The Nvidia Defect Forum

Hello,

I thought I would start a topic on here to track my progress with my HP laptop. I figured it would be a good place for me keep a record of what happens, and might help someone else along the way. So here goes!

I bought a HP laptop from .laptopsdirect.co.uk (who's service was very good) on 25/07/2007.
Invoice No 257920 (still have the email ).
The cost was £536.14 + VAT = £629.96

The laptop was a HP Pavillion dv6331eu, 15.4", 2GB ram, 160gb HDD, NVidia go7200 256.

The laptop was fine until almost 1 year later, when it failed with a blank screen and 3 beeps. I discovered through Google that this is the code for a video failure. I thankfully managed to get it back up and running once and was able to back up my data, before it went back to the beeping. I called up HP and they took it in for repair under warranty ( <5 days left!). When they returned my laptop, I was surprised to note that the whole motherboard had been replaced. But everything was working again, so I thought no more about it.

Fast forward about 12 months and the same thing happened again. By this time my laptop was out of warranty. I couldn’t believe it had failed in the same way again, and did some research in to the problem. This was when I became aware of the NVidia issue, particularly with my model of laptop. I was livid, but didn't know what to do. Nobody seemed to be having any success with HP. I had to order a new laptop quickly (Dell this time) and the HP went in to a cupboard where it has languished for the last 18 months.

Like a thorn in my side, I often thought about the laptop and that I should do something with it, even if it ended up on eBay or in the bin. I recently dug it out to see if anything could be done (having read about new motherboards, reflows etc). Then I came across this site. I couldn't believe it - finally, a straightforward explanation of what the problem is and how to get a result!

So, following Paul’s detailed instructions - I have been in touch with LaptopsDirect. The customer service rep I spoke to said he didn't know anything the NVidia issue, but was quick to tell me that I'd need an engineers report to prove any inherent defects. I have arranged this with Paul at Lapcure, and my packaged up laptop is awaiting collection from the courier today!

I will of course update this topic with what happens, and hopefully I will be able to get something back from this situation. I have seen other threads where people have had success with LaptopsDirect.

Sorry for waffling on, but I wanted to get all of this down. Please feel free to add anything, especially if you have the same model HP or have dealt with LaptopsDirect!

Thanks,
Mat

Hello Mat and welcome to our forum.

Sorry to hear of all the problems you have experienced with your laptop.

I did a quick check on the HP website to see if I could find any further information relating to your model of laptop and found this:- http://tinyurl.com/4byh4a5

This is the BIOS update page for your laptop. On the 25th March 2008 HP released a BIOS update for your laptop named F.51.

The purpose of this update, according to the HP Support Site, is:-



So, HP knew from as early as the 25th March 2008 of the potential for your laptop to overheat - otherwise why release a BIOS update that switches the fans on continuously to the detriment of the battery?

This evidence will also be documented in your report and will add further credence to our findings (if your laptop is indeed inherently defective).

I don't think that you will have a problem in securing a positive resolution and the fact that you have already had a repair once will add weight to your argument of why not to accept a repair.

The fact that you have to obtain a report is just a formality and once you have the report I think that you will find that Laptops Direct will be quick to respond.

Fingers crossed.

Best wishes

Paul
The Admin Team

_________________
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FAQ's
Why you should not accept a repair
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Step by step help to getting a refund
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=======================================================

If you like what you see on this forum and would like to help then please post links to this forum in other forums or blogs. The more people we can help the better.


Please note that I am not legally qualified and I only offer my own personal advice. You are advised to seek professional legal advice for formal clarification of advice I give.

Thanks again Paul for all of your help and advice.

I have found my emails from Dell regarding the laptop I ordered to replace this one when it failed a 2nd time. The emails start at the 27th May, 2009. The HP laptop must have failed shortly before that time.

This means I can only have had a maximum of 22 months use from my HP laptop before the 2nd (and final) failure.

Hello Mat,



Did you mean Dell or did you mean HP?

I am back at work tomorrow so should be able to inspect your machine then and will let you know as soon as I conclude the inspection.

Fingers crossed for you

Best wishes

Paul
The Admin Team

_________________
=======================================================
Calculate the minimum refund that you would be entitled to.
FAQ's
Why you should not accept a repair
Links to evidence
What is the Nvidia Defect?
Step by step help to getting a refund
Do you need an engineers report?
=======================================================

If you like what you see on this forum and would like to help then please post links to this forum in other forums or blogs. The more people we can help the better.


Please note that I am not legally qualified and I only offer my own personal advice. You are advised to seek professional legal advice for formal clarification of advice I give.

Hi Paul,

Sorry for the confusion. I did mean Dell in my post above. I was referring to the fact that I replaced my faulty HP laptop with a new Dell machine. By locating the sales email from Dell, I was able to tell approximately the date when my HP laptop failed for the 2nd (and final) time.

Thank you for your engineer's report. I have received the returned laptop today.

I have read your step by step guide but I have missed out Step 2. I did not write to the Head Office. This is because I was advised that I would need an engineers report when I made my initial phone call to them, so I skipped right to step 4!

So should I now send the report and letter before action? I take it I don't need to return the laptop at this point?

Once again, thanks for your help!

Hello Mat,



Yes, you should now send them the report along with the letter before action.

Please ensure that you send these by recorded delivery and please keep copies of both the report and the postal receipt.

If the retailer wants to inspect the laptop then they are perfectly entitled to do so, though this has to be entirely at their expense, which includes the collection of the laptop.

You were right to skip to step 4 of the guide, if they requested that you should obtain a report then you can skip those steps in the guide.

I hope the above helps.

If you have any questions then please let me know.

Best wishes

Paul
The Admin Team

_________________
=======================================================
Calculate the minimum refund that you would be entitled to.
FAQ's
Why you should not accept a repair
Links to evidence
What is the Nvidia Defect?
Step by step help to getting a refund
Do you need an engineers report?
=======================================================

If you like what you see on this forum and would like to help then please post links to this forum in other forums or blogs. The more people we can help the better.


Please note that I am not legally qualified and I only offer my own personal advice. You are advised to seek professional legal advice for formal clarification of advice I give.

Paul, thanks for your help.

I sent the report recorded delivery on Thursday 17th March. I'm not sure if there's a letter waiting at home today, but I have just received an email from 'buyitdirect.co.uk' who seem to be affiliated. There is no information in the email relating to this particular case, it is an automatically generated 'return' email, with a return number, and a link for me to book a collection. I assume therefore that they want the laptop back! As I said, there is no further information.

I will go ahead and arrange the collection.

In the email it stipulates that the operating system must be 'restored to factory settings using the restore disks'. I don't think I have any restore disks, and I think the current OS is corrupted (as mentioned in your report). Would this matter? Hopefully not.

Fingers crossed that this is moving towards a positive outcome!

Thanks again Paul,

Mat

Hello Mat,



Why on earth should you do that? Your laptop has been proved to be inherently defective so if they want a working OS then they should install it themselves.

If it helps though your laptop has a restore partition which allows you to restore the OS by pressing a Function key at boot time. I think that if you press the F11 key when you see the HP logo then the restore process should start.

I hope the above helps.

Good luck with the next step.

Best wishes

Paul
The Admin Team

_________________
=======================================================
Calculate the minimum refund that you would be entitled to.
FAQ's
Why you should not accept a repair
Links to evidence
What is the Nvidia Defect?
Step by step help to getting a refund
Do you need an engineers report?
=======================================================

If you like what you see on this forum and would like to help then please post links to this forum in other forums or blogs. The more people we can help the better.


Please note that I am not legally qualified and I only offer my own personal advice. You are advised to seek professional legal advice for formal clarification of advice I give.

Thanks Paul!

I think it's a standard returns email, so this request is probably quite generic. Given the circumstances, I think i'll just leave it. It's impossible to say when the laptop will fail again after all - wouldn't want that to happen while it's restoring the OS

The laptop is being collected on Thursday (24th). I will update as soon as I hear more from Laptops Direct.

Mat

Hi again,

Laptops Direct have received the laptop and inspected it, and I received the following email today:

Dear Mr White,

Thank you for the return of your goods.

We have been in contact with Hewlett Packard who manufactured your laptop, they have indeed confirmed the unit was supplied with the Nvidea defect as per your engineers report. In order to resolve this matter they have agreed to take the unit back for a repair to be made, this repair would involve a new motherboard being fitted to the machine.

As a gesture of good will Buy it Direct would also agree to reimburse the cost of your engineers report if a receipt could be provided.

Can you please advise how you would like to proceed so the repair can take place and the unit returned as soon as possible.

Kind Regards

Tina

Tina Fuller
Customer Relations Manager

I have replied to this email stating that I will not accept a repair. I justified this by stating that based on my research, repaired laptops fail again. I have experienced this first-hand. My laptop was repaired by HP in 2008 and failed less than 1 year later.

I have requested a refund or a repair. I also thanked Tina for offering to reimburse the cost of the report, and advised that I could send a copy of the invoice if they had lost the one I have already provided!

I will update when I have a reply!

Many thanks,

Mat