PC World anti-Linux?

brundles · 12-09-2007, 10:15

Saw this link on a bizarre reason for refusing to deal with a hardware fault
http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?s...11209&from=rss

Given the reason of "it doesn't have the original OS on it" I'm curious as to what they would have done if it was a PC bought with XP then upgraded to Vista using an upgrade pack bought from them.

I particularly liked the comments from the link of

Quote:

It's what comes of shopping at a discount store I think.

**Chris** · 12-09-2007, 10:31

The manager of that store is sadly misinformed about the lady's statutory rights. A physical fault with the casing after five months of use is clearly a manufacturing fault and she is entitled to a repair or refund under the Sale of Goods Act. Whatever their warranty might say about not changing the OS, this is not a warranty issue.

She should write them a frosty letter, then get Trading Standards on the case.

**Stuart** · 12-09-2007, 11:54

It's actually what comes of shopping at a store where they get the cheapest staff they can, then give them minimal training.

Apart from that, I agree with Chris. There is no way that installing a new OS can damage the casing (well, I suppose it could cause something to overheat and melt).

Unless there is actual evidence she has done something to the case (like dropping the laptop for instance), then the case manufacturing wasn't up to scratch, so it should be replaced.

12-09-2007, 11:59

I cant see how installing software can damage hardware (unless of course its a serious boot effecting virus or incorrect bios) the only way installing software could make something overheat and melt is if there is a hardware problem anyway

**Stuart** · 12-09-2007, 12:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by zinglebarb

the only way installing software could make something overheat and melt is if there is a hardware problem anyway

I was stretching a bit there.

punky · 12-09-2007, 12:03

I think its PC world trying to wriggle out of dealing with it by a particularly anal interpretation of the warranty agreement.
i suppose he could just ghost his current install and put XP back on there, but he shouldn't have to. Its a bit of work, but probably will be quicker and easier than arguing with them on the legal issue.

Sirius · 12-09-2007, 12:04

It's PC World

Did you honestly expect anything else from a crap company like that.

**Chris** · 12-09-2007, 12:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gavin

I think its PC world trying to wriggle out of dealing with it by a particularly anal interpretation of the warranty agreement. <snip>

I think you may be attributing more cunning and intelligence to the branch manager than is probably the case.

I suspect he is simply ignorant of the law and only really interested in toadying up to his regional boss.

fireman328 · 12-09-2007, 12:49

Office of Fair Trading should sort it out.

nffc · 13-09-2007, 00:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris T

The manager of that store is sadly misinformed about the lady's statutory rights. A physical fault with the casing after five months of use is clearly a manufacturing fault and she is entitled to a repair or refund under the Sale of Goods Act. Whatever their warranty might say about not changing the OS, this is not a warranty issue.

She should write them a frosty letter, then get Trading Standards on the case.

Not strictly.

The Sale of Goods Act assumes retailer's responsibility for all proved inherent faults.

Within six months, a fault is inherent unless proved otherwise (by the retailer).
After six months, a fault is not inherent unless proved otherwise (by the buyer).

That doesn't mean that any faults occurring within six months mean you're entitled to a repair or a refund - it just means the fault is considered by default to be inherent and as such the buyer can request, within reason, for the product to be repaired or replaced provided one remedy is not disproportionate to the retailer in terms of cost and doesn't cause the customer undue inconvenience. A bit of plastic costing a few pounds on an expensive laptop is likely to be repaired anyway.

Provided the fault can be considered inherent. Even if my hypothetical five month laptop developed cracked hinges, if I had caused this by slamming the hinges, or by dropping it, this is not the retailer's responsibility to fix as the fault was not there when the item was purchased (in other words, it was not always going to happen, it just happened because of an external post-purchase event).

PC World, or any other retailer, are entitled by law to take that PC and inspect it if they dispute that the fault is inherent. In the case they believe that the fault was caused by the customer then they can get an engineer to look at the PC to examine how the fault could possibly have been caused. This then will determine the course of action - repair it or not, in other words.

And this is talking in terms of statutory rights, not the actual warranty issue which wouldn't cover it.

MadGamer · 13-09-2007, 09:11

The thing is, once you upgrade to vista on a pre bought machine, its not so easy for you to revert back to XP. For this reason, you then have to phone their support line to do it if you dont have an XP CD.

nffc · 13-09-2007, 12:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by MadGamer

The thing is, once you upgrade to vista on a pre bought machine, its not so easy for you to revert back to XP. For this reason, you then have to phone their support line to do it if you dont have an XP CD.

Yes it is. You just make your XP recovery discs before changing the OS, as you well know.

So then you just wipe the HD to put Vista on and if you need to revert to Vista wipe it again then use the recovery discs.

xpod · 13-09-2007, 14:00

It`s a very common problem it seems.I`ve seen a few people in this situation over the last year or so.....not just with PC World either.

This one at Best Buy in the states was a classic......they told her the new Laptop was "Linux ready" but then refused to honor the warranty because of Linux

http://www.linux.com/articles/114250.

**Chris** · 14-09-2007, 12:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by nffc

Not strictly.<snip>.

You're absolutely right, of course - I was being brief for the sake of clarity and simply assuming that the fault is in manufacture and not due to it being dropped.

In any case, none of what you or I have posted excuses the store manager's pathetic attempt to duck responsibility on the grounds of the machine having the wrong OS on board.

nffc · 14-09-2007, 13:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris T

You're absolutely right, of course - I was being brief for the sake of clarity and simply assuming that the fault is in manufacture and not due to it being dropped.

In any case, none of what you or I have posted excuses the store manager's pathetic attempt to duck responsibility on the grounds of the machine having the wrong OS on board.

In this case, no. But we don't know the full story of the problems. There might, for example, have been the casing cracks AND another problem say the machine had no sound or was crashing or something - now that 2nd problem could be down to the OS installed.

Some problems are clear cut and guaranteed independent from the OS installed or any software misconfiguration or conflict, but if the problem is possibly a driver or virus related, for example, it is possible that to quickly ascertain a hardware problem a retailer might want to have the problem tested on the original settings.

Until we know the facts of what really went on - I don't believe that at face value - then we can't really say what or who is to blame for it.