Horrible Chat Support

I decided to chat to a "certified" tech concerning my DVD/CD-RW drive. It would not recognize burned cds. It was me that suggested a firmware upgrade, the tech was about as unhelpful as you could imagine. There was a couple five minute breaks before the tech said something. Total time 45 minutes, just chatting! I just ended my chat where I started. They had a firmware upgrade, but not for my newer drive version, how helpful. I swear this is some dude in India. Notice her proper English (lack thereof). I started predicted her respones, okay, I see, sure, SHUT UP! Get ready to read a book, or you can just scan through it:


Helen
Hello Nathan,

Helen
Welcome to HP Total Care for Presario notebooks. My name is Helen. How may I assist you today?

Nathan Huth
Hi my DVD/CD-RW will not reconize any recorded cds.

Helen
I see.

Nathan Huth
The cds work on other computers, not mine

Helen
Is DVD's working?

Nathan Huth
I have not tried playing any recorded dvds, it can play movie dvds

Helen
Okay.

Nathan Huth
when i try inserting a burned cd, it says it it blank

Nathan Huth
cd-r and cd-rw cds

Helen
May I know the serial number of the notebook?

Nathan Huth
one min

Helen
Sure.

Nathan Huth
**********

Helen
Thank you.

Nathan Huth
th exact problem is the drive only reconizes the empty space of a recorded cd. it reports the total space to be only that of the free space left on the cd

Helen
I see.

Nathan Huth
regelar cds and dvds work fine, its only burned cds that are the problem

Helen
In what speed you are burning?

Nathan Huth
i have not burned any cds with this pc

Helen
Okay.

Helen
Are you able to burn from this notebook?

Nathan Huth
i can try

Helen
Please try once.

Nathan Huth
burning

Helen
I see.

Nathan Huth
it can burn, but the drive will not reconize the file I burned to the cd

Helen
Okay.

Nathan Huth
i have tried upgrading the firmware, but the program says it can not be used for the selected device

Nathan Huth
i used the update file off the hp website

Helen
Is the firmware update installed?

Nathan Huth
no

Nathan Huth
can yo u please locate me to the correct firmware

Helen
Sure.

Nathan Huth
your website directed me to the "DVD/CDRW Drive (GCC-4243N) Firmware Update" page. My hardware is "GCC-4244N", not "GCC-4243N".

Helen
Okay.

Helen
Nathan, the correct firmware update is not available for the CD/DVD drive.

Nathan Huth
why not?

Nathan Huth
why do you give me a product without a driver?

Nathan Huth
when can i get it?

Helen
The firmware update is not a driver.

Nathan Huth
where can I get it or when will the firmware be available?

Helen
As the update is released you will be informed via Email.

Helen
Please follow these steps:

Helen
1. Right Click on My Computer.

Helen
2. Select Properties.

Nathan Huth
ok

Helen
3. Click on the Hardware Tab.

Nathan Huth
then device manager

Nathan Huth
im there

Helen
4. Click on Device Manager button.

Nathan Huth
ok

Helen
Click on the (+) before the Optical drives.

Nathan Huth
okay

Helen
Right click on the drive and select uninstall.

Helen
Uninstall driver.

Nathan Huth
i clicked ok, it is asking me to restart

Helen
When it is done, restart the notebook.

Nathan Huth
and then?

Helen
Are you using the same notebook to chat with me?

Nathan Huth
yes

Helen
After restarting the notebook, use the CD's to check whether they are recognizing.

Nathan Huth
if not?

Helen
If that dose not work, restore the notebook to factory settings.

Nathan Huth
what will that do?

Nathan Huth
how is that going to solve the firmware problem, it will only downgrade all m drivers, firmware to factory settings

Helen
That will take the notebook to factory settings, which is originally shipped to you.

Nathan Huth
it didn't work when it was shipped to me!

Helen
I see.

Nathan Huth
that is not going to solve my problem

Helen
As you said from the day one the drive is not working.

Nathan Huth
correct

Helen
I suggest you to take the notebook to the notebook vendor.

Helen
The retailer.

Nathan Huth
the vendor was hpshopping.com

Nathan Huth
i can not take it back because, I already submitted for the mail-in rebate

Nathan Huth
what can I do?

Helen
Nathan, please call 1-888-999-4747 regarding this.

Nathan Huth
what will this number take me to?

Helen
HP shopping department.


CHAT SESSION ENDED

 

From the responses it almost looks like it is computer generated with grammar erros to make it look human. Some people have had decent luck with chat things, but for the most part I try to deal with jsut the phone tech support. You can get stuff addressed much sooner, and most of the time get your problem fixed.

What program are you using for burning? What exactly were you burning? Can the drive read other burned cd's correctly? Can other computers read your burned cdr's?

 

I fixed the problem by uninstalling the Windows driver, and had Windows reinstall it. I can't believe there is no firmware anywhere for my drive!

 

Firmware updates usually only come about for MAJOR issues. Something like you problem would be found quite fast in the orignal testing, and it would relate back to a driver problem like you found out. I think my plextor drive in my computer had 2 updates, but that was to add support for faster dual layer stuff, and some form of media that came about that turned out to be popular.

 

Aw man, why you gotta hate on us Indians?

 

I'm so sorry. I don't have anything against Indians, I have something against the U.S. companies who are sending jobs overseas. It is just not like it used to be, tech support that stays here.

 

Yeah, I'll admit that the outsourced tech support to India will be much more frustrating to most people rather than American or Canadian tech support except for the Indians themselves that call of course.

 

Frankly I do not see what is wrong in the chat session. (It does not matter who is other side, most 1st line of support are not that tech savy, in all most all tech supports). Actually trying to re-instal the driver is typical thing you should have tried even before going to chat.

I seriously think somethings are messed up in you laptop for sure( even in this case it is driver issue, not a hardware problem) as was the Processor driver problem.

I am surprised you are not aware of the difference between a driver and firmware!..

And also sounds like you have little less patience to try things first. So I would strongly suggest do a fresh install on your laptop first.

 

My laptop is fine for now. I know the difference, it was just a slip, I am so sorry. Helen wasted no time correcting me. I did try upgrading the firmware before going to chat. What do you have against me Chinna?

 

I too don't find anything wrong with chat session. When the CSR asked you to "uninstall", it's one way of re-installing drivers. You basically uninstall the device and when you reboot Windows, it will detect new hardwares, and install drivers.

Chinna do not have anything against you... if I remember it right, Chinna's been patiently helping you in your "V2000Z gripes" thread.

I suggest that you do a fresh install, then test all the hardware. If something is not working with the factory default settings, then you can either contact HP for support or return it to them.

 

I absolutely do not have anything agaist any one. Sorry if I hurt your feelings. But I have been seeing all your posts and try to answer most things I am aware of. You are asking for answers, but not implementing suggestions people suggested.

And I again I am trying to answer most V2000z question as I have and I know good and bad about it.( having been thru several laptops, I like this one).

 

I've had 3 separate experiences with the online technical support, and all have been positive. Responses were relatively fast (I did not expect quick responses), tone was friendly, and all the information was adequate and knowledgeable. As a disclaimer, these were all more concerned with technical aspects of the product than actual problems, so perhaps they have an easier time with that. In addition I spoke to the same tech (Brooke) three times (perhaps they use the same pseudonyms, who knows) so the experiences were consistent.

From experiences with dealing with tech support with other companies, I would advise you to use phone support whenever possible, as there is more of a personal touch to it and responses are much quicker. Online chat would probably be best for technical questions rather than problem solving IMO.

 

I'm not sure why you kept insisting on having a firmware update anyhow. The problem you described initially would likely have nothing to do with the firmware and more to do (as you found out) with either the driver or a bad drive.

 

Afterall, new firmware is released from the OEM of the drive, not HP. Although I do not have good experience with the HP online chat support, I do not see a problem with your session. I have a rediculous chat that the technician does not know anything (hardware options or standard pre-installed software) about my DV4000CTO. The chat was terminated in a crash after 20min and I have no reason to go back to continue the chat. Trust me, this forum would be much more useful then their online chat.

 

funny about that- i chatted to an online tech about a overheating problem, and the conversation was almost identical to that.