HP blue screen, rip off parts Is there an alternative?

[Smudge]

Well hey, whaddaya know? I was here last May, researching a fault on a
Pavilion 7965 where the pc stuck on the HP blue screen at start up. I
tried everything from changing the CMOS battery, RAM, removing all USB
devices including k/b and mouse but to no avail. I had to source a
replacement board from HP's "official" stockist of replacement parts.
The board cost £303.94 and was supposedly new although it arrived
covered in dust. No problem, it worked, customer happy, paid the bill
and went away.

Now the customer is unhappy. Exact same problem, board now 8 months
in, what's going on? Well, I thought thats ok, I will ring for a RMA
within the 12 month warranty on the new part. Well slow down a little
'cos there aint no 12 month warranty! I have been told today that the
stockist only offers a 3 month warranty and there may have been dust
on the board because, while it was new, it had been stripped out of an
unsold pc and put on the shelf. For my trouble, they will sell me a
replacement board at a discount price of £211.50 all in.

Now who's the mug?

Does anyone know of a replacement board obtainable elsewhere to match
the spec, or of a site I can use to compare the specs of similar
boards, please?

Does anyone know of anything else to try to make this pc work as is? I
can't even get into the BIOS - when I press F1 the blue screen still
appears but shows some dos style text near the bottom in what appears
to be Spanish.

Ok, does anyone know what to tell the customer when you think it isn't
your fault and you want to charge them for your time AS WELL as a new
board, which might not be new?
Chris

[Ben Myers]

Chris,

Let me address your last point first. It is extremely difficult to tell a
client that they bought a poor brand of computer in the first place, but I think
that is what you have to do. The situation is complicated by the fact that
they chose a system with an AMD processor in it. AMD CPUs run hot. Gamers and
others like them for cost reasons, but reliability of AMD processors is another
problem.

As is sometimes the case, the HP web site does not have much information about
the motherboard in the 7965 chassis. From the little bit I know about AMD
Athlon processors, the chipsets to support them are few in number. To maintain
maximum compatibility with the software already running in the computer, you
would need to match up a microATX form factor motherboard with an AGP slot and
the same chipset. Then, even though the brand of motherboard is different, the
board would be almost a drop-in replacement with the Windows software coming up
and running and not complaining very much.

Prices for replacement parts from HP are obscene, yet another reason to steer
clear of the brand... Ben Myers

On 30 Jan 2004 03:43:05 -0800, chris.smith@zeronet.co.uk (Smudge) wrote:
Well hey, whaddaya know? I was here last May, researching a fault on aPavilion 7965 where the pc stuck on the HP blue screen at start up. Itried everything from changing the CMOS battery, RAM, removing all USBdevices including k/b and mouse but to no avail. I had to source areplacement board from HP's "official" stockist of replacement parts.The board cost £303.94 and was supposedly new although it arrivedcovered in dust. No problem, it worked, customer happy, paid the billand went away.Now the customer is unhappy. Exact same problem, board now 8 monthsin, what's going on? Well, I thought thats ok, I will ring for a RMAwithin the 12 month warranty on the new part. Well slow down a little'cos there aint no 12 month warranty! I have been told today that thestockist only offers a 3 month warranty and there may have been duston the board because, while it was new, it had been stripped out of anunsold pc and put on the shelf. For my trouble, they will sell me areplacement board at a discount price of £211.50 all in.Now who's the mug?Does anyone know of a replacement board obtainable elsewhere to matchthe spec, or of a site I can use to compare the specs of similarboards, please?Does anyone know of anything else to try to make this pc work as is? Ican't even get into the BIOS - when I press F1 the blue screen stillappears but shows some dos style text near the bottom in what appearsto be Spanish.Ok, does anyone know what to tell the customer when you think it isn'tyour fault and you want to charge them for your time AS WELL as a newboard, which might not be new?Chris