hershey
Albuquerque,(fulltime) NM, USA
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Joined: 06/04/2003
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Bought a new desktop HP computer with Vista last October. After a few weeks it started running erratic, I blamed it on Vista. Kept locking up, reformatted hard drive with HPs direction twice, no help.
Finally after numerous chat sessions online with HP they diagnosed it as needing a new CPU. Sent it back to HP, they returned it (to the wrong address, took me a 400 mile round trip to retrieve it) and it worked great for 6 days - Now its back to its normal routine of locking up and has just become unusable. If I return it again to HP they will send it to the address I'm returning it from, they can't figure out how to send it to my real home address (we fulltime). I can't sit still at present location for the 10 day turnaround. Anyone found themselves in the same predicament?
hershey - albuquerque, nm
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Road Ruler
Canada
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Joined: 09/11/2003
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I always bought IBM computers because for thirty years I worked for the company. But, the last IBM was a dog so I now have an HP with Vista. Not perfect but works well overall.
HP is a quality company. Try to work with them with a friendly but firm manner. I would say you are on the verge of asking for a new PC.
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YC 1
Yuba City Calif.
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Joined: 01/11/2005
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If that was my computer I would buy a new power supply at office depot or staples. They are not real expensive and very easy to replace. A power supply will drive you nuts someimes. I have replaced many of them. The power supplies are really plug and play.
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dodgerdog
Whittier California
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If your computer is locking up you either have a bad motherboard (ECS/Elite) Brand from frys does it all the time with thier combo deals... or You have a heat problem... CPU gets hot and freezes CPU fan not doing its job... Bad memory... But that usually results in the blue screen of death message... My bet you have a bad motherboard... I've built quite a few as a hobbyist... And some brands are so cheaply made they begin to have a history of the problem... If they replace the mb the last time you sent it in I'd start looking at a bad memory module... But extreamly important to make sure your cpu and case fans are doing thier jobs... It seems the faster they make the cpu the more heat they produce and this is a killer for a computer.... But I like hp for most things... I have a laptop about 1 1/2 years old and had to send it in twice to get the screen repaired... Now my built in Mics are broke and they won't touch it unless I shell out a few hundred bucks... It just to be hit and miss with them...
Mike
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del7226
Lake Stevens, WA
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Joined: 07/14/2008
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If you have the CPU in a cabinet have the door open so that it can get some cool air. I have seen electrical equipment left in a cabinet with the door closed and the heat buildup is awful.
The heat will cause any computer or other electrical equipment to fail.
DVR’s Satellite control boxes are prime examples. Be sure to leave a door open and sometime a small fan to bring in more air is necessary. Turn off and unplug all the electrical equipment that gets hot if you’re going to close the doors.
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comone
Wainwright AB
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Joined: 07/13/2008
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I worked for HP for a time during the rool out of the great Windows ME, lol, ok now thats out of my system. More often than not HP low balls the power supply, 185 watts where it should be 400 watts. So here is what to look at, how many usb devices are you plugging in. With the HP ME machines as soon as you plugged in usb there was not enough power to run the pc. Now with vista you also need to look at how much ram you have, if you do not have 2 gigs at a minimum then get more. Chances are your video card shares the memory. But as mentioned above grab a new power supply. You can take it to a computer shop have them put it on the bench an see what the voltage output is and you will find out in a hurry if thats the problem.
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hershey
Albuquerque,(fulltime) NM, USA
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Heres some more info on my computer:
Comone's advice about the power supply sounds good to me:
Right now the computer locks up from the get-go when its first booted up. The longer I wait to allow it to go thru the freeze/unfreeze routine the better it runs. After a few hours, it runs pretty stable - with that I kind of rule out overheating.
As for the USB overload: The computer has 5 USB ports.
1 port = printer
1 port = Verizon air card
1 port = Verizon air card (it uses two USB ports)
1 port = External 4 port USB powered hub (with AC power to it)
On the 4 port USB powered hub I have two backup drives, each with two USB plugs = 4 hubs.
2 gig of memory. Running Vista with Serv pac 1 (problem started way before Serv pack 1 was available.
I couldn't find any information as to the size of the power supply.
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jauguston
Bellingham, WA
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Joined: 07/03/2005
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Suprising thing sometimes happen. I have a HP DV4000 laptop that I bought extended warranty on and it has really payed for itself. It was within 3 months of being out of warranty when it started shutting off on its own. HP tech determined the hard drive was bad. They sent a box and I sent it in. After three notices of delay I got it back a month later. I looked on the back and the HP information decal and the Microsoft Windows decal were both missing. They had replaced the piece they were on and didn't transfer them to the new part.
I called tech support and told them that was not satisfactory as all the product ID information was on those two stickers. The tech said they would get back to me.
Two days later a HP case manager called me on the phone and told me they could not replace those ID decals ---- and --- would I be willing to accept a replacement new laptop to resolve this issue !!!!!!! DUH!
I am typing this on a HP Pavilion DV6700 that came Fedex today. I still can't believe it. I was using a D-Link "N" pcmia (sp) adapter with my D-Link "N" router. No place in the new one for it so I asked the case manager if they would upgrade the comparable product laptop she was ordering for me to a built-in "N" wireless adapter she said sure and it is in there. Wonders never cease!!
Jim
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tibbitts
Norman, OK
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Joined: 12/15/2002
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I don't know about HPs, but some "proprietary" desktops don't accommodate generic power supplies, so replacing one might be costly.
Paul
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Kamphiker
South Florida (this 'aint paradise anymore)
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Joined: 07/09/2002
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unplug all USB connections and any other external connections that may be attached.
Boot up the computer, any difference ?
Next, I would look at your start up programs and disable any that are not needed, Any difference in your computer now ?
Look in your TASK MANAGER under PROCESSES and see what is chewing up your memory. Also you can see what processes are running that you do not really need.
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