Comments on: The truth about the “free” Windows 7 upgrades

By: Rob French

Rob French — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:42:58 +0000

I too have been emailing Dell about these costs and eventually got some replies.

Quote:
“we need to send each windows 7 upgrade in a different package because computers were purchased with an individual order number and because of that you need to pay for the shipping for every computer and every Windows 7 package.”

This is not true by the way as many units were ordered under one order number.

I got my Upgrades in the post today and guess what, they all came in one jiffy bag!!
Now I’m really annoyed.

By: kaushik

kaushik — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:49:49 +0000

hi
please provide me the courier agency for dell who deliver the win 7 upgrade kit
when i check the information on dell site it shows shipped and tracking no. but i don’t know where i track it. i inquired with dell but they are not providing the angency’s name and no.

By: Matthew

Matthew — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:57:23 +0000

Well finally got some usable advice. I got advised by a few people that mere hours after making a song and dance on the official Dell forums, their status suddenly went to ’shipped’ for their Windows 7 upgrades. Well I thought it might just be a coincidence, but it really seems to work. Just a few hours after making a nuisance of myself on the forums (including threatening to detail my experience on every Dell Win 7 thread I could find) I suddenly had a Dell employee asking questions in a meeting on my behalf. A couple of hours after that my upgrade got shipped. So it seems internet terrorism is the way forward with Dell. Go play merry hell with em’ folks!

…and best of luck to you all!

By: Matthew

Matthew — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:37:49 +0000

Emma, I don’t know if your issue is software or hardware related, but if it is software then look around the net for a good tech site/forum and post and ask about your issue there, or ask on the relevant Usenet newsgroup with the free newsreader your ISP provides – 9/10 times you will get far better technical advice than the ‘technical support’ people at any OEM, not just Dell. The guys on such places spend their nights and days freely dishing out great advice…they’ve saved my PC’s countless times, all for nothing. Of course if it is literally a hardware problem, i.e. broken, then it will have to be taken up with Dell. Also, note that you can contact Dell online for free via the live ‘chat’ thing. Plus, being in the UK, you can always mention the sale of goods act – very often this gives them the kick up the rump they need. It sounds like it is new, so you’re still under warranty…so stand firm and get them to fix it. I wish you the best of luck with your problem.

By: Emma

Emma — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:52:56 +0000

I’m just about sick of Dell. First they send me a laptop that doesn’t work and I spend nearly £40 in phonecalls to their tech people for them to just keep doing the same thing. So I now have a £500 glorified brick. I AM NOT particuarly inclined to spend any more money with them, £15 just seems unreasonable when you bear in mind normal P&P for computer programs is between £3 and £8 including delivery. I’m not happy.

By: Matthew

Matthew — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:45:45 +0000

I swear I could train chimps to run a more effective Windows 7 upgrade program than Dell. First my ship date was 11/15/2009, then it jumped to 10/31/2009 (which passed with no mention of it shipping or any other helpful info), then my shipping date disappeared altogether….only to reappear today as 11/15/2009 again. I swear if these IDIOTS had brains they’d be dangerous. To think I let the opportunity of a £40 pre-order for the full Win 7 retail pack pass me by as I had faith in their “free” upgrade system, which ended up costing me £15 “shipping and handling” anyway. As god is my witness I will never deal with Dell again. EVER.

By: Matthew

Matthew — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:57:16 +0000

At least I have some good news. My Dell Windows 7 upgrade kit’s estimated shipping date has jumped from 11/15/09 to 10/31/09…so I should have my disc/s soon (unless it changes again).

By: MC

MC — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:31:03 +0000

Thank you for contacting Dell Online Customer Service.

Please accept my apologies for the difficulties encountered when attempting to resolve your issue.

The cost 15.00£ is only for the shipping , the CDs which will be sent to you will be free of cost.

Free upgrade is in the Collaboration with Microsoft, the free Windows 7 CDs kit is sent from Microsoft, and so the shipping cost of 15.00£ is the standard charge to get the Free windows 7 CDs kit.

Also as per the terms and conditions for window 7, it clearly states that to ship the window 7 kit UK customers will be charged £15.

Sorry that we are unable to assist in this particular instance.

By: mullhew

mullhew — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:21:49 +0000

I just had to buy my ‘free’ Windows 7 upgrade from Dell. I registered on their Windows 7 upgrade website, where the mention on various occasions that it was ‘Free’, and when I got through the registration it said that my cost was $0 (it presumed I was American). The minute I selected ‘UK’, it added £15 in taxes and ‘Handling Charges’. I feel ripped off. Why the richest economy in the world gets charged $0 is country discrimination. Boo Dell.

By: Matthew

Matthew — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 22:30:17 +0000

Well doesn’t XP have an M$ Update cut-off date that outlives Vista already? 2014 for XP, and something like 2011/12 for Vista..isn’t it? You’re right, more service packs…no way. It can’t even be called an “halfway house” really, not in the face of them flogging XP *downgrade* rights. I knew Vista was crap all along, but my XP PC died of death on June 26th this year, and the only reason I got this Vista machine was because that was the day the upgrade program launched. Lucky? You bet!

Sorry to hear the Ausies are getting even more ripped off. Too bad.