Well, my HP tx1000z tablet laptop died today. Turns out that it’s due to an overheating defective nvida GPU.
Issue Description
80% of the time
- I press the power button and it immediately turns back off.
20% of the time
- I press the power button, and it stays on
- All of the lights turn on as normal
- The hard drive access light blinks exactly 3 times before forever tuning off
- I NEVER see anything on the screen
- I hear NO beeps
If I take out or leave in one or all of the CD Drive, RAM, and/or Hard Drive, nothing changes from the above scenario.
According to my research, I’m assuming that the laptop’s GPU overheated, killed itself and possibly the motherboard.
Resolution?
HP has publicly recognized the NVIDIA GeForce Go 6150 as defective with the DV2000, DV6000, and DV9000 series laptops. Even though my tx1000z has this exact same chip, they refuse to accept it as the same issue. Even though it’s clear that the tx1000z has an overheating issue and dies after about 1 year, HP refuses to accept this as the same issue!
With high hopes and low expectations, I went ahead and contacted support (knowing full-well that my warranty has expired). I figured that they won’t KNOW there is an issue unless they see a huge influx of complaints about dying tx1000z tablets. So, (like others) I did my part:
[An agent will be with you shortly.]
[You are now chatting with Summer .]
Summer : Hello Michael.
Summer : Welcome to HP Total Care.
Michael Altfield : hello
Summer : I understand that the Notebook is not booting. All the LEDs are glowing on the Notebook but you are not getting any display on the screen.
Summer : Am I correct?
Michael Altfield : correct.
Summer : Thank you for your confirmation.
Summer : I will do my best to help you.
Summer : Since howlong are you experiencing this issue?
Michael Altfield : it is not a display issue; the harddrive light blinks only 3 times, then all lights remain steady and on (with the exception of the harddrive light which is off)
Michael Altfield : today
Summer : Thank you for the information.
Michael Altfield : nothing has changed with the laptop since before this issue began
Summer : May I know the recent software and hardware changes made in the notebook, before identifying the issue?
Michael Altfield : none
Summer : Okay.
Summer : Please let me know the version of Windows (ie XP or Vista) installed in your computer.
Michael Altfield : I have advanced technical computer knowledge
Michael Altfield : it’s actually running Ubuntu Linux
Michael Altfield : …but it’s not getting to BIOS, so it’s not a software issue
Summer : I see !
Michael Altfield : I have already read, and followed this document: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c00372748&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&product=3446449&rule=18630〈=en
Michael Altfield : The issue still occurs; I am assuming it is a motherboard/GPU issue
Summer : May I have few minutes while I check the weblink?
Michael Altfield : sure
Michael Altfield : it appears that this laptop (actually, the whole tx1000 family of laptops) has an overheating issue that occurs just shortly after a year from purchase date (my laptop is about 1.5 years old)
Summer : Michael, the issue seems to be with the hardware.
Summer : Could you please provide me the Serial Number (eg: s/n CNS34915MC) and Product Number (eg:p/n DS542U) of your Notebook? You may find that on a sticker attached to the bottom of the Notebook.
Michael Altfield : it seems to compliment NVIDIA’s statement that “significant quantities” of laptop GPUs are defective ( http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/02/nvidia-says-significant-quantities-of-laptop-gpus-are-defectiv/ )
Michael Altfield : sure
Michael Altfield : CNFXXXXXXV
Summer : I will check the warranty of the Notebook.
Michael Altfield : GDXXXAV
Summer : Thank you for the information.
Summer : May I have 2 to 3 minutes of your time while I check the warranty of the Notebook?
Michael Altfield : sure
Michael Altfield : It appears that this laptop is having the same issue as the DV2000, DV6000, and DV9000 laptops
Michael Altfield : all of these laptops have been recognized by HP to have overheating issues
Michael Altfield : All of these laptops apparently have been “internally recalled” by HP
Michael Altfield : all of these laptops (like mine) use the faulty Nvidia 6150 chipset
Summer : Michael, TX1000 Notebook is not recognized having the same issue like DV2000, DV6000 and DV9000.
Michael Altfield : the issue with those laptops was overheating of the nvidia chipset, correct?
Michael Altfield : …and the tx1000 has the same chipset
Summer : I understand your concern.
Summer : I checked the warranty of the Notebook and found that the Notebook is out of warranty.
Summer : I regret to say that we can not take the Notebook for free repair.
Summer : As the TX 1000 is not recogized by HP having the same issue like DV2000, DV6000 and DV9000 there is no such limited warranty for it.
Summer : If you wish I will go ahead and arrange a paid mail in repair for your Notebook.
Michael Altfield : no; I do not wish to pay for this laptop to be fixed
Michael Altfield : I’d rather wait until HP issues a recall on this faulty laptop
Michael Altfield : can I put such a request into HP management?
Summer : Michael, if you wish you can make a complaint to the CEO about the issue.
Summer : Here is the weblink, to make a complaint to the CEO.
Summer : http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/execteam/email/hurd/index.html
Michael Altfield : I will do this; thank you.
Summer : I will also inform my second level about the issue.
Michael Altfield : thank you. thank you very much.
Summer : Is there anything else I may help you with?
Summer : It’s been a pleasure assisting you.
Michael Altfield : nope; thanks again
Summer : Thank you for contacting HP Total Care and giving us an opportunity to serve you. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or clarifications. We assure you of our dedicated support, 24 hours, 365 days a year.
Summer : Have a nice time & Good Bye.
Michael Altfield : you too; bye
I sent off an email to the CEO as per Summer’s request. I don’t actually expect it to go to the CEO, but–like I said–the more HP hears about faulty tx1000z models the better.
Conclusion
I knew buying an HP would be a bad idea, but I went ahead and did it anyway because it was cheap. TBQH, I’m lucky that my laptop has lasted 1 year and 8 months. I got about 7 months more than most people. Christ, it’s like they engineer these things to die precisely after their 1-year warranty expires.
From a business perspective, it’s really all Nvidia fault. I’m actually more pissed at Nvidia over HP.
In any case, I think I’m going to look at those cute little $400 netbooks as my next laptop and shove this one in the closet until HP recalls the tx1000z (which is, IMHO, quite unlikely–anyway).
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Hi, I’m Michael Altfield. I write articles about opsec, privacy, and devops ➡
I have always been turned off my HP notebooks. Although their Touchsmart PC’s looks cool and their printers have always been nice, I stay mostly away from HP…but then again I am an Apple G33K.
Hi there,
My tx1000z died as well. Up till now, it’s been pretty good (with the exception of the ABSURD overheating problem). You can fry eggs on that damn thing. But yeah, I have the same issue as you.
Thanks for the review!
@Casey
Apple makes appliances, not computers. They break when you look in their direction, burn your lap, beachball constantly, and make their users annoyingly smug.
GNOME supremacy.
My TX1000 hp also died yesterday..still thinking whether I can save it or not..huhuh
@Ciklin
Not sure if this is accurate, but I heard that the problem was a result of bad solder. Supposedly, the “wrap it in a blanket” technique that works for the Xbox ring of death also works on the HP tx1000–I wouldn’t try it, though–unless I exhausted all other options and was just about to trash it. One of these days I’m gonna get together with an EE major and try to re-solder it, but–until then–I just bought a non-HP, non-Nvidia replacement.
You can either:
(a) spend ~$300 on replacement parts and fix it yourself
(b) spend ~$300 on HP mail-in repair (dunno if this includes parts)
(c) spend ~$500 – ~$2000 on a new laptop
(d) spend ~$300 on a new netbook
…and:
(a) will only buy you parts that will eventually fail again
(b) is apparently a pain in the ass, a gamble (so I hear, anyway), and–if your machine does work when they return it–it will only get you replacement parts that will eventually fail again
(c) is expensive
(d) is FTW. I got a $280 eeePC 901; it’s great! 😀