Well, after spending several evenings on the phone with HP and Microsoft and back to HP, it has been determined (BIOS Diagnostics on the computer) that I need to replace the Hard Disk on my 6 month old laptop (with all the bells and whistles). At least it won't cost me anything, but I'll be without for about 2 weeks. I have spent the better part of 5 evenings from 8 p.m. until midnight on the phone with these people from India. I've learned a lot about India! <grin> Now, at least, I can try to catch up on my sleep!
I had ordered a new Dell desktop computer a couple of weeks ago (my old one is 7 or 8 years old and slow as molasses even after adding memory and hard drive space)(THEY HAD A GREAT SALE!), and the new one has arrived, so this weekend I will be setting it up and transferring files.
With everything else going on in our lives, I've always been able to count on my computers (even if slow!). I have to stay in touch with all of you!
If I had to be without my computer for two weeks, I'd have to go to a Rehab Center. It's my lifeline and oxygen to the outside world. We'll miss you. Hope your Dell serves you well....I've had two that didn't work well at all...and gave up on them!!! and, I'm a TEXAN...and should support our own products!!!
The same thing happened to us. Sid's Dell laptop was just over a year old, and the hard drive crashed. I was on the phone with a woman in India on and off for days. They have a protocol they have to follow, and she made me go through a zillion steps that took hours at a time until they determined that I needed a new hard drive. After it arrived, she did stay on the phone with me talking me through how to install it. I had to pay $250 for the new hard drive.
I'm visiting with the 'Indians' too as they attempt to help fix a problem with opening links or doc.attachments referenced in my windows mail e-mail messages. Thus far it hasn't been fixed and because we have dialup everything is slow. Good luck with your new machine.
Joan, I was given a choice of them mailing a hard drive to me and me installing it and mailing them back the dead one, while I gave them my credit card for them to hold $250 until I returned the dead one, OR them sending a box with proper packaging and mail the whole laptop to them and them changing out the hard drive. I chose to let them do the work and not "accidentally" NOT get back the dead one and bill me!!!! Trusting soul that I am! <grin>
Mary - I have a compaq presario for about 5 years now. After having it about 6 months I downloaded from HP a bios update - big mistake. It crashed the hard drive and I had to have it replaced. I bought my computer at Best Buy so took it back to them. They shipped it back to be fixed - took a couple weeks. At the time I wasn't so 'connected' to my computer and was working, so it was OK. Now I would not survive. I fear my computer is on its last leg. I was told it needed reformatting but that did not correct the problem. I still think it is the graphics card even though they say no.