Apologies to VISTA...

abock33 said:

Hp has always been a good computer for me. As for Vista I'm still on the fence. I like my XP.

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OWNERS OF HP laptops are up in arms because the dodgy Nvidia graphics chips inside their machines are failing all over the shop.

IDG hack Agam Shah, went trawling through the HP message boards and found a whole heap of users complaining about the way they'd been treated.

Some of the machines affected were not on HP's official list of machines that had their warranty period extended. So when they gave up the ghost - as a certain Charlie Demerjian said they would - users we left holding useless lumps of ex-technology.

The laptop owners are getting the distinct feeling that, once their affected laptops pass 15 months old, they keel over and die. One, calling himself Surveyor writes: "Many people with HP dv9000 series have had the same problem. Bad graohics [sic] card after about 10-18 months of use. This calls for a new motherboard. ($350+) Keep in mind that HP will tell you that if it is no longer under warranty its your baby. I guess the lucky ones are those who encountered these problems before the warranty died. Good Luck with this one."

Another, named Unfortunate, writes: "It seems that I am a brand new victim. My dv9500 cto's screen became a "colorful" LCD two days ago after working well for 1 and a half years. 1 year Warranty has expired... Dont know what to do next."

He's not alone.

Pressure is mounting on HP to add to its list of models that will be covered by the extended warranty period since the tactic of keeping cooling fans on full blast isn't helping much.

Neither HP or Nvidia would comment on IDG's story. Charlie Demerjian had plenty to say but we'll save that for later. µ

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