HP Offering Motherboard Fix for 3 Pavillion Desktops
HP is offering to replace the motherboards of three Pavilion desktop models due to a higher-than-expected failure rate.
Hewlett-Packard said on Tuesday that it has identified a high rate of motherboard failures in its popular Pavilion line of desktop PCs built in June and July 2010. The company said these system boards have a "slightly higher than expected failure rate" although a specific problem wasn't addressed.
According to the announcement, the affected machines include Pavilion Elite HPE-4xx, Pavilion P66xx and Pavilion Slimline S5660f desktops. "[These] computers may experience no video at start up and stop responding," said HP in its email to desktop owners.
The affected machines won't be recalled, but rather HP will extend their warranty for another twelve months. Customers who already have an expired warranty will have one year to report the problem. Either way, HP will replace the motherboard free of charge, and will even pay for round-trip shipping.
According to HP's support document, symptoms of motherboard failure include: (1) computer powers on with no video, no beeps; (2) computer locks up at the POST screen or reboots; (3) computer constantly reboots. Affected users are encouraged to check the model name and product number, check the serial number, and then contact HP's customer service. Only 20 models are listed as potential returns.
"A small percentage of systems in the serial number range have experienced or may experience one or more of the symptoms," HP said. "After HP repairs your computer, you will continue to be covered by the HP Limited Warranty Service Enhancement program for 24 months after the start of your original standard limited warranty, or 90 days after receiving your free repair, whichever is later."
Only U.S. and Canadian customers are eligible for the warranty extension and possible free motherboard exchange. For more information about the problem, head here.
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Kevin Parrish has over a decade of experience as a writer, editor, and product tester. His work focused on computer hardware, networking equipment, smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, and other internet-connected devices. His work has appeared in Tom's Hardware, Tom's Guide, Maximum PC, Digital Trends, Android Authority, How-To Geek, Lifewire, and others.
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copy_run_start Three pavillion? That's what, like a thousand trillion desktops? Seems suspect.Reply -
dj1001 Maybe if they didn't import thier mobo's from china stacked directly on top of each with nothing but a piece of cardboard in between and the entire bundle piled on a crate and shrink wrapped the failure rates wouldn't be so high.Reply -
allenpan ^------ idiot, not all caps are electrolytic, especially now a day, it is due to BGA contact with satrated currentReply -
kawininjazx How about the millions of DV series laptops with faulty nvidia graphics chips? I was waiting for the "Motherboard Fix" to be a heatgun to the video chip like those laptops. Don't buy HP crap.Reply -
A Bad Day Reply"built in June and July 2010"
And how long did it take for HP to notice a "slightly higher than expected failure rate"? -
waethorn kawininjazxHow about the millions of DV series laptops with faulty nvidia graphics chips? I was waiting for the "Motherboard Fix" to be a heatgun to the video chip like those laptops. Don't buy HP crap.Reply
It's not just those - the Intel DV2000/6000/9000 series and some of the newer DV6/7, etc. models also had issues. The thermal sensor didn't operate properly so the threshold temperatures for faster fan operation never registered. The board components couldn't handle the extra heat, so the board would literally cook.
Not only that, but I've personally seen DOZENS of AMD Vision laptops in my computer repair shop with the same problems (no POST motherboard fault) as the NVIDIA chipset boards.
The problem is HP. Either they just have bad engineers working for them (unless they contract them out too) or else they aren't paying their OEM's enough money to make quality parts. -
This has been known since nov 2011. Its not a blow cap issue. A chipset issue with onboard video etc. And its a foxconn alvorix motherboardReply