the emachine win7 refund...

[sithlord48]

so today i decided to get a netbook , mainly it will help a lot @ work cause i can not carry large service manuals... so i got an emachines. em250. its basicly from what i have heard a unbranded aspire... my win sticker says "acer group" ... so i don't want 7 on it gonna put kubuntu on there... gonna call them up for a refund....can't find the phone number. so chat it is.. log below...

"i don't agree to the terms of the windows 7 lisence." was submitted by chris to the problem analysis engine.
Phone Number set to ********** | ***.***.***.***.
E-mail set to sithlord48.@#$%@#^@^&&
Serial # set to **************.
OS set to Other.
Siebel SR # set to .
Purchase Location set to .
Product Model set to .
Date Purchased set to .
Model Name set to eM250.
Case Number set to .
chris logged in.
Connected to the server via Web Chat
chris has been assigned to the eMachines Support queue.
chris was added to the incident named chris by Vinod_GWSI969
Vinod_GWSI969 created an incident named chris .
Vinod_GWSI969 says: Thank you for contacting technical support. My name and badge number are Vinod_GWSI969. Please hold while I review your issue.
chris says:
Vinod_GWSI969 says: Thank you for being online. I appreciate your patience.
Vinod_GWSI969 says: According to your submission and my data, the SNID for your eMachines system is ***********. Is this correct?
chris says: yes i just purchased it about 5 min ago..
Vinod_GWSI969 says: Thank you for verifying the information.
Vinod_GWSI969 says: By validating the serial number I see that your computer is covered under warranty.
Vinod_GWSI969 says: Your eMachines product is not yet registered. For continuing with further assiatance, Please give following details for registering the product. First Name Last Name Telephone number email id Street Address City State County name Zip Purchase location Date of purchase
EDIT:::so i provided the info
Vinod_GWSI969 says: Thank you for the information. Your product has been successfully registered.
chris says: ok then..
Vinod_GWSI969 says: Could you elaborate the issue that you are facing with your system?
chris says: i don't want to use win 7 i plan to format it and there for i wish to have a refund for the lisence cost..
Vinod_GWSI969 says: May I know do you have upgrade cd?
chris says: this thing has no cd drive i have a linux bootable usb stick i will use as my OS
chris says: as in i will use the usb stick to install a gnu/linux OS
chris says: the machine didn't come w/ ne cds
chris says: do i have to call? for this issue?
Vinod_GWSI969 says: Chris, please be informed that does not recommend altering the factory shipped Operating System. Changing the Operating System may cause driver conflicts.
Vinod_GWSI969 says: Chris, please be informed that we does not recommend altering the factory shipped Operating System. Changing the Operating System may cause driver conflicts.
chris says: ummm yea..... you guys should be supporting gnu/linux. you would sell more Hard ware...
chris says: yea thats cool...
chris says: not the first time..
Vinod_GWSI969 says: We support only the system hardware and software which was provided with the system.
chris says: i don't want your support i just want the money back for the win7 lisence...
Vinod_GWSI969 says: Chris, I am sorry, we dont have the option of refund.
chris says: for why, every other verdor does...
chris says: don't get it acer does, dosent acer now own emachines... thus explaning why my win7 sticker says "acer group"
Vinod_GWSI969 says: Emachines is an part of Acer group only however we dont have any option for the refund of the operating system license.
chris says: ok is there some one else i could speak to ? perhaps on the phone?
Vinod_GWSI969 says: You can contact Customer serivice # for Emachines 8665862237 US,
Vinod_GWSI969 says: For future reference, I have documented our chat in Service Request ********. You can use this number when contacting us again.
chris says: will do
chris says: thank you for you time...
Vinod_GWSI969 says: You are welcome.
Vinod_GWSI969 says: It was a pleasure working with you. Thank you for using eMachines Live Chat. Feel free to chat again anytime and have a great day.
chris says:support gnu/linux...

so .. i tried to call... and it kept asking for my snid.. over and over after i put it in... so decided to chat again. and explained the phone issue..

GWSI457 says: Oh sorry to hear that...Just give me a quick minute while i check with this now....
chris says: ok...
GWSI457 says: Thankyou.
GWSI457 says: Thankyou for staying online....
chris says: yea
GWSI457 says: I have just checked it is the right SNID and the SN number...Regarding the issue as it is the Pre-loaded Operating system along with this system...It is not possible to refund the amount for that licensed cost...
chris says: ok but i'm not gonna use it i don't agree with the eula
GWSI457 says: Normally the voice support technicians will inform you the same.
chris says: but i want to know why ... almost every other vendor will refund os lisence cost...
GWSI457 says: When ever you have purchased the system it will be having a pre-loaded OS and according our Emachines we will never offer a refund on the OS license cost...I am not sure about the other vendors.
chris says:
GWSI457 says: For future reference, I have documented our chat in the same Service Request **********. You can use this number when contacting us again.
GWSI457 says: It was a pleasure working with you. Thank you for using eMachines Live Chat. Feel free to chat again anytime and have a great day.
chris says: so i have to contact you a lot to get the refund is that what your hinting @?
GWSI457 says: I apolozise for this particular issue even if you are contacting us thousands of times the answer would be the same it is not possible....But if you have any other issues with the system you can refer with the same SR to pull up the records of your computer...
chris says: so i have to do it more then 1k thats a lot.......

then i left.. and started this post... sucks but im gonna keep trying... as for now time to install kubuntu on that emachine since my usb stick is finished ill let you all know how it goes after wards

[Snowhog]

Re: the emachine win7 refund...

You just gotta love 'vendor support' when it involves M$!!

[MoonRise]

Re: the emachine win7 refund...

You just gotta love 'vendor support' when it involves M$!!

Yep. Thing is, the EULA does say send the OS back for a refund. The Vendor can't break that either, so I thought. They must have signed a secret deal with M$.

[sithlord48]

Re: the emachine win7 refund...

yes its a shame... should i try microsoft themselves,

i didn't even bother setting up win7 i just poped in a kubuntu netbook stick...
after it booted even on the live disk with desktop effects on (intel Gfx)
currently the only issue i am having is that i can't connect to my wifi network with either knetworkmanager or wicd.. (fails to get an ip address) but once i get that smoothed out. this little book will be well worth price.

[MoonRise]

Re: the emachine win7 refund...

I don't see what it could hurt. Tell them you don't agree with their EULA and the Mfg won't refund for them license. I'm sure as with all M$ bundled equipment they'll balk about that but That is software you bought and obviously did not use, so, I think, legally they have to. Vould be wrong about that. I really haven't read that EULA in quite sometime and I definitely have not read it for Win7. My company is still on XP and probably will be for quite some time.

[sithlord48]

Re: the emachine win7 refund...

so i went for contacting microsoft.. its a saturday so there phone support was closed, so i got in a chat with a customer service agent...

Abi has joined this session!

Connected with Abi. Your reference number for this chat session is 2146346.

Abi: Welcome to Microsoft Customer Service Chat, Chris. Please give me a moment to review your question.

Abi: Please note that this chat service is available to guide you to the appropriate resources for your questions. Often this can include technical support options or a phone number to the appropriate Microsoft Team.

chris: hello perhaps you can help me..

Abi: You mentioned that you don't agree with the End Users License Agreement for Windows 7 Starter.

chris: i do not..

Abi: If you are having difficulties understanding the information given on that agreement, you may seek further assistance from our Sales and Licensing Team who are experts on the licensing of Microsoft products.

chris: yesterday i purchased a emachine em250 it came w/ windows 7 and i don't agree with the eula there fore and will not be using windows. i asked them if they could refund my lisence cost and they told me they dont do that perhaps i should contact microsoft..

Abi: I see.

Abi: Typically, refund and product returns request for Windows that came preinstalled on computers are supported by the computer manufacturer.

Abi: Microsoft Returns is the department that handles refund for Microsoft products. You may try calling them regarding this issue for you to be informed of your returns and refund options.

Abi: To seek assistance on product returns and refund, you may get in touch with the Microsoft Returns team by calling at (888) 673-8624. They are available Monday - Friday, 7:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M., Pacific Time (excluding holidays).

Abi: Those are the support options that you may choose from. Would you have other concerns that you wish for me to address, Chris?

chris: well the thing is i have alfredy removed windows from the machine, i would only need to remove the sticker on teh bottom and destroy it to insture no one uses the key # ... so it should be a simple matter.. is there perhaps a way i could chat with them since there closed?

Abi: They are only available through phone. Regarding your concern with removing the product key sticker of your computer, as I have mentioned, your primary source of support is your computer manufacturer.

chris: ok well i will call them on monday , thank you for you help..

Abi: You're always welcome. Have a nice day ahead.

Abi: Thank you for using Microsoft Customer Service Chat. Please feel free to come back again. We are available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.

Abi has left this session!

The session has ended!

so as you can see i guess i will have to call the refund department on monday..

[MoonRise]

Re: the emachine win7 refund...

All I can say is: typical!

[vinnywright]

Re: the emachine win7 refund...

that kind of situation makes you want to load your shotgun and go hunting sevice reps.

first thay should honor the return agrement but then just try to by the box with no OS on it ......just as hard I'd wager............then when you try to refuse the EULA and get a refund you get double talk and trickery..........I'll wager it some point down the road thale take this ....

Vinod_GWSI969 says: Thank you for the information. Your product has been successfully registered.

and try to twist registering the product into acsepting the EULA and agin we cant help you.......

the last time I did one of thos chat things with a servic rep it was dell and all I wanted was the restor or installation cd's for the lappey it origanaley had ME on it and I was even rying to spend money for them (the cd's) BUT all the servic rep wanted to do was sell me more RAM and XP .................it runs linux now.

good luck with the corpret macheen ....... but withought a lawer and more money than you'll get I dought it ..........but keep us posted

VINNY

[dibl]

Re: the emachine win7 refund...

Thanks sith, you have made me feel better. I bought a Toshiba NB205 netbook which came with some kind of Win XP pre-installed on it. Since I planned to load Linux immediately, it occurred to me I should contact MS and ask for a refund of the license fee that I paid (through Toshiba and Newegg) since I wasn't going to use it. But, I was afraid I would waste a lot of time doing that, and my time is valuable (to me, if no one else ...).

You have shown that I made the right decision.

I do have that entire, unbooted Win XP installation backed up via a Clonezilla ISO image. I guess I could reinstall it and charge for it if I ever resold my netbook. But it works so great with Linux I doubt I'll ever do that.

[MoonRise]

Re: the emachine win7 refund...

But, I was afraid I would waste a lot of time doing that, and my time is valuable (to me, if no one else ...).

Couldn't agree more with that statement.

[tjohnson_nb]

Re: the emachine win7 refund...

I just recently had to by a new PC and i didn't want to buy one with Windoze preinstalled but the linux ones I found were kind of pricey so I bought one of those kits. Anything to keep from giving M$ any more money!

[sithlord48]

Re: the emachine win7 refund...

since its basicly imposible for me to purchase a netbook or laptop with out windows preinstalled (since they no longer sell those aspires w/ ubuntu). i plan to keep on them till i get something one way or another.. perhaps you should also call dibl ... if enuff of us call ms on it you would think they would do something.

[dibl]

Re: the emachine win7 refund...

I'm pretty confident MS assumes all computer users are thieves* -- I think the pressure really needs to go on the OEMs and vendors, to offer hardware with no OS installed.


*OK, to be a little fair about it, how do you demonstrate that an OS was not used, after it was in the end user's hands for 24 hours? :P

[MoonRise]

Re: the emachine win7 refund...

I'm pretty confident MS assumes all computer users are thieves* -- I think the pressure really needs to go on the OEMs and vendors, to offer hardware with no OS installed.


*OK, to be a little fair about it, how do you demonstrate that an OS was not used, after it was in the end user's hands for 24 hours? :P

True enough, but I agree, ALL systems should be sold OS-less. The prices of very good bare bones systems are so low, that any help M$ offers with the bundling is negligible. It only serves to keep Windows in the Dominant.

[Snowhog]

Re: the emachine win7 refund...

It only serves to keep Windows in the Dominant.

The 'truth' about how BG obtained QDOS, which would become DOS, and the foundation upon which the M$ empire would be built, will likely never be known other than by BG himself, and I've no doubt that he will take that knowledge to the grave. This acquisition and the future he saw in licensing it to IBM on the personal computers they were marketing, started what amounted to the biggest boon to the developing company M$ would become. BG saw the marketing value of packaging personal computers with an operating system. It was this single scheme that started propelling the fledgling company into what would become the M$ Empire.

One has to admire the vision and drive he had. That it (probably) was underhanded, manipulative, and 'just not very nice' only colors the man himself. Unfortunately, his beliefs were imprinted on his company - and enforced. The 'Evil Empire' that M$ is often referred to as, is a reflection of underlying principles they operate by. The 'little guy' is not to be ignored. Absorb him, or destroy him. Competition isn't something M$ sees as healthy, which is why they make (every) effort to quash it where ever they can.