I haven't had the vertical line issueS that I've learned of recently from many HP users. Yet since my initial HP purchase in December I've endured so many problems, it is difficult to remember them all in detail. My zd8000 is a replacement for the zd7000, an exchange we made in February because the 7000 ceased to provide a wireless Internet connect.
Since that time, our extended warranty has been the only thing that has kept our computer going this long. We've sent the computer in 3 different times for overheating.in all three cases, the computer would stay on for 15 minutes to 1 hour, then get hot on the outside and shut down. It couldn't be turned on again until I allowed it to cool for several minutes.
Each time, HP claimed we don't have a warranty anymore, though our warranty doesn't expire until March. And each time, we've had to argue with several different reps, and repeat our information several different times, before they finally acknowledged our warranty and agreed to service the product. This has usually taken more than one phone call over a period of 1-2 weeks.
The first two times, they had Fed-Ex pick up the computer for us, but the third time, we had to take the box down to Fed-Ex ourselves. I don't feel I should have had to do this as it is not my fault that the machine overheated, but rather, the fault of their crappy hardware.
Every time this has happened, HP has had to replace my motherboard and hard drive and wipe my computer. They've also replaced two fans. This has meant that on 3 occassions, I've had to reinstall/re-register all of my software, which has cost me about a week's worth of time in personal labor and phonecalls. Often, I've lost the registrations for my software because the information was saved in the computer itself. I of course couldn't back it up before sending the HP in for service because the thing kept overheating and wouldn't stay on long enough for me to do so.
I also had to have a battery replaced because it stopped charging. They initially tried to make us pay $80.00 for that and say that our warranty didn't cover the battery. We told them, "No way, " because once that battery was replaced, something else would probably go wrong. And we were right... That happened just before the third overheating crash.
This was a Christmas gift from my husband that has instead turned into a movie sequel: "The Nightmare AFTER Christmas." Our phone calls have exteneded as high up the ladder as HP corporate headquarters, where we've BEGGED them to just let us send them this crappy machine back in exchange for a refund. They refused.
Furthermore, I've owned computers since 1994, and I have NEVER had problems with any computers like I've had with HP. I'm not a novice user. I'm in fact, quite good with computers. That is why the only time I have problems with other machines is when I have a virus or a power outage. Yet, in addition to the three overheating issues and the one battery issue, I've had more problems with my 8000 than I can remember anymore. And whenever I've called HP, I've been forced to go through elementary troubleshooting steps that either I've already tried, that have nothing to do with the problem, or that I can't understand because they are from an overseas worker who doesn't clearly speak English. It's not surprising, therefore, that the troubleshooting never works.
If there is a class action suit for the zd8000 like it was for the zd7000, I definitely want to participate. I could probably claim damages for the mental anguish from the inconvenience I've endured, and the time I've lost dealing with this crashing computer as opposed to writing my next novel or working on my website (I am a published author). But all I want at this point is for HP to just refund my money so I can send this piece of garbage back and get a computer that works.
Thank God I've had enough experience with other computers to know that there are machines out there that perform better than this, that the old theory, "All computers are the same, " is a bunch of malarky. That's why I want a refund, so I can go out and get one of those better machines, and forget the day that I ever heard of HP.
Macey
Altamonte Springs, Florida
U.S.A.
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