit.edu (Usenet News)
Reply-To: shawn@eddie.mit.edu (Shawn F. Mckay)
Organization: MIT EECS/ECF Facility, Cambridge Mass
Lines: 40


Howdy, I just picked up a Packard Bell PB286LP at a local leachmere,
(they let it go for a song :-)), however, I'm starting to think 
perhaps it was a death march :-).

It seems to work ok, (although loading minix has been a bear, I'll take
another stab at it tomorrow I guess). My problem is when I called PB
for some tech help, they were somewhat willing to help, but I'll have
to wait for the mail to find out.  

They directed me at a local service center in Lexington, and said I
should be all "set".

When I called the service center, they told me they ONLY did waranty
repairs. Furthermore, because my machine was a "prior-return", (which
is why it was low price for me), they would not even discuss working
on it.

When I asked if there was a way to make it "blessed" again, they said
"no".

So, what I have is a machine that has shown some strange behavior,
(Writing write-protected disks, memory flakyness????, etc..), and
NO WAY visible to get help, PB does nothing "direct", and its
reps out here seem to feel I'm diseased or something. To "me" the
machine is new, but they are clinging to a legal technicality.

So,
	a) Does anyone know anyone good in the Boston area who works
	   on PB machines?
	b) Are there any "standard" gotcha's with this machine?
	c) Is there a user/support group?
	d) Is PB *REALLY* this bad with customer support, or is there
	   another number I should call?

			* Thanks * for any help! :-)

				  - Shawn

Internet: shawn@eddie.mit.edu