Solved! HP Pavilion Laptop Recall

[sammthe]

Hello,
I purchased a HP laptop (HP G50)in December of 2009. Last week it would not go on, took it to be repaired only to find out it would cost me $250 because the screen is no good. It seems to me that this laptop should last a lot longer than 2 years. We are seniors and do not use it all the time so it is not that it has been abused in anyway. I was told by the place I took it to be repaired that HP laptops have many problems and they suggested not to buy another HP. What is your thoughts and has this laptop been on your recall list. Totally upset that I put money in a laptop that did not last even 2 years!

 

[house70]

I am sorry to hear that. I can only speak from my experience, but from it I have learned to stay away from HP products. Even their printers are not what they used to be. I would recommend Asus laptops, they also have very good Customer Service, from what I heard. Never needed it, though.
Sounds like this one might need the LCD fluorescent light source changed. The screen itself could still be good, but without a light source under it, can't see a thing. That being said, you might be able to find parts for that model online.
Also, do not settle with one shop's opinion, try another repair shop or even someone that knows how to fix laptops. It might be that the problem could reside somewhere else.

 

[sammthe]

Thanks for the information.

 

[Guest]

If you want to know whether it's the screen or the illumination, boot up the computer and give it a moment to be sure -- than shine a powerful torch at the screen -- if you can see something recognisable as Windows you'll know the screen is okay but the illumination is out.

If no joy but you have access to a friend's external monitor try connecting that -- if nothing appears (after setting the laptop to use external screen by Fn key combination if necessary) you know that the laptop's video circuitry has gone .

Here's a link to news about HP video recall settlement: http/www.tomshardware.com/news/gpu-failure-g84-g86-settlement,11400.html

 

[sammthe]

The product number on my laptop is HP G50 is that how it would be on the list of recalls.

 

[Guest]

I couldn't answer that -- I would think a call to HP might clarify.

 

[sammthe]

Thank you

 

[thierryf]

I bought an HP laptop a few years ago. Wifi never worked properly. The battery would never charge. HP sent me a new battery without any improvement. A little more than 2 years after I bought the laptop I found by chance a description of these symptoms on HP's web site (HP never tried to contact me although the laptop had been registered, and they had both my mail and e-mail address). HP recognized that there was "an unusual number of repair requests" for the laptop. It offered to extend the warranty for another year for free ... which of course did not make any difference to me since my laptop was 2 years and 2 or 3 months past the purchase date.

I contacted them, even requested to talk to a supervisor. They did nothing for me. Although their web site recognized in plain language that the laptop was defective.

I will never buy a HP laptop ever again. For one thing there is a premium to pay for brand name. What I expect in return is that the configuration has been thoroughly tested. That was clearly not the case or they would have noticed the battery and wifi problem (a search on the web reveals that the problem was very common and not at all limited to one machine, and that was also mentioned on HP's web site as well). Second I pay a premium for a brand name because I expect that they would honor their reputation, which they did not.

What a disappointement! I used to work for HP some 20 years ago. These were the days of the first Vectra. You should have seen how every single one of them was put through a thorough burn-in. An incident like this was unthinkable then. Even if somehow a machine would turn defective, HP would certainly then have gone out of its way to fix it for free. These days are long over!

 

[Guest]

HP seem to be specialising in own-goals lately.

I suspect it's a case of you get what you pay for. Despite making everything in low cost countries, HP have massive high-wage head offices and greedy shareholders in the US, so their margins are under great pressure from far eastern based brands.

From what I've heard, the bigger US companies do actually exercise local quality control on their Chinese suppliers so the lapses on the laptops are surprising.

On the other hand their printers are not what they used to be -- and as for the printing supplies scams, don't get me started !

A few months ago their PR company tried posting on this site defending HP's printers but seem to have given up having been roundly flamed by irate HP users.

 

[house70]

HP seem to be specialising in own-goals lately.

I suspect it's a case of you get what you pay for. Despite making everything in low cost countries, HP have massive high-wage head offices and greedy shareholders in the US, so their margins are under great pressure from far eastern based brands.

From what I've heard, the bigger US companies do actually exercise local quality control on their Chinese suppliers so the lapses on the laptops are surprising.

On the other hand their printers are not what they used to be -- and as for the printing supplies scams, don't get me started !

A few months ago their PR company tried posting on this site defending HP's printers but seem to have given up having been roundly flamed by irate HP users.

As far as HP printers go, so far I have not had major issues with them - except one that died on me after several years of service - but their software/drivers are soooo bloated. Printing cartridges... always getting them re-manufactured. Paying about one third to max a half of the OEM price. Work as good as OEM, too.

 

[sterdog]

As far as HP printers go, so far I have not had major issues with them - except one that died on me after several years of service - but their software/drivers are soooo bloated. Printing cartridges... always getting them re-manufactured. Paying about one third to max a half of the OEM price. Work as good as OEM, too.

Our office just bought a complete package of HP computers, servers, and printers for our office. The decision was made on the recommendation of a reputable business solutions salesman who assured us the equipment was more than adequate for our needs and very reliable. While the salesman has been excellent is sending out tech support, the system has lost two of the three servers we bought and now the wireless printers aren't accepting jobs even if we set them up to connect directly. What a joke. I'll give model numbers and pictures if needed, but this stuff is crap. I remember my parents buying a 166 pentium compaq (now hp) tower and hp printer and running that thing till a few years ago, the stuff simply wouldn't quit. Now it seems HP has gone down to the level of Dell, selling equipment that barely works out of factory and making money off the gross margins on inferior products sold under a "primium" label.

My advice, buy apple. At least when the stuff fails they'll warrenty it locally and understand a primium price should command primium service. I know the applecare is expensive, but worth it.