00 MAXIMUMPC XXXXXXX 2007
watchdodogg MAXIMUM PC TAKES A BITE OUT OF BAD GEAR
a Vista machine would void the warranty.
First up was Toshiba, where the tech
wasn’t sure initially but did eventually say that
the warranty would still be valid if the Dog
installed XP, but that the company “does not
recommend installing XP.” The Dell tech first
told the Dog that the warranty would be voided
but eventually came around to say that the
hardware would still be under warranty. The HP
tech said the warranty would still be good, but
after checking with his supervisor came back
to tell the Dog that, no, the warranty would be
voided. However, reinstalling Vista would revali-
date the warranty.
Why all the confusion? Eric Arnum, editor
of WarrantyWeek.com, explained that saying
the warranty is “void” is probably too strong.
PC makers are really saying that if you make
major changes to the OS that is installed on your
PC, it is your responsibility to figure out why
something went wrong. Arnum did say that most
PC makers are probably technically correct in
saying that they won’t support the changed con-
figuration, but that doesn’t mean the companies
have to be sticklers about it.
Indeed, one thing the Dog could get all three
techs to agree on is that hardware remains
covered even if there is a change to the OS.
The problem is how to determine if a problemis occurring because of a hardware or OS
problem. If the DVD player on your quad-core
PC isn’t working and you’re running Windows
95, is the optical drive bad or is there some
esoteric problem with Windows 95? When pro-
viding tech support, PC makers all begin with
a set baseline of what should be on a rig. If
your PC greatly varies from it, your chances of
getting support are poor.
Arnum went on to say that the great major-
ity of warranty issues PC OEMs must deal with
are no longer hardware based; rather, more and
more they are handling software-related issues.
All is not lost for you though, Bob. Reps at
Toshiba’s tech support told the Dog that you
should first boot into the hidden partition in the
notebook by pressing F11 during startup. From
there, create a restore disc that will let you reim-
age the machine should you somehow destroy
the hidden partition. But what to do about your
problematic audio drivers? Try using the refer-
ence audio drivers from the chipmaker. The Dog
isn’t sure what sound part is in your notebook,
but he thinks that it may be a RealTek ALC861.
You should be able to download Windows XP
drivers directly from http://www.realtek.com.tw.
Unless you have a new part that the company
does not support with drivers, there’s no reason
for the audio not to work with reference drivers.■ Gateway is recalling some 14,000 notebook PC batteries which may—you guessed
it—overheat and pose a fire hazard. The company said that it has received four reports of
battery packs overheating and, in some cases, causing minor property damage. The bat-
teries were sold with Gateway 400VTX and 450ROG notebooks and carry the part number
6500760 or 6500761. Batteries that do not have this part number are not part of the recall
and are presumed to be safe.
The batteries were manufactured in China and sold in notebooks nationwide
between May 2003 and August 2003. Consumers are advised to stop using the recalled
batteries and contact Gateway to receive a replacement battery. The PCs may still be
safely used as long as the battery pack is removed. For more information, call Gateway
at 800-292-6813 between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. Central time Monday through Friday or visit
http://www.gateway.com/battery.Recall Alert
Gateway is recalling
some batteries sold
with its 400VTX and
450ROG notebook PCs.Continued from page 18