Andz From South Africa, joined Feb 2004, 8298 posts, RR: 11 Posted (5 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 14 hours ago) and read 1736 times:
I am now back online after almost 3 weeks without a PC. Apart from the shock of it suddenly dying on me one day I then got a letter from the HP repair centre saying that there had been an armed robbery and my laptop was stolen! Luckily our IT guys managed to back everything up before sending it in but it is beyond me why anyone would rob a repair centre to steal what would more than likely be faulty equipment.
I have been given a loan Toshiba craptop until they sort things out and get me a new one
After Monday and Tuesday even the calendar says WTF...
PlymSpotter From Spain, joined Jun 2004, 11109 posts, RR: 63 Reply 1, posted (5 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 1651 times:
That's really not good at all, you'd have thought that a repair centre like that would have good security, although as you say, it seems a little odd that they would target goods which are faulty! Hopefully they'll get you a new and better machine on the double!
MD11junkie From Argentina, joined May 2005, 3091 posts, RR: 60 Reply 2, posted (5 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 1631 times:
Quoting Andz (Thread starter): I am now back online after almost 3 weeks without a PC. Apart from the shock of it suddenly dying on me one day I then got a letter from the SA)">HP repair centre saying that there had been an armed robbery and my laptop was stolen! Luckily our IT guys managed to back everything up before sending it in but it is beyond me why anyone would rob a repair centre to steal what would more than likely be faulty equipment.
Parts... I hear parts are very well paid. How do you think get huge deals on notebook parts on eBay?
Andz, I'm for sure apologize for the company and I hope the SA affiliate straighten things out, as they should. Oh, and btw, demand a Kensington Lock with your new laptop
Gaston - The MD11junkie
There is no such thing as Boeing vs Airbus as the queen of the skies has three engines, winglets and the sweetest nose!
Avt007 From Canada, joined Jul 2000, 2131 posts, RR: 5 Reply 3, posted (5 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 4 hours ago) and read 1589 times:
Maybe they just lost it, and needed a story to cover their butt! Your IT guys are smart to back everything up first. I had an HP laptop with a cracked plastic case, otherwise perfect operation. Long story short, they fixed the case, and reformatted my hard drive! WTF? Do not give your computer to any shop with out backing up everything.
BHMBAGLOCK From United States of America, joined Jul 2005, 2698 posts, RR: 5 Reply 4, posted (5 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 3 hours ago) and read 1556 times:
Quoting MD11junkie (Reply 2): Andz, I'm for sure apologize for the company and I hope the SA affiliate straighten things out, as they should.
Are you an HP employee? Just curious as our business is very HP focused.
Quoting MD11junkie (Reply 2): Oh, and btw, demand a Kensington Lock with your new laptop
So he can have a few fragments of plastic left when they snatch it anyway? The new LoJack service is much more practical IMO.
Quoting Avt007 (Reply 3): Your IT guys are smart to back everything up first. I had an HP laptop with a cracked plastic case, otherwise perfect operation. Long story short, they fixed the case, and reformatted my hard drive! WTF? Do not give your computer to any shop with out backing up everything.
Best advice for HP or any other brand is to find a warranty authorized local partner and build a relationship. We're glad to do anything a customer wants with regards to a warranty repair but in some cases will charge extra for services not covered under warranty, mostly virus/malware removal and data recovery.
In your case, the most likely explanation is that their diagnostics showed a pre-failure condition on the drive - likely as a result of the same shock that damaged the case. They should have asked you before changing the HD but this is the likely explanation. btw, you can pay a very small additional fee, ~ $50 for 3 years I think, to have rights for Defective Media Retention. Other vendors have similar options as well.
FXramper From United States of America, joined Dec 2005, 7023 posts, RR: 93 Reply 6, posted (5 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 3 hours ago) and read 1541 times:
Funny you should say that. In related news, at AUS, DHL reported that they had over $100,000 in Dell notebooks stolen from their ramp. Guess that is one of many reasons why we are getting that account back.
Quoting Andz (Reply 5): I have one, but it wasn't stolen off my desk!
I am going to insist on the next business day support on the new one, to be without a PC for so long is ludicrous.
Yes, you are in your right to enforce that (but not only because of the contract, because of HP employees improper handling). The only delay should be they being out of stock for your identical model - in which case you could get an upraded one by paying the difference.
Quoting BHMBAGLOCK (Reply 4): The new LoJack service is much more practical IMO.
Ah, yes - CompuTrace. Didn't think of it at first, however - not sure if Andz is willing to pay a 1, 3 or 4 year subscription for the service. But it IS a good option.
Gaston - The MD11junkie
There is no such thing as Boeing vs Airbus as the queen of the skies has three engines, winglets and the sweetest nose!
BHMBAGLOCK From United States of America, joined Jul 2005, 2698 posts, RR: 5 Reply 8, posted (5 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 1 hour ago) and read 1482 times:
Quoting MD11junkie (Reply 7): I am. In Argentina, though still an SA)">HP employee.
Cool, if we ever need to contact SA)">HP Argentina, I'll think of you. I have had some dealings with them in Ecuador(actually a dealer there), Colombia, and of course Costa Rica.
Quoting MD11junkie (Reply 7): Yes, you are in your right to enforce that (but not only because of the contract, because of SA)">HP employees improper handling).
A380US From United States of America, joined Mar 2007, 2358 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (5 years 3 months 1 week 2 days 3 hours ago) and read 1243 times:
How can something like this happen?
Will they give you a brand new one at a later date?
StealthZ From Australia, joined Feb 2005, 5424 posts, RR: 49 Reply 14, posted (5 years 3 months 1 week 1 day 10 hours ago) and read 1164 times:
Quoting Andz (Thread starter): I have been given a loan Toshiba craptop until they sort things out and get me a new one
This part confuses me, I worked for HP many years ago and a HP distributor more recently, there is NO way and I mean NO WAY they would loan a customer a competitors product and for several reasons.. Was your laptop stolen from HP or from a service agent that repairs multiple brands of equipment?
If the later I would recommend having the thread title changed as you are libeling HP.
If your camera sends text messages, that could explain why your photos are rubbish!
SBBRTech From Brazil, joined Jul 2007, 722 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (5 years 3 months 1 week 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 1121 times:
Quoting PlymSpotter (Reply 1): you'd have thought that a repair centre like that would have good security
Most authorized repair centers are nothing more than your average repair center, they just get to use the logo of their big partners. So I doubt they'd invest too much in security, more likely they just have some doors that require a badge to buzz in.
"I'm beginning to get the hang of this flying business" - C3PO
Andz From South Africa, joined Feb 2004, 8298 posts, RR: 11 Reply 17, posted (5 years 3 months 1 week 1 day 5 hours ago) and read 1103 times:
Quoting StealthZ (Reply 14): This part confuses me, I worked for HP many years ago and a HP distributor more recently, there is NO way and I mean NO WAY they would loan a customer a competitors product and for several reasons.. Was your laptop stolen from HP or from a service agent that repairs multiple brands of equipment?
If the later I would recommend having the thread title changed as you are libeling HP.
Okay counsellor keep your wig on. Read my opening post:
Quoting Andz (Thread starter): our IT guys managed to back everything up before sending it in
My laptop was under warranty and was sent to HP for repair. We use an outsourced company for IT services. When it disappeared our IT guys lent me the Toshiba. Nowhere did I say HP lent me the Toshiba.
After Monday and Tuesday even the calendar says WTF...
Andz From South Africa, joined Feb 2004, 8298 posts, RR: 11 Reply 18, posted (5 years 3 months 3 days 12 hours ago) and read 1014 times:
Well all's well that ends well, I got my new laptop yesterday, got the backup from the IT company and not a single file is missing! I will, however, be making backups myself more frequently from now on.
After Monday and Tuesday even the calendar says WTF...
TransIsland From Bahamas, joined Mar 2004, 2031 posts, RR: 11 Reply 19, posted (5 years 3 months 3 days 9 hours ago) and read 994 times:
Man, you're scaring me!! My laptop is at HP right now... (just went blank all of a sudden, about 6 months old). While I backed up everything just three days before this disaster, I fear that there are things stored on there that I'd rather not have get into the wrong hands... (lesson learned for the future).
I'm an aviation expert. I have Sky Juice for breakfast.
Sponsor Message: 
From South Africa, joined Feb 2004, 8298 posts, 
From Spain, joined Jun 2004, 11109 posts, 
From Argentina, joined May 2005, 3091 posts, 
From Canada, joined Jul 2000, 2131 posts, 
From United States of America, joined Jul 2005, 2698 posts, 
From Tunisia, joined Oct 2001, 6495 posts, 
From Germany, joined Jul 2001, 20845 posts, 
Good thing mine was shipped FedEx.
From Australia, joined Feb 2005, 5424 posts, 
From Hong Kong, joined Jun 2006, 2760 posts, 
From Brazil, joined Jul 2007, 722 posts, 
From Bahamas, joined Mar 2004, 2031 posts, 
Printer friendly format 
