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#1
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Problems with Dual Core install and Tech Support (Long Rant)
I bought a Althon Dual Core at Christmas. When I talked to the
salesperson I was told that it was shipped with 64 bit OS. Not true. So, when I received it I decided no problem I'll just get the "Trail Version" and install it.. Called Tech support and asked for back-up disc just in case. Was told where to go to burn my own. The system allows you to burn one and only one. Spent weeks looking for driver for basic components such as the sound card, modem etc. The e-mail site kept telling me to go to HP Tools and reinstall the 32 bit driver. I guess they are unaware that there's a difference between 32 and 63 bit machines. I then called the support desk told me that I would need a Windows XP Pro disk (32 bit). So I got one and ran repair. That made it worse. Could not run any apps. Decide to scrap the wholes 64 bit install and just get my machine back to a point where I could do something, anything with it. Did a low level reformat and repartition and ran the System Recovery disk that I had burned. The disks were bad and the machine crashed and burned. Since you can only burn one set, if they don't work your screwed. I called Tech support and got a set of recovery disks. Ran those and the first time that I booted the machine it said that I needed "Supplemental Disk" called Tech Support and was told that I did need them. So, I ran the System Recovery program manually. Then every time that I booted the machine it went into DO NOT shut off machine wait mode for 16-18 hours and then crashed and burned. Called Tech Support and did another delete reformat repartition now the fourth time when through the whole process yet again. Got the same message from called tech support and was told they would send out Supplemental Disk, but didn't think that they would fix the problem. So far I've deleted reformatted repartitioned drive four times, rant the 'F' Full recovery at least ten times, the 'R" recovery four or five times. I've had the box for over a month and still haven't been able to use it. The Tech Support desk in India is beyond useless. Manned by a staff that knows nothing about computers you sit there reading scripts and asking you the same guestions for the same open ticket over and over. I'm no newbie. Have a degree in CS working it IT for twenty years designing and deploying desktop apps a few years back. Is this typical or am I the exception? Has anyone else had this level of difficuty? |
#2
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Problems with Dual Core install and Tech Support (Long Rant)
"Jim" wrote in message ups.com... I bought a Althon Dual Core at Christmas. When I talked to the salesperson I was told that it was shipped with 64 bit OS. Not true. So, when I received it I decided no problem I'll just get the "Trail Version" and install it.. Called Tech support and asked for back-up disc just in case. Was told where to go to burn my own. The system allows you to burn one and only one. Spent weeks looking for driver for basic components such as the sound card, modem etc. The e-mail site kept telling me to go to HP Tools and reinstall the 32 bit driver. I guess they are unaware that there's a difference between 32 and 63 bit machines. I then called the support desk told me that I would need a Windows XP Pro disk (32 bit). So I got one and ran repair. That made it worse. Could not run any apps. Decide to scrap the wholes 64 bit install and just get my machine back to a point where I could do something, anything with it. Did a low level reformat and repartition and ran the System Recovery disk that I had burned. The disks were bad and the machine crashed and burned. Since you can only burn one set, if they don't work your screwed. I called Tech support and got a set of recovery disks. Ran those and the first time that I booted the machine it said that I needed "Supplemental Disk" called Tech Support and was told that I did need them. So, I ran the System Recovery program manually. Then every time that I booted the machine it went into DO NOT shut off machine wait mode for 16-18 hours and then crashed and burned. Called Tech Support and did another delete reformat repartition now the fourth time when through the whole process yet again. Got the same message from called tech support and was told they would send out Supplemental Disk, but didn't think that they would fix the problem. So far I've deleted reformatted repartitioned drive four times, rant the 'F' Full recovery at least ten times, the 'R" recovery four or five times. I've had the box for over a month and still haven't been able to use it. The Tech Support desk in India is beyond useless. Manned by a staff that knows nothing about computers you sit there reading scripts and asking you the same guestions for the same open ticket over and over. I'm no newbie. Have a degree in CS working it IT for twenty years designing and deploying desktop apps a few years back. Is this typical or am I the exception? Has anyone else had this level of difficuty? Are you talking about a complete PC you purchased, or about a PC you built yourself with a dual core CPU? If the former, please share the brand name, and the name of the retailer who told you that XP 64 came with the dual core CPU. Your issues appear to be with the lousy support provided by the unnamed manufacturer of the PC and with an either unknowing or unscrupulous salesperson who sold you the PC, correct? If you formatted your hard drive, then installed XP 64 from Microsoft, there should be no need for recovery or "supplemental" CD's (unless, of course, there is something nonstandard/proprietary about the hardware configuration that requires the OS be "tweaked"). |
#3
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Problems with Dual Core install and Tech Support (Long Rant)
Sorry your right the problem is with HP. It's aHP a1250n 3800+.
Once I reformatted and installed x64 most of the apps would not even install let alone run. Which is when HP told me that I hed to have a dual boot and I did the second reformat. Since, I didn't have a Xp Pro that had not been initialized I got into the system restore from HP, which the said must be on C: partition which wasn't what I wanted. So, now I'm trying to restore to c: and then install x64 on another partition. |
#4
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Problems with Dual Core install and Tech Support (Long Rant)
"Jim" wrote in message ups.com... Is this typical or am I the exception? Has anyone else had this level of difficuty? I have had *some* difficulty with HP as well. When I feel like getting a headache, I use their online chat, I never call them because I feel like I will blow my head off speaking directly to someone who knows less about computers then my Grandmother. (Poor thing actually likes her Mac) The first computer I owned a operated was a Tandy Color Computer 2, when I was about six years old, no lie. I have been using PC's almost everyday of my life since, so I feel in the last 18 or so years I am learned a thing or two. I installed a new sound blaster sound card, and disable the onboard sound. Of course my front mic and headphone jacks stopped working. I contacted HP, online chat (several times) all with the same result. Me: I installed a new sound blaster sound card, and the front audio ports are not working. India: What kind of speakers do you have? Me: The speakers are working fine, they are plugged into the back of the tower. I would like to use head phones sometimes so not to wake my wife. India: Is it a 2.1, 4.1 etc system. Me: The speakers are working fine. India: The speakers should be plugged into the back of the PC. Me: They are, the problem is that I cannot see on the inside of my case, which cables run from the front ports to the motherboard, so I can reconnected it to my soundcard. Then s/he begins using words to describe the cable I have never heard of, and could not get any results on Google for. So I ask him/her to describe the cable. Rectangular! They are all rectangular! I disconnected out of anger. I few days later I reconnect, to a different person, however with the same results. I ask for the 1-800 number for support, when I get a live person, I immediately ask to speak to a supervisor, I explain what I am trying to do, she tells me that they have no information on the motherboard layouts. So logically, I ask who manufactures their mobo's, so possibly I could ask them. The answer ladies and gentleman...HP. If I call Honda, could they tell me where my glovebox is? She says that I can take my PC to one of their authorized repair shops in my area, and they could show me what to do. I ask, will I be charged. Being that I feel like I could do it myself if a person pointed me in the right direction, she said "Of course you will be charged." The I proceeded to tell her that all I need is support and not any repairs, and if HP cannot give me a simple answer to a part they manufacture, why should I have to pay. After I said that, all she was interested in doing was getting me off the phone. Problem still unsolved. Lets just say I will NEVER buy an HP or recommend one of their products. Hell, I can't get my HP printer to work with my HP computer properly. WooHoo2You Another long rant I guess. |
#5
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Problems with Dual Core install and Tech Support (Long Rant)
WooHoo2You wrote:
"Jim" wrote in message ups.com... Is this typical or am I the exception? Has anyone else had this level of difficuty? I have had *some* difficulty with HP as well. When I feel like getting a headache, I use their online chat, I never call them because I feel like I will blow my head off speaking directly to someone who knows less about computers then my Grandmother. (Poor thing actually likes her Mac) The first computer I owned a operated was a Tandy Color Computer 2, when I was about six years old, no lie. I have been using PC's almost everyday of my life since, so I feel in the last 18 or so years I am learned a thing or two. I installed a new sound blaster sound card, and disable the onboard sound. Of course my front mic and headphone jacks stopped working. I contacted HP, online chat (several times) all with the same result. Me: I installed a new sound blaster sound card, and the front audio ports are not working. India: What kind of speakers do you have? Me: The speakers are working fine, they are plugged into the back of the tower. I would like to use head phones sometimes so not to wake my wife. India: Is it a 2.1, 4.1 etc system. Me: The speakers are working fine. India: The speakers should be plugged into the back of the PC. Me: They are, the problem is that I cannot see on the inside of my case, which cables run from the front ports to the motherboard, so I can reconnected it to my soundcard. Then s/he begins using words to describe the cable I have never heard of, and could not get any results on Google for. So I ask him/her to describe the cable. Rectangular! They are all rectangular! I disconnected out of anger. I few days later I reconnect, to a different person, however with the same results. I ask for the 1-800 number for support, when I get a live person, I immediately ask to speak to a supervisor, I explain what I am trying to do, she tells me that they have no information on the motherboard layouts. So logically, I ask who manufactures their mobo's, so possibly I could ask them. The answer ladies and gentleman...HP. If I call Honda, could they tell me where my glovebox is? She says that I can take my PC to one of their authorized repair shops in my area, and they could show me what to do. I ask, will I be charged. Being that I feel like I could do it myself if a person pointed me in the right direction, she said "Of course you will be charged." The I proceeded to tell her that all I need is support and not any repairs, and if HP cannot give me a simple answer to a part they manufacture, why should I have to pay. After I said that, all she was interested in doing was getting me off the phone. Problem still unsolved. Lets just say I will NEVER buy an HP or recommend one of their products. Hell, I can't get my HP printer to work with my HP computer properly. WooHoo2You Another long rant I guess. Interesting rant, but you brought it upon yourself. 1) When you disable the on-board sound you disabled everything to do with it, including the back and front ports. 2) The front ports are electrically between the electronics and the rear ports. 3) Most of the newer HP PCs have drawings of the motherboard on the HP site. You just need to look. For example, the a1250n, one is here. http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/d...name=c00496280 There are usually silk screened labels for the connectors on the board, too. 4) If your sound card supports front and rear jacks, then it would say so in its documentation. What does the sound card's manual say? Did you really expect HP to be able to support your use of someone else's product? 5) Since you opened up the case to put in the sound card, you should have been able to determine which cable was for the front sound ports. 6) If your sound card does support front and rear ports AND the connections match you should be able to make it work. If not, you are out of luck. However, I cannot see how HP is at fault. |
#6
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Problems with Dual Core install and Tech Support (Long Rant)
"craigm" wrote in message ... WooHoo2You wrote: Interesting rant, but you brought it upon yourself. 1) When you disable the on-board sound you disabled everything to do with it, including the back and front ports. Of course, I had to move the rear speaker connections from the mobo'a ports to the new soundcard's. Like a video card or anything else. 2) The front ports are electrically between the electronics and the rear ports. I am not sure what you mean by this. If you mean that they are directly connected, they are not. One is a direct motherboard connection. The other is an aux connection to support additional ports. 3) Most of the newer HP PCs have drawings of the motherboard on the HP site. You just need to look. For example, the a1250n, one is here. http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/d...name=c00496280 I searched, however all I found was the main product specs, which all it led me towards was useless info on my motherboard's max ram, the name (HP's product name, not anything useful. 'Diablo,' let me search that on Google and see what I get), rear ports, and so on. There are usually silk screened labels for the connectors on the board, too. There are none on my rig. All are plain. You are right, another helpful HP feature, they all match. You do not have to worry about one label clashing with the others. I hate when someone says my PC's innards are tacky. 4) If your sound card supports front and rear jacks, then it would say so in its documentation. What does the sound card's manual say? Did you really expect HP to be able to support your use of someone else's product? I expected them to know something about their product. If you make it, you should support it. Not telling me they have no information. Not offering to research the problem, and email the results. Oh, you can pay for the info is the most they can offer. I did not need help with my sound card, I needed help locating something within my HP computer, something my soundcard's manufacturer should not be expected to know. Does Sony know where the power supply is coming from on a Kia, when you need to install their cd player? I am guessing they may tell you to contact the builder of the product. 5) Since you opened up the case to put in the sound card, you should have been able to determine which cable was for the front sound ports. The way my case is designed all the front ports are tied together with no labels (media card, firewire, usb, sound), and their source is hidden. So their case has a "cool" rounded front, that has no visible way to remove. 6) If your sound card does support front and rear ports AND the connections match you should be able to make it work. Not a big fan of "Plug a Play;" meaning, plug it, try to play it, and fry the board. At least all of the cables are labeled...oh wait, no. I can imagine HP support if I screw something up. I will definitely have to pay for "help." Due to the fact they do not support "difficult" problems. Such as a motherboard, I realize most people do not have them, but a few of us do. There may be a day, when all HP users have them, but right now I am a minority. I would think the HP people could have pointed me into the right direction. I found the diagram of my modo, from your link. You are not even being paid. However, HP professionals could not give me that much. I see a big problem here. I find more help from strangers then from the manufacture. Weird.... Next time I will email you. If not, you are out of luck. However, I cannot see how HP is at fault. My fault with HP is that either their support people are not listening, not caring, not understanding, or not concerned with their customers needs. I guess, too much to ask. My problem is, that I am not very comfortable with motherboards. If I was, I am sure HP would have been a GREAT help, to another customer, because I would not have tied up their time. WooHoo2You |
#7
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Problems with Dual Core install and Tech Support (Long Rant)
On Wed, 01 Feb 2006 02:12:30 GMT, "WooHoo2You" wrote:
My problem is, that I am not very comfortable with motherboards. If I was, I am sure HP would have been a GREAT help, to another customer, because I would not have tied up their time. Don't be too sure--I stopped buying HP/ Compaq for myself and all my clients a few years ago after spending more than SIX HOURS on the phone trying to RMA an external floppy drive purchased from HP Online. The drive is still sitting on the shelf as a reminder NEVER to buy anything (except maybe a laser printer) from HP or Compaq again. |
#8
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Problems with Dual Core install and Tech Support (Long Rant)
wrote in message ... Don't be too sure--I stopped buying HP/ Compaq for myself and all my clients a few years ago after spending more than SIX HOURS on the phone trying to RMA an external floppy drive purchased from HP Online. The drive is still sitting on the shelf as a reminder NEVER to buy anything (except maybe a laser printer) from HP or Compaq again. It's Sarcasm I do not think I will ever buy something from them again. -- WooHoo2You |
#9
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Problems with Dual Core install and Tech Support (Long Rant)
WooHoo2You wrote:
"craigm" wrote in message ... WooHoo2You wrote: Interesting rant, but you brought it upon yourself. 1) When you disable the on-board sound you disabled everything to do with it, including the back and front ports. Of course, I had to move the rear speaker connections from the mobo'a ports to the new soundcard's. Like a video card or anything else. 2) The front ports are electrically between the electronics and the rear ports. I am not sure what you mean by this. If you mean that they are directly connected, they are not. One is a direct motherboard connection. The other is an aux connection to support additional ports. The signals go from the IC on the board, to the connector for front audio and then to the back panel connectors. 3) Most of the newer HP PCs have drawings of the motherboard on the HP site. You just need to look. For example, the a1250n, one is here. http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/d...name=c00496280 I searched, however all I found was the main product specs, which all it led me towards was useless info on my motherboard's max ram, the name (HP's product name, not anything useful. 'Diablo,' let me search that on Google and see what I get), rear ports, and so on. The board's name is useful. One quick search and you find HP's page on Diablo: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/g...00064822&lc=en There are usually silk screened labels for the connectors on the board, too. There are none on my rig. All are plain. You are right, another helpful HP feature, they all match. You do not have to worry about one label clashing with the others. I hate when someone says my PC's innards are tacky. 4) If your sound card supports front and rear jacks, then it would say so in its documentation. What does the sound card's manual say? Did you really expect HP to be able to support your use of someone else's product? I expected them to know something about their product. If you make it, you should support it. Not telling me they have no information. Not offering to research the problem, and email the results. Oh, you can pay for the info is the most they can offer. I did not need help with my sound card, I needed help locating something within my HP computer, something my soundcard's manufacturer should not be expected to know. Does Sony know where the power supply is coming from on a Kia, when you need to install their cd player? I am guessing they may tell you to contact the builder of the product. 5) Since you opened up the case to put in the sound card, you should have been able to determine which cable was for the front sound ports. The way my case is designed all the front ports are tied together with no labels (media card, firewire, usb, sound), and their source is hidden. So their case has a "cool" rounded front, that has no visible way to remove. Your case may be an a-series case. If so, there is a green latch near the hard drive and possibly a sticker with directions of the inside bottom of the case with directions to remove the front. Since you don't identify the model of the PC or sound card, all anyone can do is guess. 6) If your sound card does support front and rear ports AND the connections match you should be able to make it work. Not a big fan of "Plug a Play;" meaning, plug it, try to play it, and fry the board. At least all of the cables are labeled...oh wait, no. I can imagine HP support if I screw something up. I will definitely have to pay for "help." Due to the fact they do not support "difficult" problems. Such as a motherboard, I realize most people do not have them, but a few of us do. There may be a day, when all HP users have them, but right now I am a minority. I would think the HP people could have pointed me into the right direction. I found the diagram of my modo, from your link. You are not even being paid. However, HP professionals could not give me that much. I see a big problem here. I find more help from strangers then from the manufacture. Weird.... Next time I will email you. If not, you are out of luck. However, I cannot see how HP is at fault. My fault with HP is that either their support people are not listening, not caring, not understanding, or not concerned with their customers needs. I guess, too much to ask. My problem is, that I am not very comfortable with motherboards. If I was, I am sure HP would have been a GREAT help, to another customer, because I would not have tied up their time. WooHoo2You |
#10
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Problems with Dual Core install and Tech Support (Long Rant)
On Wed, 01 Feb 2006 02:12:30 GMT, WooHoo2You wrote:
5) Since you opened up the case to put in the sound card, you should have been able to determine which cable was for the front sound ports. The way my case is designed all the front ports are tied together with no labels (media card, firewire, usb, sound), and their source is hidden. So their case has a "cool" rounded front, that has no visible way to remove. I recently got an HP computer, and spent some time in the wee hours last night browsing HP's website. I found a good amount of information about the computer (including graphics) which I saved as HTML files. The ones I saved (using my own descriptive file names) we Replacing 5 inch drives Replacing CPU Replacing Hard Drives Replacing PCI cards Replacing Sound Card Updating Software & Drivers Updating the BIOS Upgrading Memory Determining CMOS battery failure Dull or Oxidized PCB Finding Model Number Finding Processor info Motherboard Product Specifications One of them (possibly the one describing how to change hard drives) explained how to open the computer's front, rounded case cover. The file on "Finding Processor info" described several locations where some of the information was stored, but the neatest tip was to type Control Alt S, which pops up a window showing support information, including the computer's model #, product #, serial #, software build #, hardware BOM # (whatever BOM means), software BOM #, and service ID. I suppose it's harder locating needed information when you really need it fast. But most of it should be there for your computer too, including information about the model number of the motherboard and its manufacturer. Some of the locations provide generic information that's only vaguely applicable to any particular computer. But if you find the right place on HP's website, you'll get lots of information specific to your individual computer, and it all seems to be more accurate than what I'd seen from other sources. For instance, at Best Buy, I was shown a screen showing the detailed hardware spec's for my computer, and among other things it said that the computer had no serial or parallel ports, and was told that its 2GB of memory occupied all of its 4 memory sockets. I saw a parallel port connector on the back of the computer in the store, but was told that it wasn't connected to anything. It turned out that HP's documentation on their website was more accurate, showing that the computer did indeed have a parallel port, and that the 2GB of memory occupied only 2 of the 4 memory slots. This was a pleasant surprise, since it will cost me much less if I ever decide to add more memory. And if my hands are small enough I might be able to add it without having to remove the drive bay. But if I do need to remove it, I have the documentation showing how to do it. |
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