Hewlett-Packard nukes your hard drive to repair the letter 'P'
Consumerist reader Marjan returned her Hewlett Packward laptop for an in-warranty repair.
The problem? A broken letter 'P.'
HP's solution? To fix the 'P'... then nuke the hard drive.
In truth, this isn't uncommon: back when Joel and I wrote The Consumerist, we got these same kinds of stories all the time. Most laptop warranty programs seem to require a technician to return the laptop to the customer in factory condition... which means with your half-finished novel deleted and factory-default crapware re-installed to the system tray.
For all my problems with Apple's Genius Bar warranty service, this is something they do right: for a fee, they'll back up your data for you (if possible) before they fix your computer, and will never delete your hard drive if it's not required. I've brought my MacBook Pro in for simple problems and never once had to worry about it being paddle shocked with an electro-magnet.
Anyway, the rule of thumb: you should always be backing up your data, and never send off a laptop without being aware that it might come back with a lobotomy.
Hewlett Packard Wipes Your Hard Drive To Fix A Broken Key On Your Keyboard [Consumerist via Gizmodo]
the latest
latest episodes
When ever I've sent a Dell laptop in for repairs they have instructed me to remove the hard drive before sending it off. I had imagined that every laptop manufacturer would do this as a standard policy for issues unrelated to drive performance. One would presume it's just safer all around to not send drives on unnecessary round trips in the back of trucks.
It's a pain in the ass, but the best thing to do is nuke your own HD before you send it away.
If you disagree, just google "Garry Glitter".
Paying for a HD backup isn't an amazingly foresighted idea on behalf of consumers - I mean, even those paragons of good intent the geek squad love ripping off customers by scaring them: "We can't guarantee we won't wipe your harddrive to fix your fuzzy monitor, but for $150 we will". If Apple, or any company for that matter, truly cared about the customer's data they would offer to back it up automatically if the only fix involves wiping.
Hell, I took my computer to Apple, they said the part it needed was long out of stock and they replaced it with a new machine AND ported all my data over to the new one for free, without being asked to. When I started up the new Mac it was very nice to be greeted with all my same settings, software, etc. Didn't even miss a beat.
Dell, at least, will let you buy just a replacement keyboard for their laptops. They send it to you with very lucid instructions and a special tool. I can verify that any inept monkey (of which I am a prime example) with reasonable reading skills can replace it. It's cheap and you don't have to worry about your computer surviving the trip, or the kind of shenanigans described here. I wish more laptop makers would do that.
@#4 posted by Alan
They did this for me too. From an iBook to a Mac Book, because the screen on the iBook was no longer as bright. And this just 3 months before my 3 year warranty expired. I wouldn't buy anything but an Apple.
When my Macbook Pro's graphics chip went tits up, my poor hard drive came back clean.
Wasn't too heartbreaking, but it was a damned inconvenience.
Always back up before you ship off your computer. Or, if you can get it at, take the hard drive out completely (assuming it won't be needed to repair your problem).
I recently went through a "service" experience with HP. It's a long story, but the part that pertains to this post is that I was told that they'd erase the hard drive no matter what. So I went to some expense and hassle to get the entire contents copied over to another computer. When I finally received the repaired laptop, the drive had not been touched. I was both relieved and irritated. I do agree that anyone sending any computer in, regardless of manufacturer, should plan on losing some or all of the contents of their hard disks.
I'm of the opinion that people should be backing up their PCs on a regular basis regardless of whether or not you're sending it in for warranty service.
Your hard drive could one day go belly up and erase itself, then you'll have no one else to blame.
Also, if you ever do any upgrades or modifications to your system, be sure to revert back to the factory original parts. I've heard of people sending off laptops they'd upgraded to 4gb, only to receive a "fixed" laptop with the original 512MB of ram installed.
This is ironic really: I have an HP and used the restore utility to restore the computer to factory settings. It didn't undo the partitions I'd set up, didn't delete Ubuntu, didn't restore the boot record, and didn't delete a single installed app. All it did was lose all the drivers I'd custom installed...
I'm wondering if this is because people who were too stupid to erase the pics of them blowing llamas before sending the laptops off for repair threatened to sue the company after those pics ended up on the web. It's all about the plausible deniability.
another cry me a river consumerist bitch fest. stupid people doing stupid things then wanting to blame someone else for their own stupidity.
@#8 Anonymous
I just got my HP back yesterday and was warned similarly. I too was relieved that they didn't touch the HD. They gave me an entirely new mainboard, but the HD was fine. Curious...
Actually my HP experiences have been decent as long as I made sure to contact the number that is for their business class machines (which mine is). The one time I messed this up the customer service quality bordered on surreal (as in funny on hold electronic noises, weird echo effects and a CSR that was completely confused by everything before accidentally ending the call).
HP shipped a boatload of laptops in the last couple years that had faulty firmware. The issue was that it wouldn't run the cooling fan enough. Lots of people's video and motherboards fried, and they did the right thing by offering an extended warranty for consequent issues. Unfortunately, the service centers are rejecting laptops for things like a smudge on the case "liquid spill! not covered!". I'm guessing they are unable to meet the demand for repairs...but it's such a screw...We'll never buy HP again...
Yes, Hewlett Packard apparently thinks nothing of erasing a customer's hard drive. My Pavilion dv2310us laptop's wireless stopped working, which I determined to be a hardware problem (probably the ExpressCard controller). HP's website said that my laptop was eligible for a free repair so I sent it in. I just received it and not only did they needlessly erase the hard drive, they still didn't fix the wireless! I'm stunned-- how could they ship it out without even testing that the original problem was fixed?
Like someone said above, when I sent my Dell laptop in for repair they told me to remove the hard drive. When I asked HP if I could remove my hard drive they said not to, that only as a last resort will they erase the hard drive.
I will never buy HP again!!!