HP Envy Sleekbook 4t1000 laptops may have issues with the hard drive overheating

I bought a laptop from HP (HP Envy Sleekbook 4t1000) and received it on June 4, 2012.  The laptop warned me of “imminent drive failure” after three weeks of use.  The hard drive began making clicking noises also.  I contacted HP’s customer service through their chat service on June 26, 2012.   The chat person ended up telling me that I had not given them a correct model number and serial number, and to check my BIOS for the correct numbers.  I did so, gave them to him (they were the same model numbers on the invoice and what I gave him initially).  He kept repeating that he could not help me since I did not have the correct model number and serial number. 

I ended up having to deal with a case manager in the escalation department (who contacted me after the chat person could not help), and the process has been infinitely frustrating and convoluted. HP continued to state that I supplied the wrong serial number and model number for the laptop that I bought from then just a month ago. It turns out that the model number on their invoice and in their BIOS is different from the model number on the bottom of the laptop.  

The laptop is finally at HP for repair after two weeks of discussion; I've sent the same proof of purchase, photos of the serial number and model number, photos of the warning screens, and description of the problem over a dozen times. We'll see if this story has a happy ending.  I  have a feeling that these HP laptops contain an inherent design flaw where the hard drive is overheating.  

Finally, finally!  When will companies learn that most of us out here cannot and do not answer our phones, and they need to have two-way communications with their customers via email?  If I contact a company to either buy a product or with a problem, more often than not, the company has a random person communicate with me, but I am never able to reach that person, or anyone else at the company, directly – either by email or phone.  Often a customer service manager trying to solve the problem will call me up and leave a message – but I am completely unable to reach that person again when I call back!  Agents from the company will email me and ask for more information – but then the email will state: DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL!!! 

HP’s lack of understanding of the issues of the disabled (I am hearing-disabled) was incredibly frustrating.  

I finally received the repaired laptop on July 17, 2012.   In two months, I've only had use of the laptop for about 30 days.  

 I am extremely disappointed with HP's response to this matter.  They requested the same information from me several times.  I spent more than 20 hours on chats, emails, and on the phone with four different people.  A process that would take 30 minutes to resolve with a good company like Apple or Amazon has taken 20 hours of my life with HP.  I had to re-start my explanation of the problem with four different people who kept transferring me to other people.

I was perhaps most disappointed by HP’s social media person, who responded to a review I posted on Amazon about the product – but who ultimately proved to be a do-nothing person that just bumped me up the ladder to another person (perhaps, I was never contacted by this “upper level”).  It seems that HP is not committed to having their social media people solve problems.  Instead, the social media (executive customer relations) people seem to reply to things like Amazon reviews solely so that the general public sees their replies and thinks that HP is on the ball.  It’s not the case, and it is deceptive on HP’s part.



It’s obvious that HP makes poor-quality products, and it is further obvious that HP’s customer service doesn’t have a clue.  When this happens, the customer suffers and has to endure endless waits, incompetence, and insanely inefficient handling of his problem. Customers should not have to tolerate spending hours on the phone and on email or chat with a company that has terrible customer service. 

Buyer beware; HP Envy Sleekbook 4t1000 laptops may have issues with the hard drive overheating.