I posted my IHateHP page a long time ago. Since then I have received many e-mail replies with similar stories. Here I have posted some early examples. This page continues the horrors.

6-22-09 added this page
7-24-09 It's still happening- See the last story at the bottom
7-1-2016 nothing new

Sept 13, 2008 from Steve S.

I've been having lots o' trouble with the HP a6402f desktop machine I bought earlier this summer, so I thought I would check to see if there were any HP-related gripe sites out there, and yours is what I stumbled on. The machine I've got is one sick puppy. Here's what I've experienced: - computer needs to be rebooted multiple times to get it to boot properly at all - sometimes computer display will be black at end of boot process, sometimes it's just a blank blue screen - sometimes Vista only partially boots up - computer regularly freezes for no apparent reason - sometimes attempting to launch audio files in any player application triggers a crash, or the screen will go black and the audio file will play normally - memory card reader routinely fails to detect an SD card on insertion - if I plug in regular headphones, audio will play normally, but if I unplug the 'phones after turning off the computer and then reboot the computer, I get no audio after plugging the headphones again. Then I have to fight with the Realtek audio driver software to try to get it to play audio through the correct jack Virus/spyware checks reveal nothing that could be causing all these problems. The only thing I've done with the computer hardware-wise is install a video card which uses an nVidia 8800GT chip, but all the problems I've described started long before the new video card came along. I'm guessing the problems could be due to a bad motherboard, bad onboard graphics and audio chips or possibly all three. Or it could be a combination of these things and Vista itself. I'm waiting for HP Support to get back to me. I'm so fed up fighting with this thing I'm ready to consider buying a Mac next year if I can afford it. I just want a computer and an OS I don't have to fight with all the time. Wish me luck, I'm gonna need it!

On May 27, 2009 Michael K writes:

It came with the hard drive cable so loose it fell off. The cover blocks the acces to the push button to open the drive door The 2nd drive bay is rivetted shut- there is no way to install a second hard drive without duct tape The expansion bay as a lever to open it, that does nothing Software will not install. Tried load Visual Studio 2005 for days and days with numerous errors. A similar Dell I have loaded and operated correctly on the first try. Called tech suport to remove VISTA and find XP drivers- the tech guy from India had NO CLUE how to do it and kept giving me websites to download drivers that were incorrect, insisting they would work. Said he would email me a transcript of the chat session, never received it. Still not up and running after 2 weeks. and installing, re-installing 16 hours per day every day trying to find software that works. My dell was up and running on day1 I WILL go buy another dell and give this POS to the kids, i lost 2 weeks of productivity.

Ed: This is the first major hardware problem I have been told about. Usually the equipment is OK, just bad service.

On June 21, 2009 Sharolyn writes:

I usually resolve my own computer problems. But this time I had the device only 3 weeks and Windows would not start. So I figured I would use my warranty. Big mistake. First I was told that there was a ‘special’ department for netbooks. They were special like they got to work on the short bus. I was transferred a few times till I got Raj. Raj kept muting his phone and he would come back on with his greeting asking me for my name and how he could help. I would tell him my name and he would pickup where we left off with trouble shooting. Finally he muted the phone and just never came back. So I call back. I was transferred a few more times. More of the same troubleshooting…Finally while I was on hold I pull the HP troubleshooting and pick up where the reps left off. Did the hard drive self test and voila it failed. As I thought to begin with. Fried hard drive. So I tell the next rep the hard drive test failed. He was excited. He tells me they will reload Windows to my hard drive. So he transferred me again to someone else who is going to send me a shipping label so I can send the netbook to them to reload the OS. Why reload the OS to a defective hard drive? I tell the next rep to cancel the service order. Of course he has to transfer me again. To the service cancellation guy. WTH? While I was on hold for 30 minutes (I timed it) to reach the person who could cancel my service order, I decide to call my wireless carrier while on hold. They said that I was within their 30 day return policy and they would be happy to send me another netbook. At this point I have both companies on two phones on speaker. The call to my wireless carrier took about 10 minutes to resolve. Of course she was in the U.S. and was somewhat knowledgeable. She wondered also, why reload the OS to a defective hardrive? Cancellation guy did say that they would replace the hard drive. But at this point I have been told something else by two other reps……cancel it. Please. Just cancel it. And so he muted his phone and 20 minutes later my service order was cancelled. #@!!??&%! I have an HP desktop. It’s been a good machine for what I do with it. I was about to replace it with another HP till this experience. In fact later in the day when I purchased a new desktop, monitor and printer none were HP. I am so done with these guys. Bad part is that I wanted to use the netbook on the boat this summer. And I think I am just going to refuse shipment on the new one. Ship the original machine back and cancel my wireless service on the netbook since I’m within the return period. All the tech support and warranty goes through HP after the initial 30 days and I just don’t ever want to have to deal with them again. I was patient with all the reps I spoke with till the cancellation guy. Even then I was just short with him. So of course he got an attitude. I understand there is somewhat of a communication challenge when speaking with someone in another country. And I understand that they are probably required to use their trouble shooting guides. But there is just no excuse for the inefficiency and lack of courtesy and knowledge I encountered.

Ed: So the service has not improved. Here is the answer I wrote her:

As a note, I just bought another new HP laptop from Fry's, the 2 brands hated by everyone but I also bought the extended warranty so I don't have to deal with HP service, here or overseas. I also took one of my friends to Fry's & had them buy a Compaq (HP) & the warranty because the features & price were right for a beginner. My original laptop that caused the web page in the first place is still working fine years later once FRY's fixed it! I only replaced it because I needed more HD & memory. The new one was on sale for $339, 15" screen & wide keyboard with number pad. It came with 2 GB RAM & 160 GB HD. I have a 160 external that I had bought for the old one & added 2 more GB RAM, so am now set for a couple more years. I liked it so much I had another friend buy the same deal & he is happy also. But all of this only because we bought the extended warranty. Lastly, my wife & I would be happy to bring our laptops along on the boat anytime.

I happened to think of a couple of other comments as I was e-mailing a friend about her problems. May or may not interest you but I need to get the thoughts down & they relate to HP. One thing I like about HP is that they still support older machines. E-machine owns Gateway & they delete all files after a machine is out of warranty & refuse any support. I have a Gateway that was restored & the sound on the motherboard has no driver. Not available anywhere. Asked Gateway to supply a set of restore CDs & they delete all archives once out of warranty. And they had the gall to tell me to get the drivers off the original CDs when they knew I did not have them. And this was USA service!!! I have ordered sets of restore CDs from HP for older machines with no problem. So be careful if you buy another brand. Be sure you have the restore CDs or make them as asked when starting up a new machine.

July 09 Jaime writes:

Glad to see you have a campaign against HP. I purchased the new Touchsmart desktop computer in December 2008. It worked great for approx. 3 months before my first hard drive failure. HP Support told me to double check the connections for my drive which I did and it they were fine. My next call to HP support, they determined I needed to replace the hard drive. So they sent me a replacement hard drive and I replaced it myself. This did not resolve my problem so the computer went back for a bench repair. They replaced my hard drive again with a different model. This did not resolve my problem. My next call to HP Support, they deduce that it's my OPTICAL drive that needs replacement (where they came up with this I will never know). So out they send me a replacement and once again I am doing HP's work for them. Still have the problem. On my next call to HP they said it sounds like it could be the motherboard and my computer needs to come back for bench repair yet again. Okay so off it goes and it comes back with all kinds of new parts ! And it works.....for about three weeks and I still have my disk error. It is now almost AUGUST and for the past 9 months I have this POS, I have been able to use it at most for about 1/3 of the time. I cannot trust the damn thing so I do not bother putting documents or photos or ANYTHING on it. I have done upteen system restores, redownloaded my favorite software and apps multiple times. I told HP if I had the problem again I would go campaigning and here I am. Todays call to support said I had been "escalated" to Case Management. (yay). I wrote the "CEO" a lovely email and already have a call into San Jose Mercury News. I await the "exciting conclusion" of my story. The next part you may be able to read in the newspaper when I drive to Palo aLto and shove the damn thing up someone's A$$. It is my new personal goal to ensure that as many people as possible are warned, and to get as many people as possible COMMITTED to not buying any HP Products.