Freakin' Computers (and HP Service)
So I am on-line this morning. Everything is fine. I am downloading a few species pics for my ICON Species Database, checking out the TrekRPGNet Boards. . .and every thing stops. The computer is still making noise like it is doing something, but nothing happens. After 15 minutes of this I shut it down.
Upon restart. . .I am unable to make a connection to the e-net, the freakin' computer can find no modem!What the. . .I was just on-line! How could there be no modem!? I try it three times. . .nothing. I turn the computer off and try watching Blade Runner on WGN. . .about fell asleep on it, so put in ST:FC and watched that. After the movie I try again. . .still no modem.
So I call the HP service number. I am given the option of getting service in English or Spanish. I should have picked Spanish. . .I might have been able to understand more, even though I don't speak Spanish. We are able to eventually figure out what each other want. . .and I am told they can do nothing because my computer is 17 months old, but I am told the modem problem would be an easy fix. I was directed to log onto HP's service center on-line. They would help me there. I asked how I was to do this with no modem. So I was given the option of either going on-line or calling a 900 number and being charged $40 to speak to a tech who would help me over the phone.
Having no choise, I called the 900 number. . .which was no longer in service. A recording gave me a new number to call. Which I did for $40. Now, I was again given the option of English or Spanish. . .again I would have been better off picking Spanish. I tell the tech my problem. I am advised as the computer is 17 months old they could do nothing. I would have to call a 900 number, pay $40 to talk to a tech. . .I advised them that is what I was doing now. The tech said that was fine if that is what I wanted to do and started giving me the 900 number again. . .I spent 10 minutes explaining that that number is what I called to be talking to him then. He eventually gave me a service number and transfered me to someone else.
Now for the third time I am giving HP my name, phone number, address and e-mail. For a third time I am told the computer is 17 months old and I could not be helped. . .they, knowing the modem does not work, directed me for a third time to log onto their HP on-line service center. When I ask how to do that without a modem, I am informed that I could call a 900 number and be charged $40 for assistance. I advised that I had called that number a half hour ago. . .that is the number I called to be speaking to you now. I was told, "Well, if you don't want to pay the $40 for assistance I guess I will just have to help you then. But if this takes too long you will have to call the 900 number." I couldn't say anything. . .I had tried for 40 minutes to get them to understand I had called the 900 number, that is how I was talking to them now.
So, after 25 minutes of trying to understand what this guy was saying and restarting and turning off my computer what seems like a billion times, he talks me through a long complicated list of instructions that finally brings back my modem. He tells me that what ever I did to make my modem go away I should not do anymore. . .and if I have to call again they will insist I call the 900 number and pay $40 for tech support.
I still have no idea what happened to my modem, have no idea what my phone bill is gonna look like and know that the next problem I have with this damn thing I am junking it and buying something, anything, other than an HP.
Sorry, I am angry. If I said anything to offend. . .it was not intened to be so.
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