HP DM3 Completely Dead after 1 month - Very Strange Issue *Advice Wanted!*

I was a happy DM3-1030US customer for about a month until this morning when an incredibly strange and frustrating problem has rendered the laptop useless.

Last night when I finished using the PC I left it disconnected from the charger so it naturally ran out of juice and turned itself off.

This morning I plugged it back in and slid the power switch, the fans turned on power light lit up (but not caps lock and Wi-Fi light is orange) but the screen is completely black. The fans remain spinning, computer is clearly receiving power and turned on but nothing happens at all. I've tried leaving it in that state for 30+ minutes to no avail. I tried removing the battery for 20+ minutes then trying again to no avail. Most frightening of all I completely removed the power and turned on the PC via direct AC power with exactly the same result. This leads me to believe something has completely failed at a hardware level in this machine. Has anyone else experienced anything at all like this?

I'm very dissapointed that such an issue is occuring with a brand new machine like this. I've always thought the price I paid (around $500 from staples with multiple rebates) was too good to be true and now that appears to be the case. Unless HP is extremely graceful in their resolution of this matter I don't see myself purchasing another product from them again, which is a shame since I've purchased multiple laptops as well as my 30" monitor from them in the past. I was even considering purchasing the new Envy 14 when it's released.

Anyway, if anyone can help or at least chime in if they've had the same issue, it would be greatly appreciated.

 

It seems like the monitor is the culprit, although it could be something else. To make sure that it isn't your GPU or your laptop's LCD screen, plug in an external monitor. If the problem persists, it is probably your GPU or laptop's screen.

 

Azaloth - any update?
I have a dm3t and had a similar issue today. Mine was plugged into the charger overnight, this morning, led lights on (power, wifi, battery, charger), fan on, but nothing on the screen, tried plugging into external monitor with nothing on the monitor, multiple tries with HP support (remove battery, hard reset, etc) and nothing worked, plan to send back for repair. Any update on your issues?

 

Have you tried removing the battery , then hold the power button down for 20 seconds then re-install the battery plug in the mains power and see if it will turn on

 

Thanks - did try that 3 times with HP support on the line - no effect. The LED lights for the caps lock and scroll lock do not light up nor respond to the keyboard (while the other LED lights are on) - so I am worried it is more than just the screen.

 

Try a different charger. I had several HP ac adapters short out at the tips requiring the tips repaired. Or better yet, use a multimeter to test voltage

 

I'd say something went wrong with the video chip, or something at the hardware level as you assume. I'd warranty it and get over with it. Something similar happened to me on my old Gateway CX210X. I doubt it's the screen since the caps and scoll locks don't respond, which we can assume it hasn't even gone past the BIOS post to load the bios (basic input output system). Just my 2 cents.

 

Since your return deadline has ended I recommend sending it back to HP. They will pay for shipping and handling to and fro.

 

This is indeed EXACTLY what happened to me, seems there may be some glitchy video or motherboard hardware in there. It really pisses me off that HP would release a product prone to total failure like this, makes me regret being a tightwad and getting this instead of the Sony Vaio Z I've been eyeballing. I've purchased a lot of HP products in the past including their top-of-the-line 30" monitor, a previous 17" laptop, and several other laptops from HP/Compaq as gifts for other people.

When I called to return the DM3, I asked if thery'd be willing to let me pay the difference and upgrade to an Envy 13. I expected no resistance to this proposal since it's more dollars for them, less support overhead, and makes me a happy customer. I've done similar "return-ups" in the past with Dell and some other companies without issue. However, despite pleading my case to three different HP supervisors in various depatments I got absolutely nowhere with this.

They also have terrible call routing and I found the workers in their Indian call center to be obnoxious, poorly trained, and robotic in conversation (not unusual for Indian, just about anywhere else offshore is superior in my opinion). Needless to say this will be the last HP product I ever buy.

One bit of advice... return the battery, adapter and power cord. They will try to discourage you but insist. As others have mentioned, there could well be an issue with the adapter that shorts out the mobo or video hardware and the last thing anyone wants is to have their repair delayed for weeks (or a seconrd repair) because of not sending back the adapter.

At this point, I selfishly am hoping that this issue becomes widespread so that some sort of resitution is offered or at least the ability to trade to a different machine. To me it's competely unacceptable that a brand new machine barely a month old would have a critical failure issue like this.

Good luck to anyone else who runs into this issue. My advice - speed through the tech support calls and just get your computer sent in ASAP. There is no procedure that will get the DM3 working once it's in this situation (I tried the holding power button trick as well, which I had hopes for but it didn't work).

 

Thanks for the replies. I don't have another adaptor or multimeter to test further and am sending back ASAP for service. Thanks for the advice about the battery and charger as well.
Azaloth - when your unit was serviced - what did they say was wrong, what did they fix/exchange/replace?

 

I just sent the unit in so I have no updates as of yet. Their tracking shows they just received it so we'll see how long it takes them to turn around the repair. I paid the bloody $15 charge for an accelerated repair (7 biz days versus 2-3 weeks) because I can't afford to be without a laptop much longer. Hate that I had to pay it but it wasn't worth wasting any more time talking to the morons in their support department. My best revenge will be never patronizing HP again. I spend at least $2-$3k/year on computers and related components and HP will not be getting a penny of it.

I'll keep you guys posted as service on my PC gets underway.

 

Sorry but I didn't want to read the whole thread ---

sounds like either a logic board issue or monitor.

 

@ Azaloth

If you want to do a trade-up like you mentioned in your previous post(s) ask to have your case assigned to a manager. They are the only ones allowed to authorize such things. I had to deal with one when I bought a notebook a while back and it had nothing but issues. After a failed replacement he issued me a full refund six months after purchasing the laptop.

HP has excellent customer service, you just have to know how to get your case escalated to a manager ASAP. Normally support and supervisors can essentially do nothing. Hope I helped & goodluck.

P.S. The DM3 has horrible build quality get out while you still can!

 

Wow, thanks for this thread. I was considering getting a DM3 ( maybe), but after reading this thread I think I'll pass, and pass on HP in general.

 

I've had an HP DM3 since October 22 and have had absolutely no problems.

 

I understand that a few posts on a webpage somewhere isn't indicative of the entire user base, but it still gives me pause.

 

Well this certainly isn't good news...

I've got the 2010 refresh, the 1130us which has the same exact specs, but I hope that any 'issues' HP had they addressed with the 1130 version.

I just sold my old laptop for this one, so I certainly hope this thing keeps working for me!

 

Really sad to know that HP notebooks still continue to be time bombs. Even after such poor quality of factory built products, they have not learnt a bit.

 

They don't need to "learn". In fact, they have been knowing about the quality issues all along. But as long as it gives them profit, why should they bother?

 

Update - but still need help.
My DM3T returned within a week with note stated Motherboard and RAM replaced. Upon restarting, though, my SP9300 was replaced by SU7300. I called HP, immediately to case manager, who arranged return for repair, described as a "priority second service". Over a week now and the estimated return date has past, still working with case manager (who seems genuinely interested in helping), now status is the new return date 2 more weeks - if that's true, that'll be well over a month since laptop failed - a long time to do without. Any advice on working with HP and case manager to expedite things? Any insight from others with HP repair delays?

 

im always hearing of bad HP qc issues.. maybe i should just reject the shipment of my dm3 and go with some brand that has a better reputation.

 

I have the same EXACT issue... BUT I have a high end G60... What I do to fix the issue might not work for you but it's worth a shot... The issue doesn't always occur but when it does I put it to "Sleep" by clicking the power button when it's black and it goes to "Sleep"... Then I wiggle the mouse and it wakes up and finishes logging on like nothing ever happened. Try that and get back to me. I plan on purchasing a different model as that's one of many issues I'm having.

 

eh, I'm an owner of an HP TX1200 series laptop.

You'll find our laptop problems well documented here in this forum somewhere. Needless to say, I wonder if the graphics chip happened to have become unseated somehow.

When the graphics chip gets to that point, the laptop will power on, however, it will not boot to even the bios screen. The only way for us TX owners to get it to work even temporarily is to wrap our laptops up in a blanket or other similar insulating material to overheat the entire laptop and hope that the heat reinserts the graphics chip back onto the motherboard to get it to respond again.