- Report: #100390
Complaint Review: Hewlett Packard - Palo Alto California
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Hewlett Packard
3000 Hanover Street Palo Alto, 94304 California, U.S.A.
Phone:
650-857-1501
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Hewlett-Packard Warrenty ripoff "BAD BUG" or Sloppy down load You be the Judge Palo Alto California
My Pavilion a250n just turned 14 mo. old, in January I paired it with an hp psc 2510 photosmart printer. Though the a250n is far from an impressive unit it did the job ok with the printer. On 7/15/04 I started to print some photos and to my suprise my computer told me I had no printer after 7 mo. without a hitch. Now, I have until this point "blindly" installed all "required" HP downloads. After only min. of fooling with this shocking suprise up pops a "required" communication update for my EXACT printer problem, Great! But when this thing starts installing it NEVER stops, I can't do a thing with my computer, can't get online, can't print, It just keeps installing over & over for days.
I work for a living so it was not until 7/20/04 I was finaly able to contact HP with my problem, after explaining it I was told that it sounded like a software problem, Ok, Help! Only a tech could help me, but Suprise I was out of warrenty, I tried to explain it was a "required" hp download that had triggered the problem, I had two choices $40 bucks for a one time fix maybe, or $75 bucks for a one year, call anytime fix them all warranty extension which is the one I chose. I was then transfered to the tech line, I have NEVER spoken to a HP tech. While I waited 30 min. on the phone to speak to anyone I started to work with my computer, And just like nothing had ever happened I was able to get online, The only thing that was different was when I received from HP my ***CONFIRMATION OF SERVICE AGREEMENT PAYMENT*** receipt, the good bug was back. The truth was I didn't need a Tech, HP just needed a check. They got my gold and I got the shaft!
Robert w.
Crossville, Tennessee
U.S.A.
I work for a living so it was not until 7/20/04 I was finaly able to contact HP with my problem, after explaining it I was told that it sounded like a software problem, Ok, Help! Only a tech could help me, but Suprise I was out of warrenty, I tried to explain it was a "required" hp download that had triggered the problem, I had two choices $40 bucks for a one time fix maybe, or $75 bucks for a one year, call anytime fix them all warranty extension which is the one I chose. I was then transfered to the tech line, I have NEVER spoken to a HP tech. While I waited 30 min. on the phone to speak to anyone I started to work with my computer, And just like nothing had ever happened I was able to get online, The only thing that was different was when I received from HP my ***CONFIRMATION OF SERVICE AGREEMENT PAYMENT*** receipt, the good bug was back. The truth was I didn't need a Tech, HP just needed a check. They got my gold and I got the shaft!
Robert w.
Crossville, Tennessee
U.S.A.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Robin
Waldron,Arkansas,
U.S.A.
The infamous HP Updater, a trojan! Shut it down.
#2Consumer Suggestion
Sun, July 25, 2004
Robert, I am assuming that your computer came pre-loaded with the "HP Updater". This is nothing more than a backdoor trojan which allows HP to download anything into your computer without your knowledge. (HP, or any cracker that has figured out how to exploit this "open door"). To shut this thing off, go to Start>Run. Type "msconfig" (without the quotation marks)in the open box, click on the Startup tab and uncheck the box next to this insidious program. That will keep the Updater from loading at startup. You will still get prompts to let it access the network about once a month. Just refuse it access. I got the message that I had a critical update for my HP Photosmart. Hmmm, everything was working just fine, so I never downloaded it. I guess that was a good thing. HP has stepped over the line with this one, and I see a "HP-free" future for me.
