![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-390703-100x100.png\")
Yep. Don't buy HP. I have the same problem on a laptop and there's actually an article that was just published on Network World detailing HP's declining quality.
![\"user-pic\"](\"/css/images/default.gif\")
@PSUSkier: nVidia graphics? There were stories last year about defective design in nVidia chips that caused overheating and failures in HP and other laptops and PCs.
[www.google.com]
Perhaps a little OT, but have online petitions ever done ANYTHING? I get requests to fill them out, and I often wonder if anyone pays any attention to them.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-762676-100x100.png\")
@GitEmSteveDave_IndustrialStrengthLasagna:
They don't do anything. Same with form letters that get sent to your congressmen or whatever, whether from a website automatically or that you print out and mail.
Such a thing gets counted once...any more they get are ignored. Basically, the premise is that if you can't be bothered to actually, you know, WRITE SOMETHING yourself, then you don't really care.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-436259-100x100.png\")
@GitEmSteveDave_IndustrialStrengthLasagna: They're like twitter. They did something useful once, and then people keep on doing it.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-929652-100x100.png\")
@MostlyHarmless: Especially because Mickey Mouse and Bob Dole like to sign them. They're particularly untrustworthy characters.
@katstermonster: Whats more scary? The fact that they sign these petitions or the fact that both of them can vote?
Yeah, my husband's HP laptop (2 years old - sold as a \"gaming laptop\") burned out about six months ago from this exact problem and was fixed under warranty. Warranty ran out shortly thereafter, and it just went out again two weeks ago with the same problem. Their idea of \"fixing\" the laptop was replacing the melted parts with the same parts they know to be flawed. He switched to my spare HP laptop (same model as his), and it went out the next day with the same problem. Never buying an HP computer again.
@jameleon:
Gaming rigs are higher powered- they are faster (that's the point!), and so they use more energy. In a laptop form factor, that means they run hot because everything is packed closely with less airflow than a desktop.
Next time, I suggest you don't buy a gaming laptop (HP or otherwise). Use a desktop for gaming, and a laptop for low-powered stuff.
Of course, no OEM will tell you this, you have to learn it on your own.
HP participated in an NVIDIA recall of those GPUs. My laptop followed the same death spiral, and eventually died while I was playing Anarchy Online.
After the recall was announced (back in Aug of '08), it took about ten minutes on the phone and I had an RMA and a shipping box being overnighted to me.
I wonder if Bobby received an email from HP concerning the GPU issue last year. I had been reading the tech blogs and knew of the impending recall, but HP emailed me to let me know my laptop was involved.
@ouphie: The tx1000 and tx2000 were never included in the extended warranty program for the machines w/ the nvidia gpu issue, even though they used the same chipset.
@ouphie: Ah... the \"bad bumps:\" Its not just HP, Dell, too. Also, who can forget the nefarious cover-up with the Apple macbook pros!? It was only until \"The Inquirer\" did some good ole-fashion sciencing that they unearth the ungodly truth: Even some of the newer 9600M and 9400M NVIDIA chips had this problem.
You can read the \"Macworld\" story here:
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-537475-100x100.png\")
@ouphie: What went into HP contacting you about a recall? Was it based on them having your e-mail address from purchasing the laptop online, or did you register your laptop with them? Maybe Bobby purchased his computer from a B&M store or from Amazon or bestbuy.com and didn't provide HP with an e-mail address. If that's the case, HP dropped the ball in contacting him about the recall.
@pecan 3.14159265: I registered with HP after needing to download drivers when I changed my OS. I purchased mine from *shudder* Circuit City back in '07.
I had the same problem with my tx1000. It got too hot, the graphics chip burnt out the north bridge and it all happened a month after my one year warranty was up. I called HP and they said it would be 400 which made me laugh. Then I found this place on eBay. They replaced the northbridge chip which was burned up for about $120 (a deal if you want your laptop usable again).
You can find them here: [www.compu-genie.com]
I don't work for them OR get paid for this. I just thought they did a great job with my laptop and feel like others could use their service. Call ahead to get a case number. It is also cheaper when you just send the motherboard rather then the whole computer.
I hope this helps someone.
@TNA5000: Replacing the north bridge? That seems pretty risky, seeing as it is soldered onto the motherboard, with very small pins.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-1021046-100x100.png\")
Sorry to blame the consumer a little on this, but who doesn't read reviews about a computer before purchasing it, especially if it's a little on the expensive side? Sure, the problems seem to take a year to happen, but did this guy buy the computer right off the line? There had to be some complaints.
@italianscallion33: If nobody bought a product until it had been thoroughly reviewed, there are a good number of products that would never be purchased. It is reasonable for a consumer to expect that an item will perform as advertised and not destroy itself through normal use.
Also, it's worth noting that PCs sold in B&M stores (such as HP and Compaq) often have a very short shelf-life. They will appear on shelves for sometimes as little as a month, and then be replaced by a new iteration of the PC which, while outwardly appearing to have only minor changes from its predecessor (bigger hard drive, more memory, etc.) may be much different on the inside, due to the manufacturer having found a cheaper or better source for certain parts. In other words, odds are that if Bobby bought an HP laptop, he bought it during the relatively short window that it was available for purchase at his local Best Buy or whatever. By the time there would have been any reviews that would have revealed the overheating problem, the laptop would likely have been off of retailers' shelves for quite some time.
My personal opinion: it stopped being a good time to buy a PC the day that IBM got out of the laptop business.
And I know that everybody is waiting for the chance to jump on the first person to suggest this, but I'm being quite serious here: Bobby, buy a Mac. As a PC zealot since 1984, it was with much trepidation (but a greater refusal to move to Vista) that I switched to a Mac about a year and a half ago. I wish I'd done so earlier.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-566832-100x100.png\")
@processfive: Seconded. The service is great. You get a 1 year warranty that you can turn into a 3 year warranty for a few hundred more. (Applecare is the ONLY extended warranty that I buy.) The machines are well built, solid, and stable. The OS really is \"The world's most advanced operating system\" to quote the Apple tagline. The in-store support staff are great. Right now, Apple is doing a much better job than any of their competitors of supporting their product. (This is not just anecdotal, studies and surveys continue to prove this.)
When it comes time to replace it, buy a Mac. You won't be sorry.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-2295-100x100.png\")
@italianscallion33: He purchased it a year and a half ago, which would be before any of these major meltdowns started taking place.
I'm really starting to wonder which brand to get now. I am looking to replace my Dell Inspiron 6400 and won't get another Dell. All of my friends have had issues with Toshiba Satellite laptops and I was looking at getting an HP, but now I don't think so. Hmm...
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-1151569-100x100.png\")
@dizzie386: What issues did your friends have with their Toshiba Satellites? I owned a 17\" wide screen one for 2 years before it went tits up (and it still might be fixable; someone spilled water in it while it was on but the design of the lid hinges at that time caused the top of the laptop case to split apart and the lid doesn't close anymore and must be opened very carefully to avoid more cracking of the case). I currently own 4 more 17\" Toshiba Satellites and I haven't seemed to have a problem with any of them after 6 months of use. In fact I've bought so many laptops in the past 6 months from Toshiba that they've offered me free overnight shipping and 15% off my next purchase (which hopefully will be next month for my boyfriend's birthday present).
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-1169573-100x100.png\")
I've had a Toshiba Satellite since September of last year, and its wonderful (doesn't seem to appreciate it when I leave a disc it in when its off, but other than that no problems). Runs smooth and everything.
My husband's HP is a real piece, though. The graphics card crapped out on him, so he has to use mine to play WoW or whatever. His is still useable, but we just leave it in the living room for checking email or facebook, and to look up strat guides when playing games. Other than that, its not really used anymore.
And I swear, the dang thing tried to fry my leg the other day. Now I keep a blanket folded over my lap when I use it.
@dee1313: Don't use any laptop with any type of wadded material (blanket, pillow, folded sweater) under it on any surface (desk, table, or lap). It will only make it harder for it to dissapate heat and make it hotter and possibly start a fire in the case or in the material it's sitting on. If you really need to use it on your lap, I'd suggest the cheap pillow desks you can get. It's a pillow on the bottom with a hard top piece on it to set the laptop on cushioning your legs while giving a stable and flat surface to put the computer on. If running it on a table top/desk top you can go with a cheap cooling mat that will at least relieve some of the heat build up.
Glad to hear there's another happy Tosh user out there. I've grown to love mine (I don't even use a desktop anymore now that I have my Tosh Sat), and my mother loved her old one and now her new replacement one. Both my kids seem to be extremely happy with theirs and take them with them whenever they can and haven't asked me to fix anything on them lately.
@Eat A Peach:
Lenovo and Acer are both good options. Avoid Dell and HP, unless maybe if you're buying from their business divisions. I don't know much about Toshibas.
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-363287-100x100.png\")
@dizzie386: Dell Small Business (not available retail) or Lenovo. Both do a pretty good job of customer service. Thinkpads & Latitudes handle abuse well though the Ideapads & Vostros aren't far behind.
At this point HP is frighteningly bad. I see their cost-cutting efforts several times a week. From design choices to dumping vast quantities of junk into their refurb channels and shirking all warranty responsibility. To me the worst is the frequent pre-expiration of warranty coverage, where their internal systems report incorrect sale dates that often pre-date manufacturing dates. Too often the customer believes it or can't find their paperwork.
Careful out there.
@dizzie386: Same here. The motherboard in my HP laptop died early 2008 (granted, it was about 5 years old), and I replaced it with an Acer that died the same death last week, just short of age 1 and a half. [I didn't pick the Acer, someone bought it for me and cheaped out--long story. The mousepad never worked properly either.] I've never heard good things about Dell, so that's out. I'm pondering whether to switch to Mac. It's hard when all the brands are racing to the bottom.
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-301060-100x100.png\")
@dizzie386: I myself bought a Lenovo R500. It runs fast, cool and quiet and I got it with 1gb of memory, and bought a 4gb pack on NewEgg. The best part? Lenovo includes a full service guide on how to replace memory, wireless card, hard drive, etc. Not a PDF on a CD but a full paper manual you can look at - even a caveman could do it!
The shipping issues that Lenovo had a few years ago seem to have been taken care of; My laptop was ordered 8/21 (Friday night, so really it didn't get worked on until 8/24 I suppose), was shipped 8/26 and arrived 8/28. Before, laptops were taking 3 days, and I read an article about how Lenovo was working with customs and got their wait times down to hours instead of days. Mine spent 4 hours in Customs.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-1159581-100x100.png\")
Consumerist posted my HP laptop story a couple of months ago. Shortly after the story \"aired\" I was contacted by HP's PR people, who then got me in touch with someone at HP. I've been looking for my notes on this guy but I can't find them. Anyway, he asked me what he could do to solve this problem and I asked him to admit that this was a known issue with the laptops and to either repair mine at no charge or to replace it. He agreed to repair it but would not make any admissions. I settled for that. Within 10 days from my story being posted on here, I had a working laptop. He asked me to never mention this, but since I have a new username on here (previously used Facebook) I feel okay about it... and besides, what are they going to do... take it back?
This guy went on and on about how people keep emailing him because they got his name from this site, and that they think he can do things he can't. Well, um... he obviously CAN do things because he got my laptop fixed in 10 days at no cost to me.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-159466-100x100.png\")
@osiris73:
He can only do things for people that get their stories posted on websites that get hundreds of thousands of views per day.
I always see them selling HP laptops on QVC -- there's a young man who looks like a ferret who does a song and dance about HP's perfection.
I wonder if it's possible for a disgruntled customer to pose as a happy customer and then give a scathing testimonial on air -- probably not; they probably have a time-delay to prevent such occurrences.
At least Consumerist readers are hip to HP after all the horror stories we see here every day...
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-1094111-100x100.png\")
I have a TX1000 too. Even as a I was buying it, I anticipated some issues with it, so I paid for the three year, all inclusive, accidental damage warranty. It has proved worth it once already, and I won't be surprised if I use it again in the next year and a half. I wish I could switch to a netbook, but I have a conscious and I can't sell this laptop/space heater to an innocent person. I just stay aware of the problem and keep it ventilated (otherwise it shuts off). I don't feel particularly wronged by HP- it's a pretty big processor on a small machine, it's bound to get hot and unless there are actual flames, I think of it as a quirk, not a defect.
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-350350-100x100.png\")
@pecan 3.14159265: I wonder if this is some sort of extreme form of planned obsolescence. Isn't it interesting the units conveniently fail just AFTER the standard warranty period expires?
@HannahK1012: @professorjonathan:
That doesn't work for any and all laptops. Virtually all modern laptops have a single integrated heatsink that does the work for many chips at once - the CPU, the GPU, chipset, various other bits and bobs.
These chips are all at different heights from the motherboard, and there often are different thermal interface materials/pads on each one in order to account for that. Changing one or all will frequently cause insufficient (or non-existant) contact on some of those chips, and then they just simply die.
So, be careful - and if you blow something up...well, you blew it up.
The main thing people really need to get a handle on is to understand that laptops, unlike desktops, really need to be viewed as essentially un-repairable...at the very least, un-repairable at any reasonable cost. A laptop has X amount of life in it when you buy it, and when it breaks, you pretty much throw it away.
@YouDidWhatNow?: \"... laptops ... really need to be viewed as essentially un-repairable...at the very least, un-repairable at any reasonable cost.\"
Isn't that sort of defeatist? The forth time my girlfriend dropped her macbook pro off the bed because she fell asleep while watching a movie, the LCD shattered. We had the screen replaced for around $400.
The same machine, earlier in its life, had a fan fail. (It was one of the original MBPs that had heat problems.) Apple replaced both fans and the hard drive for free.
That machine is now probably around 3 years old, and I expect that applecare has expired on it. Still, any repair costing less than around $600 would be worth it.
Keep in mind, Macbook Pros start at around $2000 and do a very good job of holding on to resale value.
...you're paying an artificially inflated price for that product that has no relation to anything other than marketing prowess. Doesn't mean it's \"worth\" that much money.
When buying properly-valued PC laptops, it's quite clear what the relationship of repair cost is to purchase cost.
@DreamTheEndless: You're talking about a laptop that cost 2, 3, or even 4 times what some other laptops cost (PC). I just purchased 4 PC laptops at about 500 each with tax. If I had a busted screen on one of them, it would cost at least 1/2 if not a 1/3 of the cost of the unit to get it repaired. Same with a motherboard (probably even more than the cost of the laptop). If I only needed one laptop, I'd go the distance and invest in a Mac w/ the Apple Care warranty, however, I have 3 other people in my family that need one so that's a cost that I can't justify.
@Eat A Peach:
We resolved that problem with the \"hand-me-down\" solution. My year and a half old Macbook Pro became my girlfriend's Macbook Pro and our older (desktop) machine became the media server for the AppleTV.
Not exactly the same, but I understand where you are coming from.
@YouDidWhatNow?:
Oh come on now. Isn't this argument getting old? Just for fun, I just went to the Alienware website and had no problem throwing together a 15 inch laptop for $1879 that had a trackpad vastly inferior to the one on a mac laptop; doesn't run OS X; is thicker and heavier; and has a battery that doesn't last as long. The Macbook Pro is a premium pro-sumer laptop. Not all Apple laptops cost $2000, but the one that does is a better machine than that $749 Dell that everyone loves comparing it to. Anyone who insists otherwise is deluding themselves.
There's a reason Apple computers retain so much of their value when sold used; they are much better machines. Apple places much higher value on hardware engineering than the competition does. The magsafe power connector is just one great example of that. The accelerometer that senses when the machine is falling and parks the hard drive before the machine hits the ground is another. Then there's the fact that the machine is only one inch thick with the lid closed; the trackpad that is generations ahead of anything on any other machine; the battery that lasts twice as long per charge and has twice the longevity before needing to be replaced. These things may not matter to you, but they matter to me; and I don't expect them to be free. I'm not even going to get started on the OS...
Yes - you can buy a laptop for much less, but to pretend that the only difference in the price between the two machines is \"marketing prowess\" is naive at best.
Stop fooling yourself. I'm sure you had very good reasons for choosing the laptop you did, but rest assured; so did I.
Knock that off. You know as well as I do that you just went and compared a Volkswagon to a Ferrari. Cut it out with the reality distortion field already.
As for your other BS - it's BS. You have no basis for your claims, and are making them from fanboyism and a need to justify your irrational purchase. Good day, sir.
You know as well as I do that you just went and compared a Volkswagon to a Ferrari.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-93197-100x100.png\")
@HannahK1012: I NEVER buy the extended warranty. There really shouldn't be any problems with a computer for 3-4 years, after that you gamble on the costs of fixing it vs replacing it.
@lilyHaze:
I agree in theory that the manufacturer should stand behind their products without making you buy extras. But the way it \"should be\" is not the reality. HP blamed my motherboard failure on me, citing massive water damage. I knew that wasn't the case, but since I had the ADP, I didn't have to waste my time arguing, they just fixed it for free. The cost of that repair would have been more than a new computer, much more than the ADP cost, so I think it was a smart buy, no matter how much I disagree in principle.
Mine not only was hot, really hot, but before the motherboard fried, the high heat may several of the keys pop off. Yeah, there's HP quality for you.
My Tx1020 is a fireball when it's on but I think it's due to the CPU, an AMD Sempron, running extremely hot.
Viewing Youtube videos online is enough to kick the fan up a few notches and running almost anything else that needs graphics will make it blow at high speed if the CPU goes over 50% for a few minutes.
I've resorted to setting it on a book when I'm using it because the exhaust blows on my right thigh and the bottom case gets so hot.
And the laptop sucks in general, too... it is top heavy when the lid is up because the touch screen makes it so heavy, the keys are hard to read on the keyboard, the case is super-smooth plastic and it feels like my fingers start to stick to it from the oils on my hands after a while.
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-1274025-100x100.png\")
I'd take the matter a step further and notify your State Attorney General and the Federal Trade Commission, especially if a substantial number of people are experiencing the same issues. If you purchased the unit using a credit card, you might want to try to initiate a chargeback as well on the grounds that you received defective merchandise.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-46299-100x100.png\")
Every time an HP hot laptop story gets posted here, many pooh-pooh it and claim there's nothing unusual about HP in terms of heat. This post (and my experience) demonstrates otherwise. I do have a pair of suggestions, though, which worked *very* well for me. First, download the free Core Temp program (for Windows) ([www.alcpu.com]) to track CPU temp more exactly. Next, purchase an inexpensive tube of thermal paste (like this one I bought from Amazon last year: [www.amazon.com]), download the instructions for dismantling the laptop to the CPU from HP (or get a friend to do it if you're not comfortable with laptop surgery), and apply it to the CPU. I did this a year ago and saw an instant and consistent 30+-degree F drop in CPU temperature. While I was a bit worried about opening up the box and dealing with the processor, it was about as cookie-cutter a procedure as you could imagine (I have the nx6125), I was able to clean out the dust at the same time, and I'm sure I extended the life of my laptop by doing this. (I'd already suffered one heat-related lcd failure, fixed under warranty.)
Thanks for the reminder, Consumerist; I'm going to reapply the paste this week. {ProfJonathan}
@professorjonathan: That doesn't work for any and all laptops. Virtually all modern laptops have a single integrated heatsink that does the work for many chips at once - the CPU, the GPU, chipset, various other bits and bobs.
These chips are all at different heights from the motherboard, and there often are different thermal interface materials/pads on each one in order to account for that. Changing one or all will frequently cause insufficient (or non-existant) contact on some of those chips, and then they just simply die.
So, be careful - and if you blow something up...well, you blew it up.
The main thing people really need to get a handle on is to understand that laptops, unlike desktops, really need to be viewed as essentially un-repairable...at the very least, un-repairable at any reasonable cost. A laptop has X amount of life in it when you buy it, and when it breaks, you pretty much throw it away.
Oh, and for the professor there...thermal paste never needs to be replaced, unless you uninstall the heatsink for some reason. Props for cleaning out dust though - everyone in the world should be buying compressed air and using it to blow out their heatsinks on a regular basis. Just blow through the ventilation holes on your laptop. Dust kills computers.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-1029606-100x100.png\")
I wonder if this is a sign that the EECB has become the new issue-resolution-tool of choice and has lost its effectiveness.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-49761-100x100.png\")
Aww, Computer owners have computer problems, computer users complain online and wow, it's an epidemic. Nevermind the number effected might be less than 1% of total HP systems out there. (Yes, I said might, it could be crazier than that, but knowing this site's amazing fact checking abilities I seriously doubt it.
Hey everyone I don't mean to sound like a total shill all the time, but a 3 year extended warranty would of saved you a shit ton of headache in this situation, but if you had the warranty I'm sure this person would be here complaining that their repair takes 2-3 weeks. sheesh.
@Android8675: So there are no legitimate recalls due to defective products? Wow, either you work for Apple or Nvidia. Both have suffered from recalls.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-1509-100x100.png\")
I have a Compaq laptop where the fan only shuts up if I use this program (speedswitchxp) to slow down the cpu the way that mobile cpus are supposed to slow down when there's less need for the processors. Might not make a difference for you and I think it's windows XP only but it's saved me a ton of annoyance and probably extended the hardware life too.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-87183-100x100.png\")
I contacted the CEO directly, Mark Hurd, when I had an issue with my DV2000 series laptop. They eventually sent me a new one that runs fine. The link to his page (the one I used that worked) is [www.hp.com]
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-1235679-100x100.png\")
\"Any suggestions for Bobby and his friends?\"
Apparently, there's a plethora of parts in Iran (via Americablog):
Over the past dozen years, Hewlett-Packard has sold hundreds of millions of dollars worth of printers and other products to Iran through a Middle East distributor, sidestepping a U.S. ban on trade with the country.
...
Securities and Exchange Commission issued a letter to HP seeking information about the company's dealings in Iran, Syria and Sudan. HP responded that in fiscal 2008 about $120 million worth of products were sold to Iran by a Dutch subsidiary through a Middle Eastern distributor. But even as the company claimed that those sales were legal because its subsidiary was acting on its own, HP in January announced it was severing ties with Dubai-based Redington Gulf. The distributor had sold HP products to Iran since 1997, two years after the United States imposed a complete ban on exports to Iran.The announcement came days after The Boston Globe reported from Iran that HP printers had become nearly ubiquitous there despite the embargo.
...
Even if HP is able to satisfy legal questions, that doesn't mean Fiorina is in the clear politically. HP's relationship with its Middle East distributor, Redington Gulf, flourished on her watch.
(Sitemon, I'll understand if this earns me disenvowelment...)
;-)
However, in my defense, when companies show bald indifference to their customers, (the ones who made them their fortunes,) they quite equally risk scrutiny and bad press from the harsh glare of examination on their behavior; necessitated by poor product support.
Such stories are a byproduct, but no less instrumental in compelling corporations to properly serve their constituents, lest they risk determined grilling by a google-savvy public.
I wonder if this is a sign that the EECB has lost its effectiveness since becoming the weapon-of-choice for resolving product issues.
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-1258615-100x100.png\")
Yes, if citking's advice above doesn't work and either you can't get through to Mark Hurd or he won't help, 1. Call in Attorney General and accuse HP of fraud and defective (and dangerous: burn risk) product manufacture, 2. CPSC report so they will be recalled 3. Sue them in small claims court / and/or class action.
Obviously the damn things should be recalled anyway. I am SO sick of these companies not giving a damn, not quality checking for duds and turds rolling off their assembly line, and making it OUR problem, or acting like there isn't a problem when a ton of customers observe the same thing.
The sooner more customers grow a spine and a pair, the fewer problems the rest of us will have later.
I have a DV1000, its kept quite clean and all the fans work; for the last year or so I have noticed it gets so hot it can burn my lap, I have to put it on a pillow or on a desk to use. I am afraid to leave it on without someone there thinking it will light something on fire. Interesting to see its not only me.
@xamarshahx: DO NOT operate your laptop on a pillow. This, while keeping you from burning your legs, will only block the airvents on the machine and cause it to fail sooner.
Now, unless this is your goal in order to hasten the demise of the machine so that you can get it replaced while it is still under warranty, this is a really bad idea.
As long as people are asking about laptop purchasing advice, I highly recommend ditching the \"consumer grade\" laptops and going with the business line. Consumer grade laptops change their hardware constantly, and have a very high failure rate. The business line laptops (in Dell's case, the Latitude series is the one I'm aware of right now, but I haven't bought a new laptop in three years either) stick with the same hardware for a very long time, often a year or more. They also tend to be much more reliable than the consumer grade laptops. I'm still using the same Dell Latitude D620 that I picked up in 2006, and have had no problems with it.
I stopped buying HPs after one actually burned my leg and shortly thereafter began smoking. (Obviously, I was more than a little slow on the uptake there, but I don't always notice I'm in pain.) They did repair it, but I was always too afraid of a fire to buy another after it died.
Happened to my Pavilion dv9200 series laptop. One day out of nowhere the wireless connection died and wouldn't come back. Did a little online research and found the recall information, called, and apparently talked to the only overseas tech who had both a working grasp of English, and information on the recall. He walked me through all the steps, warned me to back up my hard drive as it would get a reformat, and sent out a shipping box. I packed up the computer, shipped it out, and had it back in 3 days, with the motherboard replaced AND a faulty hinge (which I said nothing about) repaired. Once I got my hard drive restored (took 2 weeks, another long story), I noticed that it was still running hot, and that the fan was constantly on. A few short months later, and the graphics chip died. Called again, this tech had to look a bit further, but once again got a shipping box, sent it in, and in a week got my laptop back with new innards. This time its running a lot cooler, and still running (or strolling, it does have Vista - until October)
But will I buy an HP again? Hard to say...
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-65544-100x100.png\")
The bad news: I have a COMPAQ Presario F700 that unless it is on a cooling pad or stand will overheat and shut down.
The good news: I was at Five Below [www.fivebelow.com] yesterday and they have USB powered laptop cooling pads for $5 [www.fivebelow.com] in their back to school section. (I already have one from somewhere else, so I didn't get one - so I can't give you a review of the ones they sell.)
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-488475-100x100.png\")
Do the laptop cooling pads you can buy actually help? Would that make the thing last a little longer until they can get this resolved? If they bother, that is.
I echo Areyouagoodlittleconsumer's post above; it's time we demanded quality goods that don't try to burn our houses down or kill us.
@HogwartsAlum: I had an old Dell Inspiron that got extremely hot. The easiest way of cooling it down was to prop books under the corners and raise it up so that the hot air would have somewhere to go.
@pecan 3.14159265: I'm ok then. I bought a little thingy that flips up and raises it so it's easier to type; it lets air in around it also.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-24730-100x100.png\")
@HogwartsAlum: The pad will help prevent you burning your lap, but won't do much for the internal temperature of the machine.
@Xerloq: Ah. I'm glad I asked before I went and spent money on one. Although my Satellite is ok as long as I keep my blanket away from the vent. :)
I had one of those laptops, and had the same issue with it (just got it replaced under my 3rd party extended warranty a couple of weeks ago).
I had no idea the problem was as widespread as it is. It started overheating at about 16 months, which required a new motherboard & CPU. Within a few weeks of having both of those replaced, the wireless started to have intermittent issues.
The wireless issue was also caused by motherboard issues, and the second time I brought the machine in, the warranty company decided to replace the machine with a new one of my choosing (which suffice it to say, was NOT an HP).
I had the machine for 19 months total, but none of the problem I experienced happened within the 12 month manufacturers warranty. It makes you wonder if HP knew that these things were going to be problems.
I am rather suprised that no one else has made this comment yet but there is a MAJOR factor that has not been taken into account. The Pavilion line from HP is a consumer line. Many people don't realize that what this means is they don't go through the testing and quality control that the business units do. HP business notebooks don't suffer from anywhere near the number of issue's that the pavilion line does. Yes, the business line is more expensive for similar specifications but you get what you pay for. If you want a cheap laptop go get a pavilion but don't be suprised by these issue's. If (like me) your computer is important to you then you need to sack it up and pay a little extra. This goes for ALL Manufacturers not just HP as every one of them has a consumer line for the people who don't want to spend the money.
It's not just their old laptops, it's all of them.
HP doesn't use thermal grease on the graphics chip, and uses very little on the processors.
They use thermal padding, which tends to be ineffective (at best) and also has a tendency to disintegrate after a few months.
I repair HP laptops, and have an HP net book.
The first thing I did with the netbook was find the tear down manual, crack it open, and put on some proper thermal paste as I'd read on many forums that the 2410 had the same heat related system board failures as its 2310 counterpart.
The little thing runs very cool with proper thermal paste on it.
The most common system board failure we see is due to overheating, even in pristine, dust free laptops and we always find a little scorch mark on what's left of the thermal padding over the GPU.
When we replace system boards in house, we ALWAYS use thermal paste and never bother with the padding that HP includes with a new board. In most cases, we don't ever see that particular laptop back again for a heat related failure.
Sadly, it's not specific to HP either; most big name brand laptops use padding over paste as it's cheaper.
Even custom laptop companies tend to charge $35+ extra to use thermal paste over thermal padding.
CYOA Note: I do NOT recommend anyone open up their own HP laptop unless it's out of warranty and you're confident that you've got the skill to not completely break it, or you're recognized by HP as an \"HP authorized professional\" (if it's an HP laptop) as doing so will void any warranties or ADP coverage your laptop has.
If nothing else, take it into an authorized non-Geek Squad repair shop, buy some thermal paste, and tell the store you'd like to have them re-grease the thing for you.
I've seen several HP laptops affected by this issue repaired under manufacturer warranty by Geek Squad as much as two years after the date of purchase.
And if you're worried, it is perfectly acceptable to remove the hard drive before taking it in.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-466847-100x100.png\")
I had an AMD dv6000 2.5 years ago. When the wireless died I looked online and found what the issue was and what the ultimate outcome would be. Fortunately I had bought it with a credit card that extended the warranty to 2 years. They gave me all my money back. Due to extenuating circumstances, I bought another hp dv6000. I did, however, option it with an Intel chip and I bought the 3 year warranty for it.
HP knows about this problem because they did issue a recall for some dv2000, dv5000, dv6000 and dv9000 laptops about a year ago. My bf's dad's dv6000 was not part of the recall, but it did nearly blister the finish on his desk. He bought a laptop cooler. I warned him to keep it backed up at all times because it will die, probably sooner than later.
I am begging people to reduce and eventually eliminate their exposure to HP consumer products because you are playing a rigged game. You might get lucky and not have problems, but your number will come up and then you'll end up angry, frustrated and out several hundred dollars.
I'm sorry I don't have any help for the OP. HP's own employees can't get any help when their consumer products fail.
This post was heavily edited due to bitterness and vitriol.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-386042-100x100.png\")
my dell did this, though now it's long out of warranty (bought it in '04). it was touted as a gaming laptop, but it would get so hot i couldn't use it as a laptop and the fans would run so hard it would wake up my roommate, with no programs open. there were other issues, which consumerist actually wrote about last year. after the guy 'fixed' my broken headphone jack (which was coincidentally attached to the fan and had been damaged as a result of the heat), and then it actually got fixed, the thing would practically start on fire 2 minutes after turning it on, and it shut down. i called dell bunches of times and spent hours on the phone, but i never got anywhere and then my 3-year warranty wore out. nothing to do now except use it as a doorstop!
I have DV6000 series. Runs hot as hell. Replaced the motherboard once already. (Nevermind the fact that when they try to fix my laptop, they crack side panel of my laptop, and then try to charge me $50 to fix it. I didn't bother with it because it didn't affect the function of laptop and didn't feel like arguing forever). Still run hot, definitely can't put it on my lap. Battery dies in 30mins. This is 1 and half year old laptop. When I had Vista on it, the computer turned on randomly. I put Windows 7 and it finally went away. HP makes crappy laptop.
HP Limited Warranty Service Enhancement
Unfortunately, many customers (myself included) have been unable to get service under this warranty enhancement (Hi Jeff).
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HP isn't declining in quality. They have solid dirt cheap computers at a high price since the mid 90's. Nothing new there. Sure they make some good servers and high end printers, but you pay through the nose for them.
However, it's not HP's fault that these laptops suck. When you buy a laptop with a massive GPU, known to have heat problems, and pair it with a processor also known to have heat problems, then cram it into a tight plastic case with a tiny fan... Guess what? It's going to last a year or two. Blame the manufacturer of your Legos, not the guy who put the Legos together for you.
If you want the games at a cheap price, then expect to replace your beast of a laptop every year or two, and always spring for the extended warranty because you'll use it.
I've repaired laptops for years and there's nothing you can do about a bad model except buy a better one. \"Repairing laptops\" means throwing away the broken parts and replacing it with a new, yet identical parts. There are no standards for laptops so each laptop has a unique motherboard and case design.
The suggestion about applying your own arctic silver to the CPU and GPU is a great one. It is a challenging task, but not one you should ever repeat in the life of a machine because cooling Grease does not wear out. It wears in.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-958230-100x100.png\")
I have a HP DV9000 that I bought back in 2007. The Video card burnt out a few months ago. I bought a replacement motherboard for $230 and now it's working just fine. In the process of replacing the motherboard, I cleaned out the heat sinks and fans really good and put on some high end thermal paste on the CPU and GPU. I also bought a notebook cooler for it.
When I contacted HP about this, they said it was out of warranty and they could do noting about it. They would sell me a motherboard for $400. I said \"Hell No\". For $400 I can get a cheapo notebook or netbook to surf the internet on. If this this craps out on me again, I'm just going to throw it away or sell it for parts. The GPU runs too hot. I will think twice now before buying another laptop from HP.
It was hard to get a motherboard for this thing. I had to order it directly from China and they only charged me half the price that HP would have.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-41865-100x100.png\")
@masterasia: You should have escalated this, since it is a common issue with that notebook. They continue to service mine even tho i bought it at the same time you did. The last time I sent it in I got a new motherboard (incl. graphic chip) & keyboard for nothing.
Ah, I'm glad I bought my Fujitsu tablet PC rather than a model in the HP TX series. HP's business class tablet line was supposed to be pretty good but I heard nothing but bad things about their consumer machines. I guess that makes sense though, considering the business machines cost twice as much.
@ogremustcrush: My laptop model was on the list of recalls but it had to have the serial number that HP would fix.@boxjockey68: We use Toshiba and Lenovo where I work and they all work great so far. None of them have crapped out yet.
I've filed a small claims suit because HP knowingly sold me a faulty laptop. I bought a DV6000 for $1100. A short while after it's original 1-year warranty expired, the laptop died. I got free repairs through an extended warranty program HP set up specifically for this problem. About a month ago, it died again. This time, HP wanted me to pay $300 to get the POS laptop fixed. Instead, I'm suing for a refund after the person at the \"highest level of customer care\" told me they weren't going to fix a laptop that contains defects HP knows full well shipped with the computer.
I served HP's local corporate contact the papers last week! Bottom line: AVOID HP!
@robotrevolution: Please write in to the editors when the case is complete. I think many readers would be interested in the results if successful.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-27264-100x100.png\")
I have the same tx1000z model and I've been running pillar to post to get the same issue fixed - no avail. The laptop that I'd cherished and bought in my first month's salary - literally burned down due to the heat it produced - and HP never accepted it - even though the GPU fault was acknowledged in other models with the SAME chipset.
I have hated HP for their shabby customer care, and their non-chalance. They will pay by losing a customer for life, and many more influenced by me. I've already bought my MBP - and hell yea - the 2 are almost uncomparable in terms of usability! Now I know why apple has such a loyal fan base.
I'd still like to see that HP fixes my old broken one. My wrath, along with that of many others, will not subside easily.
@immumo: I've spend many hours on the phone with their customer care - who simply dont care. And writing to Mark Hurd is as effective as writing to your own turd.
The bottom line is - they wont recognise the fault in this model, because the internal documents dont mention this model in the list of faulty ones. And why they wont see it is beyond me.
yep, i've sent mine in 5 times so far and its 2.5 years old now. Every time I call they tell me my warranty is expired but I point out that it was just in 3 months ago for the same thing so they keep fixing it. However, the fix is only temporary and lasts under 6 months of \"business\" use.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-78045-100x100.png\")
I have an HP dv6000 laptop. Only issue I've had with it is the battery went bad in about 18 months. Not a big deal to get a better one from eBay. My mother has an HP and she had a bad USB port. Replaced under warranty, no problems in two years since then.
My wife's Sony, on the other had, had a hard drive crap out in six months, and the wireless give out in about 4. I even replaced the wireless card myself, and it worked for a day before dying again. I think I'll stick to HP.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-131536-100x100.png\")
Okay, what a timely story to have, I will not buy HP and I will not buy Dell (That's what I have and am having soooooo many issues) I don't know what to buy, I know it will NOT come from walmart but can someone give me an idea what might be good and not too expensive??
@boxjockey68: What rickhamilton said. Lenovos have a good track record. I liked my Asus (back when I still used Windows PCs), but the casing was cheap and prone to breaking.
Dell's XPS 1530 series has the same GPU on it and they are all too painfully aware of the fix Nvidia left them in.
Mine's covered til 2012 under standard warranty, open-ended warranty on the main board if the GPU quits.
I pity the poor folks buying HP's and don't get the extended warranty for service. Their laptops do need it from what I gather.
You will find the same issue with most consumer laptops. Same as consumer tools, a craftsman or black and decker drill isn't going to drive screws all day long every day for years like a contractor grade tool will (dewalt or such). Like any product they are designed for a target market, the consumer grade its occasional use. I run my systems all the time so I go look for the business machines which are designed to be run all the time, same with my tools, since I do tend to do big woodorking projects I buy the higher end stuff so it holds up.
Tell me about it... I have friends with affected Presario V6000s and DV6000s.
My friend who got his V6000 'repaired' still had a pretty hot system. GPU-Z and Speedfan said the Northbridge was running at 106C (Fire hazard anyone?). The warranty is most likely no longer in effect so he's pretty much screwed over.
My other friends have had little luck with contacting HP as they wanted 400 per laptop. Might as well buy a new one then
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-490551-100x100.png\")
My HP tx2510us gets really hot when I play Counter Strike Source, TF2, or Crysis on it. However, when I use it for casual internet surfing, the fan doesn't actually get serious until an hour after several flash websites and 4chan. Switching from a poorly upgraded version of Vista Ultimate to Windows 7 also REALLY helps it lol
As always, I do recommend that anyone reading this keeps the inside of their computer tower clean and buy a compressed can duster to clean the vents of their laptops. You wouldn't drive a car with no cooling fluid, so don't use a PC that's about to schmelt itself due to poor ventilation & cooling. Also, do backups!!!
Was the HP laptop purchased with a credit card? If so, contact your credit card company. Many credit card companies double the manufacturers warranty as a benefit. And many people don't even know this is offered. Talk to them. Another option might be small claims court, which tends to be more consumer friendly, than not.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-222420-100x100.png\")
Next laptop, make it a TOSHIBA.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-1289380-100x100.png\")
I can't believe Comsumerist posted this article today- I literally got off the phone just hours ago with Andy, one of the case managers at HP- I have a TX1000, bought May 2007, failed Sept. 2008 and the mainboard was replaced- now it's failing AGAIN!! HP knows these machines are junk, it's the same issue (The AMD-Nvidia chipset) that they recalled another whole series of their laptops for.
So I guess the questions is, should all of us with this same issue resort to the EECB to see if we can create enough awareness/pressure with the brass to get some remedy?
My mother's laptop had similar issues. Turns out there was a recall on her model line for the issue and there was a year added for those specific problems. We sent it in and had it back within a couple of weeks. You may want to ask about recall notices on your laptop.
@ohnoes: The TX line (tablet PCs) is not included, even though they use many of the same components of the recalled models. The tablets also tend to be much more expensive...
I also have an HP TX1000. Luckily, I also have a 2 year accidental protection plan. I've used it twice in the 1.5 yrs I've owned the laptop. Each time, they replaced the motherboard because it ran too hot. I experienced the same wireless issues as well as graphics issues.
I don't know what I'll do when the protection runs out this November...
Guess I'm lucky....i've had a TX1000 from when it just came onto the market and its been running fine...
granted that it jets heat like a hair dryer...i leave it on or in sleep mode all the time.
Then again....I did order it directly from via HP with a custom build rather than from a big box store.....maybe that makes a difference???
Lenovos and ThinkPads I consider the tanks of the Laptop Industry..........I abused my Thinkpad T20 for a solid 4-6 years and the thing still worked like the day I bought it. It even spent a week in a puddle of water when I was on vacation and it still worked. Astounding.
We had this problem with the dv9408ca where it overheated, ruined the wifi card and refused to turn on again. It was over a year old.
Hp sent us a box Monday, fixed the motherboard replaced the wifi and we had it back by Friday and never had another problem with it.
Oh and they wouldn't call it a \"recall\" either even though they took back everyone with the same model numbers laptops.
They called it a \"Limited Warranty Service Enhancement\"
This is true! After Costco went through two years and the pending fifth repair for the same problem, a burned up video card and motherboard; they even gave up and refunded the full price of the HP Pavilion tx1000.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-623924-100x100.png\")
Does anyone know if Asus is decent? I'm taking a sort of leap of faith with them, having had my HP dv9225 laptop die too many times (once every 6 months almost). I bought an Asus cg5290 which is a beast of a desktop computer. I've read it has a kind of high \"right-out-of-box\" failure rate. The one I recieved came defective. I was expecting this. I don't mind too much, seeing as I've had a few things come defective to me that have actually lasted me a good long while. What I'm worried about is the desktop dying on me after I get my defective unit replaced. Anyone have any experience with Asus on warrenty repairs?
@Buri:
I know they ship empty boxes & pick up busted computers though FedEx express. At least in Canada anyways.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-269097-100x100.png\")
Clean the fans!!
I have a 2ish year old HP with the Turion CPU. they run hot! That's not HPs fault, any laptop with a Turion will nuke your kiddy makers. As long as i keep the fans clean its fine and dandy, due to the heat the CPU makes it needs a cleaning more often because the fan is on more.
I love this thing :)
It starts with the WiFi going out. You will spend hours with Tech support and get nowhere. I bought one for my daughter and she liked it so much (TX1000) I bought 2 more. At 12 months and 2 weeks, my daughters wifi went out. A week later mine went out. 2 weeks after that my Son's went out also. 3 for 3. I spent most of a year fighting with HP and got nowhere. You are out of warranty was all they had to say. This machine is not on recall, but most others are. HP says that there are no issues with the TX1000. I finally gave up and bought 3 new Macbook Pro's and we are all happier. Although, I was out about $1,800 each for the TX1000's. HP has the worse customer service I have ever encountered. They will not last long with that kind of PR...
I tried to contact Consumerist about this ages ago, and they never got back to or posted my concern. Finally, they decide to post something about the defective tx1000. Too little, too late I guess. I have a $1,200 paper weight.
I contacted the BBB, and news media outlets. None can do anything about it. Actually, owners of the tx1000 are in a dicey situation. HP's sales contract states that HP declines all warranties of merchantibility and fitness for use. Therefore, even if tx1000 purchasers wanted to sue, we might not able to. Different courts and different jurisdictions differ on whether a company can decline all warranties of merchantibility and fitness for use. We should've read the contract, but then again, how do you read the sale contract when you have to open the box before you get to the terms and conditions of sale? Companies do that on purpose, because once you open the box, you've accepted the terms and conditions. Dirty, right?
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-128370-100x100.png\")
The only reason I still have an HP laptop is because I keep buying extended service plan with ADP, and they replace the laptop after it is serviced four or five times. Supposed to be three, depends on if you can get the case manager to replace it. They have always ran hot and none of mine, but some have caught fire.
There are class actions at www.lawyersandsettlements.com
Well....i did a custom order build of a TX1000 and started experiencing the disappearing Wireless Card a couple months ago when i discovered the problems with the TX1000......
1st time I called...they stated the Motherboard replacement at 400$...
I sent an email via Mark Hurd's webpage on the HP Site....not asking for a free repair just describing my experience with the Unit and my disappointment that this widespread problem is not being addressed.
HP Customer Care did respond and called me with a reference #.......Called them back and discussed the issue with them.
They are still not admitting that their is a problem with the Graphics Chip on this model.
They stated that there was a problem with other models but not THIS one.....
They offered to repair the issue for 290$ = $ 315.00 with tax.......I said I'd think about it and call them back.
GIven that I am technically proficient I will probably do the HEAT FIX that is all over the boards. You can find the service manual online for this unit and how to properly disassemble.
Don't get me wrong...I love the HP TX Series.....I do wonder if they have fixed this issue in the new TX2 models.
Windows 7 64-bit runs wonderfully on the TX1000 Series I must say. I just hope the entire laptop doesn't die on me....I've been using a USB Dongle for Wi-Fi.
Happens with the zd8230us model as well, as I can unfortunately confirm.
This \"Laptop\" was so hot that I purchased a Logitech bluetooth desktop (MX5000) to get around having to touch the uncomfortably warm keyboard (don't even ask about having it on your lap).
Battery is fried too...
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![[www.fivebelow.com]](\"http://www.fivebelow.com/images/site1/content/home_main3.jpg\"){kind=link}
My wife's HP is the same way. It runs incredibly hot. In fact, some times it does and won't turn on again until it has had a while to cool off. HP doesn't seem to care a bit.
@thaJack: A thick folded up towel sits between my lap and the bottom of my HP laptop to keep the top of my legs from frying. Never getting an HP again.
@thaJack:
Same here with 2 laptops.
Mine is on its 3rd week in the repair shop. I have had it for less then a week this entire month.
They even took it for a week, saw the keyboard wasn't perfect, expected me to pay $400 to have them clean it, which I could do in less then 5 minutes with a paper towel. When I said no, it came back with stickers saying \"NO FIX\".
I guess all HP systems are part Easy bake oven.