I Hate AC Adapters. (WARNING: LONG!)

[Nychthemeron]

Here I am sitting in a library, using a computer to surf the web. It sounds pretty average, but after what I've spent my time with the past few days, I wish I didn't have to. I have a laptop that's a good three years old, but was working pretty well. In fact, it's still fine. "If it's in working fashion, why don't you just go and use it then," you may ask. That is the problem.

Two days ago the AC Adapter stopped working. It was off and on not working, and periodically it would need some "assistance" to get it to run again. The battery had stopped holding its charge over a year and a half ago. Once the adapter went and died, I was quite unhappy, but I believed that I could go on google and find a place that had a replacement or something that would work with it, since the last time I went straight to manufacturing (the last laptop I had many years ago made me deal with DELL) I had an awful experience (FRIENDS DON'T LET FRIENDS GET DELL LAPTOPS). Maybe even go to Best Buy if need be.

Wrong.

The first place I called and waited about 30 minutes until I reached their sales hotline. I then asked if they had a replacement and a battery. They said they would need the SKU # or something to that effect. Of course, I don't have a working computer with me since I can't make calls in the library, so I run back in, try to find the damn number (which doesn't even show up until you put it in the cart) and then write it down. I call again, wait another few minutes and my response is, of course, no we actually do not have it in stock.

Okay. One down, more to go.

This process repeats a few more times until I reach a place that should probably have it. I mean, the name CHARGER was in their company name. So I call, and it's FAST. Less than 10 minutes passed before I got a hold of them. I was optimistic to say the least. They said they had the adapter AND a 50% off deal on the battery when you get it. Needless to say, I went ahead and ordered it.

Wrong again.

That night, I get an email for the refund of the battery. I was annoyed, but at least the adapter was coming and that was what I really wanted. Oops, looks like the next day after my class I found out that they called me and said that they did not have THAT EITHER. And I thought they told me that they HAD THE DAMN PARTS. Ugh. At least they have to give me a full refund in the next few days.

So I call my folks and my dad says "did you call the manufacturer?" Of course I didn't, but he went ahead anyways. Looks like this time I was wrong. This manufacturer was MUCH better than Dell, so I guess I might as well not give up hope in large companies. We call in and they say check their online store. WTF! I was on their website and didn't even find anything that linked to their online store! So I go on, try looking for an adapter and a battery that will work. For some reason, it takes 180W to power the comp (it's a MONSTER, I know). So I find the ONLY adapter that will work with it and a battery that looked like it would fit and get it expedited since I'm going to be going back home in a few days. The online store is fucking terrible though, so I'm of course wary that it will work. Again, it was the only one they had, so I thought maybe it worked with all models that needed 180W.

Third time's a WRONG.

Today I get my package and find out that the battery will work... but then I get the big news; THE FUCKING ADAPTER WON'T FIT. I call my dad again, and he says "splice the head of the old one onto the new one!" I don't think that AC adapter cables work that way. Plus, if I screw up, I just wasted almost $200 for the battery that won't be charged and a new failed to splice cable! Luckily my mom was in the area since she decided to visit my brother who lives right across from where I'm taking classes. She takes me to Best Buy on my dad's wishes, although I had already called their hotline earlier when I was searching for an adapter anyways. Whatever.

So now I'm at Best Buy, at the Geek Squad counter, thinking that this will be the last thing I will worry about. They were stunned by the MONSTROUS adapter at 180W, saying that the highest one that they have is 100W. We try anyways, and it starts to work, until the HD turns on. Yep, it's over alright.

WRONG.

I try to tell my dad that this is not going to work over the phone again, but I don't think he gets it. It's an old laptop and I need to get a new one for school in the fall anyways. I'm annoyed, but I guess these library desktops will work just fine (even if they are Dells... ugh). I want to recycle this computer, but when I ask my dad if I should, he says "I'll call you right back." He never calls you "right back" in enough time. So we leave the store with the laptop that will probably never be turned on again.

In the car, my dad calls me telling me that he will put me on a 3-way conversation with the manufacturing company, even though I had called them before I went to Best Buy. They pretty much repeated to me and my dad that the model was discontinued, so the adapter was too. My dad doesn't seem to understand that 4 years is a long time for laptops (the model was probably closer to 5 years now that I think about it). But, my dad thinks that there is something that can be done. I've gone through enough at this point and have been yelled at enough for HAVING a damn technical problem that should seemingly be a breeze to solve.

So here I am, writing this all up to get it out of my system. Yeah, I do love my folks, and it's nice to see that they try to help out, but I HATE when they think that they know everything about computers when I pretty much have to show them how to open an e-mail or save a document. I've already spent $200 getting these parts (with shipping) and I just want to send it back and forget trying to salvage it. I would like to keep the laptop since it still works, but it is damaged anyways and it probably has only about a year left in it anyways.

Here's what really makes me mad though, the goddamn computer WORKS. But, one AC adapter failing can RUIN a laptop, especially when it cannot be replaced. I don't care how old a laptop is, if it's just the adapter that fails, there should be a replacement out there somewhere. Maybe there is and I'm not looking hard enough. Maybe. But I think wasting two days of my life on it is enough.

If you read all of this, thanks for listening. I just needed to vent it all out.


Oh, and if you TL;DR, the gist of it is this: If you buy a computer or a laptop, there should be a power supply replacement available to you, no matter how long ago you got the damn thing. Oh, and don't buy DELL.

[Nychthemeron]

In before

[less_cunning]

i like how you dad was like, "yeah just splice the cord..."

i have an old Dell laptop. i am not sure if it works but i want to maybe use it for a music project. it also does not have an adapter & i need to get one but when i did preliminary research i saw that there was one for the one i had on ebay. i need to take it to a computer doctor to see if it works though.

[htsamurai]

that was a good read

i feel your pain bro, my mom has a translating business (english to spanish and spanish to english, so if you folks ever need reliable translations done at a good price and amazing customer service [me] lemme know lol) and she had been using a 7-9 year old Toshiba
yeah you read that right
im not freakin kidding you
granted she also used a PC that isn't nearly as old, but still that Toshiba was her go to computer when she had to go on the road or something

well she got a pretty big job not to long ago that required her to install some hefty programs that the Toshi couldn't handle by any means
SHE
WAS
PISSED
so after about a week of having to deal with that she decided to buy a new one (and a new TV, i mean why not, right? )
she's amazed at how it doesnt suck

[Nychthemeron]

I love those old laptops, they're so boxy and sci-fi.

At least losing this old computer means that I have another good reason to upgrade in the fall (Macbook Pro + Windows Option + Saving up for Pro Tools and Logic Studio = <3)

[Derelict78]

Yeah I have gone through similar shit when dealing with PC's, NO MORE!!
Now its just Mac for me if something goes wrong I call 1(800) MYAPPLE. I know the # by heart and its the only one I will have to call. In 10 years and 2 computers I have no complaints.

[DallasLemonade]

wow...