This is a message for all those Microsoft Techs that keep sending me to Dell
Support for Windows related software problems. Dell no longer handles
software issues, only hardware issues with their computers. So would you
please stop passing the buck.

Of course, if you had made Windows XP better, I wouldn't have used up my two
free enquiries only to have you uselessly send me over to Dell instead of
answering my questions. Now it's going to cost me for any future enquiries,
while you saved yourselves the need to answer my first two enquiries by
passing me off to Dell.

Hello new user,

You seem to be confused about a few issues. For starters, this group is
a peer-to-peer user group. There are no Microsoft Techs here unless just
posting on their own time. Secondly, you purchased an OEM installation
from DELL, NOT Microsoft. Their right to sell that copy of XP is part
and parcel of them being required to provide end-user support for the
operating system. Now did you have a question you want to ask the
volunteers that "hang" out here, or did you just want to make sure that
this avenue of support became unavailable to you too?

genedale wrote:

> This is a message for all those Microsoft Techs that keep sending me to Dell
> Support for Windows related software problems. Dell no longer handles
> software issues, only hardware issues with their computers. So would you
> please stop passing the buck.
>
> Of course, if you had made Windows XP better, I wouldn't have used up my two
> free enquiries only to have you uselessly send me over to Dell instead of
> answering my questions. Now it's going to cost me for any future enquiries,
> while you saved yourselves the need to answer my first two enquiries by
> passing me off to Dell.

On Wed, 31 Jan 2007, Bob I <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>Hello new user,
>
>You seem to be confused about a few issues.

you seem to be an asslicker for M$

>For starters, this group is
>a peer-to-peer user group. There are no Microsoft Techs here unless just
>posting on their own time.

he knows that, you supercilious shithead

>Secondly, you purchased an OEM installation
>from DELL, NOT Microsoft. Their right to sell that copy of XP is part
>and parcel of them being required to provide end-user support for the
>operating system.

where do you get your ideas from, you stupid asshole?

>Now did you have a question you want to ask the
>volunteers that "hang" out here, or did you just want to make sure that
>this avenue of support became unavailable to you too?

he got nothing useful from you, you pompous dicksucker

>
>genedale wrote:
>
>> This is a message for all those Microsoft Techs that keep sending me to Dell
>> Support for Windows related software problems. Dell no longer handles
>> software issues, only hardware issues with their computers. So would you
>> please stop passing the buck.
>>
>> Of course, if you had made Windows XP better, I wouldn't have used up my two
>> free enquiries only to have you uselessly send me over to Dell instead of
>> answering my questions. Now it's going to cost me for any future enquiries,
>> while you saved yourselves the need to answer my first two enquiries by
>> passing me off to Dell.

If it were possible to get a tech, as I've tried to do, I would have done so.
Perhaps you can tell me where I'm going wrong.

First I go onto the Microsoft site and click on Help and Support. At the
next screen I choose Windows XP. At the next screen I choose Contacts. At
the next screen I choose "Contact a support professional by email, online or
phone." At the next screen I choose "Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition". At
the next screen I choose "Start email request". At the next screen I choose
"Yes, this Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition is on the computer I'm using
now." At the next screen I choose "Let Microsoft locate the product
identification number." At the next screen I'm told:

"This Product ID indicates that there will be a charge for this Microsoft
support.
The product ID indicates that this product may be supported by your computer
manufacturer. Contact your computer manufacturer for support or select a
different support option below."

The next line indicates a phone number for Dell, my computer manufacturer.
However, the last two times I went on the chatroom at Dell, I was told they
were no longer handling software issues, but only hardware issues. If you
insert the PID, you're just thrown back to that same screen. There doesn't
seem to be a way to conact the techs even to inform them that rerouting you
to Dell is a waste of time.

If you've got a better solution to contact the techs for Microsoft,
enlighten me. Please?????

"Bob I" wrote:

> Hello new user,
>
> You seem to be confused about a few issues. For starters, this group is
> a peer-to-peer user group. There are no Microsoft Techs here unless just
> posting on their own time. Secondly, you purchased an OEM installation
> from DELL, NOT Microsoft. Their right to sell that copy of XP is part
> and parcel of them being required to provide end-user support for the
> operating system. Now did you have a question you want to ask the
> volunteers that "hang" out here, or did you just want to make sure that
> this avenue of support became unavailable to you too?
>
> genedale wrote:
>
> > This is a message for all those Microsoft Techs that keep sending me to Dell
> > Support for Windows related software problems. Dell no longer handles
> > software issues, only hardware issues with their computers. So would you
> > please stop passing the buck.
> >
> > Of course, if you had made Windows XP better, I wouldn't have used up my two
> > free enquiries only to have you uselessly send me over to Dell instead of
> > answering my questions. Now it's going to cost me for any future enquiries,
> > while you saved yourselves the need to answer my first two enquiries by
> > passing me off to Dell.
>
>

genedale wrote:

> This is a message for all those Microsoft Techs that keep sending me
> to Dell Support for Windows related software problems. Dell no
> longer handles software issues, only hardware issues with their
> computers. So would you please stop passing the buck.
>
> Of course, if you had made Windows XP better, I wouldn't have used up
> my two free enquiries only to have you uselessly send me over to Dell
> instead of answering my questions. Now it's going to cost me for any
> future enquiries, while you saved yourselves the need to answer my
> first two enquiries by passing me off to Dell.



You are very much confused about whom you are addressing here. *Nobody* here
has any need to answer your questions or anybody else's.

If you think you are addressing Microsoft here, let me explain that you are
not, and that his is a peer support
newsgroup--microsoft.public.windowsxp.general. We are all just Windows XP
users here, helping each other if and when we can. We are not Microsoft
employees (not even those of us with "Microsoft MVP" behind our names;
that's an honorary title for having provided consistently helpful advice)
except for an occasional employee who posts here unofficially on his own
time.

So a little more humility in asking us for help here would go a long way.
Nobody here owes you anything.

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup

genedale wrote:
> If it were possible to get a tech, as I've tried to do, I would have done so.
> Perhaps you can tell me where I'm going wrong.
>
> First I go onto the Microsoft site and click on Help and Support. At the
> next screen I choose Windows XP. At the next screen I choose Contacts. At
> the next screen I choose "Contact a support professional by email, online or
> phone." At the next screen I choose "Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition". At
> the next screen I choose "Start email request". At the next screen I choose
> "Yes, this Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition is on the computer I'm using
> now." At the next screen I choose "Let Microsoft locate the product
> identification number." At the next screen I'm told:
>
> "This Product ID indicates that there will be a charge for this Microsoft
> support.
> The product ID indicates that this product may be supported by your computer
> manufacturer. Contact your computer manufacturer for support or select a
> different support option below."
>
> The next line indicates a phone number for Dell, my computer manufacturer.
> However, the last two times I went on the chatroom at Dell, I was told they
> were no longer handling software issues, but only hardware issues. If you
> insert the PID, you're just thrown back to that same screen. There doesn't
> seem to be a way to conact the techs even to inform them that rerouting you
> to Dell is a waste of time.
>
> If you've got a better solution to contact the techs for Microsoft,
> enlighten me. Please?????
>

But that's just the point. Because you have a factory installed OEM
license of WinXP, you *don't* contact Microsoft. Dell has sole
responsibility for providing all of your support for the OS and any
other software included in the computer's original purchase.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell

I'm sorry if I've offended anyone here, but please tell me what my options
are. Microsoft keeps directing me to Dell because my computer is a Dell.
The Dell techs I contact thru their chatroom tell me they no longer handle
software support and they direct me to Microsoft. And when I try to contact
a Microsoft tech about it, there seems to be no way to get to a tech without
it costing me $59 to do so, even if all I want to do is tell the tech about
the response I'm getting from Dell. So I come on this site, hoping there is
a tech here that might hear my problem. Perhaps I vented too much in the
process, but I'm frustrated. No, I didn't have a specific problem in mind
with this stream (I've got another stream on this site for one of my
problems), but I'm trying to make the techs or someone at Microsoft aware
that there's a problem here. Dell and Microsoft obviously have a problem
that needs to be sorted out between them. I'm not fond of being the ping
pong ball that they keep bouncing back and forth. Again, I'm sorry if I've
stepped on any toes in the process.

"Ken Blake, MVP" wrote:

> genedale wrote:
>
> > This is a message for all those Microsoft Techs that keep sending me
> > to Dell Support for Windows related software problems. Dell no
> > longer handles software issues, only hardware issues with their
> > computers. So would you please stop passing the buck.
> >
> > Of course, if you had made Windows XP better, I wouldn't have used up
> > my two free enquiries only to have you uselessly send me over to Dell
> > instead of answering my questions. Now it's going to cost me for any
> > future enquiries, while you saved yourselves the need to answer my
> > first two enquiries by passing me off to Dell.
>
>
>
> You are very much confused about whom you are addressing here. *Nobody* here
> has any need to answer your questions or anybody else's.
>
> If you think you are addressing Microsoft here, let me explain that you are
> not, and that his is a peer support
> newsgroup--microsoft.public.windowsxp.general. We are all just Windows XP
> users here, helping each other if and when we can. We are not Microsoft
> employees (not even those of us with "Microsoft MVP" behind our names;
> that's an honorary title for having provided consistently helpful advice)
> except for an occasional employee who posts here unofficially on his own
> time.
>
> So a little more humility in asking us for help here would go a long way.
> Nobody here owes you anything.
>
> --
> Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
> Please reply to the newsgroup
>
>
>
>
>

"genedale" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:EA8C9366-E63E-4DAF-B0C3-(E-Mail Removed)...
> I'm sorry if I've offended anyone here, but please tell me what my options
> are. Microsoft keeps directing me to Dell because my computer is a Dell.
> The Dell techs I contact thru their chatroom tell me they no longer handle
> software support and they direct me to Microsoft. And when I try to
> contact
> a Microsoft tech about it, there seems to be no way to get to a tech
> without
> it costing me $59 to do so, even if all I want to do is tell the tech
> about
> the response I'm getting from Dell. So I come on this site, hoping there
> is
> a tech here that might hear my problem. Perhaps I vented too much in the
> process, but I'm frustrated. No, I didn't have a specific problem in mind
> with this stream (I've got another stream on this site for one of my
> problems), but I'm trying to make the techs or someone at Microsoft aware
> that there's a problem here. Dell and Microsoft obviously have a problem
> that needs to be sorted out between them. I'm not fond of being the ping
> pong ball that they keep bouncing back and forth. Again, I'm sorry if
> I've
> stepped on any toes in the process.
>
> "Ken Blake, MVP" wrote:
>
>> genedale wrote:
>>
>> > This is a message for all those Microsoft Techs that keep sending me
>> > to Dell Support for Windows related software problems. Dell no
>> > longer handles software issues, only hardware issues with their
>> > computers. So would you please stop passing the buck.
>> >
>> > Of course, if you had made Windows XP better, I wouldn't have used up
>> > my two free enquiries only to have you uselessly send me over to Dell
>> > instead of answering my questions. Now it's going to cost me for any
>> > future enquiries, while you saved yourselves the need to answer my
>> > first two enquiries by passing me off to Dell.
>>
>>
>>
>> You are very much confused about whom you are addressing here. *Nobody*
>> here
>> has any need to answer your questions or anybody else's.
>>
>> If you think you are addressing Microsoft here, let me explain that you
>> are
>> not, and that his is a peer support
>> newsgroup--microsoft.public.windowsxp.general. We are all just Windows XP
>> users here, helping each other if and when we can. We are not Microsoft
>> employees (not even those of us with "Microsoft MVP" behind our names;
>> that's an honorary title for having provided consistently helpful advice)
>> except for an occasional employee who posts here unofficially on his own
>> time.
>>
>> So a little more humility in asking us for help here would go a long way.
>> Nobody here owes you anything.
>>
>> --
>> Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
>> Please reply to the newsgroup
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>

Your options are very simple, as others have pointed out Dell is responsible
for for providing support for their hardware AND any OEM software provided
by them which, in Dells case, means the operating system.

The people that post replies here do not work for Microsoft (in ~99.9% of
the cases) but do attempt to assist those with problems as best they can.

If you are having problems with your machine by all means post here if it
concerns XP, if you are having specific Dell problems then you may get
better milage by posting to the
alt.sys.pc-clone.dell newsgroup.

"genedale" wrote

> This is a message for all those Microsoft Techs that keep sending me to
> Dell
> Support for Windows related software problems. Dell no longer handles
> software issues, only hardware issues with their computers. So would you
> please stop passing the buck.
>
> Of course, if you had made Windows XP better, I wouldn't have used up my
> two
> free enquiries only to have you uselessly send me over to Dell instead of
> answering my questions. Now it's going to cost me for any future
> enquiries,
> while you saved yourselves the need to answer my first two enquiries by
> passing me off to Dell.

What are you having problems with? If it's an issue with the XP OS post it
here. If it's with other MS software installed by Dell say what it is, and
we might be able to refer you to an appropriate MS newsgroup.

Unfortunately the only obligation Dell has is to support the computer and
installation. If there are problems with it's operation and it's a software
issue, all they will do is direct you to do a restore to the as received
from the factory condition.

For non MS software issues look for a forum or newsgroup for that software
product. Look on the software vendor's web site for a user group. There
are Usenet newsgroups for many computer related products and hardware.

If it's a problem with installed software and how it interacts with the XP
OS we might be able to help you here. Describe the problem and maybe
someone can direct you to a help source.

--
Rock [MVP - User/Shell]

genedale <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> So I come on this site, hoping there is
>a tech here that might hear my problem.

There are no Microsoft techs hanging out here to waiting to answer
question. There are a lot of folks who know a lot about the XP
operating system and who will try their best to help you out.

> Perhaps I vented too much in the process, but I'm frustrated.

You have ample reason to be. I recently had a hardware problem with my
Dell, I solved it through their online Chat since it's impossible to
get anybody at Dell to answer a telephone. I noticed the software
disclaimer. Since I didn't have a software problem, I didn't spend any
time trying to find out what I would do if I did. It sounds like they
may be welching on their end of the deal, but I don't know what any of
us can do about that.

I guess they don't want to instruct you on how to use properly
functioning software. (That's what we do here.) And if your OS is not
functioning correctly, I suspect they'd just tell you to use your
recovery disk and return to factory setup - wiping out data and
programs along the way.

--
Tim Slattery
MS MVP(DTS)
(E-Mail Removed)
http://members.cox.net/slatteryt