Mobo replacement - HP - multiple errors

845 Views 3 Replies 3 Participants Last post by morto, Jul 3, 2010

morto

Discussion Starter · Jul 3, 2010 (Edited)

Hi everyone,

To start im a bit of a newbie, so if i do not provide enough info (or even too much), my apologies.

I have an HP Pavillion Elite e9180t. I bought this thinking it was a decent computer - 9 gigs memory, 2.67 GHz, Intel i7 cpu, ~1 tb hd space. Originally came with Windows Vista, but then I upgraded through HP's program to Windows 7. Upgrade went ok, some quirks (ex. problem with windows framework), but it was pretty smooth.

I bought the computer in September of 2009 (HP) and it has been great. All of a sudden, about 2 months ago, every 3 - 5 days I would be on the web and it would slow down, stop, go to the blue screen, and want to shut down, almost as if it were handling too much (which I know couldnt have been the case as my previously inferior computer did it no problem). This was usually preceded by some digitized buzzing / hissing from my speakers if I were listening to music.

So after finally getting fed up, i called HP and they said I had a defective mobo, which they had been getting alot of complaints about. So Im like ok, np, they're footing the bill to send a tech out to replace under warranty, no big deal. Tech comes out today, and I admit hes handling the computer roughly, ( i.e. no gloves, no anti static anything); Im not sure if he needs that stuff, but Ive heard so much about it I wonder. He finishes, computer seems ok, and he leaves.

Later I get on, and I have 4 problems!

1) Windows 7 is no longer registered, and it wont update. I fix this by myself and call up microsoft and get this resolved and get windows 7 registered, however Im having trouble connecting to get updates, and they cant / won't help!

2) secure sites ive always gone on (i.e. bank websites, etc.) are now blocked due to not having secure ie security certificates! this has never happened, so I called hp and all of a sudden the woman says i have a virus and it will cost $60 to fix! first of all i say there is no way im paying for anything as my computer is completely under warrenty, 2nd that if hp hadnt sent me a defective mobo in the first place this wouldnt have happened, and 3) why only now do i have a virus after the mpbo change, and not before!!! her response was pretty much pay or get off the phone. im really livid about the customer service.

3) time and date are changed on my computer. now obviously I'm not an expert, but now my computer says 1/26/2002, and is 18+ hours behind. now i can change all that, i dont care; but am i getting a mobo that was made in 2002???!!!

4) a number of programs are highlighted yellow in my start menu, and even if i load one of them it remains yellow. one thing shocked me though, i have adobe photoshop cs3, and it always worked fine. now it says that my computer doesnt have a good enough processor to power the program and that it may run poorly!!!

What a mess i got myself in, i shouldve never have called hp. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, and thanks for reading all this, I know its a bit much.

BIOS Version 5.27
Bios Release date 3/5/2010
BIOS Vendor American Megatrends

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reventon

· #2 · Jul 3, 2010

Hi,

I will go through your questions one at a time:

1) Windows 7 is no longer registered, and it wont update. I fix this by myself and call up microsoft and get this resolved and get windows 7 registered, however Im having trouble connecting to get updates, and they cant / won't help!

This was due to the HP tech changing your motherboard. Every Windows install is tied to it's motherboard and when you change the motherboard you have to re-activate Windows. The update issue we will have a look at later.

3) time and date are changed on my computer. now obviously I'm not an expert, but now my computer says 1/26/2002, and is 18+ hours behind. now i can change all that, i dont care; but am i getting a mobo that was made in 2002???!!!

That is relatively normal - I believe the time in the BIOS of this motherboard (made in 07) was set to 2000 when I got it.

So, the above are non-issues (excl the failed updates). You do have some big problems though:

2) secure sites ive always gone on (i.e. bank websites, etc.) are now blocked due to not having secure ie security certificates! this has never happened, so I called hp and all of a sudden the woman says i have a virus and it will cost $60 to fix! first of all i say there is no way im paying for anything as my computer is completely under warrenty, 2nd that if hp hadnt sent me a defective mobo in the first place this wouldnt have happened, and 3) why only now do i have a virus after the mpbo change, and not before!!! her response was pretty much pay or get off the phone. im really livid about the customer service.

I do not believe that this was caused by a virus, especially as the Security Certificates that you are talking about are ones hosted on the Banks Website, not on your machine. Obviously Internet Explorer is not receiving/interpreting these correctly. Did the tech do anything on your computer apart from putting the new motherboard in and pressing the power button?

4) a number of programs are highlighted yellow in my start menu, and even if i load one of them it remains yellow. one thing shocked me though, i have adobe photoshop cs3, and it always worked fine. now it says that my computer doesnt have a good enough processor to power the program and that it may run poorly!!!

I would group this one in with the failed updates (and even the "virus") as a symptom of a not fully-functioning Windows Install.

At this point, if I were you, I would completely re-install Windows (which, if there is a real virus on your system would also take care of that at the same time).

I am not sure if you re-install Vista first then run the upgrade again - investigating that now.

Ok, it appears that you should be able to run the in-built recovery

Turn on the computer and immediately press the F11 key repeatedly , about once every second, until Recovery Manager opens.

Make sure you back up your files before hand (just in case) - also make sure you know what your Windows 7 Key is just in case I am wrong and the recovery partition installs Vista.

Regards,
Reventon

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Wrench97

· #3 · Jul 3, 2010

Set the date and time correctly and see if the updates work, this should have been done by the tech.

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morto

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jul 3, 2010

Thanks Reventon for all the support. I really thought I was in dire straits. You're not gonna believe this, but after reading about inconsistancies regarding the system clock and security certificates for web pages, that was one of the first changes I made, per your recommendation.

I first tried to syncronize it with microsofts internet clock, tried twice and failed. However third time was a charm, it took, and:

1) The issue with microsoft not updating - it went away, this is fixed.

2) Secure sites I have gone on that were giving me security certificate problems - these now work with no problem

3) Date and time that were wrong on computer - fixed, obviously as that is what i attacked first

4) programs highlighted in yellow that wouldnt go away - all are now normal color, problem fixed. granted i started cs3 and it still gave me the 'may have poor performance' message, but ill take it, 3 out of 4 isnt bad. It does make me paranoid about what was actually installed in my computer, I mean saying my system doesnt meet requirements is a bit concerning when you have somewhat the latest and greatest, but what can you do.

Obviously HP doesnt know what they are talking about, and I wont be forgetting it.

I was REALLY not wanting to do the whole reinstall for windows, i mean thinking about that just puts me in a bad mood. looks like i was really lucky with this one, truly the magic bullet. Ill keep you posted, Im hoping this is a permanent fix. Thanks for the help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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