I purchased a Gateway MX6956 computer on 11/28/2006 from Best Buy #302 Skokie, ILL. The unit worked without any problems until August 2007 when the Sprint Mobile Broadband PCMCIA card failed to power up. However, the same PCMCIA card as well as the Sprint Mobile Broadband service do work in my Toshiba notebook computer. I worked with Sprint Technical Support and Gateway Technical Support and it was determined that the computer would have to be returned to the Best Buy Store for service. I returned the computer to the store three different times for service. After each time I returned the computer it was out of service for 3-4 weeks, I was then informed that the computer was ready to be picked up and no trouble was found. However each time I returned to the store to pick up my computer I brought the Sprint PCMCIA card with me and had the personnel at Best Buy test the computer with the card, it failed each time. The card will not power up which was verified by the support staff at the Best Buy store . Each time they sent the computer out again for service after verifying that in fact there was a problem. Each time the computer was returned to me, the only service performed was that the operating system was reinstalled.

After receiving no satisfaction from Best Buy I contacted Gateway. The computer has been sent to the Gateway Service Center in LaVergne, Tn seven different times for service of the same problem, PCMCIA card slot will not power up. It is then returned to me as No Trouble Found, No Failure Claim Description Provided, even though I had spoke to Gateway Technical Support on the phone and provided a description of the problem prior to sending the computer in. It was determined by the phone support personnel through their troubleshooting procedures that the computer would have to be returned for service. The telephone support personnel had determined that the mother board would need to be replaced.

It was returned to me after the seventh time for service from Gateway and the computer continued to fail. I called Gateway and spoke to David, Employee GWNR107 and was told there was nothing else they could do to resolve the problem.They do not know what is wrong and cannot repair the computer. It was just my tough luck and I should not bother them anymore. Needless to say I was astonished at the poor quality of service provided by a representative of Gateway and asked to speak to a manager. I was then connected to Tiffany who refused to provide me with an employee ID. The conversation began very pleasantly and I was happy that I was finally going to get this problem resolved. After I had explained what had transpired, the tone of the conversation changed. I was informed that in the four months since I have been attempting to get this computer repaired that the warranty no longer covered the notebook. She told me that I did not have an extended warranty and that there was nothing Gateway was going to do, they are unable to determine what the failure is and I should just forget about the problem and not bother them anymore. End of conversation.

I believe that I have been more than patient in dealing with an arguably incompetent organization, Gateway. I now want a complete refund of the price I had paid in order that I may purchase a new computer of any other brand but Gateway. This was my first Gateway computer and most definitely will be the last. I will be able to provide documentation of the three service tickets from Best Buy and the seven different service tickets from Gateway, as well as sales receipts, upon request. I want to add that I am composing this email on my Toshiba Satellite notebook computer using the Sprint Mobile Broadband service PCMCIA card to connect to the network. The same PCMCIA card and service that will not work on the Gateway computer.

I purchased a high-end Gateway at the end of January. The first hint of trouble was a 30-day delay in getting the system despite customer service stating that it was "almost ready". If it had ended there, I would have been a happy camper.

Unfortunately, the computer has never worked since it arrived. When I enabled the Crossfire cards, the machine crashed and, after working with Gateway Support, had to be rebuilt. The tech support rep advised me to not enable CrossFire (why would you buy a machine with high-end graphics cards that can't be used???).

Over the past few months, I've had to rebuild the machine 6 times. I've tried updated drivers, different combinations of drivers, and different installation sequences but they the end result is the same - a quad-core machine that is slower, less stable, and has worse graphics than my 5-year old computer.

I've been working with computers as a hobby and professionally for more than 20 years. I LOVE computers and technology and am generally very good at troubleshooting. However, I'm at my wits end. Despite multiple calls to Gateway, ATI (the video card maker), and complaints to the consumer protection agencies of three states, I can't get Gateway to refund my money or replace the video card (since it seems to be at the center of the problem).

My latest attempt has absolutely nothing on a clean install (number 6) except for Norton Internet security and the game I'm using as a test program. The video is still horrible, performance is poor, and the machine crashes multiple times per day (even when idle - sleep is disabled).

The machine is so bad that I can't use it because I have no confidence that 1) it won't crash and I'll lose what I'm doing and 2) the performance is poor. It just sits under my desk while I use my old machine to write complaint letters. Not exactly a good use of money.

Pleased be advised that your adherence to your policy does not concern me. What does concern me is that I have a product that I paid a significant amount of money for and this product is defective in 18 months from normal use. This must be either a design defect or construction defect that has now surfaced. If Gateway policy is that they will not support this obviously poor quality, then that speaks volumes about your company and policies.

I also have been using laptop computers for many years. I have had an IBM laptop at work and it has never exhibited any issues like this one. Naturally this laptop was operated on a flat surface, but it was picked up for transport. I believe that is the whole idea of having a laptop.

As I had mentioned in my correspondence below, I have several children in college and I have several workstation at home. I will not spend more money on a poor quality product that the company will not stand by. As an advocate of quality and integrity, (I am a Six Sigma Black Belt by trade), I will also voice my concerns about your business process and lack of quality by every method that is available to me.

It is truly disheartening to see this type of business practice and your attempt to defend by quoting policy. I will make my next purchase from a vendor that believes in their product and will stand by it.