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From:	Cedar (64.12.116.17)
Subject:	New Dell Laptop - does this sound OK?
Date:	October 19, 2008 at 8:02 pm PST

Hey - Just hoping for an opinion from someone other than myself on my Dell laptop fiasco. Here goes:

I purchased a new Studio 1535. Upon delivery, the screen was black, and the battery indicator led above the keyboard began flickering white, bright, then dim, fast, then slow, then it would go black. The system sounded as though it was trying to start up, then shut itself down again, while the screen remained black.
After talking w/2 techs, I shipped the new laptop back to Dell. Even though I included a detailed letter on what the issues were, Dell shipped the laptop back to me, the battery led still flickering madly. (I really expected Dell would have shipped out a new laptop, seeing as the 1 I'd received appeared to have been knocked around - there's a small nick in the laptop cover itself.)
I called Tech Support again, and was told by both a tech + his mgr that the issue would be resolved if I left it plugged in for a few hours. Seeing as 2 techs had already told me I had to ship it in to have it examined, I rather doubted this, but...
8 hours of AC power later, the battery LED light us still flickering madly.
I contacted Tech Support via chat, and was told I need to upgrade the BIOS, and to contact them again if this didn't work. Um, if this didn't work? I didn't do it. I really don't want to log on to the internet on the new laptop to do the upgrade, seeing as I've yet to use it.
So, on a brand new, never used (I'm typing this on my older model overheating Gateway) Dell Laptop, which I haven't so much as typed a single word on, would you now upgrade the BIOS to see if it works, and if not, contact Tech Support yet again - or would you go with the instinct that says the new laptop was roughed up before being sent to me, and probably has more issues yet to find, so just pack it back up, return it to Dell, and contact the Better Business Bureau?

Thanks for any advice!!

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