1. Consumer purchases a qualifying PC from Dell between October 26, 2006 and March 15, 2007.
2. Consumer receives PC and instructions for redeeming their “free” upgrade.
3. Consumer connects to Dell’s Express Upgrade to Windows Vista web site, and supplies information required to redeem their “free” upgrade (service tag number, Certificate of Authenticity number).
4. Consumer also supplies credit card information on Dell’s Express Upgrade to Windows Vista web site, to pay the nominal shipping fee associated with receiving their “free” upgrade.
5. Consumer receives an email stating that Dell’s Windows Vista Upgrade Customer Service team will be reviewing the registration information that was submitted on Dell’s Express Upgrade to Windows Vista web site to ensure that the system is in fact eligible for a “free” upgrade.
6. Consumer (eventually) receives an email informing them that their “Windows Vista Upgrade has shipped!”
7. Consumer is supplied with a tracking number from DHL and their credit card is charged for the nominal shipping fee.
8. Consumer (in theory) receives their package from DHL containing the “free” upgrade.

Unfortunately for this consumer, I have not been able to verify the final step (#8). On 12/10/2006, I submitted the required information (my system’s service tag, and the COA number for my copy of Windows XP) on Dell’s Express Upgrade to Windows Vista web site, and was provided with an auto-generated email that contained a registration number. It wasn’t until 3/30/2007 that I finally received another email, this time stating that my “order” for the Windows Vista Upgrade has shipped! My order/registration number was included in the email, my address was listed as the ship-to address, and I was provided with a tracking number for DHL that I could use to monitor the shipment. Or that’s how a tracking number is supposed to work…

Since I received the shipment confirmation email on 3/30/2007, I have periodically checked DHL’s web site for the status on my package. Every time that I have checked using the tracking number that I was provided, the web site has returned this message: “Tracking number not found. Please check your number and resubmit or try back later.”

On 4/13/2007, I called the toll-free number (866-634-7426) that is listed on the Contact Us page of Dell’s Express Upgrade to Windows Vista web site (support hours are M-F, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm). I spoke with a customer service representative, and asked about the status of my order, which was claimed to have been shipped, yet the tracking number appeared to be invalid. They asked for my service tag number and Certificate of Authenticity number, and assured me that they would send out another copy of the “free” upgrade, and I would receive another email with the correct tracking number. That email never came.

On 4/27/2007, I again called the toll-free number (866-634-7426) that is listed on the Contact Us page of Dell’s Express Upgrade to Windows Vista web site (support hours are M-F, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm). This time, though, the customer service representative “Ethan” told me quite a story. Ethan informed me that Dell was very unhappy with their partnership with DHL to ship the Vista Upgrade kits (due to the problems that have been occurring with missing shipments), and even went as far as to suggest that DHL has been stealing the Vista upgrade packages, and providing intentionally incorrect tracking numbers to somehow help cover-up the misdeed. This was quite an unexpected tale, and I really had no idea how to respond. Ethan also gave me the standard claim that my case has been flagged as high-priority, and that he would investigate further to help get my upgrade kit sent to me as soon as possible. Yet, he also suggested that I call back every week to check on the status of my claim, which leads me to believe that nothing is truly being done regarding my specific case.

Time will tell, but I expect to have to put in at least one more phone call before I get some sort of resolution or contact from them regarding my case.

NOTE: IE users, you may have to click on the video player once to “activate” the control. You should then be able to play, pause, etc. as you need to.
 

NOTE: IE users, you may have to click on the video player once to “activate” the control. You should then be able to play, pause, etc. as you need to.
 

NOTE: IE users, you may have to click on the video player once to “activate” the control. You should then be able to play, pause, etc. as you need to.
 

NOTE: IE users, you may have to click on the video player once to “activate” the control. You should then be able to play, pause, etc. as you need to.
 

NOTE: IE users, you may have to click on the video player once to “activate” the control. You should then be able to play, pause, etc. as you need to.
 

NOTE: IE users, you may have to click on the video player once to “activate” the control. You should then be able to play, pause, etc. as you need to.
 

NOTE: IE users, you may have to click on the video player once to “activate” the control. You should then be able to play, pause, etc. as you need to.
 

NOTE: IE users, you may have to click on the video player once to “activate” the control. You should then be able to play, pause, etc. as you need to.
 

NOTE: IE users, you may have to click on the video player once to “activate” the control. You should then be able to play, pause, etc. as you need to.