It Pays To Complain

In the previous post I complained about the lack of support from HP for a computer I own that needed a new hard drive. Getting the hard drive isn't the problem, but installing the operating system was. HP (& many other manufacturers today for unknown reasons) does not ship recovery CDs with their new systems. Instead, the operating system is located on a special section of the hard drive (a "partition") so you can reload the OS from the hard drive if needed. That's all fine and dandy if your problems are software related and you just want to wipe everything out and start over with a clean slate, but when the hard drive fails, you're screwed. In theory you can order recovery CDs from HP (at about $50.00 with shipping & handling - a scam itself since you already paid once for the OS when you bought the system!) but HP has apparently "run out" of recovery CDs for my system and can't be bothered to burn a few more CDs - how hard can that be? Anyway, That's where I am. A big heavy CPU that will have to be thrown in the garbage because HP can't burn a measly CD that would make it work again and I decided not to throw down $100.00 for a new copy of Windows XP.

I sent a letter of complaint to HP after several failed attempts to get a copy of the recovery. The people at their online tech support were very nice and supportive but they didn't apparently get the memo about recovery CDs, so twice I was informed that the CDs were available, twice I submitted all the relevant info about my computer and personal information, and twice I waited for a phone call to finish the order only to be informed (twice!) that the CDs were not available. I won't even mention the time before these two attempts when I called HP sales directly and was told the CDs were not available. OK, I mentioned it.

I had pretty much given up when a phone call from HP (in response to my e-mail) informed me of a third party vendor who could supply me with the recovery CD and that HP would reimburse me for the cost. Now I just have to cross my fingers that it actually works.