Delta Virtual Airlines Water Cooler | PC Support |
My HP notebook is DEAD!! And you won't believe the rest of it!!! |
DVA4788
Chief Pilot, L-1011-100
OLP
Joined on August 02 2007
50 State Club
Everett Century Club
Online Double Century Club
Quatercentenary Club
DVA Fifteen-Year Anniversary
"Fly it like a Samsonite Gorilla!!" Wichita, KS
470 legs, 881.0 hours
220 legs,
398.1 hours online 458 legs,
856.5 hours ACARS 2 legs,
5.2 hours event
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Posted onPost created on
November 29 2009 19:25 ET by Jon Michael Prenovost
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Please understand this thread is not me bashing HP as much as it is about warning those here @ DVA that might be affected! I bought an HP Pavilion dv9715nr 20 months ago and the mobo is dead! After a bit of investigation over the internet I was in for a real shocker & a half, not only does the 9000' series have problems, but my previous 6000' series upon which I started my career here @ DVA on also has known problems as well, and were not talking isolated cases either, this appears to be widespread...
Personally I'm not too happy with HP at the moment, recently they had a recall on battery packs across a wide range of notebooks for known overheats & fires, of which they were very vocal & upfront about, and why not, that falls into the realm personal injury law suits if not addressed promptly. But faulty mobos in their notebook product lineup, especially widespread, that is an entirely different story all together, and its my personal opinion that they haven't been up front nor as candid as they should given their reputation within the IT world.
I contacted HP about my unit, and no I didn't take out an extended warranty or service contact, yes its outside of the 1 year warranty by 8 months, and no...HP is not going to back it up! Its all on my nickel to sort it out! Now why would I get the mobo replaced when it has known issues for failure from the get go? All I can say is that if you own an HP notebook that has been produced within the last 3 to 4 years then I'd been spending time on HP's website to scouting the web.
One things for sure, my next computer ISN'T going to be an HP!
I'll try to get back on the flight line ASAP! I've got a back up notebook that I'm on now, but never tried FS9 on it, and its core spec is weak by today's standards, but we'll give it a go & see what happens!
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DVA2025
Senior Captain, MD-11
Joined on November 27 2004
50 State Club
Quatercentenary Club
USA
453 legs, 1,458.2 hours
44 legs,
128.1 hours online 407 legs,
1,364.8 hours ACARS
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Posted onPost created on
November 29 2009 20:21 ET by Noah Bryant
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I would never by HP, Compaq (do they still exist?) or any other computer that you can buy from a store. Get Dell at the least, but if you have more money you could have a nice system built.
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DVA1038
Captain, B737-800
E-MAIL
Joined on January 12 2003
Century Club
"Celer, Silens, Mortalis" Summerville, SC USA
169 legs, 1,008.2 hours
56 legs,
288.5 hours online 25 legs,
221.2 hours ACARS 1 legs,
5.0 hours event
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Posted onPost created on
November 29 2009 20:29 ET by Kevin Cornish
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Noah, Dell's are awefull machines! They are not upgradeable as they don't use standard parts and if something does break, you have to get a Dell technician to repair it. Again b/c the parts they use are not available to the public. I'd never buy a Dell, or a Gateway for that matter. I actually currently use an HP and am happy with it. My next desktop is also going to be an HP. But it will be special ordered. Just my .02
Kevin CornishCaptain, B737-800
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DVA4180
Senior Captain, MD-88
OLP
Joined on March 08 2007
Online Century Club
Long Beach Century Club
50 State Club
Triple Century Club
DVA Ten-Year Anniversary
"Have A&P - Will work for peanuts!" Van Buren Charter Township, MI
351 legs, 783.1 hours
193 legs,
388.4 hours online 340 legs,
759.3 hours ACARS 20 legs,
41.0 hours event
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Posted onPost created on
November 29 2009 23:16 ET by Joseph Schwab
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Get an ASUS laptop.. Top of the line!
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DVA7338
Captain, B747-400
E-MAIL
Joined on May 17 2009
"Thou shalt maintain thy airspeed." Faridabad, Haryana India
60 legs, 151.3 hours
49 legs,
135.1 hours online 58 legs,
145.2 hours ACARS
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Posted onPost created on
November 30 2009 08:26 ET by Gurmeet Arora
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I have a DV6500. Custom built at HP website. With the latest and the brightest in almost everything.
The overheating problem is there, but apart from it, I am quite happy.
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DVA7922
Senior Captain, MD-88
OLP
Joined on November 04 2009
50 State Club
Online Century Club
Triple Century Club
Globetrotter
"Student Pilot: "Um, Your controls."" Dallas, GA USA
384 legs, 1,292.5 hours
128 legs,
221.9 hours online 382 legs,
1,281.7 hours ACARS 18 legs,
40.6 hours event
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Posted onPost created on
November 30 2009 09:19 ET by Charles Carter
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Ironically, my HP laptop is away right now for warranty work. I bought an HP laptop several years ago with an extended warranty from BestBuy. Two years later I cracked the screen. It was still under the extended warranty, but it wasn't really worth the trouble so I didn't send it in. About 6 months later, the laptop began having problems booting. I wasn't aware that they won't fix a software problem if there's a hardware problem. They concluded it was cheaper to give me a new laptop than fix the screen. I admit it's my own fault, but I didn't have the drive backed up, so I lost everything (including my RW electronic logbook with probably around 800 or so entries). The laptop that's currently in for warranty work is the replacement HP laptop I was given. About 3 weeks ago, the DC power port stopped working, so it would only work off the remaining battery power that was left and then it was dead.
I don't know a huge amount about the guts of laptops, but I imagine that power port is on the motherboard. So I guess I'm ultimately having the same problem you are, I just happen to get lucky and have the problem within the first year of getting the laptop. Once BestBuy replaces a laptop, that immediately voids the extended warranty as they feel as though they have met their most expensive obligation.
In other news, be advised that the service center they send units off to is completely disconnected. No one at the local store, or corporate customer relations has anyway of contacting the center other than filing an escalation form which the center doesn't respond to.
Just as Prenovost said, this isn't to bash anyone, but to make you all aware of what to expect. I have an old tower that I'm going to rebuild and put all my PC stuff on. Considering the lack of customer service available, the fact that I can't fix hardware problems on laptops (I can fix just about anything that comes up on a desktop), and the fact that it looks like the laptop might already be on it's last leg, I'm done with PC laptops. I have to have a laptop for traveling (RW airline pilot). I will either get a bare-bones netbook to get by, or I will get a Mac laptop because the service (in my experience) has been much better.
Charles CarterSenior Captain, MD-88
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DVA7636
Senior Captain, L-1011-100
OLP
Joined on August 11 2009
50 State Club
Events Double Century Club
Burbank 250 Club
Quincentenary Club
Online Quintuple Century Club
Globetrotter
Black Pearl Club
DVA Ten-Year Anniversary
"Uses "Sparkly Eyes" Technique on ATC" Channelview, TX USA
588 legs, 1,196.5 hours
572 legs,
1,164.8 hours online 586 legs,
1,192.9 hours ACARS 287 legs,
572.1 hours event
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Posted onPost created on
November 30 2009 10:28 ET by Tracy Norris
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I have a HP zv6000 laptop that I bought back in 2005 and am using it to write this. Has given me nothing but reliable service through the years with the exception of the screen hinges which failed in 2007 (they ALL will eventually). I bought a replacement set on eBay for $25 and so far, so good.
Many moons ago (in the mid-eighties), I owned a computer store and did repairs on many machines (although laptops were called "luggables" then ). I did quite a bit of computer repairs back in the day and still do for friends, family, etc. A few observations if I may about laptops in general (from my experience):
- Kids/Teenagers and laptops generally do not go together for long. If you buy one for your son, daughter, nephew, niece, etc then buy the strongest extended warranty you possibly can. They have a terrible habit of walking around with it with the screen open (which stresses the torsion hinges to no end!). They will also tend to sit on the couch with the charger cord plugged in, but hanging 3 feet out from the back waiting for someone to walk by, catch a foot in it, and tear the power jack loose (which leads to the problem Jack had). Worse yet is staying up till 3am watching who-knows-what in bed and finally closing it and laying it on the floor before going to bed. If you've ever been a groggy teenager then you know what happens next: they wake up and promptly step on it in the morning, busting the screen. Never, EVER leave a laptop on the floor. You WILL eventually step on it. Put it up high when done
- Don't ever use a laptop on a soft surface, like a bed, sofa, etc. (my daughter found this out the hard way). It blocks all of the cooling ports on the bottom of the unit and may end up burning out the electronics (if it doesn't have overheat protection/shutdown). A hard, flat surface it the best. Even though they are called "laptops", using them in your lap is almost as bad. Try it; set it in your lap and see how many cooling ports are being blocked
- Finally, if you have stuff plugged into it (USB adapters, mice, etc) then make sure that if someone walks by, they won't "snag" on that device and tear the USB port out of it. Same goes for the power cord.
I speak from experience with 1 son, 1 daughter, 4 nephews, 1 niece and ALL of them (I repeat ALL) have brought their laptops to me to be fixed for these very issues
(This is why I never loan my netbook / laptops to them for web browsing when they visit). Treat your laptop gently like the fragile piece of electronics that it is and it will last a very long time
Just my .02 cents
Tracy NorrisSenior Captain, L-1011-100
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DVA364
Captain, B767-300
Joined on October 23 2001
Century Club
DVA Twenty-Year Anniversary
Everett Century Club
"COWBOY UP!" Carrollton, GA
190 legs, 366.9 hours
5 legs,
6.5 hours online 150 legs,
249.2 hours ACARS
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Posted onPost created on
November 30 2009 13:09 ET by Ralph Templeman
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I bought a Toshiba A503-S6980 IT'S A good system for studying. I tried to load fs9 twice and it wouldn't load. don't know if it was t he computer or the software. I could have paid 400 dollars more and got a system that would run flight sim. I have an asus desk top at home that I bought in july that is a screamer. 750 gigs hard drive and 8 gigs of ram.. no problems with anything. I am not trying to promote one product from another. but if your looking i would try a asus laptop, if that is what your wanting. they are good and i enjoy my desk top.....this laptop that I HAVE is great as that is all that toshiba makes...and they make good ones. I have enjoyed my used laptop toshiba and this new one is good.
Ralph TemplemanCaptain, B767-300
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