What follows is a day-by-day, sometimes hour-by-hour account of my experience with my ‘new’ HP Pavilion d4790y desktop computer. After spending more than 60 hours on the phone with overseas support, loading and unloading my applications and data and sending the unit back to the factory for repair, twice, I decided to purchase an Apple iMac. Funny thing. The Leopard operating system has been copied so well by Microsoft that there is almost no learning curve for the iMac. The only difference is that Leopard works and Vista doesn’t.
If you want the Cliff’s Notes version, read my letter to Hewlett-Packard President Mark Hurd.
Yipee! New computer coming soon.
2/19/2007
Ordered new HP Pavilion computer with a 22-inch monitor, from HP Education store. Order shipped on 3/2/2007. I waited until early July to load my software and data on the computer because I knew that Windows Vista did not provide drivers and patches for all of my software.
Long hot summer...
~7/4/2007
Spent three days loading my application software and data on the new HP computer.
~7/6/2007
Computer began to freeze up and finally crashed with a boot disc error. After that, the PC would not boot at all. HP customer support sent a recovery disc which was supposed to fix the problem. It didn’t.
~7/10/2007
Called HP support again to report the recovery disc did not work. They sent another disc that did not work either. Up to this time I had spent about 4-6 hours on the phone with support.
~7/13/2007
I received authorization to return the unit to HP for repair since I was out of the 21-day warranty period when I could have returned the unit for credit.
7/26/2007
HP repair center replaced the primary hard drive and shipped the unit back to me.
7/28/2007
Spent another two days loading my software applications and data on the repaired unit.
8/4/2007
Control panel disappeared. HP support had me do a system restore from safe mode and download and install a new Nvidia graphics driver. System restore uninstalled all my software applications, but the OS is working again. I spend another couple of days reinstalling my software applications.
8/17/2007
Ordered three-year HP Smart Buy CarePack extended warranty and in-home service plan.
8/20/2007 7:30-8:15 pm
Computer is locked up due to invalid Vista Home Premium product key. Repair center installed new copy of OS without replacing product key tag. HP support recommends I do another system recovery. I refuse to install my software applications again. Besides, that has nothing to do with an invalid product key. HP told me to call Microsoft for product key since it is their software.
8:15-8:50 pm
On hold with Microsoft for 30 minutes. Product key generator not working. Call back in one hour.
9:30 pm
Called Microsoft again. Product key generator still not working. Call back in in 10-15 minutes.
9:55 pm
Called Microsoft again. After being on hold for ten minutes got recording that product key replacement service ends at 7 pm Pacific time.
8/21/2007 8:05 am
Called Microsoft again and finally got new product key.
9/25/2007 7:32 pm
Upon system start, received message that a RAID0 back up drive is failing. Opened Intel Matrix Storage Console and found that I do not have privilege to manage RAID volumes.
11/9/2007 ~ 8 pm
HP customer support had me change boot routine to enable diagnostic message. Unplug network cables and peripherals, boot into safe mode and do a system restore. There is no system restore earlier than 9/25 when drive failed.
8:30 pm
HP customer support says that problem is with the system giving me an erroneous error message, that the hard drives are not really failing. Their suggested fix is to restore the PC to factory settings. I refused to reload my software and data (a two-day job) for the third time. My ticket was escalated to a case manager who will call me between 1 and 2 pm on Monday, November 12.
10 pm
Found blog entries alluding to a problem with iTunes and/or QuickTime on a Vista computer with a RAID array. Intel acknowledges the issue but has not issued a fix.
11/26/2007
Continued using computer with daily backups until the second hard drive failed today. Loaded Norton Internet Security update. PC hangs on web access. Tried using system restore to repair errors. Now both hard drives are failing.
11/27/2007
Spoke with HP customer support and requested Windows XP instead of Vista. My request was refused.
11/28/2007
Checked with HP trade-in program to see what my unit was worth. Unit not accepted for trade-in. CPU and 24-inch monitor are worth about $200 through Costco’s computer recycling program.
11/29/2007 7:45-8:15 pm
Called HP customer service to notify them of error on primary hard drive and my doubt that they will be able to fix it so that it will not need repair again. Representative Ruchika stated unequivocally that if I send the unit back to HP, she will “guarantee that it will work for one year.” She then said she was transferring my call to someone else, but after waiting for 10 minutes I disconnected the call.
12/14/2007 8:32 am
HP received my unit for bench repair in Jeffersonville, Ind.
12/20/2007 8 pm
Received PC back from factory repair and opened box. Outer box was in poor condition; corners were dented, there were footprints on the box. There was no documentation inside the box.
The system had not been taken out of ghost mode, the system prep tool dialog appeared upon start up. Unable to turn off system prep tool. System now has an admin password (not mine) and I am unable to do any re-configuration.
8:30 pm
Called HP customer service for admin password and help turning off system prep tool.
8:45 pm
Got instructions to turn off system prep tool. Restarting without system prep. I insisted that they stay on the line until I validated the OS since I had so much trouble with this the last time the system was sent for repair. During OS validation, system says I have an invalid product key; product key on sticker is invalid; product ID given by Microsoft on 8/21/2007 call is also invalid.
9:08 pm
Have to call Microsoft to activate by phone. Insisted that HP support remain on line during call. Unable to validate installation ID, new product key, no product ID. Used product ID on label to received unlock key. Call ended at 9:08 pm with HP and Microsoft.
Out of the frying pan, into HP hell....
12/27/2007 4:41 pm
While loading MP3 files received this message:
“A drive in a RAID0 array is failing. Try to back up data immediately.”
4:42 pm
PC rebooted on its own and performed a disk check during reboot. On reboot, received this message “Error occurred(0)” next to secondary hard drive ID.
4:48 pm
Called HP customer service and told them I had this message in my task tray:
“RAID volume errors – Some data requests to a hard drive in a RAID0 volume failed. But a backup may be possible. Please try to back up date immediately.”
4:55 pm
HP customer service stated I needed to be transferred to a case manager who would call me back within 24-48 hours.
Apple lust
12/28/2007
After adding up hours spent dealing with HP times $60 per hour ($3,600), plus initial cost of HP: $2,100, I decided to cut my losses and get a replacement unit. It will be cheaper in the long run. Went to Apple store and ordered the new 24-inch iMac.
Brrr... relationship with HP cools down... do they know I got an iMac?
1/5/2008 11:29 am
Still no call from HP case manager, so I called customer service again. After asking me to repeat my problem, they will escalate my case. I will receive a call back within 24-48 hours.
1/11/2008
No contact from HP case manager
1/25/2008 3:30 pm
Still no call from HP case manager, so I called customer service again at 1-800-474-6836. Their phones have a recording saying that they are unable to take calls at this time.
3:35 pm
Went online to enter the following support request on web:
When did you purchase your product? February 2007
Product HP Pavilion d4790y CTO Desktop PC
Select a problem area: hard drive/storage devices
What is your operating system?: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 32
If there is an error message, please specify: A drive in a RAID0 array is failing. Try to back up date immediately.
Problem Description: I have been waiting for a case manager to call me to authorize returning the unit for repair since December 27, 2007. I have called in a couple of times on this. Now your phones are not even taking calls.
Please provide previous troubleshooting steps, or information that can help HP assist you.: I have an HP Smart Buy CarePack extended warranty and in-home service plan, but your support refuses to honor it.
Has anything changed since the unit functioned properly (installation of SW, settings, cabling, etc.): No, just loaded some data on it.
1/26/2008 12:36 pm
Email response from HP Total Care:
Thank you for contacting HP Total Care.
I understand from your e-mail that you receive the message saying, “A drive in a RAID0 array is failing” on your HP Pavilion d4790y CTO Desktop PC. I also see that you have not received any call from the Case Manager for the replacement of the Drive.
I realize the importance of this issue and will make sure that I give you appropriate solution to resolve the issue. However we do not have any record of any previous interaction.
According to our database your computer is still under warranty. To isolate the issue I recommend you to perform a Hardware Diagnostic Test on the Harddrive by following the steps mentioned in the website below.
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/genericDocument?docname=c00849402&cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en&jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN
1/31/2008 8:00 pm
My reply to HP Total Care:
Thank you for your response. No errors are returned on the diagnostics. The only errors reported are on boot, the secondary disc reports “Error occurred” and once into Windows, I get the RAID 0 array error pop up from the system tray.
2/5/2008 8:00 pm
My follow-up to my 1/31 reply to HP Total Care:
I would like to get a resolution to my problem as soon as possible. Is there a chance that you can review my response sent on 1/31/2008 and get back to me?
2/18/2008 9:35 am
Follow-up to my 2/5 follow-up to HP Total Care:
Hello in there. You have not replied since my response to you on 5 February. Can you resolve my hard drive problem or not?
10:31 am
Email response from HP Total Care:
After going through complete correspondence, it is apparent that the issue is with the hardware of the Harddrive and needs to be replaced and therefore requires the personal attention of a Service Technician.
To initiate the process of replacement of the unit, please respond with the following information:
[information that has been submitted to HP several times and indeed, is included in the body of the email conversation]
11:00 am
My reply to HP Total Care:
Resubmitted information that has been submitted to HP several times and indeed, is included in the body of the email conversation.
11:22 am
Email response from HP Total Care:
I have updated your information in our database and created a case. You will be receiving a call within 48 business hours from the concerned department.
2/19/2008 8:35 pm
No response from HP regarding my case. Read response to my letter to Mark Hurd rceived today.
2/21/2008 3:15 pm
Received a phone call from an HP corporate case manager due to letter to CEO. Guess it pays to go to the top. I explained that I have a $2100 boat anchor that needs to be returned for repair and in order to return it I need to speak with a case manager and I have been waiting for a call from a case manager since December. Lorraine said she is a corporate case manager and will try to help me.
Lorraine was very clear that they could not now load my unit with Windows XP and that if I had a software problem with Windows Vista, there was nothing they could do. I explained that my problem seems to be with the Intel software for the RAID1 array controller mangling the hard drive(s).
Later today I received a confirmation that they are shipping me yet another box (number three) with shipping labels to return my unit. If I can't sell my unit, maybe I can sell boxes.