HP pavillion disaster - White Screen now at the end of this.

Dealing with the HP Pavillion Notebook DV800Z has been the worst consumer experience I have ever had with a companyor product. I purchased my notebook for over $2000 dollars an online salesman convinced me I should "Get the best." I am an instructional designer and work on my computer daily. I telecommute some days so it was very important that I have a media capable computer. I develop online training and websites.

During the warranty period the product was usable but not what was evangelized in the sales pitch. Media Version needs tutorials on assembling and hooking up the media center and tv hook up. Never worked really well.

It almost seemed like a bomb went off in the computer the week after it was out of warranty. I purchased my computer in February or March of 2005. I bought the Media Center edition with supposedly all the bells and whistles. I am a real technical person and not a novice user.

First issue: media port for memory card not working. Told it was the card had to always use a usb connection to download pictures and media. Annoying and not as promised. I dealt with it rather than send it in for a week for a media card reader.

Remember, I use this computer DAILY for several hours at a time.

Secondly: the hard drive crashed. I have had horrible customer service, first call I got a foreign national with an accent so bad I could hardly understand. I was sent to a more local technician that was a little better. I was given wrong information from the first technician who said I could pay 200+ dollars and get an extension on my warranty since it was so close. I paid for the extension. Then a supervisor came on the line, after I had paid for the warranty extension, and told me that I would have to get the repair, then wait three months and if nothing else went wrong I could get the additional warranty extension. I also had to pay again for the repair so that the box would be shipped out. The warranty extension I purchased would be refunded to my credit card within two billing cycles since it already went through.

They also said that at the repair center they would troubleshoot everything and make sure it got back to me meeting the original factory specs for quality. It would be as good as a new one off the assembly line.

I sent it in, and had to live without it for several weeks. Cost nearly 300.00 for the repairs. Obviously that quality check not happen. Things were wrong immediately.

When it got back to me, the dvd drive was making noise. They said to send it back in. I could not be without it for that long again so soon. I was told I could not buy an additional warranty until it had been working well after the repair, for over three months. I would have to send it in and pay extra again for the dvd repair and wait again so I could get a warranty.

Today was the final straw.
Now I have a computer that boots up and you can see the Windows logos perfectly on boot up and then the whole LCD screen goes to a white screen. Their option for me, you guessed it, pay over 300 in advance send it in and they will repair it and send it back.
I am ABSOLUTELY disappointed in this product. The paint is chipping off the front over the harmon kardon speaker area. I have a docking station and a well protected laptop bag. This should not be happening. I have started scraping the paint chips off with my fingernails so that the front looks silver rather than looking like an old paint chipped barn.

I have received poor quality equipment, poor quality service, and feel like I have been lied to at several turns. I am computer and internet saavy. There are many sites that take reviews and I will be glad to add this to as many of them as I can find.

 

Have any of you a solution to the white screen issue. I am frustrated with this and need a solution.

 

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Don't have alot of time since my sewer line is clogged up right now, and I need a whole new sewer lateral installed $$$$$$$$$$ ... but..


Just as a thought... you may have some type of recourse thru your credit card company...


PS: in the link in my sig you "may" find some more info in the dv8000 keyboard thread (tips on dealing with HP)..


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A Google search for "hp white screen" turned up several solutions on the first page (links to forums with links to solutions). Alternatively, you could do a search for your model number and "white screen".

 

HDs and optical drives are very easy to swap out, the only reason I'd consider allowing HP's techs to get their grubby little hands on my notebook is to get those components repaired under warranty and even then I'd be hesitant. Both of those components have high failure rates, it's just their nature. Most HD OEMs are good about replacing HDs directly, I usually buy a newer/better drive and eBay the replacement when it arrives. I'm not sure if HP will replace a HD without having to send in the entire notebook or not.

Not sure what went wrong with your memory card reader. The fact that it uses a USB interface ought to be irrelevant. I'd try installing newer drivers for the reader or even just removing the card reader in Device Manager and letting Windows redetect it. If you updated drivers via Windows Update, that will often break notebooks. It's possible that there's a hardware failure but I doubt it.

The white screen is the annoying one. sanpabloguy's advice is spot-on. HP should have engineered the screen cabling connection better.

I'm not excusing HP's poor service, but sadly just about every PC company is like that. They can be avoided much of the time though with a little help from your friends here ;-D.