Last week I bought a Pavilion DV5030us. One of the security features listed is the power-on password. Sounds like a good idea, right? Prohibit anyone else from accessing your bios....wrong!
Now you are probably thinking - this idiot forgot his password. Wrong again. I correctly set it up and used it for six days. Yesterday morning I turned on the laptop, entered my power-on password and started working. Everything was great. A little later, I left the notebook running but closed the cover and went to get coffee. When I came back, I opened it and without thinking hit the power button - sending it into hibernation. O.K., I hit the power button again and it asked for the power-on password. No problem, I began typing my 7 digit password. It appeared to double space every entry and started beeping after I had typed just 4 digits.
I am screwed. I called HP and the agent says "why did you put a password on it? HP recommends that you do not". He had me take out the battery and hold the power button to discharge it, replace the battery and restart. Still unable to enter my password. Next HP tells me to box it up and send it in so they can reset the bios....for $300.
I did not forget my password. There is a problem with the laptop, the keyboard, hibernation...something - but not user error. But no telling that to HP.
So the end result is, I am paying three hundred dollars for correctly using a security feature advertised by HP.
Thanks for letting me get that off my chest. I had to tell somebody and HP is not listening.
Now you are probably thinking - this idiot forgot his password. Wrong again. I correctly set it up and used it for six days. Yesterday morning I turned on the laptop, entered my power-on password and started working. Everything was great. A little later, I left the notebook running but closed the cover and went to get coffee. When I came back, I opened it and without thinking hit the power button - sending it into hibernation. O.K., I hit the power button again and it asked for the power-on password. No problem, I began typing my 7 digit password. It appeared to double space every entry and started beeping after I had typed just 4 digits.
I am screwed. I called HP and the agent says "why did you put a password on it? HP recommends that you do not". He had me take out the battery and hold the power button to discharge it, replace the battery and restart. Still unable to enter my password. Next HP tells me to box it up and send it in so they can reset the bios....for $300.
I did not forget my password. There is a problem with the laptop, the keyboard, hibernation...something - but not user error. But no telling that to HP.
So the end result is, I am paying three hundred dollars for correctly using a security feature advertised by HP.
Thanks for letting me get that off my chest. I had to tell somebody and HP is not listening.
