A received a call from Jeff last night at HP. I received my check last week and cashed it, so I was a bit surprised. We talked for over 40 minutes and I have decided to remove the tattoo utility. While I know there were legal reasons and they could have threatened me, but he was very pleasant about the whole situation. We talked in depth about the issues I was concerned with and assured me they are looking at and correcting their procedures.

I particularly asked him what other people who are in the same boat, but no longer in warranty, should do. If you think your computer has been tattooed improperly, and/or your recovery disks are not installing the proper software, I encourage you to check your BIOS to see if the model (or product number) is correct. If it is incorrect, go to HP's FAQ for your model, maybe even try HP's product detection to see if it is detecting properly. As a last resort, you can go to the Customer Service option, Email HP and email a letter to Mark Hurd with the issue.

In the end, if you keep pushing, as long as you are in the right, I think HP will take care of you. You just need to talk to the right people. I will keep you up to date from here.

I have always leaned toward HP products. When they no longer gave actual OS disks, I was disappointed, but they were among the last to do that. Despite that, you can still load a blank OS and get the drivers and programs from their website. How many other companies offer that option? I have always seen SONY as overpriced and Apple wanna be. Apple, well overpriced mainly. Toshiba always comes with too much software (not that HP's don't have a lot, but Toshiba seems to have the most.) Gateway's aren't too bad from what I've seen, but I haven't been impressed by them like I have with HP and their site doesn't have the driver support like HP. Dell is probably the closest, but I like to be able to get a feel for my laptop. I like to sit at the counter and feel the laptop. So, for know, I think HP still has an edge, and making things right through our conversation last night definitely helped.

A guide and tutorial on using ComboFix

I found this nice little utility and I thought I would share it. There is also A guide and tutorial on using ComboFix which you should pay attention to. It appears to help with all sorts of nasty programs.

HP buys back my laptop after my BBB complaint

Well, after my BBB complaint was filed, HP offered to buy back my laptop. I could not find the receipt off-hand, but found an old reference (for $1400) to the price of the laptop which they honored.
I really like their laptops, but I don't know what to do from here. I have sent it back, but I think the problem lies very deep in HP and my response to the BBB was that HP did not satisfy me.
I guess we will see where that goes.

ABC News: Endangered Species Rules Face Extinction

George Bush's cronies are deciding again that they know better than scientists. In the article ABC News: Endangered Species Rules Face Extinction Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne says "It is not possible to draw a link between greenhouse gas emissions and distant observations of impacts on species."

Ummm, no because the melting ice that most scientists believe is caused by the Global Warming coming from humans has nothing to do with the ice that melts that causes Polar Bears to loose their ice habitats. Ummmm how many things can you find wrong it that statement. Please, someone, shut up Cheney and Bush before they blow us all up. I swear Bush is gonna try to invade Iran just to try to get the U.S. attacked so he can destroy us.

National Security and Homeland Security Presidential Directive

Oh my God! This is scary. How the
National Security and Homeland Security Presidential Directive slipped by is beyond me. Everything I read on the web allows for the dictator - I mean president - to put a halt to Presidential Elections and stay in office if a "disaster" is declared. Don't beleive me? Google "Directive 51" and read the first link (also listed above) and see for yourself.

Those of you who really know me, know I don't just pass these things on Willy-Nilly. I've done my best to read through the article and it seems to read like many people out there are also reading it. Bush can declare a Martial Law like state due to a "'Catastrophic Emergency'" which is defined as "any incident, regardless of location, that results in extraordinary levels of mass casualties, damage, or disruption severely affecting the U.S. population, infrastructure, environment, economy, or government functions;"

BBB Complaint filed with HP

I also filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau of San Jose. I don't have a link to the case and don't see a spot on the site to check the status of the case, but I will pass on this info as applicable.

COMPLAINT ACTIVITY REPORT Case # xxxxxx Better Business Bureau of Silicon Valley

Consumer Info: Flesch, Sean Business Info: Hewlett Packard
(I removed my info) 3000 Hanover St MS1247 Building 6A
Palo Alto, CA 94304-1112
800 756-0608


Location Involved: (Same as above)

Consumer's Original Complaint :
HP uses a program called a Tattoo which puts the model and serial numbers in the BIOS. They use this on their website http://welcome.hp.com/country/us/en/support.html?pageDisplay=drivers for instance to identify the product. The recovery software also uses this to identify the model number and install the proper software.
Problem 1: Their phone support people don't know what this is, so they can not properly troubleshoot the problem. Customers (other than myself) don't know the problem either, so they get the run around.
Problem 2: If you manage to explain to the tech support people what it is, and they get you to send the unit in, the repair center does not know to put the model information in the BIOS using the tattoo. Even after four (maybe more, I have lost track)repairs.I have an open case with HP, and have so far had it escalated to a Case Manager's manager and am waiting for a call back, but I believe she will also have to escalate this. There is no easy way for these folk to talk to the other people in the company to get this problem fixed.

Consumer's Desired Resolution:
1) I would like my laptop either replaced, or repaired properly with a warranty extension2) I would like the repair center(s) to be instructed on the proper procedure for using the tattoo3) I would like the technical support (phone) people properly trained on identifying this issue for people who have had their motherboard replaced previously (or for any other reason the tattoo may be incorrect)4) I would like HP to offer to "repair" any of the units that were not tattooed in the past, even if they are not under warranty and provide some kind of press release on their website (preferably their main site) stating so and maybe even providing a web based tool to identify these PCs.

BBB Processing

07/31/2008 web BBB Complaint Received by BBB

Exxon sets U.S. mark for quarterly profit, misses forecasts - Jul. 31, 2008

This is getting ridiculous! Americans are going broke, loosing their houses, loosing business to foreign company (e.g. Anheuser Busch) and Exxon is setting records for profit???!!! What the hell. Hello Bush, thanks for the tax breaks you are giving the oil companies!! And on top of that McCain wants to keep those tax cuts.
Come on Congress has tried not once, but at least twice to end those tax cuts in recent history.
Exxon sets U.S. mark for quarterly profit, misses forecasts - Jul. 31, 2008