Problems with Toshiba Laptop

[Ashcombe]

In late September I bought a laptop from Currys/PC World for £369. At first, it was great. Our usual PC Doctor loaded all my photos, Word docs., etc on to it and set it up with Office (Windows 8.)

 

Within a week the video facility stopped working. PC Doc sorted it out but within days it failed again. This time it went back to Currys where it was put right without charge. A week later, the same problem, again rectified at the store.

 

There followed a period of calm where it worked well. During this time I moved into my apartment and enjoyed trouble free use of it for emailing, surfing the Internet, inc social media sites and selected viewing on BBC & ITV Player. I had almost decided that I would manage without a TV when the cursor began to freeze.

 

By now, I'd lost all confidence in it and so a TV is on order (from a little local shop, rather than Currys!)

 

Today I have to take the laptop back to Currys yet again. I am so disappointed with it but am reluctant to ask for a replacement as I've paid to have photos, etc transferred.

 

Any thoughts/ advice would be welcome. Typically the cursor is useable for about 60 seconds. Pressing Control/Alt/Delete has no effect.

[Trainshed Terry]

From what it sounds like a faulty motherboard, and I would take it back to PCworld/Currys and ask them to replace the machine as it is not fit for purpose.

[45156]

You should also ask them to transfer all your data etc onto the replacement machine free of charge, as they'll keep the faulty machine to send it back to the maker, and unless you've got your data backed up externaly (cloud, hard drive, etc).  Was it Curry's or PC World, as the latter usually have a better tech backup service - if it was Currys, then it might be worth trying to get them to sort this out via the nearest PC World branch if that can be arranged.

[Ashcombe]

Thanks for the advice, both!

 

It came from a Currrys/PCWorld store - both under same roof.

 

I'm off to see them this morn so I'll keep you posted!

[Trainshed Terry]

Good Luck.

[RFS]

If it's a defective motherboard, they should be able to effect a repair whereby the motherboard is replaced but the disk drive is retained, so the data would not be lost. But the data should always be backed up elsewhere regardless.

[AndrewC]

RFS, on 03 Nov 2014 - 09:42, said:

If it's a defective motherboard, they should be able to effect a repair whereby the motherboard is replaced but the disk drive is retained, so the data would not be lost. But the data should always be backed up elsewhere regardless.

Depending on the laptop's design its usually more economical for repair facilities to scrap the old laptop and replace completely. Since there are so many variables with bios revisions, firmware, internal hardware, etc it's not usually feasible to swap the hdd without having massive headaches reconfiguring and reactivating Windows 8. Been there done that through work. Even the same model of laptop will have different revisions of firmware and probably different internal hardware between batches. I've got 2 older Toshiba Satellites with the same model number, same spec, completely different mother boards. On the other hand if they can get a replacement from the same batch, all that will be required is a reactivation of windows.

 

Safest thing is to scrape the hdd onto an external drive, replace the laptop, then reload from the external backup.

[Tony_S]

Whatever you do make it quite clear to whomsoever you take it to understands that the photos etc stored on the PC are important and need backing up. Unless of course you already have done so. Hope all goes well.

Tony

[shortliner]

Depending on the type, it may be possible to remove the hard drive and fit it into an external casing, and run it as an external drive

[Gary H]

"freezing" problems with cursors and other display problems can sometimes be attributed to software as well as hardware issues.

It could be a simple display adapter issue which needs an updated driver to function correctly.

Have a look through this Microsoft article on the problem- http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_8-hardware/touch-pad-becomes-inactive-and-pointer-freezes-on/7247834e-fe06-458f-afcb-8e34799343f1

You can also download and run this very good, free driver scanner from here - http://download.cnet.com/SlimDrivers-Free/3000-18513_4-75279940.html called 'slim drivers' free.

Unlike every other driver scanner Ive come across, that one is actually free and works!

[jjb1970]

If it is only a handful of weeks old and you've had so many problems my advice would be to reject it and to ask the retailer to transfer all your files. Whether or not it is a software or a hardware fault is really not your issue, your issue is that it is not of an acceptable standard and you have every right to reject it if you've had to take it back for attention several times in such a short time.

[Ashcombe]

Thank you for all your helpful suggestions. What I have learnt is that I shall not do business with Currys PC World in the future. Customer service rating? Zilch!

 

Since they claimed I'd caused a virus to find its way into the laptop, they wanted paying (£50!)to "clean" it and couldn't save my files! This at the end of some hours of waiting, arguing, being offered free solution by a new member of staff who "got it wrong", according to his supervisor so this was withdrawn.

 

Rather than pay them, I'm putting it in the hands of our regular PC Doc this afternoon who says they are talking bo*****s! I'm very glad that my TV is coming from a local small business within walking distance of my flat.

 

Thank you again for your interest and advice.

[trisonic]

And when you get it back buy and plug in an automatic remote back up system. They run by themselves and are invaluable should you get future issues.

 

Best, Pete.

[beast66606]

Since they claimed I'd caused a virus to find its way into the laptop, they wanted paying (£50!)to "clean" it and couldn't save my files! This at the end of some hours of waiting, arguing, being offered free solution by a new member of staff who "got it wrong", according to his supervisor so this was withdrawn.

 

I can do that - problems with your laptop ? It's a virus, I'll format the hard disk for £50

 

However I will repeat my advice ... (even though it doesn't sound like a virus to me)

 

Windows* has one really massive security hole, it almost mandates that users create themselves as administrators which means any nasty software runs as an administrator and can do virtually anything to your machine. When you first configure it create yourself an administrator user and also create yourself a normal user (manuals are available for this) - use your normal user for day to day tasks and only use the admin for software updates and be suspicious of anything telling you it needs admin rights (not that all things are actually bad, but it gives you chance to check it out) - all of the computers in our house, 5, are configured this way, it's a pain at times BUT it significantly reduces the risk from nasty things.

 

* It's getting better now with W8 and onwards.

[kevinlms]

Thank you for all your helpful suggestions. What I have learnt is that I shall not do business with Currys PC World in the future. Customer service rating? Zilch!

 

Since they claimed I'd caused a virus to find its way into the laptop, they wanted paying (£50!)to "clean" it and couldn't save my files! This at the end of some hours of waiting, arguing, being offered free solution by a new member of staff who "got it wrong", according to his supervisor so this was withdrawn.

 

Rather than pay them, I'm putting it in the hands of our regular PC Doc this afternoon who says they are talking bo*****s! I'm very glad that my TV is coming from a local small business within walking distance of my flat.

 

Thank you again for your interest and advice.

Trouble is, what if your PC Doc, finds out that there is a hardware fault with the laptop? Something like a motherboard or a HDD, isn't going to be fixed at no charge to you, by a 3rd party. A poor state of your supplier, but sadly not that uncommon.

[Bilbo]

Search for Currys/PCWorld CEO online - there is a whole website of them and email the CEO. That usually works for me.

[Ashcombe]

Up and running perfectly - no virus found! It's possible that the F5 key was accidentally depressed, rendering the touch pad unusable!

 

I really appreciate the helpful advice and comments from folk here - many thanks!

[hayfield]

Search for Currys/PCWorld CEO online - there is a whole website of them and email the CEO. That usually works for me.

 

 

http://www.ceoemail.com/ this is the link and will get you up the complaints line with most companies. I would guess Dixons or whatever they call themselves would be interested in hearing your complaint, especially as their staff seem to be giving poor,wrong advice and tried to relieve you of even more of your money for what most of us would view as a guarantee claim. Do give them the opportunity to put things right, you never know you may be the recipient of a gift voucher. Or just go back to the store and speak with the store manager

[beast66606]

Up and running perfectly - no virus found! It's possible that the F5 key was accidentally depressed, rendering the touch pad unusable!

 

I really appreciate the helpful advice and comments from folk here - many thanks!

 

Was the any key stuck down ?

[jjb1970]

A few years ago I bought an external hard drive from PC World which had all sorts of issues. I had the same run around from the staff there so went to the local trading standards office, as soon as I mentioned PC World the guy just rolled his eyes. He gave me his card and told me to go to the shop, tell them I'd spoke to him and been advised I had a strong case and would go to the small claims court and see what would happen. As soon as I showed them the guys name card the shop manager gave me an immediate refund. The trading standards guys opinion was that they had a deliberate tactic to obfuscate and be non-responsive as they knew that 99% of the affected people would whinge and get mad but then just accept things.

[skipepsi]

Comet used the same tactics and p1ssed MrsB off they should have known better but kept annoying the ould witch until they were cursed, then look what happened! Not that this has anything to do with Ians beloved who I am sure is not a Witch or anything similar.

[45156]

I had to kick off once at PC World, having taken a PC to them for a "free" health check, and after the check, it was worse than before.  I took it back to the store, and it transpired that the person who did the check was not a technician, but a salesman who was helping out in the tech unit.  When a technician got hold of the PC, he tried to tell me that it had a virus, and therefore would incur a charge for cleaning - £35 at the time - and also that it would need a full restore which would take it back to the original software, so that I would need to reinstall all the patches and updates that I'd laboriously collected.  In the end, I spoke to the manager, who reluctantly agreed to do the work free of charge - and to use the installation discs that they had for the updated OS patches. They claimed that they had used my own anti-virus to clear the problem, which was odd, as I had run it myself, and it didn't find any infected files, so what they did, I've no idea.  Luckily I had all my personal data backed up onto a number of floppy discs.  I thought that they had probably got their act together by now, but clearly not.