Dell certification question

[crossedup]

Okay, fairly self explanatory i think.

How does one go about becoming certified to work on computers under Dell warranty?

Ive done some googling and ive found the Dell pages detailing some of this but it seems I have to buy a dell product before i can apply? I have always built my own rigs in the last 3 years but i suppose i could buy a laptop if necessary.

Is this right, anybody got any good thoughts on this from personal experience?

I have a small chain of rent-to-own places in town that would like me to work on thier pc's but they are all under dell warranty ( or so they say, im thinking if they were, why are they sitting there broke? ). I have a meeting with the manager next week and i would like to know a little more than i do now before i go.

I assume im would need to be A+ as well? Nothing I found on Dell mentioned this but would seem a logical pre-requisite.

Any info appreciated.

Im assuming the guy is afraid the warranty is void if the case is opened or something top that effect. Would assume they dont have a corporate account if they are buying the pc's to rent out for home use. Dell just the cheapest i imagine.

You don't need to buy a product, just take their test.

Maintaining and Repairing Dell Desktops and Workstations

[John Prophet]

maybe they are just worried about voiding whatever "warranty" they think they have...or maybe they have no clue what they are talking about.

here is the DCSE cert..sound slike a lot of work..beyond what youd need to just do warranty work http://dcse.dell.com/

associate dcse http://dcse.dell.com/certification/levels.asp

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best thing I think the dude could do...is replace the Dell motherboards and power supplies with standard (cheap and easily available) atx stuff...then just do a good fresh install and make a ghost copy of that install...keep copies of the install on cd's back at the shop...when the computer comes in he just simply runs the install disk and it is ready to go out again.

Or you could make a reference cd for them and keep them yourself to use when you work on them for the guy ...or offer to make him some restore disks using norton ghost.


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I have thought about that before..for instance building comps and shopping them to rental places around town..and offering to also do the repair work.....either selling them restore disks or keeping them myself...but you know the rental place would need them cuz the comps would comp back wacked everytime, lol.

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One thing to think of...how do you keep comp savvy peeps from taking the decent agp card out and putting a cheap one in, lol.....I guess they make case locks???


JP

[John Prophet]

what are you actually buying at that link for $149 Rick??

is that a course like A+..and then you go take a test or what? or can you take the test without the course (like A+, lol)

Now I am slightly interested in it myself..cuz I sell some Dells

JP

I think it's an online course thingy. You do the course then take their test. They recommend you have A+ before taking the test.

I think the only difference between it and CompTIA's test are that all the questions start with "On a Dell PC . . ."

[John Prophet]

so you get a cert?? what is it called?

are you a D+ then?? lol

[MitaDC]

ooohh thats cold lol

[crossedup]

best thing I think the dude could do...is replace the Dell motherboards and power supplies with standard (cheap and easily available) atx stuff...then just do a good fresh install and make a ghost copy of that install...keep copies of the install on cd's back at the shop...when the computer comes in he just simply runs the install disk and it is ready to go out again.

Or you could make a reference cd for them and keep them yourself to use when you work on them for the guy ...or offer to make him some restore disks using norton ghost.

Was thinking of something similar, not as extreme as the whole mobo and PSU idea, but Ghost was definately in the equation. Another good question to bring up in our meeting. These places must have a lot of trouble with pc's they rent to the average Joe.

What im also thinking:
Store 1 has 7 units needing work sitting in the back

If they have a wonderful account with Dell seems they would all be fixed by now. Seems if they are buying the units exclusively from dell with some sort of corporate account that they would have better support than that.

But if they are buying then from Dell for renting to the residential market doesnt seem they could tell Dell that because that would make the units fairly prone to problems.

Seems they would have to buy them just as residential units and the crappier support that comes with it. Probably they buy Dells because they really are so cheap ( for good reasons, the cheap ones) and arent really so sure of the warranty issues themselves.

Thats one of the reasons for this thread. Knew questions would arise that I could ask him during our meeting.

Already have a business license and tax id so that hurdle is crossed.

D+ LOL

[crossedup]

this pulled from that link by evilrick

Enrollment Instructions - Accessing Courses:

Upon purchasing Dell Training & Certification, you will receive a Customer # and Order #. Register at LearnDell.com, then Enroll under "My Courses" using your Customer # and Order #. If you have previously registered, Sign In at LearnDell.com with your e-mail address and password. Enroll under "My Courses" using your Customer # and Order #.

So it seems for the $149 you get a customer id# so you can take the courses w/o buying a dell product. Cheaper than buying a laptop i suppose ( id rather have the laptop )

[crossedup]

One thing to think of...how do you keep comp savvy peeps from taking the decent agp card out and putting a cheap one in, lol.....I guess they make case locks???

The few that i have seen have a sticker put on there by the rental place that if the sticker is removed, you must purchase the unit. Also states in contract that you cannot open or upgrade the unit until it is paid for after the life of the contract.

Ive gotten out of a few jobs that i really didnt want to do just by pointing that out to the customer. They generally hastily agree that im right, i better not touch it.

If the rental place wants me to touch it, thats a whole nother ball game.