Software Returns - Norton Ghost doesn't do what it said on your tin..

[BlueMagician]

I've been in contact with a member of staff at Scan regarding this matter, and regardless of what I say, they just keep quoting small print, so hoping someone here will listen..

I bought a copy of Norton Ghost, and I quote the Scan product page, "File systems supported for backup and restore tasks: All FAT/32 ALL NTFS Linux EXT2/3"

It turns out (after much Googling) that this product, in fact, does not support RAID arrays, as stated on a Symantec Support Web Page, which is contrary to Scans suggestion that it supports all file systems.


The fact is that the product does work as advertised & sold on the Scan Website, but inspite of this, Scan are refusing to RMA the product if I have opened it, due to piracy laws.


I know it's only £20 worth of software, but it was part of a bigger order (the rest of which I am perfectly happy with). I find this stance unacceptable, and demand a refund.


Simon.

[Agent]

I bought a copy of Norton Ghost, and I quote the Scan product page, "File systems supported for backup and restore tasks: All FAT/32 ALL NTFS Linux EXT2/3"

It turns out (after much Googling) that this product, in fact, does not support RAID arrays, as stated on a Symantec Support Web Page, which is contrary to Scans suggestion that it supports all file systems.

RAID isn’t a file system, and nowhere on that page does SCAN claim that it does support RAID. There is no misadvertising on that part, more of (without wanting to sound rude here) that you didn’t understand the technology’s before you ordered and assumed it would do what you wanted without researching it.
Norton will probably support the file system you are using on your RAID array, which you may be able to access via loading additional drivers.

[BlueMagician]

...that you didn’t understand the technology’s before you ordered and assumed it would do what you wanted without researching it...

I'm fully aware that RAID is not a filing sytem, and agree that I may be able to add the drivers, even though Symantec say it wont work.

I have found people having similar issues with Ghost and RAID arrays, and a number of those people have successfully returned their products to other suppliers for refunds/trades etc, so what makes Scan so different?


Yes, I was incorrect to assume that the software would work and perhaps should have done some checking before purchasing, but what angered me the most was the 'closed door' attitude I got from Scan - even though in my initial emails to them I admitted my mistake and inappropriate purchase.


If I have to, I'll call it a lesson learned and lose my money, but this should serve as a warning to anyone else purchasing software from Scan - beware of their unforgiving policies and small print.

I'd hate to have bought a £200 Office XP package from them, and be faced with the same situation..


</rant>

[malfunction]

What are you trying to back up? Because if it's the RAID 0 Raptors on your mobo's "RAID controller" in the system in your sig then TBH you shouldn't have ever expected it to work... It's a software RAID controller... As far as hardware RAID goes I would only expect it to work between two identical controllers and two identical array types... And even then why take a drive image of a proper RAID array? Backup is what RAID is for after all... Also - I severly doubt RAID 0 is doing ANYTHING for your performance... Back everything up, trash your RAID array and use the drives separately - less risk that way anyway... Or if you can afford to drop to half the available HDD space use RAID 1 and be happy that you have a backup should one of your HDDs ever die... And think about buying a bigger 7,200 RPM drive... You'll be suprised how quickly you'll use up the space on the raptors and a 200GB SATA drive is CHEAPER than a 74GB Raptor anyway... The Raptors are nice though - GREAT as a boot drive (and that's from the originals - the 74GBs should be a bit faster).

[[GSV]Trig]

Should the title not be "Norton Ghost doesn't do what it doesnt say it can on your tin"?

[Steve @ SCAN]

Blue Magician,

I have just read this post and appriciate the position that you in. The returns team will always do there upmost to help our customers out. In this is case if the item would have been incorrectly advertised we would have been more than happy to accept the item back. However it has not been. We are not trying to hide behind small print but we have to be very carful due to software piracy laws once you have opened the software.

We apologise if this you feel that this has caused you any inconveinence

Kind Regards,

Steve
Scan Returns Manager

[BlueMagician]

...I have just read this post and appriciate the position that you in. The returns team will always do there upmost to help our customers out. In this is case if the item would have been incorrectly advertised we would have been more than happy to accept the item back. However it has not been. We are not trying to hide behind small print but we have to be very carful due to software piracy laws once you have opened the software.

We apologise if this you feel that this has caused you any inconveinence...

It's just that I've never had to return a piece of software before, and was a bit taken aback by the pretty harsh 'stock' answer I received from support. This coupled with the realisation that I'd rinsed £20 on a bit of s/w that is useless to me in my current configuration, left me feeling like a bit of a muppet.

Everyones comments are fair, and I'll call it lesson learned. I AM NOT usually a shouting man, so I'd like to apologise if I seemed out of order.


Anyone wanna buy a 5-minute-used copy of Ghost?


Regards,
S.