You know what really sucks... My laptops mic/headphone jack is busted!! I bought this $2500 Dell laptop in June, and this is the 2nd one to go bad. The first one I screwed up worse on my own after it started to crap out. The left earpiece wouldnt come in unless you applied pressure on the jack, so I pryed stuff between the 2 plugs, and ended up snapping the connections inside, ok, that one my bad. But this one, was just from normal wear and tear! This computer isnt built to handle a gamers usage. I always disconnect the headphones after I turn off the computer, and plug them back in when I turn on the computer. Well, that little brass tab inside got worn out and wont connect! Son of a @#$!

Now I had to call Dell YET again to get it fixed. I did the chat, because I didnt want to spend an hour with a dictionary talking to the outsourced service personnel. They wanted me to restart the computer and go into BIOS. I was like "uh dude, how do you expect me to fill you in on the updates if I restart, the chat session will go offline, and I will have to do this ALL over again!" their instant reply "we have decided you need a new motherboard" So there ya have it, 3rd motherboard in this less than a year old computer. Other than the headphone jack, its been an awesome computer. They wont let me install it myself either. I have taken the damn thing apart 5 times this week, and know how to do it. But noooo........

The motherboard came today though, less than 20 hours after the chat, I am impressed. Now I just gotta wait for the techie to come out and do it for me. I will no longer unplug the damn thing, its staying in there, I may superglue it!!

oooooooooooooooooh K. I feel better........

Technology definitely has a lot of Stress attached. I keep wondering if the trade off is worth it. Hope this one works out better for you!

oh superglue and duct tape!!!! the answer to all the .... "Its broke"
"No problem ... I'll fix it" situations :grin:

TY INVENTORS!!!

Bo, my dear friend, Dell's are the best computers you can get in the world....but if you want a "gaming computer" Dell does make one. It's called the XPS, and it comes in various models. U might want to check out that one. I have been using my father's XPS for my gaming and let me tell you.....the thing rocks!!!

I bought this before the XPS was really big, right before it was first advertised, before the big advertising push. I got this when the XPS was in the new stages, and was incredibly expensive. I got the 9300, one level below the XPS, which has the pentium M 750, 1g 533fsb ram, geforce 6800 256mg vid card, 17 widescreen. its maxxed out and very nice, it just doesnt hold up to gaming headphone usage. its the unplugging and plugging in constantly that wore it out.

The guy came today after work and changed it out, so I am good for now. I am going to get a new usb sound card. It plugs into the usb port, and has 5.1 surround, I can plug in some nicer headphones and it wont wear out my motherboard. I figure I have 6 usb ports to screw up, that should take me a very long time.. hehe..

LOL let's hope it takes you a long time to screw up those 6 usb ports LOL

Dude....you shouldnt have got a Dell

heh

Dells aren't really that bad of computers. Shoot my father still has his first Dell....that's about 8 or 9 yrs ago and all it needs is a new video card. They rock man!

The thing is, I love Dells, and would never own anything else, its just that the one I have just isnt holding up to the wear I put on it. But with this usb sound card, it may solve all my problems, in the meantime, I am not unplugging the headphone jack, just so the spring inside the jack doesnt lose its durability by constant plugging in. Just a few wires to deal with, but its worth not having to get ANOTHER motherboard!!!

I love my dell, we own 3.. my desktop, his desktop and his laptop... I would marry my Dell if I could... I no longer even know how old it is.. I want to say 3 yrs.. but not sure.. and never had anything go wrong.. hubby did have to have his motherboard replaced, not sure what happened there.. but all is well in my Dell world