Hmm. Wierd. My Smart Step doesn't have any problems whatsoever. I don't really take care of it. Maybe I'm lucky.

Hello Everyone,

I thought I was the only one having these problems, but it appears everyone is. Why don't the just do a mass recall to fix the shutdowns?

As someone else mentioned games don't work on this machine. I have tried blowing out the fan (case closed).

Has anyone who has contacted Dell with these problems get anywhere?

Daryl

Anyone in Canada whom is going through these problems I would suggest that you email the Better Business Bureau of Canada in Ottawa. The fact that this is not an isolated event, and Dell knows it, will give you a certain edge. Be stubborn and don't settle for anything else than your full refund. BBBC was a very helpful mediator and put this issue on the fast track. If all else fails get as mush media spotlight on your issue as you can. I say, no more to dell…I just bought a Powerbook G4 and I'm looking forward to never looking back. Head to the website now and start the process!!! www.bbb.org

Anyone in Canada whom is going through these problems I would suggest that you email the Better Business Bureau of Canada in Ottawa. The fact that this is not an isolated event, and Dell knows it, will give you a certain edge. Be stubborn and don't settle for anything else than your full refund. BBBC was a very helpful mediator and put this issue on the fast track. If all else fails get as mush media spotlight on your issue as you can. I say, no more to dell…I just bought a Powerbook G4 and I'm looking forward to never looking back. Head to the website now and start the process!!! www.bbb.org

quote kingchef

Anyone in Canada whom is going through these problems I would suggest that you email the Better Business Bureau of Canada in Ottawa. The fact that this is not an isolated event, and Dell knows it, will give you a certain edge. Be stubborn and don't settle for anything else than your full refund. BBBC was a very helpful mediator and put this issue on the fast track. If all else fails get as mush media spotlight on your issue as you can. I say, no more to dell…I just bought a Powerbook G4 and I'm looking forward to never looking back. Head to the website now and start the process!!! www.bbb.org

So did you get a full refund?

Dell sent me a placement inspiron but it was only a cheap counter option they suggested. Dell has told me they will refund all my money in full once they receive the model back. I am telling you kids don't settle for less that what you want. I will keep you posted.

The king.

Gents:
Was researching on the Smartstep250n, as I was about to bid on a busted one on ebay,(cheap) and I have a suggestion; check out a website in Germany at www.diefer.de/i8kfan/index.html; a couple of months ago I got a Dell PrecisionM50 on ebay; great laptop! Only I noticed this thing got REALLY HOT!! The fans would kick on and go full blast, then shut down and repeat the process when it got real hot again. No good. Up and down, etc... The website I mentioned before has a fan control utility that works great! And it's free. This software utility overrides the onboard fan sensors and YOU set the temp controls. I've been running it for 2 months now and the average temp for the cpu (2.0ghz) is around 104 degrees F. Previously it jacked to 149, etc. This guy may have a fix for the heat problems on the Smartsep, too; or the program MAY even work on it as is. It's written for the Inspiron 8000/8100/8200 series; not the Precision (almost the same thing...) and it works fine on this lap warmer. It won't hurt to check it out...you never know...
Good luck to you all.
Mickey

It's Sad to see so many people on this same issue, If you really want to fix the problem Ill tell you how but first Ill let you in on my Experience, I bought the Smartstep 250 N a couple years ago when they first came out, everything worked fine other than the system singeing my leg hairs it got so damn hot it wasnt funny, then after about 6-8 months it started shutting down for no apparent reason, I thought about it and figured it out, This was Dell's First Attempt at a Desktop proccessor in a Notebook, usually these require allot of cooling, it was obvious they couldnt fit the amount of cooling hardware into the small case and the cpu thermoeter was overheating from the lack of ventilation therfore shutting down I went through 5 System Exchanges before I had had enough, think about it all of them were made the same way so therefore they would all have the same prob right? I looked a little more into and found that Intel had warned all the Manufactures not to be putting these in Notebooke because there wasnt sufficent amount of heating for them yet 2 companies didnt listen, Dell and Toshiba. Though the Satellite 5500 caused a class action Lawsuit in the US Dell only got a Class act in France. No matter what I did, no matter how much I complained, no matter how high on sups I went there was just no getting around it. So heres how I resolved it.
go to www.bbb.org I filed a claim with them (Believe me I took my time with this) a week later I was contacted by Tamara Adcock from Michael Dell's Office she had gotten the complaint and was wondering if I wanted a Refund or System Exchange, I told Her I would prefer to have a system Exchange with all the same specs but not another Smartstep she set me up with the following:
Inspiron 8500, 4.2GZ Mobile Processor, 512 DDR Ram, CDRW/DVD Combo Drive, 32MB Video, 40GB HD, Laptop Carrying Case, Modular Floppy, 2 not 1 TWO Battery's and a few extras, the system was then built for me took 1 week they sent it to me and it was done I gladly mailed my smartstep back and am using that Inspiron as we speak. (fyi: Smartstep was not made by dell, its actually made by a third party company under the name Dell, it should be obvious just looking at the syatem) But as far as calling tech support give it up! i work for a Call center this is how it works - 1st CSR Rep 2nd Lead 3rd Supervisor you call you get a CSR rep you dont like what he's saying he puts you in an escalation queue this queu will transfer you to whatever lead or supervisor that is available, you ask to speak to their sup, they simply get another lead or sup and transfer you sideways not Up! the Call center mangager could seriously care less about your complaints and will never answer a phone so when you think your escalating levels your just simply moving sideways in a never ending horizontal direction.
hope this helps
Later
Exodus

News you can use,

After almost one year of debate with dell, I am please to say that I have received my full refund and I am a MAC user now. it took some time but I have to say it was worth it. If you are still having troubles I would say stick to your guns and don't settle for anything less than what you want.

Hi has anyone pursued getting a lawsuit together? I emailed the law firm that did the Toshiba case, but have not heard anything back from them yet. I have the same problem with my 250N.

I have a 250N now for 2yrs and I had the same problem until I blew the vents out where the fans are I think they get dusty. Now my machine does not overheat anymore or shut down.

I have had the same problems with my laptop and this board i think will help me. After reading all the posts I think that the only way to go is to log on the website www.bbb.org and demand a refund or a comp with the same mods.....nods.....Thanks All

I have received allot of interest into my case so I post yet again.

Yes I had purchased a 250N some four years ago and paid extra for an extended international warranty. Upon the first start up it was plagued with problems ranging from over heating, random shut downs and although it boast a great processor at that time, its strength is actually halved once your running on battery life.

The customer support was horrible as you may know by now. I contacted the BBB via an online form and was promptly addressed, unfortunately I don't have her direct email now, but go to the website and file a complaint. They were professional, courteous and change orientated. One email from them had Dell calling me to see how they could fix it. It all boiled down to the fact that although I wanted a full refund straight away, they wanted to send me out a replacement laptop first. That road only lead to a cheaper more inferior model being ship to me and in the end I shipped it back. My warranty I purchased never came into play since I lived in China, a fact that customer service assured my wouldn't matter pre purchase.

After more than a year trying to find someone at Dell who cared in Shanghai, Beijing, USA, Canada, Singapore, India and Hong Kong all it took was one email to the BBB and I finally got most of my money back from them.

Your should know that your not alone, there is actually a class action suit against Dell for miss leading the public about this laptop.

I've been on a Mac for the past year and frankly I'll never go back to the mass produced, monster that is PC.

Let me know if there is anything else.

dell 250N laptops can overheat and shut down suddenly. mine is now 4 years old and i disassembled it (with instructions from dell's web site) and vacuumed serious amounts of dust from the heatsinks (20% occluded by dust). it's working great now. remove "nowhere" from my address to contact me.

I filled a complaint with the bbb online and I recieved a call from dell today, but I didnt get the same result as the last poster did, the guy told me that I should have done more to pursue the problem 2 years ago and he offered me a 100 dollar off cupon on a new computer. I politly refused and told him I would wait for a class action lawsuit. Im not sure what the other gentelman said to his dell rep but I didnt get anywhere with mine. Does anyone know about the class action lawsuit that the last guy posted about? Hopefully if someone eles complains with the bbb they will have a more sympathetic rep.