I have to concur with the prior posters; I was not informed or notified about this promotion until well after it was already expired, and now I find myself locked into a proprietary case, motherboard, and power supply with no avenue to upgrade. On top of that, the phone agents are incredibly pushy on selling everything under the sun except what I'm asking for. And the last time I called about this promotion and started asking for escalation, I was hung up on. Plus being called back at 11:45PM... yes, nearly midnight... because this phone agent had a 'next fifteen minutes only' sale he just had to pitch to me. Needless to say, this whole experience has soured my outlook on Dell, and it's highly doubtful I'll ever go back for another.

So last night I was calling into figure this out. Being very frustrated is all I got out of this. I called a number from the dell.com site to call. I called in and it was a "Spare Parts, and Upgrades" number. They tried to sell me everything they possible could except what I was asking them for, a processor upgrade. They said they couldn't prove any information on a processor upgrade. They saw that the machine could handle up to 8 gigs of member and really wanted to sell me it. Then after I told them I was only interesting in getting a processor for it because XP isn't going to recognize anymore than 3.5 gigs of memory they got upset with me. And tried to tell me that upgrading the processor wouldn't help speed the system up any. Maybe that is true but it seems like it would be the next step in upgrading my system as everything else is pretty much above todays standards for my system. They didn't help nor offer help. It took me hours to get through because I got disconnected from them randomly. I am going to attempt to contact Techinal Support with this issue and see what they say. Right now I'm to annoyed to talk to Dell. So far I think this was the fourth Dell that was purchased by my house hold. Since then we have purchased 2 more laptops. We have purchased six dells in the last 5 and a half years to 6 years. And I think that we wont go back to Dell to purchase another if my life depended on it. With Sun becoming more consumer friendly, and prices resonsible compaired to Dell they might take my business, or I will just go back to building my own PC's. And purchases Toshiba laptops,

I have missed the main go around with this issue. The site listed above seem to be for sale now. Who do I contact to see if I'm eligible for this?

I received my new 720 board had it put in and it didn't work. The technician on site had to spend one hour trying to get dell on the phone. He was being transferred over and over again. We were kept on hold longer then the help we received. That’s how awesome dells customer support is. Found out the new Board was probably DOA=Dead on arrival. It may have also killed my Graphic card. Dell said we can't help you because you no longer under the warranty. The computers almost 2 years old. They first break my computer and tell me they can't fix it? If you guys wanted to know what light were on it was error 1-3-4. After the technician spent some more time talk to dell they were like ok we understand. I should be getting a replacement board and Graphic card who knows when. They said they don't have any in stock so it may take months. If I could rate Dell phone support I would give them a 0. On the other hand the technician was very friendly and understanding and he doesn't really even work for dell. Now I have to email Technical support to find out when my parts are coming but I can't email them do to the fact that my computer is no longer under the warranty. Forcing me to waste more of my time being put on hold 20-30Mins each time then being transferred to another person that thinks they know what their doing.

 I would like to take the Time to thank the XPS team for breaking my XPS 700 computer and frying my graphic card. Thank you for your hard work my 3k computer is now dead and I have no warranty on it. Now I have to wait months to get the damn thing working. Dell won't even send someone over to reinstall my old motherboard.  Thank you for  breaking my computer with your new  motherboard  and I hope you don't set this example to future XPS owners.

If you think I am lying check my Email address or user name I have a case number that explains it all.

Guys, to clear a few things up:

1. Yes you will have to reinstall your OS.

2. If you want the CPU upgrade, I would suggest buying it through third-party. You will have the 3 year warranty on the processor from Intel. Dell overcharges way too much on most parts. No disrepect, but come on Dell. You are getting us on those high prices.

3. If you have built PC's before, you can do this upgrade. Actually it's easier than building a whole new system. If you have not built a PC, get support to do it if you are iffy.

4. I ordered this and will be doing the upgrade myself. My system has a three year warranty, so no worry. 

Hope this helps!

 Below are some questions I asked a few weeks ago. These seem to me to be important items that need to be addressed but I have seen no reply. So I included the same questions with hope that someone will answer them.

 Thanks

Mark

 1.  Will I need to reinstall windows to accommodate the new motherboard?

2. Can the partition on the hard drive that sets computer back to factory be updated to accommodate the new motherboard or will that option be useless once the new motherboard is installed?

3. If the partition can no longer be used to set the computer back to factory settings will Dell include a new image on DVD to set the computer back to factory settings if something should happen to the operating system in the future?

 Just a few questions which I thought should be addressed before I attempt to change the motherboard.

 Thanks

What is the front-side bus speed on this motherboard?

With the recently released Quad-Core procs and the new pricing by Intel, will Dell's E&A site provide these procs and prices to us? Also, will the new Quads work in the 720 mobo?

Thanks,

Jim

Lionel,

Intel today introduced a series of processors with a FSB of 1333MHz among which are the Intel Core 2 Duo E6850 and the Core 2 Extreme QX 6850. Does Dell’s OEM implementation of the NVIDIA 680i support the new processors at a FSB of 1333/1066/800?

The price Intel is quoting on the Intel Core 2 Duo E6850 is causing me to give consideration to replacing the existing processor that you folks installed on my XPS710 when the exchange program is implemented.

  Include an antistatic wrist strap and cord in the kit, the use of which needs to be explained in the accompayning tech sheet. This should save Dell a lot of money replacing static damaged components, and many of the returning XPS700, and XPS710 motherboards will not need repairs, if they are handled properly.

  I used to work in a company that built M/B's and other boards for Dell and others, Static damage is real, and quite likely to result in service calls as the damage may not be aparent initially.

   For all the upgraders out there, get a humidifier and wrist strap, the wrist strap contains a current limiting resistor, and is connected to a ground such as a cold water pipe or other object that has a good connection to the ground. it will bleed any static charge slowly to this ground. The humidifier will also help bleed off any static charges through the air, the more humid the air, the less chance of a ESD event.

 Do NOT let a bystander shuffle up and touch or even point at a component and say "what's this?" followed by a "SNAP" as they discharge their static through the pointed at component, yes I have had that happen, and the answer is: "A recently destroyed electronic device!"

I actually have the same question as Dennis above

 "Once my system is upgraded to 720, will it be reflected on the support website?  Will I get drivers related to 720 system when I enter my existing Express Code online (will the code # change?) and is it being communicated to the XPS support personnel?  I would like to avoid this confusion..."

Lionel, there have been no replies to anyone's questions about the H2C cooling system (except that it is not included in the kit). I realize this is probably due to:

1) You have to be very careful what you say

and..

2) There is no provision yet to meet the possible demand should Dell decide to sell the H2C to all of us 700 owners (who seem to be very hungry for this option by the way...in case you hadn't noticed :-) ). We will soon be XPS720 owners for all practical purposes.

Maybe we haven't asked the proper question. So here goes...What is the replacement part number for the H2C cooling system, should a 720 owner need to replace it or upgrade to that option?

Where can they order it? Dell Parts?

What are my processor options. I am sure that this has been written before but with the price cuts coming I definitely want to wait for the quad prices to come down. Can I go with a Q6600 now and upgrade ( easily ) to the extreme later?

 
Also the Dell 25% off price vs the new egg retail price coming out the same is not a way to regain customer confidence.

The questions I have are as follows,

1.  Will I need to reinstall windows to accommodate the new motherboard?

2. Can the partition on the hard drive that sets computer back to factory be updated to accommodate the new motherboard or will that option be useless once the new motherboard is installed?

3. If the partition can no longer be used to set the computer back to factory settings will Dell include a new image on DVD to set the computer back to factory settings if something should happen to the operating system in the future?

 Just a few questions which I thought should be addressed before I attempt to change the motherboard.

 Thanks

Wow this is alot more complicated than expected.

 Are the service tech guys briefed into all this? I'm scared incase they break my system lol =(

 I hope this whole process is under warranty, because if a service tech manages to screw it up, i know i'm not paying to fix it.

Your efforts have led me back to buying another Dell after swearing to never buy again after my XPS700. I just placed an order for a Inspiron 1420 for my daughter to start college with.

Keep up the good work.

Like another said this is what I used to get from Dell and is also what I expect from Dell. 

Lionel-

 Thanks for the video update!  It really made me realize how complex the upgrade procedure can get and what I'll need to do to prepare on my end.

 One question - if we opt for Dell to perform the motherboard swap out, will the technician be someone who has experience performing the specific XPS-700 upgrade procedure or just some "generic" technician that will be basically fumbling around following some kind of tech sheet?

Any difficulties if you own an xps710 H2C and purchase the upgrade? Just wondering how much complexity the H2C unit adds to the process?

Thanks!

Mike Brunette

Once my system is upgraded to 720, will it be reflected on the support website?  Will I get drivers related to 720 system when I enter my existing Express Code online (will the code # change?) and is it being communicated to the XPS support personnel?  I would like to avoid this confusion...

thanks 

Dennis 

I was really hesitant to contribute to this blog now, since for me the XPS-700 “story” is a sour and disappointing exercise. As a recap: personally I was lining up for this machine last year from the very beginning (late May 2007) but decided to give up and cancel my order(s) around mid August 2006 due to many factors including Lionel’s personal approach to my case when I got in touch with him. It felt really bad as I lost a “dream” I was waiting for since the first communication surfaced about the XPS-7xx concept.

Since then I’m quietly watching and hoping, that the ones stuck with Dell are going to get what they deserve. 

Given the amount of communication and development on this matter, and seeing the posts here related to this issue my faith in Dell is on it’s way back – but there is a long journey ahead.

There are a few points I would want to raise with regards to this program:

1. The amount of communication on the matter and the regular updates are really good, relative to what has happened last year. This is definitely an improvement.
2. I’m still puzzled to understand why does it take so long to set-up the replacement program. Not that I do not appreciate the amount of work it takes, however a lot of time has passed since the decision was made, and even a “giant” like Dell should be capable of moving faster on these matters. There has been replacement programs executed by Dell in the past, and I’m NOT (I repeat: NOT) referring to the huge battery replacement program. But, there were others similar to this case where it was necessitated and originated from SPECIFICATION problem with the original hardware. I’m not going to list examples here but can provide reference if you wish. Bottom line is: this should have happened faster taking the learning and procedures from the past.
3. Last but not least I would like to remind everyone to the prime principle why the upgrade was seen critical and important: it was not pushed to cause trouble for Dell, it was not pushed to “punish” Dell. It was required and AGREED with them, because Dell felt the need to be generous and honest with their customers whom they cashed the hard $$$s in, and make the PROMISE happen: that customers of the XPS-700 purchased the Top Leading Edge technology for the premium price they paid for it. My problem now is, that since the mobo upgrade still hasn’t happened and who knows when it will be completed, this promise very likely won’t be fulfilled. If it does not happen within the next few months maximum, it is going to loose most of it’s value. There are ALREADY new motherboards and chipsets coming to the market outdoing what the XPS-720 can offer. DDR3, increased FSB and the list go on. I really hoped that once this upgrade is complete XPS-700 owners are going to be able to enjoy the moment of being “on the top” just like I did, when I built my own system last year August. The feeling that “it was indeed expensive, but there is no better option on the market NOW”. For a premium price like the XPS series everyone deserves that… at least for a short period of time. My sense is that even with the upgrade on the mobo it won’t be there every for even a second… And this is what hurts me the most.

All of this above does not mean Dell should not push forward with the program. They should. But everyone should remember WHY we are doing this. And that for this program: TIME DOES MATTER. It is not the only question that it happens, it is as equally important as WHEN it happens.

I’ll keep watching.

Can you please tell us the pricing for the mobo upgrade for XPS 710 owners?  I have had the machine for about 3 weeks.

How do we register for the exchange?

Thanks,

Rafael

Thanks!!!
 

I really want the mobo box in my home right now!
Thanks for all again!!!

Greets from Chile!!!
 

Thank you for the video. It was very informative on the actual process that will occur either by ourselves or through a Dell techs. Mr. Thompson did well on talking about what he was doing.

This is just a personal opinion, but I thought the video could have vastly improved if there were just a few things added. For one thing, the lighting was fairly poor when he delved into the case to begin disassembling. Some light reflection, or even a flashlight, to illuminate those dark areas would have brighten them and allow more detail to be seen.

As an alternative, it would have been nice if there were some clear, well-lit, macro still-images taken before or after Mr. Thompson worked inside and out of the case, especially in the dark areas and without his hands in the way to get a clearer idea of where/what precisely he was working. It wouldn't be difficult to replace the video camera feed with the still images, or instead add a smaller window within the main video window at the top right, and also circle or somehow highlight the precise spot Mr. Thompson was working on, such as the exact screw he is unscrewing at 18:52 of the video.

Another thing is that while Mr. Thompson was in the process of disassembling and reassembling with his hands in the case, it was nearly impossible get an idea of what he was doing other than what he was verbally describing. That only goes so far in painting a picture in my mind. An example of this is at 19:05 of the video. Although the step was repeated, his hands still obstructed most of what he was trying to show. I think it would have been worth the extra time and additional file size of the video to simulate the process with whatever resources he could use, even just his hands if possible, outside of the case, straight at the camera, in a more visibly accessible space. Working in such a tight area, it's difficult to really show the viewer what he's doing. Maybe even just using a screwdriver to point at what he's about to work on and let the camera zoom in really tight and steady in that region for a short moment (long enough where we can pause it ourselves for as long as we need).

I also wouldn't mind if a higher quality video was available. The currently released video could be the low-quality version, while a higher-quality video option could be added later on. As a broadband user, it wouldn't bother me to download a 500mb or 600mb file, especially if the camera was able to pick up the subtle light and detail in the dark areas to be more visible.

Again though, the video was still good and Mr. Thompson did very well in informing us of the procedures.

I'm still not sure if I'll do the physical switching myself or trust a tech. I think I could do it myself, but I'm also a bit iffy on letting others handle my things (scratching the case, damages parts, greasy hands, etc.). I'd kind of wondering how much we're covered if the tech makes a hideous scratch or even damages something where it no longer functions properly.

Lionel,

Thank you for the information.  Do you what the cost will be for us 710 owners to participate in the motherboard exchange?

I bought a 710 with the quad core 3 weeks ago.

Thanks again,

Rafael

 thanks for the update, I would like to take this opp to thank all the bloggers for all the hard work between Dell and yourselves to make this mobo exchange a reallity.You are all VERY GOOD at what you do,again thank you very much.p.s. I hope you post this for all the great men on this blog to see

Hello Lionel Menchaca,  it's great to put a face behind the name! I must say that the video is just another OUTSTANDING EFFORT by you guys at DELL! 

We all started to wonder why we buy DELL, and it's obvoius. The commitment and DELL product is just the best. You guys stand behind your products  100%.

Who else in the industry would upgrade your computer to the latest model?  Kudos....

Also, I do have some questions, I would like to buy the H2C setup and 1000k power supply, and install both at the same time with the upgrade? 

Do you have part numbers for these? Will it be possible to order at the same time when placing the upgrade order? 

If we do decide to buy the XQ6700 quad processor, will it be Overclockable with the new setup?

What are the chances of buying the XQ6800 processor? Must it be installed with a H2C system exclusively?

Lastlly, believe it or not, I deeply love the idea of being able to upgrade my highend XPS rig to the latest model perhaps on a yearly or bi yearly level. 

What are the chances of this becoming a permanent possibility? or is this a once in a life time event for DELL?  

Thanks once again!  rraallpphh13 (aka Bushwacker - Half Life2 death match) 

If upgrading to the Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 prosessor, is the  H₂C liquid cooling system included in the box?

If not, will the present XPS 700 heat sink keep the QX6700 from overheating?

Thanks,

john

OK, so you've now shown us what we get and how to install it (improperly without any antistatic protection).

 A couple of remaining questions and big ones at that:

WHEN? In your last post you mentioned "weeks, not months". I hate to disappoint you, but we're already into months...

HOW FAST? Why are you emphasizing the self install option for such a major operation to a computer? Are you anticipating a backlog for the service calls? Will it be faster for us to do this ourselves, or to call a tech? If I'm going to pay an additional $800 for the processor, I'd like to have someone else do it, unless it's going to delay the process by another month... (By which time the processor will be even cheaper...)

WARRANTY? What happens to our warranty for the system if we do this ourselves vs. if the tech does it? Also, what is the warranty on the processor upgrade? 90 days, or the current warranty for the system.

I know I'm not supposed to look a gift horse in the mouth and I certainly appreciate Dell's Customer Service efforts, but this is taking too long... 

Hi guys,

Thanks for all the effort you are putting in this program! I can't wait for this to happen.
I do have two tiny questions:

Do you ship the processor upgrade kit with a new Core2Quad sticker? I can change my Core2Duo sticker for that one which would be great.

Will there be an H2C upgrade available in the (near) future?

Thanks for the video. Now this is more in-line with the DELL we all fell in love with years ago!!! Keep up the good work ( and so will we$$ ).

Mark ;-)

Hey!! Where's the static wrist-strap. :)

I highly recommend getting a service tech to do the job. 

Thanks to the entire XPS team for putting together a very well thought out video. It is wonderful to see how much Dell has done and/or promoted over  this past year to help customers become more knowledgable regarding their XPS 700/710/720 computers. While watching the video it was very obvious that there is some very genuine concern for the needs and concerns of Dell's XPS customers.

Once again; good timing Lionel on getting the communication out.

There is definitely going to be a lot of excitement brewing amongst XPS 700/710 customers. Those that would like to witness that excitement can find some of it here:  http://www.dellcommunity.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=xps_desk_genhdw&thread.id=51429&page=153

Needless to say, I am really looking forward to reading many posts from customers that are thrilled about the new and improved XPS 700/710. Although the process of getting the program launched took more time than some customers thought it would take, the wait will no doubt become another stepping stone to Dell's improved customer care program.

Thank you Dell for caring for your customers. I know that many are grateful for what you are doing here!