Alienware's innovative restore CD automatically formats your computer!
In October, 2004, I ordered an Alienware Aurora to replace the gaming machine I had at the time, a Smith Corona WordSmith 100 featuring daisywheel printing at an astonishing speed of 12 characters per second.
After a MONTH of waiting for their elderly assembly team to construct my machine out of denture adhesive and bingo chips, I finally received my order. For a long time I pretended to not notice that the Alienware computer cases are really just cheap plastic glued to the metal framework. However, after several pieces of the case spontaneously broke off under about as much pressure as a baby inhaling through a pillow pressed against its face, I concluded that the cases suck. This turned out to not be the only thing about Alienware computers that sucks.
In Spring 2007, I installed Linux on my Dell laptop by resizing the Windows partition to create room for the installation. I soon realized that having Linux on my laptop did not bring me any fame and glory in my social circle.
I soon decided to remove the Linux installation, which messed up the boot loader and prevented me from booting Windows. I needed to figure out a way to restore the master boot record, so I thought I would first try using the recovery console that is available during the Windows installation process.
Lacking a vanilla Windows XP install CD, I dug up the restore CD for my Alienware and put it in my laptop. To my horror it immediately started formatting my drive to prepare for installing Windows WITHOUT ANY CONFIRMATION. That's absolutely brilliant, since there's no chance for anyone to ever put the restore CD into any other computer except their Alienware, and only when they really want to format it.
Sarcasm aside, perhaps it actually would be a good idea to ask the user for confirmation before doing something dangerous, like deleting all their files. In fact, I have had two Packard Bells, a Gateway, and three Dell laptops, and their restore CDs all had some kind of menu or at least a confirmation before blowing away my files. I can't fathom why Alienware would omit this obvious and indispensable feature.
Perhaps the inadequate process at Alienware that illegitimately conceived this deformed fetus of an idea went something along these lines...
Alienware Engineer 1: "Uhhhhhh restore CD derrrrrrr!!!" *slapping self in chest*
Alienware Engineer 2: *drooling, eyes rolled back in head*
Alienware Product Manager: "Time for french fries!" *eats thumb tacks*
Alienware Elderly Assembly Technician: *hip spontaneously explodes, sending bone shrapnel into nearby foreheads*
In spite of their stupidity and lack of engineering prowess, it turned out this wasn't a complete disaster for my laptop. As soon as it started formatting, I turned off the power, so only my partition table was actually erased. Luckily, there is always an older version of the partition table stored somewhere on the disk, and with several hours of frustration and rebooting I was able to copy my important data onto my iPod using some disk recovery utilities.
You're lucky I was able to recover my files! I wonder how many other people this has happened to who have lost everything. *Slaps Alienware in the head!* You should NEVER have a dangerous process performed automatically without any kind of trigger, safeguard, or confirmation.
Since you don't find it prudent to prevent catastrophes for your customers, I hope you are never involved in developing anything important, like defibrillators or air bags. Imagine defibrillators that automatically shock the nearest person repeatedly when turned on, or air bags that deploy as soon as you put the keys in the ignition. STUPID!
So Alienware, I give you the following report card after spitefully smearing poo on it:
Restore CD: F-
Assembly time: F
Computer case: F
Price: F
Ability to see into the future: F!!!
Have any Alienware horror stories? Send them to me!
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3 comments:
FFFFUUU***CCCCKKKK the same happened me today. I lost everything. Cheers Alienware bunch of twats
ALIENWARE A CRIMINAL COMPANY
I purchased an Alienware area 51-M 766 Laptop on 05/12/2004 and I paid three thousand dollars for it. It was advertised as a laptop with an upgradeable video card and it was considered to be the top of the line gaming notebook and had with some fantastic reviews winning numerous awards and gained a great deal of recognition from industry professionals and technology experts. The laptop should last many years and the main idea is the video card could be changed or upgraded. I thought I bought the best notebook on the market, but I was sadly mistaken. After a year and half, I called Alienware so I could purchase a new upgraded video card, and I was told that Alienware stop supporting my laptop and my video card. I was also told that I have to purchase a video card from a third party called “Uniwill” if I wanted an upgrade. So I called the third party company but no one picked up the phone and I left several messages and they never called me back. I was very surprised that I was unable to get an upgradeable video card. I was also very disappointed to find that so soon I was unable to get what was so strongly advertised and promised. If this isn’t false advertising and false promises made to customers then I don’t know what else is but afterwards I gave up calling and continue to use the notebook. I never thought I would have trouble with it but on November 23, 2007 the video card completely burned out. I contacted Alienware shortly afterwards to ask them if I could purchase any type of video card that would simply just work (forget about gaming or upgrading) so I could at least use the notebook. Unfortunately Alienware stop supporting and making any type of video card for my laptop, and I was told to call “Uniwill” once again to purchase a video card and once again I called, left messages and I never received a return call. I wonder if Uniwill is a prefabricated company created and owned by Alienware to prevent lawsuits. I also researched the Internet; eBay and tried to see if someone out there had anything I could possibly use, but all I found was a very long line of Blogs, many hate websites with a massive amount of posted threads of complaints of many unsatisfied and unhappy Alienware customers who where ripped off and lied to by a company filled with false advertisements, promises, and deceit. I purchased a three thousand dollar Alienware paperweight, and now I've joined a long line of unsatisfied customers.
thomaslianj i have a 128mb graphics card that will fit in your laptop because i have the same laptop i would sell it to you if you would lend me you drivers/utilities/recovery disks contact me if interested at crazytiki13@hotmail.com
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