Dell Outlet Store: Certified Refurbished vs. Scratch & Dent?
powrwrap
"Certified Refurbished" and "Scratch and Dent". The Scratch and Dent
versions of the computer with exact configurations is cheaper than the
Certified Refurbished version.
What's the difference? What does Certified Refurbished mean?
William R. Walsh
> What's the difference? What does Certified Refurbished mean?
There isn't much. Sometimes the "scratch n dent" machines are in so-
far-as-anyone-can-tell flawless condition, and sometimes they really
do have a slight blemish somewhere. It's possible that a scratch-n-
dent machine has never even been sold, where the certified refurbished
units are typically customer returns for some reason or another.
The "certified" part simply means that someone at Dell has inspected
the system to some degree. However, I'm sure they do that to all the
machines offered, no matter what they are sold as.
William
RnR
William in the past I bought some scratch and dent machines and I
couldn't see a flaw but you are correct what you said above.
Hachiroku ハチロク
"Certified Refurbished" is a machine that was returned to Dell from a
lease, or repurchased by Dell for resale, or has been returned because
more then three attempts at a field repair were ineffective. They are
brought in, repaired and tested and then sold with a warranty.
"Scratch and Dent" are units that have either been refused by the receiver
(usually because of a mistake in fulfilling an order) or were slightly
damaged during manufacturing or before packaging. They are usually NEW.
Either should be good. General rule of thumb is the older the better. Some
of the new machines aren't as good as the older ones.
Dell Certified Field Engineer.
Ben Myers
"Some of the new machines aren't as good as the older ones." An
industry-wide trend, not just Dell. Ever cheapened construction and
choice of components, especially thin sheet metal desktop cases.
Some people whine and complain about black Dell clamshell cases, but
they were sturdy. The much criticized black Mitac case used for the
wildly popular Dimension 2400 as well as the much nicer 4600 and 4700
is more sturdy than the cases of most all current Dell models... Ben
Myers
Hachiroku ハチロク
> On May 21, 4:21 pm, Hachiroku ハチロク <Tru...@e86.GTS> wrote:
>> On Fri, 20 May 2011 08:05:38 -0700, powrwrap wrote:
>> > I'm shopping XPS Studios in the Dell Outlet Store and they have
>> > "Certified Refurbished" and "Scratch and Dent". The Scratch and Dent
>> > versions of the computer with exact configurations is cheaper than the
>> > Certified Refurbished version.
>>
>> > What's the difference? What does Certified Refurbished mean?
>>
>> "Certified Refurbished" is a machine that was returned to Dell from a
>> lease, or repurchased by Dell for resale, or has been returned because
>> more then three attempts at a field repair were ineffective. They are
>> brought in, repaired and tested and then sold with a warranty.
>>
>> "Scratch and Dent" are units that have either been refused by the receiver
>> (usually because of a mistake in fulfilling an order) or were slightly
>> damaged during manufacturing or before packaging. They are usually NEW.
>>
>> Either should be good. General rule of thumb is the older the better. Some
>> of the new machines aren't as good as the older ones.
>>
>> Dell Certified Field Engineer.
>
> "Some of the new machines aren't as good as the older ones." An
> industry-wide trend, not just Dell. Ever cheapened construction and
> choice of components, especially thin sheet metal desktop cases.
This is quite true.
Almost all laptops are made in the same factory, and that includes Apples.
No, it's not just Dell, but my experieince is the ones made in Malaysia
are more robust systems. And the Inspiron and XPS models from 3-5 years
back are the best. Also, D600 and D610 models.
>
> Some people whine and complain about black Dell clamshell cases, but
> they were sturdy. The much criticized black Mitac case used for the
> wildly popular Dimension 2400 as well as the much nicer 4600 and 4700
> is more sturdy than the cases of most all current Dell models... Ben
> Myers
Nothing wrong with the black clamshells. They can be a little difficult to
open, but no tools required. Press the latches, grasp and pull. Very nice
design.
The two things I have against Dell is proprietary parts, like power
supplies. If the PSU goes belly up, you can't just run to Staples or Best
Buy and buy one off the rack. Gotta get the Dell.
The other is the locked BIOS, but there are good things about it: you
can't fry something, which is probably why they did it, and Dells usually
boot FAST! I have one of the USFF SX 260s and a 270, and the 260 boots in
30 seconds!
When they take enough of a hit in popularity they'll smarten up again. It
happens about every 4-5 years...
Bob Villa
>
> The two things I have against Dell is proprietary parts, like power
> supplies. If the PSU goes belly up, you can't just run to Staples or Best
> Buy and buy one off the rack. Gotta get the Dell.
>
This hasn't been true in probably tens years! I bought a PSU for a
friend's Dell a few years ago and the store owner/repair person said
it wouldn't fit...it is still working now!
RnR
wrote:
>On Sat, 21 May 2011 18:40:41 -0700, Ben Myers wrote:
>
30 seconds is good but is that straight from Dell or after you
installed a lot of software? I haven't timed my machines but I think
mine are more in the order of 1 or 1.5 minutes but I have a lot
installed. Also depending on my machines, forgot which are 5400 or
7200 drives.
RnR
<pheeh...@gmail.com> wrote:
Bob, what model? Everything I read does say proprietary and I can
understand the frustration having to only buy from Dell. Of course I
hope you are correct <grin>.
Bob Villa
> On Sun, 22 May 2011 06:14:22 -0700 (PDT), Bob Villa
>
Dim 5100. 3 of the 4 screws lined-up. The universal PSU's have
multiple connectors...the M/B connector was 2-piece.
Ben Myers
Dell systems have a mix of proprietary and non-proprietary parts, more
or less proprietary depending on the models..
Re: power supplies, some of them are proprietary and some not. The
biggest difficulty I found with the older black Dell towers is that
many 3rd party power supplies have an on-off rocker switch in back,
and the switch does not fit the power supply cutout on the back of the
case.
The Dimension 5100 has the BTX form factor, with the layout of the
motherboard being reversed from the older ATX. AFAIK, Dell and
Gateway drank Intel's Kool-Aid about the technical superiority of
BTX. Not too many other manufacturers did, and white-box BTX cases
have always been hard to come by. BTX may well be dead or on life
support. No surprise that a 3rd party ATX12v power supply is not a
perfect for a BTX case.
Any of the Dell small form factor systems have custom-sized power
supplies with standard power connectors. But then, so do "white box"
smaller-than-mini-ATX cases, and other manufacturers' SFF systems. I
have a PSU problem with one of my clients in a building with lousy
electricity. PSUs blow out on custom systems I make for them, and the
cost of a replacement PSU is about the same as an entire case with
PSU.
Finally, the "two power connectors" on the 3rd party ATX12v power
supplies. This is by design. The PSU manufacturers make them that
way so they can be used with both older Socket 478 and newer LGA775
motherboards. LGA775 requires a 24-pin connector, and Socket 478 uses
20-pin. So separate the second 4-pin connector from the entire 24-pin
one and VOILA! you have a 20-pin connector.
The newer cheaply made Inspiron mini-towers have reverted back to mini-
ATX from BTX. "When they take enough of a hit in popularity they'll
smarten up again. It
happens about every 4-5 years." Already happened... Ben Myers
Bob Villa
>
> The Dimension 5100 has the BTX form factor, with the layout of the
> motherboard being reversed from the older ATX. AFAIK, Dell and
> Gateway drank Intel's Kool-Aid about the technical superiority of
> BTX. Not too many other manufacturers did, and white-box BTX cases
> have always been hard to come by. BTX may well be dead or on life
> support. No surprise that a 3rd party ATX12v power supply is not a
> perfect for a BTX case.
>
So, to re-cap...I got lucky!?
RnR
Sure looks that way. I wish there was a site that offers which dell
models are proprietary and non-proprietary for power supplies. I
realize there are a lot of dell models going way back but still would
be handy for the DIYs.
Bob Villa
> On Mon, 23 May 2011 04:41:43 -0700 (PDT), Bob Villa
>
I had the old PSU to compare at the guy's shop...even then, he said it
wouldn't work! Some people have no flexibility in their thought
process.
Ben Myers
Meatloaf said two out of three ain't bad. Three out of four is even a
higher percentage, and solid enough to hold a power supply in place.
Lucky? Not exactly. A victim of serendipity.
Now you understand why may computer shops cringe at the prospect of
repairing a name brand computer.
It has been a long time since any computer manufacturer used a
proprietary power supply connector in anything except the little small
form factor units. And even those can be standard, e.g. little black
Optiplex GX240/GX260/GX270/GX280.
The screw mounting holes and the dimensions of the power supply,
including depth in the case, are the two most important factors in
making sure a generic power supply replacement is OK. Next are the
cables to connect peripheral devices, both number and length. The
latter are not at all standard, as some power supplies (e.g. Antec)
are made to power a full ATX tower stuffed with numerous hard drives.
I have used Antec power supplies as replacements in Dell systems, and
ended up bundling extra cables with cable ties to keep them out of the
way... Ben Myers
powrwrap
Indeed. I recently replaced the power supply in my Dim 4600 with an
off the shelf unit. Everything lined up, everything works.
RnR
Doesn't sound like it's for the faint of heart <grin>. I never
messed with any (not counting using splitters) as I"ve been lucky
with power supplies on my dells but I don't think I would mess with
them unless I replaced with the same... of course that would cost me
but I'd have a piece of mind knowing I don't have to worry if it will
work. I don't like messing with power supplies tho I don't mind
messing with the rest of the components and could build my own system
but as I get older, I get lazier and just prefer to buy another dell
(I bet Michael likes to hear that)... besides I'm no gamer so I don't
need anything custom built.
Hachiroku ハチロク
This is a machine I use basically to print my tickets in the morning and
is near my garage door, so is used as an "OOOPS" system when I can't get a
part off a car.
So, basically, it doesn't have a lot of stuff on it. Basic system, MS
Office and FireFox.
Hachiroku ハチロク
interesting. What model was it? Some of the Chinese ones I'm seeing are
pretty much "Dell" in name only. A bunch of off the rack parts thrown into
a Dell box.
A friend of mine sent me a message needing a PSU for his 4600, and had to
get a dead computer from one of my clients to get a PSU for it.
I have noticed the preprietary stuff going away in the current generation.
Ben Myers
Huh? Why not a generic power supply for a 4600? There is exactly one
difference between an original 4600 power supply and a generic one.
If the generic power supply has an on-off rocker switch in the back,
the placement of the switch may not fit the power supply cutout hole
on the back of the 4600 case. I have selectively used non-Dell power
supplies in all manner of black chassis Dell Precision, Dimension, and
Optiplex boxes with no ill effects to the PSU, the system or me.
These are systems even 8 or 9 years old, so use of mostly non-
proprietary parts by Dell is not new.
"Some of the Chinese ones I'm seeing are pretty much "Dell" in name
only." Um, aren't they all Chinese? Haven't they been so for some
time. The 4600 uses a Mitac case. Mitac stuff is made in? Yes!
Right! China! Optiplex GX270's were manufactured by Foxconn, the
same Foxconn (aka Hon Hai) that has massive factories on mainland
China.
Get you facts right... Ben Myers
Hachiroku ハチロク
'Scuse me?
Here's the FACT: The power supply had an extra connector that a Generic
doesn't have.
MAYBE I got the model number mixed up. I'm in Mass and the unit is in
Florida, and the whole thing was done by email and USPS.
Bottom line: the guy got the RIGHT PSU for his unit, and it was
PROPRIETARY.
Whew. Troll, or just an ass?
Ben Myers
Neither. Been on this newsgroup for a long time. I DO know my Dell
desktops, as to proprietary or no.
More FACTS? What kind of extra connector that a generic does not
have? 6-pin, perhaps? For powering a high wattage video card? ...
Ben Myers
RnR
<ben.m...@gmail.com> wrote:
What is a desktop?
I've got 2 Dell desktops sitting beside me collecting dust and one
upstairs doing the same. My daughter owns the one upstairs and not
sure she wants it any more as she uses her laptop nowadays.
I really don't have a need for my desktops any more. I prefer the
convenience of my laptop and external drives / flash drives when
needed. I haven't decided yet what to do with the dust collectors.
I used to sell my old ones with no problem but it's getting too much
hassle for what I'd get in return now. I think I'd rather donate
them instead if I can't put them to use.
Bob Villa
> On Thu, 26 May 2011 22:08:08 -0700 (PDT), Ben Myers
>
> What is a desktop?
>
> I've got 2 Dell desktops sitting beside me collecting dust and one
> upstairs doing the same. My daughter owns the one upstairs and not
> sure she wants it any more as she uses her laptop nowadays.
>
> I really don't have a need for my desktops any more. I prefer the
> convenience of my laptop and external drives / flash drives when
> needed. I haven't decided yet what to do with the dust collectors.
> I used to sell my old ones with no problem but it's getting too much
> hassle for what I'd get in return now. I think I'd rather donate
> them instead if I can't put them to use.
RnR, this could have been a new topic...?
RnR
But I didn't want it to be. I wanted it as posted in reply to Ben.
Hachiroku ハチロク
Sorry, man, had a bad day.
To tell the truth, I didn't look at the model, but it has an extra flat
connector from the PSU that connects to the MoBo. This is an Optiplex IIRC
a 260 or so with the upright "clamshell" case...not the desktop unit.
There's a 6 or 8 pn connector that goes to the motherboard. I'm sure if I
took the time I could figure out what it ides, it's just easier to buy the
proper PSU and Plug and Play.
Hachiroku ハチロク
DO they work? Give them to the Salvation Army; they can use them or sell
them. Schools won't take them any more.
Use one soley for going on the Internet. If it gets a virus, who cares?
Blow it away and start over.
Load it with hard drives as large as you can, and set it up as a "server",
so all your files are available anywhere you are.
Or, just give it to someone who can't afford a computer.
RnR
wrote:
All good ideas, thank you!!! Yes, they work but I probably don't
want to sell them as too much hassle for the amount in return. I
especially like the last idea ... just not sure how to find such a
person who isn't lying. Well that's my problem not yours but thanks
for the reply.
Ben Myers
Well, if it's an Optiplex desktop case, the power supply is a custom
form factor, just like small HPaq desktop units or, for that matter,
custom systems I have built with a small Foxconn DH-153 desktop case.
In short, if it ain't a tower, the power supply is custom in its
physical dimensions, at minimum.
I've handled bunches of Optiplex GX260 systems, both the larger
desktop case (sharing the same board used by the Optiplex GX260 tower)
and the pretty small case with an even smaller motherboard. The PSU
connectors to the motherboard are standard 20-pin ATX and standard P4
4-pin 12v. Not sure what the 6- or 8-pin connector to the motherboard
is, because I have never seen one.
Your only option is another Dell PSU to fit this chassis. I am
unaware of any 3rd party PSUs for these small Dell cases... Ben Myers