---
--- the first conversation
---

Thank you for using Iomega
Live Chat support.  The next
available Customer Support
Representative will be with
you shortly. 

[Peter - A representative has
joined the session.]

Kyle:  Hello

Peter:  Thank you for
contacting Iomega's online
support services. How may I
help you?

Peter:  Hello Kyle.

Kyle:  Reinstalled Zip drive
under windows 2000 but an
error message: Please insert
a disk comes up

Peter:  Please tell me the
serial number of your drive.
It should be on the back of
your drive, just above the bar
code sticker.

Kyle:  PSBL47E1K0

Peter:  Which version of
IomegaWare software is
installed on your computer?

Kyle:  2.7.2

Peter:  Please uninstall this
version of IomegaWare
completely from your system
and then install the latest
version of IomegaWare 3.1.1
from the link provided: 

http://www.iomega.com/
software/index.html

After getting to this link
select your product, operating
system and language and then
click Find. This will lead you
to a link where you can
download all the latest
softwares. 

Peter:  After installing the
latest version of IomegaWare,
try to access the disks from
the drive. 

Kyle:  The target machine is
on a 28.8 dial up -other
option? It worked previously.

Peter:  I can understand that
you were able to access the
disk previously. But it is
always recommended to use the
latest version of IomegaWare.
Uninstalling the previous
version and installing the
latest version of IomegaWare
can resolve such issues.

Kyle:  How big is this
download? Is it just drivers?
Or is it multi mb?

Kyle:  Oooo - kay. Should I
tell you about the loud
whining and double-clicking?

Peter:  The software size is
8.78 MB.  IomegaWare is the
core software component for
Iomega drives. It contains the
basic software and system
drivers needed to operate an
Iomega drive.

Peter:  Also, refer to the
steps that are mentioned in
the link given below:

http://www.iomega.com/support/
documents/10173.html

Kyle:  Not to be obtuse or
anything - but didn't the
earlier version already do
that? And if there is some
other issue, say mechanical,
that the new software would be
a waste of time and effort to
download? 

Peter:  I can understand your
concern Kyle. Just install the
latest version of IomegaWare
and then check out the disks.
Also, after installing the
latest version of IomegaWare
check any other new disk. This
is surely going to resolve
your issue. If the problem
still persists, you can surely
reconnect. 

Peter:  There seems to be no
mechanical issue with the
drive. If there were any issue
related to that, it was a
possibility that your drive
would not have been recognized
by your system. The issue that
is related to your case is
software. Upgrading the
software will resolve the
case.

Kyle:  Alrighty - I'll be back
in a couple of hours/days when
the download is finished

Peter:  You can surely
reconnect. I will be glad to
assist you further. You can
contact us back anytime. We
are available 24 hours a day 7
days a week to assist you.

Peter:  I hope you had a nice
experience using Iomega's
Online Support Service. Is
there anything else that I may
assist you with? I will be
more than glad to do so.

Peter:  Hi Kyle, are you
there?

Kyle:  We'll have to see if
the new software corrects the
mystery problem that has
happened between
installations. I'm not
convinced that the drive
should be making so much noise
while a disk is inserted. It
sounds like an angry bee.

Peter:  I can understand that
Kyle. As a troubleshooting
step, try to install the
latest IomegaWare and check
for the problem. If the
problem still persists, then
connect it to some other
system and check there as well
whether the problem is still
there or not. This step will
help me isolate the issue
whether it lies with the drive
or not.  Try out these steps
and then let us know the
status. If the problem
continues, then there is some
problem with the drive and
then Iomega will replace it. 

Kyle:  Thanks Peter. Will
comply.

Peter:  I sincerely appreciate
your pateince and co-operation
with us. Thanks Kyle.

Peter:  Thank you and have a
great day.

Peter:  Please do not hesitate
to contact us if you need
further assistance.  Once
again, thank you for using
Iomega's online support
services.

[Peter - user has closed this
session]

Thank you again for using
Iomega's Online Support!

Sincerely, Iomega Corporation

---
--- the second conversation
---

Thank you for using Iomega
Live Chat support.  The next
available Customer Support
Representative will be with
you shortly. 

[Brad - A representative has
joined the session.]

Kyle:  Hello - downloaded most
recent software but the error
is identical: Please insert a
disk into drive e:

Brad:  Thank you for
contacting Iomega's online
support services. How may I
help you?

Kyle:  The drive starts making
a loud buzzing /purring sound
when

Kyle:  try that again ...

Kyle:  Hello - downloaded most
recent software but the error
is identical: Please insert a
disk into drive e:

Kyle:  The drive starts making
a loud buzzing /purring sound
when a disk is inserted. There
are also TWO clicks when a
disk is inserted

Kyle:  S/N PSBL47E1K0

Brad:  Kyle, could you please
verify whether you are having
the loud buzzing/ purring
sound with a particular disk
or with all the disks and
whether the sound is coming
even if there is not disk in
the drive?

Kyle:  All disks. Never
without a disk

Brad:  Okay.

Kyle:  Never without a disk =
no sound if disk is not
inserted. (Just to clarify)

Brad:  Okay.

Brad:  Kyle, it implies that
the drive has gone bad and
needs a replacement. But the
serial number provided by you
suggests that the drive is out
of warranty and for getting it
replaced you would be charged.
Also to better assist our
customers like you we have got
a upgrade replacement policy
in which you will be given a
brand new upgraded drive for a
discounted price.

Kyle:  Okay. What are the
details?

Brad:  Kyle, the replacement
cost for a zip 100 usb is
$49.95 for a refurbished
drive. Wherein if you go in
for the upgrade replacement
then we will be providing you
a zip 250 usb, for $127 after
giving you a discount of 15%
on the original cost of the
zip 250 usb drive.

Kyle:  Gee. Not so great
seeing as I could get it for
less at Costco. My enthusiasm
is dampened by the fact that
this unit was barely used and
has developed "badness". Any
idea what's actually gone
wrong?

Kyle:  What was the date of
the warranty start?

Brad:  The date of warranty
starts from the date of
purchase.

Kyle:  I already knew the
length of the waranty -I was
hoping to confirm the actual
date that I registered the
device. Is the 250 compatible
with the Zip100?

Brad:  Kyle, yes you would be
able to work just fine with
the zip 100 disks in the zip
250 drive.

Kyle:  Are the refurbished
Zip100 refurbished from
returned drives that have
"gone bad?"

Brad:  Yes, the refurbished
drives are the drives that are
returned in replacement of the
refurbished drives. Thereafter
these drives are thoroughly
tested for there working by
our expert technicians and
only then they are replaced
with a bad drive. These
refurbished drives work
perfectly fine as a new drive.

Kyle:  So what's the deal
witht he loud noise and not
being able to see the disk.
Like I said, the miles on this
drive are about negligible.
I'mhesitant to keep throwing
dollars a it and just hope
that I get a drive that
doesn't fail after the
warranty.

Kyle:  By the way. When did my
warranty start?

Brad:  Kyle, the warranty for
drive starts when you purchase
the drive and the warranty is
for 12 months from the date of
purchase and I do not have any
idea about when did your
warranty started as I don't
know when you have purchased
the drive.

Kyle:  I had assumed that you
had access to the date of
registration when you said it
was out of warranty. I think
that it may, in fact, be under
warranty.

Kyle:  So what's the deal with
the loud noise and not being
able to see the disk? Like I
said, the miles on this drive
are about negligible. I'm
hesitant to keep throwing
dollars at it and just hope
that I get a drive that
doesn't fail after the
warranty.

Brad:  Kyle, I apologize for
the inconvenience you had with
the Iomega drive and really
understand your point of
concern. 

Brad:  So, would you like me
to set a replacement for your
drive?

Kyle:  Not for the prices you
mentioned. $49 for a drive
that I have to assume had the
same problem, or $127 for a
device that I don't need, is
not much of a bargain. (I may
as well just add a CD-RW to
the machine) In addition, we
need to verify that the drive
is out of warranty.

Brad:  Yes, the serial number
provided by you suggests that
the drive is out of warranty.

Kyle:  I thought that the
warranty was based on the date
of sale.

Brad:  Kyle, the warranty is
based on the date of purchase
i.e. from the date of
purchase.

Kyle:  Which we don't know
exactly because I don't have
the receipt with me.

Brad:  I hope you had a nice
experience using Iomega's
Online Support Service. Is
there anything else that I may
assist you with? I will be
more than glad to do so.

Brad:  Hi Kyle, are you still
there?

Brad:   Sorry , I have not
received a response from you
in a couple of minutes.  It
appears that you may have been
disconnected from the chat
connection or there was some
other internet connection
problem.  I will need to
disconnect this chat session
shortly.

Kyle:  Well, yeah. I've got
this apparently broken device
and hardly any information
about what is wrong with it.
What does it usually mean when
it makes this kind of constant
whine and can't see the disk?
I have to know that before I
can even consider getting a
replacement. The conversation
has been a bit circular. I'd
like a few more techniques to
apply to find out what's
wrong.

Brad:  Kyle, as you are
getting some whirled sound of
the drive and not able to read
any zip disk in the Iomega
drive it implies that the
mechanical device inside the
drive might have gone bad
which is why it is making
whirled noises and not reading
the disk. As such there is
only one fix in this case
which is replacement of the
drive.

Kyle:  If the drive is under
warranty is it replaced with a
new (not refurbished)drive?

Brad:  Kyle, if the drive is
under warranty then also it
will be replaced for a
refurbished drive.

Brad:  But if you go in for a
replacement upgrade it will be
a brand new drive.

Kyle:  The system in question
doesn't need the larger drive;
it barely made any use of the
zip100. What would be optimal
is to replace the faulty drive
with a new drive of the same
type.

Brad:  Kyle, in that case you
just need to purchase a new
drive as we do not have a
policy for getting the drive
replaced for a new drive.

Kyle:  Even under warranty?
(!)

Brad:  Yes, if you want a
brand new drive because
according to Iomega's
replacement policy if the
drive is in warranty you will
still get a refurbished drive
but you do not have to pay any
thing for that. But as your
drive is out of warranty you
would be charged for getting
it replaced for refurbished
drive.

Brad:  Hi Kyle, are you still
there?

Kyle:  Um, you realize it has
not in fact been determined
that this drive is out of
warranty. You said you didn't
know the date of purchase. So
the best that I can get is a
device that has already had
problems. Are the refurbished
ones any more reliable than
the new ones? I may as well
take my chances on a new one!
Why does Iomega have so many
available to refurbish? My
confidence level int he
technology is not improved by
this policy. It feels like a
rip off, sorry to say.

Brad:  Kyle, the serial number
you have provided me with
suggests that the drive is out
of warranty as per our
database. So, you want me to
set an replacement for the
drive.

Kyle:  I need to confirm the
suggestion of your database
with the reality of my
receipt. But the odds are that
I'll avoid Zip drives because
it seems tht they are prone to
failure and there is no
satisfactory remediation for
those failures. So, no thanks
at this time. Bye

Brad:  Please do not hesitate
to contact us if you need
further assistance.  Once
again, thank you for using
Iomega's online support
services.

[Brad - user has closed this
session]

Thank you again for using
Iomega's Online Support!

Sincerely, Iomega Corporation