Brand new laptop not right from the start

I bought a new HP laptop (at work right now and don’t know the exact model number off the top of my head) just about 1 year ago, and I have been having problems with it since I bought it. The first month or so it was working great, then it just started acting funny. Any time I would click on anything to open it, or right click, it would just "hang". The hour glass would popup and stays like that, unusable, for 5 minutes or so, then the program would open or right click menu display, but the next time I clicked anything the same problem would happen. I did call HP tech support and after a long conversation, the end result was that I just reformatted and used the recovery disks to restore it to factory settings. I barley used it for a while, then about another few months later, the problem started again. This time I just formatted and restored the os like I did before, but after setup was complete this time, the problem started again immediately. I called tech support again and they wanted me to pay $160 for a software diagnosis. I refused to pay and find it very hard to believe that this is a software/driver issue due to the problem happening right after reinstalling windows. I have only about 2 weeks left on my warranty. The first time I talked to tech support they did not charge me and also told me that if it was determined that this is a hardware problem, then they would fix/replace it under warranty.

So, I am asking... Does anybody know of why this can be happening? I don’t want to, but i can pay the $160 for HP to diagnose my computer, and they may "fix" it, but I am sure that after a few months the problem will come back (like it has twice already). Then by that time my hardware warranty will be expired, and i would be out the $160 plus the costs to fix the hardware. What should I do?

My first hunch is memory problems
Run memtest for 8 runs
and if problems are shown test each slot with a known good ram
Download memtest86 and test RAM
www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/105647-ram-test-memtest86.html

But even before the test try a clean boot.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135

Hi Buratti, welcome to the Seven Forums.

When you are home, check the product number of your laptop and post it here. I think it's the best way to start to look for your issue. You can find the product number from a sticker on the bottom of your laptop. Please notice it's the product number (P/N) I'm asking, not the serial number (S/N).

Kari

Thanks for both of your responses. I will try the memtest suggestion as soon as I get home. As for the product number I know it starts with "DV7" and the rest of it may be 3108US, but I could be wrong. I'll find out for sure when I get home. On another note. If I start the computer in safe mode, the problem does not happen, which does indicate a software/driver problem, however though I'm no novice to computers and have even fixed a few friends computers over the years, and an "all else fails" reinstall of windows fixed the problem every time, but NOT in this case, which is why I am torn between determining it as a software or hardware problem. I'll keep you posted on the status

If reinstall does not work, sounds like hardware. First place to look is memory
Test MB, too. Take a good stick and test each slot, using memtest, for about 4 passes. On original test make 8

Buratti, no matter what your laptop's problem turns out to be, I can tell you from experience with HP (I've got an HP Pavillion dv5t) -- you have to keep pressuring them and do not let up!!! You have to keep calling about your problem, and make sure you get a ticket number. Keep asking for a next level higher support person -- Eventually they will assign you a case manager, and then you will start to see some results. Also, I don't want this to sound biased or prejudiced in any way, but whenever you call, keep calling until you get US based support people. For some reason, it is generally found that with HP, you will get much better results, both in the tech support department and in customer service.

I purchased my dv5t about 1 1/2 years ago and the first one that I got had all kinds of problems (probably similar to yours). I had purchased mine on line, and I knew that if I asked for a repair or replacement, that I would be without a system for a long time. I finally had to demand a replacement because it just wasn't fixable. The good news was that because of my relentless badgering of the customer service department, I finally did reach a relatively high-level support person, and he did not require me to send my system into HP repair. He just went ahead and replaced it.

During that whole period of time, (about a month or more), I became very familiar with quite a few other people who were having similar kinds of issues with their new HP laptops, and we all concurred that the best way to get results was to get connected to the US based personnel, and try to keep moving up the ranks to higher and higher level service people.

Buratti,

You might want to try this also...........
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1538-sfc-scannow-command-system-file-checker.html
But like Imperfect1 states be relentless and go UP the food chain for help.
Do not stop until you get results that you are happy with.

Ok, so I'm home now and working on the computer, (writing this on a different computer than the problem one) Came home, booted up and no problems, YET! Since it is currently symptom free at the moment, I figured it wouldn't be possible to diagnose the problem with a clean boot, so I went straight for the memtest tool. I am currently running that (50% through pass one as of the time writing this) . Keep you posted. BTW the model number is dv7-3065dx (only slightly off from my guess before)

Many tech enthusiasts find a clean-copy DVD of their OS version and reinstall using the OEM Product Key on the COA sticker on machine. Any installer can also have all versions unlocked using the ei.cfg removal tool. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/85813-windows-7-universal-installation-disc-create.html

Make your Recovery DIsks or save a Win7 backup image of the entire HD first so you have a path back to factory condition. Then wipe the HD of all code: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91339-ssd-hdd-optimize-windows-reinstallation.html

The installer is mostly driver-complete, with newer arriving quickly via optional Windows Updates. Any drivers then missing in Device Manager can be found on the Support Downloads webpage for your model computer or device.

Install updates and then programs slowly over time to gauge performance after each. Don't let any programs write themselves into msconfig>Startup as they become freeloaders on your RAM/CPU and can spy on you. I only allow AV and gadgets. http://www.sevenforums.com/crashes-debugging/70248-troubleshooting-msconfig.html

Use a lightweight free AV like MS Security Essentials which works perfectly with Windows 7 Firewall. http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/

When it is finished, clean and order the HD perfectly using state-of-the-art free CCleaner then Auslogics Disk and Registry defraggers monthly. CCleaner - Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET Download.com
Auslogics Disk Defrag - Reviews and free Auslogics Disk Defrag downloads at Download.com
Auslogics Registry Defrag - Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET Download.com

Then save a Win7 Backup image externally so you never have to reinstall again, just reimage the HD or replacement using DVD or Repair CD. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/663-backup-complete-computer-create-image-backup.html

if your laptop is not showing the problems you describe while in safe boot mode, i would suggest clean booting to find the problem. How to Troubleshoot a Problem by Performing a Clean Startup in Windows 7 or Vista

EDIT: apologies to richc46, I guess I only saw the memtest suggestion

I agree with the clean boot idea, as I have stated. I think that it might be a conflict; dont over look that possibility.

Ok, so here is an update on my situation. I ran the memtest for 7 passes like suggested and no problems were found. Also the computer has been runing perfectly since I started this post (Like taking a car to the shop and that strange noise stops when you pull into the lot, LOL).
To rephrase my original post, I had the problem a few months after buying it, did the FIRST reformat, then fine agian for another few months until the problem started again. Then I reformatted AGAIN, but this time, as already suggested a little earlier in this thread by gregrocker, I did use a "clean copy" of windows to install, not any restore disks. I may have jumped the gun a little on my first post saying that the problem started right away. Let me explain...
Upon the clean reinstall, after completion, everything was fine. I went to bed and overnight I guess the computer went into hiberantion. It took literally about 15 minutes to come out of it, which I assumed was just the original problem acting up again, so the nI started this post, but have not had any problems since then. BUT then again the last time i did a reinstall, it took a few months to act up again. Hopefully the clean install did fix any problems, and that waking up problem was just some kind of first time install glitch. I have since been using the computer to its extent, and trying to make it fail, but no such luck (which is actually a good thing). So, I guess its fine for now, but I'll let you know if the problem returns.

I do have one more question though. Like I said before I did a clean install from a Windows 7 DVD, but my problem is that the COA sticker on the back of my laptop is for Windows 7 Premium, and what is installed now is Ultimate. I did not know there was a way to unlock which version you wanted to install at that time. I have the 30 days to activate the Ultimate but no key. I was just using it as a test and didn't think ahead to figure out what to do if it actually worked. I dont mind purchasing the upgrade, but how exactly would that work, since "technically" i did a full install of ultimate, and not an "upgrade" from premium? And who would I call to obtain the Key? And what would the cost roughly be?

First you had a legit Premium on your computer and then you installed Ultimate. Notice I said installed, did not mention upgrade or or clean install.