Home› General Discussion

got my new laptop and it's already broken

Justin Meisse
polycounter lvl 19
Offline / Send Message
Justin Meisse polycounter lvl 19
Just got my HP zd8000 today and there's already something wrong with it! It worked fine this morning, charged the battery up, but now it can't tell when it's plugged into AC power so the screen dims and it runs off the battery. Occasionally it will flicker back on to AC power making the screen brighten up again. Why me!?
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Replies

  • ScoobyDoofus
    Offline / Send Message
    ScoobyDoofus polycounter lvl 20
    I've seen that with a few laptops I've worked with.
    Im not a big laptop fan.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • poopinmymouth
    Offline / Send Message
    poopinmymouth polycounter lvl 19
    www.notebookforums.com Go to the HP section and see if there is a common workaround or somesuch.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • jzero
    Offline / Send Message
    jzero polycounter lvl 18
    I have a Dell Inspiron that has a two-part AC cord. There's an adapter box with a small cord that plugs into the computer, and a larger cord that has the AC plug, which plugs into the adapter box.

    Sometimes, the AC cord will be attached, and the laptop won't be getting AC power. I go to the adapter and SHOVE the AC attachment into the adapter box, and it goes THAT MUCH further in (/me holds fingers two millimeters apart). Then I get AC power.

    /jzero
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Justin Meisse
    Offline / Send Message
    Justin Meisse polycounter lvl 19
    jzero: I tried that and even switched out plugs to no avail. When I plug the adapter in the ac light on the front of the laptop goes on for a few seconds and then turns off, I have a sinking feeling it's a problem with the laptop itself.

    well I talked with HP's tech support and they are sending me a new AC adapter, I'm guessing it's a common problem because he didn't ask me to check anything. Hopefully that will do it but I have a feeling I'll have the same problem with the new ac adapter and I'll have to send the laptop back to HP.

    It doesn't look like the female end of the plug can break off on this laptop (which I saw alot of during my pc tech days), it looks really solid, kind of encased in metal.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • hawken
    Offline / Send Message
    hawken polycounter lvl 19
    yeah they are pretty robust machines

    I was having a problem with my one freezing up recently but found out it was the extra 512ram I put in. Shame but now I have to work in 512mb of ram for a while.

    sounds like the ac adaptor is busted, if not I guess you have a warranty and such. They are good at replacing stuff if it's busted, no questions asked, even if you drop the thing.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • flaagan
    Offline / Send Message
    flaagan polycounter lvl 18
    jz.. if you can, get ahold of Dell about that AC adapter.. when i had my Dell laptop i returned 3 AC adapters before i got one that worked properly.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • notman
    Offline / Send Message
    notman polycounter lvl 18
    Hmm, maybe I should call tech support and say mine is broken smile.gif I was considering buying another adapter so I can have one at work and one at home (so I don't always have to fish it out of my bag.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • hawken
    Offline / Send Message
    hawken polycounter lvl 19
    notman: and create an unballance in the universe?
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • notman
    Offline / Send Message
    notman polycounter lvl 18
    lol, well knowing my luck mine will zonk out right after the warranty runs out smile.gif
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Justin Meisse
    Offline / Send Message
    Justin Meisse polycounter lvl 19
    guess what? It isn't the AC adapter so now I have to send the laptop back to HP. On the bright side, I now have two AC adapters.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • notman
    Offline / Send Message
    notman polycounter lvl 18
    frown.gif
    That sucks. I remember how excited I was to get mine, I can't imagine having to send it back and wait longer.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • CheapAlert
    Offline / Send Message
    CheapAlert polycounter lvl 18
    Yeah

    I shouldn't be surprised if they have Compaq making their adapters now. Compaq's adapters were always crappy and broke often even when care is taken.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • hawken
    Offline / Send Message
    hawken polycounter lvl 19
    funny you should say that.

    I took this laptop apart (it's a zd7000) and found a sticker saying "replace with compaq spare" on the ram and the graphics card.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Justin Meisse
    Offline / Send Message
    Justin Meisse polycounter lvl 19
    [ QUOTE ]
    :(
    That sucks. I remember how excited I was to get mine, I can't imagine having to send it back and wait longer.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    Here's the best part, I originally placed my order on Sept. 15 then I canceled it and reordered it because I wanted to change my configuration.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • notman
    Offline / Send Message
    notman polycounter lvl 18
    Well, at least they do a good job of delivering ahead of schedule (at least they did for me).
    To be honest, it sounds like someone didn't solder the connector correctly (if at all). I would have tried opening it and fixing it, but then again, it IS brand new and that should happen.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Justin Meisse
    Offline / Send Message
    Justin Meisse polycounter lvl 19
    We are nearing the end of my laptop travesty, Got my laptop back today and it has the same exact problem, I'm going to ask for my money back.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • notman
    Offline / Send Message
    notman polycounter lvl 18
    Damn.... I can't see how they could manage to f something up like that... well, nm. I guess I can imagine.

    So what exactly does it do right now? It doesn't charge? Or just registering that it isn't connected? You'd think they'd check that :/
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Justin Meisse
    Offline / Send Message
    Justin Meisse polycounter lvl 19
    well, looks like I spoke too soon... I plugged it into another outlet and it works fine. It was too much for the power strip I was plugging it into, the strip had a breaker that would shut off whenever I plugged this bohemoth of a laptop into it.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • notman
    Offline / Send Message
    notman polycounter lvl 18
    LOL, I hope that wasn't the problem the whole time smile.gif
    It does draw a lot of current. Don't be alarmed when the power supply feels almost too hot to touch. That's apparently normal.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Sign In or Register to comment.