Acer netbook service stinks

[danmand]

I have been very happy with my little Acer netbook Aspire One, with SSD.

A couple of days ago, the firefox browser lost a couple of files, probably because I shut off power in midstream. I emailed and called acer, and got nothing but meaningless answers, i.e. the support people were windows support, knew nothing about linux. They did not know firefox was preinstalled, they did not know how to check a disk drive for errors, did not
know how to restore the system to factory standard etc etc.

Finally, I just restored the netbook to factory standard. But it was not a good experience. Hopefully I will not need any support on the netbook.

 

[r_s426]

I am happy with my Acer netbook as well, but after reading your post I am hoping that nothing goes wrong with it now! I guess they cut corners on support in order to offer their netbooks for less than the competition.

At their price point, they are practically disposable. ;-) It may be that they will become like other consumer electronics where it becomes cheaper to replace them than repair them.

Hell, they are cheaper than a one hour duo in-call GFE! I actually redirected part of my SP budget for the month to pick up my Acer. LOL

Mine runs XP. Is there any real advantage to me switching to Linux? I'd like it to be slightly speedier.....

 

[WoodPeckr]

I ran into the same problem with my Toshiba laptop. Toshiba only gives Windows support and knows nothing about linux. With linux you have to use linux support forums for your particular distro. I use Ubuntu and the Ubuntu Forums are great. If you use a lesser known linux distro it may be more difficult to find help. Google your distro and see where it takes you.

I use linux 99.9% of the time now. It's much quicker than M$, more stable, never has to be defragged, virus, spyware & malware free and just runs great....plus it's all free.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Question:
If you use Linux, what kind of internet browser do you use?
Probably a stupid question but does Linux work with mainstream windows xp programs like Microsoft word or excel or outlook express?
And if not what do you use for word processing, spreadsheet and email?
Thinking of setting up a hard drive with Linux and curious about what is likely to happen because I have no idea.

 

[WoodPeckr]

Question:
If you use Linux, what kind of internet browser do you use?
Probably a stupid question but does Linux work with mainstream windows xp programs like Microsoft word or excel or outlook express?
And if not what do you use for word processing, spreadsheet and email?
Thinking of setting up a hard drive with Linux and curious about what is likely to happen because I have no idea.

Linux uses Firefox as the default browser, I added and use/prefer Opera browser. The browsers work the same as on Windows.
Linux has its own apps/programs, thousands of them all free.
Open Office replaces MS Word, excel, word processing, spreadsheet, etc. It has it's own email or you can use many of the other common email apps.
You can use WINE which will run ~50% of the MS programs but I never bothered preferring to use/learn a similar linux program to avoid any potential conflict.
FWIW after running linux going on 3 years now I feel the linux apps/programs are easier to use/learn than M$ apps.

An easy way to use linux is set up a ~20GB partition to install linux on, for a dual boot system with M$ and linux. This way you can run either OS as you desire.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Woodpeckr, thanks for the info.

I use mobile racks/ removable trays; so, it just takes a minute to swap out hard drives. I'm going to set a hard drive up with Linux and hack around with it.
See what the fuss is about.

I've got a feeling the world would be better off if everyone switched over to a free, open system. Especially if the software and interface are any good.
Be nice to be free from all the Microsoft control freakology over everything.

Thanks again for info.

 

[WoodPeckr]

I recommend Ubuntu 8.10.
The Ubuntu Forums are very helpful, massive and worldwide for any questions you have. Just 'Google' Ubuntu for any further help/info you will need.

If you don't want to download and burn your own install CD, they will even mail you an install CD.....for free of couse.

It's great to be M$ free.....

 

[danmand]

I am happy with my Acer netbook as well, but after reading your post I am hoping that nothing goes wrong with it now! I guess they cut corners on support in order to offer their netbooks for less than the competition.

At their price point, they are practically disposable. ;-) It may be that they will become like other consumer electronics where it becomes cheaper to replace them than repair them.

Hell, they are cheaper than a one hour duo in-call GFE! I actually redirected part of my SP budget for the month to pick up my Acer. LOL

Mine runs XP. Is there any real advantage to me switching to Linux? I'd like it to be slightly speedier.....

I bought mine from Canada computers for $300, I think now it is more like $280.
It is the linux (Linpus lite) version with 8Gb SSD. The feature I really like on it
is that it boots in about 10 seconds. beat that Vista.

I use mine only for web access, words and spreadsheet, it is preloaded
with firefox, open office. Acer has purposely shielded the user from Linux, so it
is not that easy to add more software on it. I keep all files on usb flash drives.
That is why I was happy restoring the machine to factory.

It is great for travelling.

 

[PowerDrill]

Acers should always be avoided

the office i work at went ship a few years ago and purchased several acers. what crap! I'm telling you the cheap pay twice!

Avoid Acers my friends.

 

[danmand]

IN this day and age of entitlement I'm not surprised that anyone can be pissed at Acer not providing tech support for FREE software (ie: Linux and Firefox) on a $300 flashdrive netbook. Especially when you admit that YOU likely lost the data when you shut the flash drive machine off improperly.

Want live English speaking software support in a svelte flash drive notebook?

Buy a MacBook Air for $2,000 and you'll get that for a few months. After that it costs another $290 for hand holding while learning new software. About the same as your ENTIRE Acer notebook cast.

For $300 you get hardware and Acer makes $20 to $30... maybe.

Spend another $150 (50% of your purchase price!) and you can get Windows software and you get to sit on hold for tech support.

So, please ... think about what you PAID for. Hardware, not software.

Oh man, you really put me in my place here.

I am very pleased with the Acer Aspire One, it is a slick little machine, seemingly
well put together.

But seriously, it is not a good argument, that the machine is cheap, so I should not
expect any service. When Acer sells me a machine with 1 year warranty, I have the
right to expect 1 year of warrenty on the machine. I did not set the price of the machine.
(I would likely have paid more for the netbook, if Acer had asked for more.)

The issue, more or less, is that Acer did not sell me hardware only. Acer sold me a
machine with a very limited user interface, such that it is hard for most users to
modify it and add more software to it. Because Acer sold me a "black box" they
have in my opinion a responsibility to service it.

If Acer had sold me hardware only, or if Acer had sold me a machine with a vanilla
Ubuntu installed on it, I would not have expected service on the software.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Acer coming out soon with a 10.2 " screen due to popularity of that size with consumers who like small notebooks.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/154686/.html?tk=rss_news

 

[r_s426]

IN this day and age of entitlement I'm not surprised that anyone can be pissed at Acer not providing tech support for FREE software (ie: Linux and Firefox) on a $300 flashdrive netbook. Especially when you admit that YOU likely lost the data when you shut the flash drive machine off improperly.

Want live English speaking software support in a svelte flash drive notebook?

Buy a MacBook Air for $2,000 and you'll get that for a few months. After that it costs another $290 for hand holding while learning new software. About the same as your ENTIRE Acer notebook cast.

For $300 you get hardware and Acer makes $20 to $30... maybe.

Spend another $150 (50% of your purchase price!) and you can get Windows software and you get to sit on hold for tech support.

So, please ... think about what you PAID for. Hardware, not software.

I agree with everything you said, except the comparison between an Acer and a Macbook Air. I also have a Macbook Air. It is basically a highly portable version of a full sized Macbook (not the desktop replacement category). It runs the latest version of the Mac OS, and is only limited by its lack of a video card. Otherwise, it runs everything as well as my iMac does.

I am not speaking of the original poster, but many people have their expectations set way too high when they purchase a netbook. Don't buy a Honda Fit and complain that it won't perform like a Honda Accord, for example.

I think comparing them to something like a Macbook Air feeds into people having unrealistic expectations.

Compare Acer with Dell or HP netbooks. Basically you pay about $50 more for a Dell or $100 more for an HP. Since computer components are pretty much all manufactured by the same companies anyway... and netbooks assembled in the same factories, you have to figure that part of the compromise for a cheaper computer will be poor customer support.

I think I am just well trained by the computer industry, but I generally turn to google and on-line forums for help first, and only call customer support as a last resort.

 

[danmand]

I agree with everything you said, except the comparison between an Acer and a Macbook Air. I also have a Macbook Air. It is basically a highly portable version of a full sized Macbook (not the desktop replacement category). It runs the latest version of the Mac OS, and is only limited by its lack of a video card. Otherwise, it runs everything as well as my iMac does.

I am not speaking of the original poster, but many people have their expectations set way too high when they purchase a netbook. Don't buy a Honda Fit and complain that it won't perform like a Honda Accord, for example.

I think comparing them to something like a Macbook Air feeds into people having unrealistic expectations.

Compare Acer with Dell or HP netbooks. Basically you pay about $50 more for a Dell or $100 more for an HP. Since computer components are pretty much all manufactured by the same companies anyway... and netbooks assembled in the same factories, you have to figure that part of the compromise for a cheaper computer will be poor customer support.

I think I am just well trained by the computer industry, but I generally turn to google and on-line forums for help first, and only call customer support as a last resort.

You are entitled to your opinion, that we should not expect any other suppliers than
Apple and HP (Lenovo?) to honour their warrantes on pc's.

I don't share your opinion.

 

[r_s426]

You are entitled to your opinion, that we should not expect any other suppliers than
Apple and HP (Lenovo?) to honour their warrantes on pc's.

I don't share your opinion.

Well, I wasn't saying that it's right for Acer to give crappy customer support. I was just saying that if you buy at the lower end of the market in the consumer electronics industry it's one of the risks that you assume. It's more on an unfortunate reality... you get what you pay for. Sometimes it's just easier and less time consuming to fix things yourself when dealing with those companies.

Also, nearly any hardware manufacturer will either refuse to give software support, or be clueless about it... especially in the first tier of customer service.

 

[danmand]

Danmand,

I don't have their warranty available to me but you aren't talking about a WARRANTY issue. You said you lost data because YOU shut down a flash drive computer without saving your work. The data evaporated as it will on a flash drive without saving.

So what you are looking for is tech support on freeware to recover YOUR mistakes?

Rubmeister, stop rubbing me the wrong way.

1. it is not freeware. I explained that in my response to you. Acer maintains that they have support for their
linux system and pre-installed software, they even give you a special 800 number exclusively for the Linpus system support.

2. I don't know why the software malfunctioned, neither do the Acer support people.

What is bothering me is, that Acer on their 800 number EXCLUSIVELY for linux
machine support, has only windows support people that know absolutely nothing about Linux. The problem could very well have been a hardware fault on the SSD, they did not know how to check the SSD for errors. They said: "I know the windows command, and there must be a similar command in Linux, but I don't know". Then they sent me a recipe for restoring windows/XP to factory standards on an Acer Aspire One.

PS: It is not a major issue with me, I just thought it news worthy here, that Acer knows nothing about the machines they sell. I always had the option of returning it to the depot for a replacement or repair. Or I could junk it and buy a new one, it is only $300 (maybe an Asus, though).

PPS: I still love my netbook.

 

[Sasha Jones]

After reading this thread, I still don;t understand why you restored the entire system when it was just firefox crapped the bed.
Why not just reinstall Firefox?
You seriously need support for that?

 

[danmand]

After reading this thread, I still don;t understand why you restored the entire system when it was just firefox crapped the bed.
Why not just reinstall Firefox?
You seriously need support for that?

Yep, Acer has disabled most linux features on the aspire one.

 

[WoodPeckr]

Yep, Acer has disabled most linux features on the aspire one.

Well that sucks!

You may be better off to format it and load a full version of Ubuntu on it.
I've put Ubuntu on a 6 GB partition in the past and it ran fine, you would still have 2 GB of free space left. Since you have no CD/DVD drive you could install Ubuntu 8.10 from a usb flash drive and have the whole fully functional OS not a stripped down OS as you now have.

 

[danmand]

Well that sucks!

You may be better off to format it and load a full version of Ubuntu on it.
I've put Ubuntu on a 6 GB partition in the past and it ran fine, you would still have 2 GB of free space left. Since you have no CD/DVD drive you could install Ubuntu 8.10 from a usb flash drive and have the whole fully functional OS not a stripped down OS as you now have.

The SSD on the Acer aspire one is easily expanded with flash memory (the kind
you put in Cameras). There is a dock for flash memeory that gets appended to the
SSD.

From what I have gleaned from the web sources, with full Ubuntu there is
a problem with the wireless. And my neighbour has exactly that problem
on an Asus Eee machine, he installed Ubuntu on.

I have also learned that the easy peasy system, formerly Ubuntu Eee, will
run the Aspirte one perfectly, so I have downloaded a version of it. I have
not yet had time to install it, want to run it live first.

A drawback may be that the easy peasy system takes 2.5 mins to boot.
One of the reasons I love my netbook is that it
boots in 10 seconds. I am not easily going to give that up.

 

[WoodPeckr]

From what I have gleaned from the web sources, with full Ubuntu there is
a problem with the wireless. And my neighbour has exactly that problem
on an Asus Eee machine, he installed Ubuntu on.

Yes that may be a problem. Wireless worked flawlessly on my Toshiba laptop with Ubuntu 8.10 but it may be buggy on a netbook which you won't discover till you try it.

One of the very nice features of the Linpus Lite system as shipped by Acer is that it
boots in 10 seconds. Beat that!!!

Yep, I played with Linpus a bit, it's nice and a 10 second boot it great.
That probably boots so quick because they disable so many features on the lite version. That may be OK if it does all you want it to, for mainly web surfing.