xmcp123

Ok. So this is a tech support rant.
I have an HP Pavilion Laptop. It is my "good" laptop. Meaning it's powerful. Not good. It would be acceptable, except that their tech support BLOWS.
Here is my lovely story. Problem 1 only exists to show how fucking ridiculous problem 2 is.

Problem 1: Hard drive roasts. HP sends me a hard drive with little to no instructions(fine since I'm a techie) and I reinstall it. The tech there acts like I'm an idiot when I even mention recovering the hard drive. Keep in mind this is when the laptop is 2 months old. Well, he was wrong. Almost everything was recoverable, and he wanted it immediately shipped back. Had I listened to him, I would've lost thousands of hours of programming work (it was 2 months old, so thought I had some time before needing backups)

Problem 2: The "m" key on my laptop breaks off. I look at the underside of the key, and it's quite obviously a problem with the key, not keyBOARD. I talk to online support, and they tell me I have to send it in for 3 weeks to get the damn keyboard replaced.
Keep in mind last time I sent one in to them (prior to this laptop) they actually re-formatted the friggin hard drive for a RAM based problem. So I'm obviously not doing that.
She tells me to talk to phone support for more options.
So I call. He says I have to send it in. Still not happening.
After much pressure, he mentions a "HP certified" tech at the store where I bought it can replace it. But it'll still be weeks while they order the part.
I'm still at college. I don't live near where this laptop was bought, and I'm not allowed to have a car on campus yet. So this is still an issue.

We eventually get down to the fact that I need a friggin KEY not a keyBOARD if it's goign to be that much of an issue.
Nope, they can't even send me a friggin "m" key to replace myself.
I say "If I'm fine with voiding my waranty, can you send me the part"
"No, but you can buy one then we can send it to you"....

How Fucked Up is it that they will send me a hard drive to replace on my own with little to no instruction, but I can't get them to send a fucking KEY or a keyboard to replace on my own.
Even if I volunteer to void my waranty in the future?

I used to friggin fix computers when I was in early high school. Yes, including laptops. I know how to replace a damn part.

FUCK YOU HP. I CANT JUST "NOT DO" MY WORK FOR 3 FUCKING WEEKS.


Anyone else have some shitty tech support stories? I'm in the mood.


PS: Obligatory Related Keywords: HP Sucks, HP Support Sucks, Hewlett Packard Sucks, Hewlett Packard Support Sucks, Don't Buy from HP if you actually need your fucking laptop

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joshmv

HP does suck, I use to use one before I switched to macs.

I've had 3 hard drives die on me, and I'm now using a backup hard drive which makes me feel safer (and it only took me 3 times to figure that out )

btw, anybody wanting to backup their stuff on a mac, the new operating system has a cool built in feature called time machine that does everything automatically for you every hour and I definitely recommend it.

Hope you get everything figured out so you can get back to work!

trigatch4

That sucks dude, sorry.

If you want to be a huge asshole and risk imprisonment, you could always go to BestBuy or somewhere that sells the laptop and just "borrow" their M key for several years.

I'm not recommending it.... I wouldn't do it... but it's an option.

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IronLogik

ex co-worker of mine used to work for HP. tons of horror stories about them from the inside. he's convinced me enough to be anti-HP. was your support rep from puerto rico by any chance?

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xmcp123

First one online definitely had some english comprehension issues. Second one was on the phone and definitely US based. Last time I called(with the first problem) I got 2 guys from india, 1 of whom was completely worthless.

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Garrett

Get a Mac, dude.

I'm with you when you say FUCK H.P.!

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bsmaat

I bought a HP about 21 months ago. HP Pavilion dv6095ea to be exact. Was great, powerful, top of the range stuff at the time (for me anyway) and cost some £800! Anywho, we stick with the 1 year warranty (foolishly I might add!). 6 months down the line, the monitor just dies. I send it in to get repaired (after speaking to plenty of Indians on the phone) and within about a week its back, fixed. Turned out the motherboard died. Remember, this is only after 6 months. And it's not as though I moved it about much, it just sat on my desk all the time. Then, just over 6 months later, after the warramty is void, exact thing happens again. I ring HP and tell them the situation, and they say that because there's no warranty and its been over 3 months since it happened, they won't fix it. And it'll cost about £250 - £300 to fix. FUCK THAT.

Now this is the kicker. Through some family contacts I managed to get it checked out by someone who actually works at HP, and he told me that this is a fault in the model. Fixing it will set me back £300, only for it to happen again.

No product recall, no nothing.
Great service HP!

xmcp123

Confirmed: Second time in a row HP was wrong. They just have a terrible "sawhorse" style thing under the key that's a pain in the ass to put back together.

I just wanted a fucking m key or even a damn picture. Tech trying to convince me it was the keyboard not the key. ARGH

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airbball23

shoot up a hate response on twitter.

How to Get Customer Service via Twitter - ReadWriteWeb

xmcp123

Yeah unfortunately HP has been noted several times for having shit reputation management. and actually, I did twitter about it early on.

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barman

thats why i always build my computers

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alexb

Ugh, HP. Never, ever, EVER buy from HP.

You could always get a USB keyboard and plug it in if you're in a rush.

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xmcp123

Building computers I can do.
Building laptops? ehhh. A bit trickier

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Uzzz

same thing happened to my hp ..except my esc key fell out... my solution - i just try and not use the esc key

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nickycakes

my little brother takes all his keyboards when he buys them, removes all the letters, and arranges them in alphabetical order, changing them from QWERTY to ABCDEF. its fucking hilarious to see someone who can't touchtype try to use it.

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DirSP

When I called them one month ago to replace my broken monitor, I thought I was talking to a chicken. The CSR repeated like 5 times before I could understand him. I have no problem with HP's computer (Business lineup, not their consumer shit). They have the second best keyboard and only Thinkpad's keyword can top them.

_poto_

as a temporary fix you could try replacing the "m" key with another key you don't use...

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xmcp123

Nah. See the comment a few above. I fixed it. I told the dumbasses it was just the key. ARGH.

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Skittled

Ugh. Hate these situations.

To those above recommending macs, my macbook's power supply blew recently. Under warranty, even with the extortionate apple protection plan, it'd take 7-10 working days to get a replacement, and no system is in place to loan me a supply, or keep me working. Had an hour's charge in the battery to get the stuff off that I needed, onto another computer. Salesperson had the hide to suggest I buy one and then have a spare...
I love my mac, but getting a mac isn't a solution.

Red_Virus

Hey Xcmp, that is really sad. I just bought a new HP Laptop 2 weeks back, never knew they suck so much.

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AdExhibitJason

HAHA stop your damn whining and get back to work

AdExhibitJason

Here is a small story.

About a month ago I got a MOTO Q from sprint. So I am all happy playing with my new phone learning what it can a cannot do. Then I realize I cannot get on the internet. So I call sprint and they walk me through some steps. It doesn't work so they transfer me to the "real tech support" LOL. Ok, so this person has me re-boot my phone. However they leave out a critical step that I did with the last "fake tech support person" had to do with entering a number code and hitting talk/send. No sir you do not have to that this time.
Ok is the phone rebooted, Try to connect, Doesnt work your phone is defective you will have to send it in. To get a new one...OK FUCK YOU....Hang up phone.

Then I decide to take the phone and go through the steps again and include the ones I left out from the first person. What do you know my damn internet works on my phone now I am a fucking genuis because I can do 1 + 1 = 2. I could not believe it.

Ruck

I got an HP PC that I have been puttin the friggin leashes on for over 3 years now. It was the first one I bought when I got going online with no idea. Fortunately this mean SOB is still trucking but I have to hit the top of the tower real hard for it to start up and display picture. I took the monitor off before and it was fine on other machines so whenever it is time for it's ole monthly shut off, restart I just slam the piss out of it and it fires. Got a load of shit on that thing. I've been getting all my shit built, even my laptops.

-Matt-

I got an HP Compaq a couple of years ago, and the keyboard started fucking up after a month. Keys were breaking... etc. Then the motherboard fried itself one day while I was at work. Bitch to replace. The motherboard fried itself because so much dust got sucked up the fan it just stopped. Never had this problem before, especially not on a laptop 8 months old at the time.

ImagesAndWords

That sucks... I have heard nothing but bad about HP for years.

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shithappens

I got a IBM lenovo. The hard drive fried within 2 months. I talked to the guy on the phone. He sent me a box i got on thursday. Put in mail late friday got it back on tuesday. THOSE GUYS DO NOT UNDERSTAND. I WAS WITHOUT A LAPTOP FOR like 2 BUSINESS DAYS! I will never buy an IBM again.

shithappens

oh, another story most of you won't believe!!!

I build my own PC about 3-4 years ago. I bought a decent graphics card for $350 last year. It wouldn't boot w/ it in it. I found a trick. If i start the computer then insert the card then hit the reboot button. It'll work.

HarveyJ

My desktop had problems a while back. I couldn't figure it out on the software level, so I pulled the case, got out my tools and set to work. Couldn't figure it out, but I'd managed to narrow it down to a few particular problems it could be, so I thought that info would help when I took it to the store.
First thing they tell me is that I've voided the warranty by opening it up...
After about 20 minutes of arguing with them and showing them what I'd managed to figure out (I'd narrowed the problem to the motherboard, as a number of the bus lines had shorted. They figured it must have been a bug that fried itself.)
Anyway, they fix it (although it takes 2 weeks and they formatted the HDD as well, even though they just had to swap the MB which is maybe 3 hours work).

Finally, last summer, my PSU overheats and explodes due to all the dust in the comp. I hadn't opened it to clean it out due to fear of "voiding my warranty" again on an expensive component, like my graphics card.
I bring it in... Apparently this time the warranty is void because I hadn't taken "due care in maintaining the system"...

How the fuck can I maintain the system and clean out the dust if I'm not allowed to open the case!?!?
This point was lost on them... So yeah, I'd say I'm never buying from them again, but most of their stores have shut down anyway.

A guy I know at uni did that by setting his QWERTY keyboard to a DVORAK reference. Even people that could touch type didn't know the DVORAK keys.

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emp

hahahha.. HP .. hahaha

Seriously, I used to own two printers by HP. The day I chugged them through the closed window was the best day of my life.

As for tech support: I just bypassed them.

(Prior to that day, I was OK with my HP printers. The stupid things would smear and have hickups and paper jams (like ALL bubblejets I ever seen) but yes, we worked those things to the death as well.)

I needed to print a diagram for my final thesis at University (AAARGH!!) Everything prints fine, word, PDF - no problem. Just not that program. Printer simply refuses to cooperate.

I call tech support and bored housewife starts the usual spiel: "have you upgraded.."

Knowing the rap, I interrupt bored housewife, rattling down the prerequisites: "Yes, this is an Athlon 3K, running WinXp, I have upgraded the printer driver, I have the latest windows patches, I have upgraded my BIOS just yesterday, deactivated any AntiVirus and Anti-Spamware guards and downloaded and installed the latest official drivers by HP. How can you help me, as this printer simply refuses to print from SmartDraw?"

Her reply was just a stumbled "err..uhmm,.. err.. I'll patch you through to the techs."

"Thank you"

Stupid POS still refused to print anything decent, so I threw it out, got a brother laser printer for under 100 Euros and damn... That thing just works. Out of the box, never a problem. HP? Never again.

::emp::

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AdExhibitJason

Isn't that like the chicken egg thing.

Sir you shuold have brought it in. We would have cleaned it for you. Would only take us 2 weeks to fuck it up more.

stmadeveloper

I've had a hp media pavillion laptop for a couple years now. I beat the shit out of it - leave it in garage on in the middle of summer, my 2 year old was standing on it today... It's traveled all over the country with me in a bookbag. My older kids use it daily, and my wife -- all who think that it's o.k. to say "YES" to anything that pops up no matter the warning level.

never an issue other than the occasional virus/spyware cleaning sessions

I'm convinced it will never die.

I've got a 4 year old HP box sitting here still working, and other then replacing the power supply and fan a year or two ago with some spare ones I had - never a problem.

Every hp printer I've had - I've thrown the hell away. You would think their damn printers would work on their pc's at least. Support is stupid - but let's be honest. There isn't a PC company out there with good support (dell maybe?)

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Janaic

I have a Dell for personal use (school and shit) and I never have any problems. Go me!

Janaic

Dell has decent support. The majority of the reps speak fluent English.

amateursurgeon

I have a 6 year old compaq laptop that cost me about £1400 when I bought it. The screen cable has gone twice (£35 per time to replace). Otherwise, perfect. I'm now really reconsidering if I can be bothered to upgrade as it still runs fine, and it's very well built.

It's a real shame that when they merged, it was the shitty HP laptops that got used instead of the solid Compaq ones.

Netphase

The "HP Compaq" models still seem decent. The models with both names, not one or the other. They are being sold as their business notebooks.

Greenfire

I dread scenarios where you have to phone these big companies technical support departments up as quite often it is a bunch of airheads in a call centre reading off a script it drives you mad when they just do not seem to be listening to what you say to them.

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Pr0xyhub

Yeah dude.. a year ago my computer wouldn't turn on and I called tech support and they made me do all this crazy shit..

"OK NOW UNPLUG MONITOR AND KEYBOARD AND EVERYTHING NOW TRY TO POWER ON"

YOU THINK THATS GOING TO FIX IT YOU FUCK HEAD

I'm never buying an HP again in my life.

spock49

in my case, thumbs up hp; thumbs down dell.

i have an nc8430 business class laptop and love it. upgraded my hdd/mem and it kicks ass. i did pay extra $200 for the on-site next day service; if the laptop needs to be shipped to be repaired, i was told that they would advance me a new laptop that was equivalent.

dell, on the other hand is another story i recently bought a "scratch and dent" unit last week to fuck around. here's my story:

1. received the unit with pci slot covers missing and no dvd recovery disc as ordered.

2. called customer service, on hold for 30 min only to be told that i needed to talk to tech support. rep transfers my call.

3. waited another fucking 30 min. tech support gives me the part numbers but says i have to go back to cust service to order. i'm
like what the fuck? another call transfer

4. on hold 40 min this time. ironically, their hold message is "we'll solve your case on the first call"? after talking to another cust service, she says these parts are not "order-able". i ask to speak to a supervisor and she promptly hangs up on me.

5. talk to another rep and she finally gets me to a supervisor who orders these parts for me. all for parts that could not cost more than 10 cents.

i am still fucking pissed about wasting my time that i am going to smear my dog's shit inside the computer and send it back to say that something "smells funny".

i would probably lose $400 i paid for the pc, but i don't care.

these dell mother fuckers need to get their "shit" together.

ChickenTalk

I've had an HP dv6600 for around a year.. No problems other than the paint chipping off the touchpad from so much use lol.

Just got a HP elite desktop with the tv tuner & all that horseshit last month.. thing is a beast.. Q6700 6 gigs of ram.. I love it

emp

Weird how the stories differ.

Dell support - Nothing but great.

Had an Axim PDA by them that broke, next day the replacement model was delivered.

Had a Dell Business Server at a company I worked for - Support line was extremely knowledgable, tech was there in 24 hrs.

Yes, you get an occasional Indian (in Germany --> polish/russian) on telephone support, but I know how to deal with those. After that hurdle, no problem.

An old trick:
Tell the telephone support RIGHT AWAY that you are running Linux and you are with a good techie in a matter of seconds.

::emp::

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johnmatrix

They probably have policies that if theres any problem with a keyboard they will just replace the whole keyboard regardless.. why would they have a stockpile of individual letters for all the different model laptops just lying around waiting for some guy to call up and request a specific key replacement? They are a business, its not an efficient way to do it.

The little X shaped mechanism under the key is pretty delicate, glad you got it back together. ive never had one break unless you rip the key off in the wrong way.

I bought a top of the range toshiba satellite years and years ago it cost about $6000 AUD, the whole thing completely fried itself after a month. It required a replacement motherboard, ram, HDD and god knows what else. It was never the same after that, it had a really weird problem where if i was typing fast it would skip letters sometimes, it definately wasn't the keyboard or my typing doing it either. They ended up replacing the motherboard AGAIN to fix it, then after that the little LED display on the front didnt work. Other than that it was a hell of a machine. My mum now uses it.. it overheats and cant even play youtube videos smoothly.

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