Why I will Never Use Lenovo Computers Again

I usually don’t make posts like this unless I’m thoroughly disgusted with the company in question and have exhausted all possible remedies to resolve the situation.

So, this situation started out when one of my long-time clients decided that they wanted to upgrade all the computers in their office for two reasons; first, they had multiple versions of Windows running on their user workstations (Windows 2000 & Windows XP Pro.) Second, they wanted newer hardware to last them into the future.

I suggested Lenovo hardware because IBM sold their PC business to Lenovo around 2004 and Lenovo had apparently been manufacturing IBM’s lower-end hardware for a while before that.

With the economy in the tank and prices of computer hardware low, the client figured that now would be the time to get this done. Fair enough.

They ordered 3 Lenovo Thinkcentre M58p (7479-CTO) computers with Windows XP Pro preloaded from the factory. I installed all three, loaded the required software which included Microsoft Office 2007, Eudora Email client & some Autodesk viewer software which they use sometimes to look at construction plans.

Almost immediately, one of the computers started having strange issues where it would flash a blue screen with a message and immediately reboot itself. This would happen randomly and without warning. Thinking it was a RAM problem, I re-seated the RAM modules with no luck. Same problem occurred.

Here’s where the disgust starts: I called Lenovo’s tech support line which at this point is being staffed by IBM. I should mention that I have been installing IBM computers in networks since about 1988 and never have I run into anything like this.

Initially, I went through the proper channels and told the support rep what the problem was, etc. He suggested that I re-seat the RAM modules. Fine. Already done. Next he suggested that they would send a tech on-site to swap out ONE RAM module out of two. I would have swapped both just to be sure but, whatever. It’s their call.

A week goes by and the same problem happens all week. I call into Lenovo support again. I am told that it’s obviously a software problem and the operating systems needs to be reloaded. This takes the better part of a day (none of which I can bill for, by the way) to reload the OS, load Windows updates, load Microsoft Office plus updates and then load the other software that the customer uses.

The same problem occurs. Again I call into Lenovo support. This time I am told that they will send a tech on-site to change the RAM again as well as change the motherboard. The on-site tech arrives complete with bad attitude. This time he attempts to throw me under the bus by saying, in no uncertain terms, that I don’t know what I’m doing and it’s a software problem. Never mind that all this time we have two other machines of the same exact model and configuration running the exact same software, which are running fine.

Needless to say, the same problem occurs again. Blue screen and random rebooting. Once again, I call into Lenovo support. The call is now escalated to a second-tier support rep who tells me that he is sending a tech on-site again, this time to replace the RAM and processor. I suggest that they cut their losses and send us a new computer to configure and finally close this case. They refuse. Now, here comes the good part:

The next day, the tech never calls or shows up. I call back into Lenovo support who looks up the case number and says that the case is closed (???!) and a tech is due to come on-site but the the phone number on the case record looks “weird.” He says that the phone number he has is 061-xxx-xxxx. The area code for the phone number should be 561.

Now, I submit to you, look at the keypad on your keyboard. Is the “0″ key anywhere near the “5″ key? Not even close. Now it seems that we are being undermined by the Lenovo call-center. Real nice!

At this point, I correct the number and then am told that there is a part back-ordered, the processor. The dispatch rep I’m speaking with asks me to hold on while he “looks for the processor.” He eventually finds they they, in fact, are NOT back-ordered and gets it shipped overnight to the on-site service center. More undermining perhaps? It has now taken me 45-minutes (again, unbillable) to correct the “wrench” which the support call-center personnel have thrown into the works.

The next day, the same “bad attitude” on-site tech arrives and announces that he’s there to change the processor but that he’s changed the RAM three times already and he refuses to change it again because “that’s not the problem.” Great! Now the on-site tech is ignoring instructions from the second-tier support rep.

Does any of this sound like Lenovo (or IBM for that matter) cares if this issue ever gets resolved??

The next day, the operating system crashes again in the same fashion. At this point and at a complete loss, my client is resolved to return this machine and does not want a replacement.

Not only that, the client has 15 computers just like this one, including monitors, sitting in their warehouse waiting to be installed. These will also be shipped back to Lenovo because now we can’t trust Lenovo to honor their warranty.

At this point in time, I have absolutely no faith in the Lenovo brand and will be sourcing computer hardware from another vendor in the future.