This just happened and I am not happy

[deadwoodgregg]

ItI bought a new HP laptop one month ago. I think it has a 90 day software and 1 year computer warranty.

The other day, I was using it and the HP Windows recovery page comes up on the screen. Windows was wiped from my computer.

I follow the instructions on the HP recovery page, but was unable to recover Windows.

So I call HP and it was determined that they needed to send me a Windows recovery disc.

The customer service representative tells me that because I ran the HP recovery that popped up on the screen instead of calling customer service first, they were going to charge me $150 for the recovery disc.

They said that they could waive the $150 charge if I purchased a $90 extended warranty.

I am not a techie, so I bought the extended warranty. I think that I got railroaded into the extended warranty.

Shouldn't this have been covered under my original warranty?

Bad business practice HP. I will not be purchasing your products in the future.

[Plateauplower]

I bought a Pretty expensive $2k? HP laptop a few years ago. Biggest piece of $hit I've ever used. Had problems about a month into owning it....Never again. Just return the entire thing if you can, if the merchant won't let you just dispute the transaction if it was on a credit card, then they'll take it back (Wish I would have done that)...Ive heard good things about some of the Acer or whatever laptops. I could use a new one, but am able to "get by" with an ipad for most things.... HP won't even start anymore unless my wife does stuff to it for an hour

[Cablebob]

I pretty much hate buying new computers and laptops.

They run well for 3 months and then they run and half speed for a year.

Then they die. Waste of money.

[Mark1T]

I have never had a problem with my Dell computers. Sorry to hear about your problems with HP.

Just a suggestion - tell them that you are loyal customer for many years and for the future and that you would appreciate them sending you the software with no other obligations or requirements. I have done that with Dell and they comply.

On recharge to soften the blow.

[Dave76]

Sound like extortion to me. You ran the HP recovery like any normal person would do. I mean, if it's HP's recovery process you did exactly what HP wanted you to do. They want you to use the process to hopefully cut down on service calls. I would have argued the charge to hell and back.

I'm typing this from an HP computer. When time to replace comes, I'll certainly remember this post.

[ChazWood]

If you can return it, do so.

Then LMK what features you need and I'll recommend a few options.

[induced_drag]

Total BS.

You do not need to buy a new liscense....you already paid for it. It should have your liscense number on a sticker on the bottom. Which in that case, you just need a win 10 recovery disk which you can get dirt cheap (without a key which you already have).

Hell....you can buy an entirly new Win 10 liscense for $100 for a legit copy and new serieal number.

FWIW, I just put "hp win 10 recovery" in ebay and they have several for 10-15$. But they should give you the recovery with the computer as you already paid for the liscense.

[ChazWood]

Total BS.

You do not need to buy a new liscense....you already paid for it. It should have your liscense number on a sticker on the bottom. Which in that case, you just need a win 10 recovery disk which you can get dirt cheap (without a key which you already have).

Hell....you can buy an entirly new Win 10 liscense for $100 for a legit copy and new serieal number.

Damn... $100 will get you a freakin' carton of legit Win10 DVD's from Jimmy down in Chinatown. Ask for "Ping" over at the Golden Dragon and he'll hook you up with Jimmy.

[Mark1T]

Damn... $100 will get you a freakin' carton of legit Win10 DVD's from Jimmy down in Chinatown. Ask for "Ping" over at the Golden Dragon and he'll hook you up with Jimmy.

Hey Chazzy, you know Jimmy, eh?

[Bando]

HP still makes computers?

[ElrondHubbard]

ItI bought a new HP laptop one month ago. I think it has a 90 day software and 1 year computer warranty.

The other day, I was using it and the HP Windows recovery page comes up on the screen. Windows was wiped from my computer.

I follow the instructions on the HP recovery page, but was unable to recover Windows.

So I call HP and it was determined that they needed to send me a Windows recovery disc.

The customer service representative tells me that because I ran the HP recovery that popped up on the screen instead of calling customer service first, they were going to charge me $150 for the recovery disc.

They said that they could waive the $150 charge if I purchased a $90 extended warranty.

I am not a techie, so I bought the extended warranty. I think that I got railroaded into the extended warranty.

Shouldn't this have been covered under my original warranty?

Bad business practice HP. I will not be purchasing your products in the future.

One of many reasons I use Linux. I’ve used a number of different brands of laptop over the years, finally settled on Dell for hardware. I have to use Windows at work, can’t stand to use it at home.

[Fishman15]

Like Mark mentioned Dell has been pretty good for me also over the years. I tried Lenovo a few years ago for my most recent and have been happy with it also. It almost sounds like HP is scamming you to buy their extended warranty. Oh but they can waive the fee for the recovery disk huh??? Sounds like a scam to me. Good luck Greg...

[ElrondHubbard]

Like Mark mentioned Dell has been pretty good for me also over the years. I tried Lenovo a few years ago for my most recent and have been happy with it also. It almost sounds like HP is scamming you to buy their extended warranty. Oh but they can waive the fee for the recovery disk huh??? Sounds like a scam to me. Good luck Greg...

Scam for sure. Those guys sound like the Wells Fargo of computers.

[OldFartTom]

I used to grumble about Dell and pledged to never deal with them again. But these days others have got worse and Dell stayed the same, so now Dell have become one of the better companies to deal with. At least it wasn't a Microsoft surface product, with their reliability (25% failure rate in first year) and industry leading worst customer service. So it could have been worse.

Buy a recovery CD... you might need it in future.

Most companies don't include recovery CDs, I just can't get my head around how that is supposed to be OK. Before you say how cheap Windows 10 is, look at the price of Windows 10 professional retail. Around $180! (not saying you need to pay that, just pointing out the price)

[ironwill2008]

This was me, a year ago, finally 'fixing' my HP printer that absolutely refused to recognize my Wi-Fi connection more than one time before demanding I re-establish the connection.



Many, many emails to HP's Customer "Service" went totally ignored. I'm using an HP laptop tp post this, and while it's been working OK, I know from past practice that it's just a matter of time before it follows that POS printer into the trash.

Back in the day, Hewlett-Packard was pretty much at the top of the mountain of electronics manufacturers. They, along with Techtronix, built the best test equipment in the World. My, how times have changed. While Techtronix still builds world-class electronic test equipment, HP has degenerated into a company that doesn't manufacture anything, but instead, merely imports and markets apparently poorly-made Chinese junk, and then thumbs their nose at the suckers who have problems with it.




HP, never again. Ever.

[Bando]

Most companies don't include recovery CDs, I just can't get my head around how that is supposed to be OK. Before you say how cheap Windows 10 is, look at the price of Windows 10 professional retail. Around $180! (not saying you need to pay that, just pointing out the price)

It's been awhile since I bought a brand new machine but IIRC the first thing it asks you to do out of the box is create recovery disks. Is this no longer the case?

[CaptChip40]

My 8 year old MacBook is going strong.

[OldFartTom]

It's been awhile since I bought a brand new machine but IIRC the first thing it asks you to do out of the box is create recovery disks. Is this no longer the case?

Personally... I create a disk2vhd image on an external USB drive every 2 months or so (kept offline), so I can roll back to that image. But is it reasonable to expect that as normal behaviour?

But yes agreed, definitely make backups (etc). If something can go wrong.. it will.

Too late though to say that to OP. Suggesting "you should have done xyz" after the event, it's likely to just irritate

[deadwoodgregg]

Thanks for the replies gents. The HP representative said that my Windows recovery disc should be here on Christmas day.

I had never seen an operating system fail before. Hopefully I can get it restored and have no further problems.

I don't have the laptop for any work related use. The only thing of value that I keep on it is my email.

Haven't spent big money on a laptop since the Gateway days. I usually buy a sub $500 laptop every 4 years. Online buying, social media, and some YouTube are my primary uses.

I will try to hit everybody that took the time to comment. Thanks.

[ironwill2008]

It's been awhile since I bought a brand new machine but IIRC the first thing it asks you to do out of the box is create recovery disks. Is this no longer the case?

I back up my pics, docs, and data to a high-quality external hard drive about once a month. When (not if) my laptop crashes (been through two over the years already, one a Dell that went bat**** crazy on me all of a sudden, the other a Toshiba that just kind of laid down and died), I just pitch it in the trash, like that POS hp printer, buy whatever is on sale at the time except hp, and transfer all my files to the new device.

[Bando]

My 8 year old MacBook is going strong.

On a 7 year old Dell, was originally over $1,500.

[Mark1T]

5-year old Dell XPS laptop 15". $1400 then. Replaced hard drive with Samsung 850 Pro Solid State Drive this past year myself. Made it a new computer.

[Bando]

5-year old Dell XPS laptop 15". $1400 then. Replaced hard drive with Samsung 850 Pro Solid State Drive this past year myself. Made it a new computer.

Hmm may have to look into this. Mine's a 17" Lattitude with the steel case. Would likely need a new OS since the current one is licensed to my employer and they won't support anything this old.

[Mark1T]

Hmm may have to look into this. Mine's a 17" Lattitude with the steel case. Would likely need a new OS since the current one is licensed to my employer and they won't support anything this old.

I spent some good time researching it. The Samsung 850 is the best and most dependable SDD with the very highest reviews. Got mine off Amazon. I would not buy anything else. I swear I could use this computer for a few more years. Only thing is that I need to latest MS Office and operating system.

I did it myself, but I had experience. To get someone to install it and copy all of your data would not cost much. Just get someone good if you hire. Add the OS and you will be set.

[Bando]

I did it myself, but I had experience. To get someone to install it and copy all of your data would not cost much. Just get someone good if you hire. Add the OS and you will be set.

I would do it myself, built desktops but never tampered with a laptop. All the files I'll ever need are on a private server my work provides for us.

Had a laptop get a full beer spilled on to it years ago, lost all the local files, learned my lesson at that point.