HP Pavilion Laptop Owners with Bad Power Jacks....
intre...@hotmail.com
I have, like many of you, been the unfortunate owner of an HP
Pavilion-series laptop with the infamous weakling power-jack problem.
If you're wondering, this problem is usually typified by symptoms like:
* Spontaneous and instantaneous power-downs of the laptop for no
apparent reason
* Refusal to start or charge a properly inserted battery
* Movement of the AC power adapter plug causing power "glitches"
* "Clicking" noises emerging from the area near the power plug
There are other permutations of the power problems, but this represents
the general theme. I owned a zt1175 that started behaving this way, and
was stunned to discover that once the unit stopped booting up, the only
solution was a new main board at a cost of about $600 - the plug had
started arcing internally and essentially fried the rest of the power
system, and ruined other components in the process.
I've learned that my zt1175 isn't the only one with this problem.
Apparently, myriad variations of Pavilion models suffer from this
chronic design flaw, which apparently HP steadfastly refuses to
acknowledge or support.
I personally think HP should be responsible and accountable for the
defects in their products. I am trying to determine if there are any
other HP laptop owners who have seen their systems come to an untimely
demise because of their power problems, and if sufficient interest is
shown, explore the possibility of some type of class-action against HP.
I have opened an email account at HPLapt...@yahoo.com to collect
information from individuals willing to provide data about their HP
Pavilion laptop power problems. If you are a cuurent or former owner of
an HP Pavilion laptop that has exhibited any of the power problems
described above, and you're willing to share, please send the following
to the above address:
1. Your actual name
2. A real return email address at which you can be contacted.
3. The specific HP laptop you have/had
4. How long you had it
5. The specific type of power problem you encountered
6. Steps you took with HP or third-parties to have it repaired.
Now, I realize some of you will say, "yeah, send all this stuff to some
unknown guy on the Internet, and you'll get a flood of junk mail." Not
so. I am not a spammer, I'm not a junk-mail relay or anything, I'm just
trying to get info from customers as dissatisfied with HP laptops
arising from a problem that shouldn't exist in the first place. If I
don't get enough response, no one will ever hear from me again, and the
project will die on the vine. If I do, the project will proceed in
steps as I learn what to do next at each step.
My point in all this is to make HP accountable for their poor,
chronically defective hardware design. They should fix the laptops, or
provide new/refurbished ones to current owners.
-David Whitney
Note: REplies to the email address posted above
(intre...@hotmail.com) are discarded, as the account is no longer
active. If you send info to the HPLaptopUsers address, I'll respond as
soon as I can.
intre...@hotmail.com
@yahoo.com. I post that again because it appears the original message
did not retain the address properly...
-David
intre...@hotmail.com
at yahoo.com. The original posting did not correctly capture the
address.
-David
primatech
great deal of stress when users knock or pull on the power jack. This
problem is not something that is unique to HP/Compaq laptops.
HP (as with most major 'manufacturers')will treat the repair as a board
replacement issue. They will at best fit a repair/exchange board at
much less than the new part price (but still costing quite a lot).
If you take your Pavilion to a reputable laptop repairer (not a board
jockey) they will, in most cases, be able to resolder the connector,
which is often all that is required.
The laptop needs to be completely dismantled to do this job, so you will
be up for a reasonable labour charge.
Care should be taken when you have the AC adaptor plugged in to the
laptop. FWIW I suspect (but I could be wrong :-)) that the problem
mainly arises where users are heavy handed or careless with the use of
their laptop when the AC adaptor is plugged in.
intre...@hotmail.com
I appreciate your response. I have to respectfully disagree with you
that it is common across laptops. I have a Dell Inspiron 9100 laptop
that is designed to receive the AC power jack fully 80% of its length
into a snug receptacle. It doesn't wiggle. The AC power connector to my
previous HP laptop barely went in 50% of its length, and often just
fell out/off because it did not fit securely on the male portion of the
jack. Further, the hole in the case designed to receive the connector
is fully half-again as large as it needs to be. That means there is
inherently "play" in that connection. Combined with a poor jack design
(as has been described to me by other tech people, so its not an
arbitrary opinion on my part) and this is a recipe for premature
failure.
As far as "heavy-handed" use goes, my Pavilion never left my house - it
was a unit I used for the convenience of not having to be tethered to a
desk to do various development tasks. It was never dropped, bumped, or
handled in what I would describe as a "rough" way.
Unfortunately, what most users (a group in which I must include myself)
discover is that when the power failures become chronic, it is no
longer just a matter of a badly soldered or loose power plug. Internal
arcing from the power jack has scorched elements of the power control
module, thus frying it "beyond economical repair." And this was not a
hack shop; it was a reputable repair center recommended to me.
As far as the generality of the problem goes, I can only offer this.
Another acquaintence (actually, at least three) of mine who has had a
Gateway (the specific model escapes me at the moment) laptop for years
longer than I, takes it to and from work every night, has traveled
literally around the world with it, and has had no such power
connection problems.
I realize two or three data points does not a conclusion make, but I
must make the inference that *someone* is designing their jacks/power
systems more intelligently than HP. And if such problems were truly
ubiquitous across all manufacturers and brands, there would be more of
a general outcry rather than the ones I see that tend to be most
frequent around HP.
At a minimum, users paying anywhere from $1600 to several thousand
dollars for a laptop shouldn't really have to be so inordinately
concerned about the fragility of one component, one that would thus be
so chronically delicate as to mitigate against the utility of having a
laptop in the first place.
-David
Pippa
The problem does NOT mainly arise when the user is careless or heavy handed.
My Pavilion never left the desk it was put on after coming out of the box,
and I had only 3 months of use before it failed.
HP knows that this is a worldwide well-known problem with Pavilions, but
they choose to deny it.......
Even when the laptop is still under warranty HP likes to give you a hard
time; their Pick up & Return policy does not work, because they seem to
forget the part where they are supposed to fix it.
I've had the motherboard replaced twice now, the first time I got it back it
did not work at all, the second time it worked for about an hour and then
made a sort of electric buzz and then closed it eyes for good.
Replacing motherboards with ones they got out of other returns is not a good
policy.
Now, I'm still waiting (after 11 days) for a reply from them to either fix
or replace it again.
Pippa.
"primatech" <gra...@NOSPAMprimatechnologies.com.au> schreef in bericht
news:1V_Id.131670$K7.5...@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
Dewaine Chan
Gateway Solo 1400 with the same problem. Upon opening the Laptop, this is the
worst connector I've seen. It is helped in place by one little piece of metal
that just from plugging and unplugging the cord, the connection started to loose
up and ended up with gap that caused arching. Thing is that if they replaced
with the same bad design, you will get the same problem soon or later.
I've seen a lot of Desktop type of motherboard with capacitors leaking on
systems that are a little bit over a year old too. Everyone is trying to save a
few pennies on components that they don't really bother much with good quality
parts. Sad modern day costing by the bena counters.
Unfortunately, it is not easy to get class action status.
My two cents.
ben_myers_spam_me_not
regard to product quality, service, warranty, spare parts, and tech support
deserve exactly what they get. Buy cheap and you get cheap. If everybody wants
low price, the name-brand manufacturers cut every corner to get a low price and
twist the nuts of the suppliers to get ever cheaper parts... Ben Myers
On Fri, 28 Jan 2005 04:06:15 GMT, Dewaine Chan <"dchanNOSPAM"@NOSPAM
PLZZZnc.rr.com> wrote:
>Got a lot to do with the type of the connector that is used. Just fixed a
>Gateway Solo 1400 with the same problem. Upon opening the Laptop, this is the
>worst connector I've seen. It is helped in place by one little piece of metal
>that just from plugging and unplugging the cord, the connection started to loose
>up and ended up with gap that caused arching. Thing is that if they replaced
>with the same bad design, you will get the same problem soon or later.
>
>I've seen a lot of Desktop type of motherboard with capacitors leaking on
>systems that are a little bit over a year old too. Everyone is trying to save a
>few pennies on components that they don't really bother much with good quality
>parts. Sad modern day costing by the bena counters.
>
>Unfortunately, it is not easy to get class action status.
>My two cents.
>
<SNIP!>
Pippa
Cheap?
The Pavilion cost me 1500.- euros which is 1959.- USD!
Maybe that is cheap for you, but for me that is a whole month netto wages...
I was not looking for cheap, that's why I bought this one and on it's own it
is a good machine but totally let down by the connectors HP puts in it and
by
the way they run their tech-support; a guy sounding like a 12-year-old who
doesn't understand what you are talking about should not be employed.
By the way, I finally got the shop to take it back and bought a Toshiba for
the same money.
Pippa.
<ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers)> schreef in bericht
news:41f9ba68...@nntp.charter.net...
ben_myers_spam_me_not
across the board in the computer industry. Yeah, the emphasis is on cheap
desktop and tower computers, but the designers and marketeers responsible for
notebooks get caught up in the cheaper-is-better mindset. Add to that the fact
that neither HP nor any other name brand company builds its own computers any
more. They all rely on contract electronics manufacturers (CEM), but twist the
nuts of the CEMs at the same time. I would claim that there was an inadequate
review of the hardware design, construction and maintainability of the HP dog of
a notebook that you had there... Ben Myers
Dewaine Chan
is trying to cut cost to maximize profit. When I was a product design and testing
engineer for IBM back in the late 80's & early 90's, we used to have an engineer
doing what is called MTBF (Mena Time Before Failure) on the product based on
components Spec. I left IBM in the mid 90 and have not worked for other
manufacturer. I have been in the support end since then. I definitely have seen a
drastic changes on components used on Desktop computers. All PII and low end PIII
(slot 1) motherboard (MB) I've dealt with since I came out on my own 2 1/2 years ago
never have bad capacitors. I actually stripping those old system to get the
capacitors off to fix the new MB that are just a year or two old. It is true that
new MB's are cheap but a lot of time, people hate to having to reload the OS and all
the applications. I just bought an IBM Netvista PIII 933MHz system with bad
capacitors on the MB today. It is fun time tonight reworking the MB.
Dewaine
Ben Myers wrote:
> You're right. 1500 Euros is not cheap. Sadly, the same mentality prevails
> across the board in the computer industry. Yeah, the emphasis is on cheap
> desktop and tower computers, but the designers and marketeers responsible for
> notebooks get caught up in the cheaper-is-better mindset. Add to that the fact
> that neither HP nor any other name brand company builds its own computers any
> more. They all rely on contract electronics manufacturers (CEM), but twist the
> nuts of the CEMs at the same time. I would claim that there was an inadequate
> review of the hardware design, construction and maintainability of the HP dog of
> a notebook that you had there... Ben Myers
> <SNIP>
jiffy...@gmail.com
(have) power jack problems. I did use my know-how to repair it once
with solder, but the problem roots deeper than the solder. By the time
that you notice that the power jack has issues, the internal components
of the jack are more than likely melted inside. My repairs lasted about
a month -- then the inside of the power jack gave out. I transplanted
another power jack onto the motherboard -- but that proved to be
unhelpful. Now, after 3 repairs; my laptop is dead and 1,200 dollars is
down the drain.
I stand by HP merely because of the name and the typical quality of
craftsmanship that you buy. It's too bad HP won't do the same. A
reputable company such as HP should realize the flaws in their design
and find ways of making it better. Instead, they shrug off such
attempts by satisfied customers wanting to get their machines repaired.
A re-inforced DC Power Jack would not be too much more to put onto each
Mainboard -- and in the long run, they'll get their money back. Toshiba
is going down a good road. A friend of mine purchased a new toshiba
satellite, it's plug is designed for fall out should it be bent in the
wrong direction or put undue stress on the jack.
For someone to say that it's isolated to someone who's careless
shows a complete lack of common sense. I am about the most careful
person with my laptop that you could ever meet. I love that damn thing
-- but it's time to let it go. It's a shame. Buyers beware -- this is
bad craftsmanship and you too -- could be out of hundereds, if not
thousands of hard earned dollars if you buy this product!
ben_myers_spam_me_not
Hewlett-Packard. The high quality manufacturer of instrumentation was spun off
as Agilent. The mindset that thought in terms of engineering for high
reliability departed to Agilent. What remains are people who sell schlock
manufactured by others way far away off shore... Ben Myers
David Kinsell
> Don't confuse the Hewlett-Packard from the old days with today's
> Hewlett-Packard. The high quality manufacturer of instrumentation was spun off
> as Agilent. The mindset that thought in terms of engineering for high
> reliability departed to Agilent. What remains are people who sell schlock
> manufactured by others way far away off shore... Ben Myers
What's funny is they chose the slogan "Innovating the HP way", which was
nauseating to most people in the company. I guess slapping an HP sticker
on an iPod isn't seen as real innovation by people who lack the vision of
Carly.
RedpIll
yea, old george (bush) is busy trying to make class actions illegal. good
ole' george.
--redpILL
Drew
defect and I don't plug/unplug all the time, just occasionally.
It's still under warrenty.
DREW
hbond
new powwer jack (2 for $40), but I can't seem to separate the bottom
portion to replace it. I have removed all the visible screws, but it
seems to be stick near the printer port. Any suggestions????
smb
Under the keyboard my laptop has two medal bars accross the top. the
left one is over the right one and I needed to slide the right bar out
from under the left one to proceed.
I also need to replace my power jack. But, I can't find where to buy
a new one. Any ideas? Also, how are you going to attach the jack,
solder it?
Bob Niland
> * Spontaneous and instantaneous power-downs of the laptop for
> no apparent reason
> * Refusal to start or charge a properly inserted battery
> * Movement of the AC power adapter plug causing power "glitches"
> * "Clicking" noises emerging from the area near the power plug
Has this been reported on the OmniBook 5000CTS?
I was just given a "dead" OB5K that exhibits all of the above.
Sometimes it will actually boot briefly to Win95.
Any known user field fixes or hacks?
--
Regards, Bob Niland mailto:na...@ispname.tld
http://www.access-one.com/rjn email4rjn AT yahoo DOT com
NOT speaking for any employer, client or Internet Service Provider.
hbond
to order the part.
MEvsHP
case manager or outsourced Indian tech support rep (but also manager)
you talk to calls it. Cutomer damage is what they are calling any
problem with the power jack, and I am going to scream bloody murder
until my one-year warranty is honored. NO MORE HP PRODUCTS.
MEvsHP
your email?
Alan <Consum...@earthlink.com>?
http://HewlettPackardLies.blogspot.com
HPslaughter
Dewaine Chan
put the cheapest components to keep cost low. So far, every laptop that has
a broken power connector that I have fixed were damaged by the user. I'm
not suggesting anything here, just my stupid two cents. One point I'd love
to point out is that I have yet to see an IBM Thinkpad has the power
connector problem. Have not made a single dime from Thinkpad owners due to
broken power connector. Have made money from HP/Compaq, Gateway, Toshiba,
Clone laptops that had broken power connector. Just fixed an HP Pavilion
(Z1200 series) laptop yesterday morning. Very bad design!!!!!!!!!!!
Dewaine
MEvsHP
reprehensible. If thats how you spell it. People should get to hear
about it and will from me. In addition, not covering that damage
resulting from normal use in a warranty should be criminal. I have been
talking with the executive office of customer relations and they say
they will close the case adn mark it resolved if I file a complaint
with the BBB. Its not resolved, I want to convince them that I am not
going to go away. Does the BBB do anything anyway?
HP fake warranty
RedpIll
yea, unplug that doodad BEFORE packing/moving your lappy. that'll keep you
out of the corn-hole house. your lappy and your anus will thank you.
--redpill
Dewaine Chan
product and screw its customer is definitely REPREHENSIBLE. You are
absolutely right about one thing: Most people just take it laying down and
not voice their total dissatisfaction and kept quiet. That is why so many
companies get away with bad products and even worse, follow up services.
Some of those still DON'T get it even if they keep on loosing money and
customer. Their solution is to cut employees (HP cut about 18,000 plus in
teh last couple years). Moving the operation oversea to save a few more
dollars. I usually feel bad for my customers putting up with my heavy
accent till I have to deal with a couple big companies' HelpDesk. Could you
image a Chinese Guy trying to work with an oversea HelpDesk person
resolving a problem???? It is kind of SAD and FUNNY.
BTW, Thanks for posting the Standard Phonics. I forgot most of it since I
left the US Navy 20 years ago.
Dewaine
ben_myers_spam_me_not
complaints, except against small more defenseless companies, are pretty useless.
Why not contact a governmental agency responsible for consumer affairs. Yes, I
know the federal consumer affairs are fangless beasts, having had their teeth
pulled in successive budget cuts by a regime most favorable to and favored by
big business. But state departments of consumer affairs still have some clout.
If some computer-chasing lawyer gets his (usually) act together, he can still
file a class-action lawsuit. But then class actions generally result in
handsome payments to the lawyers, not the claimants they allegedly represent.
Best course of action is to boycott HP and tell everyone the facts about how
lousy the notebook product is and why... Ben Myers
dell8100victim
8100 -- that cost about $1800. Hardly cheap. The power assemblies
themselves are unreliable. I've gone through about 6 of them. And
the (*&)() at Dell have that ridiculous odd-shaped plug and jack.
Shame on you Mr. Dell.
One workaround that worked was to get an AC battery charger, and then
rotate between the two batteries so that one is in confuser and the
other is being charged. Eventually you'll lose ground as they
discharge faster than they recharge. So the confuser is out of
service for a while until you can catch up.
I then replaced MBD. That worked great for about 6 months. Now the
problem has returned on the replacement. Confuser is now 3 years
old, so question is whether it's worth getting another MBD, or just
biting the bullet and getting a new confuser. Problem with a new
confuser is that it will probably have its own slate of issues.
I boubht the Dell on credit and stopped paying Dell when their product
stopped working. So far they haven't sued me for their money. I hope
they do.
MEvsHP
Dewaine Chan
you have is among the recalled? Then again, if you stopped paying that
thing, I'll think you will have problem getting a replacement AC Adapter.
May have your friend to do the AC Adapter recall.
Dewaine
Dewaine Chan
broken Power Connector for $200. I forgot what the name of the company
is. You might have to do google search.
Dewaine
al...@cheuvront.com
month old ZX5000 has been used very carefully, and has the power jack
problem. I have an old ThinkPad which has seen much heavier use than
the Pavilion, and it does not do this. The jack/ mounting is poorly
designed.
Since I have 3 months left on warranty, HP will repair it, but I have
lost confidence in the brand, and will probably sell it before I have
to go through this again.
Drew
warrantee by changing the motherboard. I get about four months
out of it.
DREW
MEvsHP
three year accidental damage warranty? I was told that was the only way
I would be covered in this situation. And people should know that once
you file a BBB claim you will no longer be able to talk to an HP case
manager.
Drew
Just like the idea of it only lasting four months.
DREW
faranian
I also have the same power problem.
Because I am out of warranty so did not contact hp support for this
problem.
I am thinking to use a docking station to keep the battery charged.
Has anyone used a docking station for this purpose or that would not
fix this problem.
any responses will be appreciated.
thanks.
Faran
MEvsHP
with it I bet it is worth a try.
Good idea.
faranian
I wonder if I can buy some Universal/Generic Docking Station for this
purpose. That means even if does not work with this model zt1180, I
could use it for other notebooks.
But so far could not see any cheaper than 250$ Docking station which
can be used with multiple/all notebook models.
Any ideas or suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks.
Faran
MEvsHP
should ask HP directly what, if any, would work. I would also consider
finding an electronics person to resolder the AC pin to the
motherboard, just make sure they can take the thing apart ok.
Stefaan A Eeckels
"MEvsHP" <fully...@gmail.com> wrote:
I'd be more interested in making sure they can put it
back together OK.
--
Stefaan
--
As complexity rises, precise statements lose meaning,
and meaningful statements lose precision. -- Lotfi Zadeh
800tech
see all the brands from the old to the newest with the same problem
POWER JACK ! I Anyhow the company that I work for is in NY and
they charge only $100 for any power jack repair.
REPLY: BTW, there is a Company in NY City advertising that it will
Buslady
My ex laptop, toshiba 1555cds did it .
the old laptops liek the old grey toshiba bricks(i call them) seem to
hold up, we have an old toshi and it's a workhorse, it's still working
after 10 years!
waterfriendsfour
super careful due to problems I had with a previous compaq laptop. It
is without a doubt a design flaw. My laptop is used daily but with
extreme care. I am pissed! I really dont want it repaired again only
to crap out after another few months. I want a refund! I bought it
from Office Depot and also bought the extended full warranty...I
wonder if I can get thm to refund my money and if so what other brand
to you guys reccomend?
ikenfixit
Compaqs.. I repair all brands and have seen this issue on just about
Every laptop made.. We do these for 89.00 plus the return ship fee.
Unless its a new Dell with the Foxconn connector similar to a Sony
jack.. These are not available even from the manufacturer and weve
actually had to on occasion replaced with a different style jack and
adapter cord.. (Not the end) As these are a 3 lead circuit.. 19V,
Neg, And a 3v Circuit feeding back to the adapter. Weve also had
excellent luck upgrading the HP and Compaq as well as Gatewaste jacks
to a more suitable replacement that holds up better to the current
draw and heat dessipation.
waterfriendsfour
ikenfixit....Is there a contact number or email address for your
company? I would rather pay $89 and have a real fix than get an HP
repair for free under my warranty if it isnt going to hold up. Does
the $89 include the upgraded jacks? If not what is the cost of this?
If you cant post your company info here please PM me with the
info...Much appreciated!
ikenfixit
there as well. Glad if we can help out.
MEvsHP
motherboard. Thats how they come. If you go to a third party repair you
VOID YOUR WARRANTY. My advice is that you utilize the warranty and
treat it nicely because its free, and if something else goes wrong, you
can still use your warranty.
ben_myers_spam_me_not
Dell Latitudes
The Latitude is the Dell model intended for business users and is better made
than the consumer-grade Inspiron... Ben Myers
Daniel Ganek
I just had my HP nx9005 fixed by OK Computers in Boston. They replaced the
flimsy HP connector with an all metal threaded through the chassis power
connecter. I didn't take it apart to see how well the fix (soldering) was
but the connector seems sold as a rock now. $156.
Not a recommandation - just a comment.
/dan
Dewaine Chan
product that have the same defect under the warranty period, you could
ask for a replacement. I don't know if that is the case in your State.
If I were you, I'll make sure It WON'T FAIL when the warranty is about to
expire or thereafter (You know what I mean, wink!! Heh heh).
I agree with Ben. Dell Latitude and the IBM T Series are professional
grade Laptops. Dell Inspirions and IBM R Series (Basically the Entry
level laptops from anyone are pretty much meant to be disposable).
I charged $90 in town to replace bad Power Connectors on laptops. I fix
laptops for people as well as Computer Stores in the area.
Dewaine
BillW50
"Dewaine Chan" <"dchanNOSPAM"@NOSPAM PLZZZnc.rr.com> wrote in message news:VcSbe.90787$JL2.3...@twister.southeast.rr.com...
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 2005 20:01:57 GMT
blueye1
have fixed it. My Compaq 3000 had the same problem. The connection to
the barrel of the power plug is a flimsy material that bends and soon
does not make significant contact with the barrel or not at all. I
used a compression coil spring to make more posative contact. It must
fit VERY closely over the barrel but slide and have very light
pressure..like a ball point pen spring. Cut off the spring so you
just have a few coils left. Close the cut end so it will contact the
barrel. Clean off the flat end of the spring with a file...it may be
coated to prevent rust...also the cut end that will contact the
barrel on the inside. Push the spring onto the barrel with the cut
end that fits tight on the barrel so it will be farthest from the
computer when the barrel is plugged in. The flat end of the spring
should now make a better connection and the power curcuit should be
what it needs to be. The spring should remain on the barrel plug if
you made it tight enough at the cut end.VERY IMPORTANT: My computer
uses the barrel end as the ground and the flimsy part of the computer
connection that is fastened to the case is the ground connection. DO
THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK...I just fixed mine and it immediately started
charging the battery...I thought the battery was bad. It also is
showing it is on 'plug in power' and it would not do that before..it
just charged the battery at a very slow rate because of the poor
connection...in fact I would have to turn it off because the computer
used power faster that the adaptor could charge the battery.
Matt
Where in NY are you? I need the DC Powerjack on my Compaq fixed.
kenseehart
power/charging issues) on their HP laptops.
There are links to other discussions on this issue, and even some talk
about a possible class action suit!
http://www.seehart.com/MyHPPavilionHasABrokenJack
- Ken
atkulp
$1000) and within three months the power supply died. I bought a new
power supply, only to have the power connector stop accepting power
within another month. I called HP and to my surprise and relief it
was still under warranty and they fixed it. Phew.
Then, last November or so I ended up upgrading to a Pavilion zd7188cl
(another refurb) for about $1200. This was a great deal on a
wide-screen, desktop-class notebook (3.2GHz, HT, 80GB HD, etc.). To
my shock and horror the power supply went on the fritz three months
later. I got a new power supply and all was fine. For a month.
Then the power light on the notebook would sometimes blink off. I
bought a multimeter and tested that the supply is fine. If I jiggled
the power connector slightly it would come on again. Within a week it
simply stopped working altogether. Even though the laptop was put
into hibernate the last time I used it (and should have been at about
80% power), the next time I tried it to recover some documents, it was
completely dead. I called HP like the last time. Somehow it wasn't
under warranty. They want $600 to replace the mainboard. "No, it's
not a common problem" they assure me. So I Google it and come across
you. I could just scream. I haven't pursued it again at this point
(still in denial, actually).
The laptop generally sits on a desk surface with little movement. No
rough treatment, very gentle on the power connection. I had planned
on writing a letter to a higher-up VP and bringing it to their
attention, and possibly try to get something on Slashdot or The
Register. I'm very upset about it and am assuming that any tech on
the phone will follow the stated rules and won't give in. This needs
to be addressed.
I would be interested in a group effort. Not sure that class action
has much chance (how to get enough names?), but somehow I want
justice. In the meantime I struggle with the issue of paying for
authorized service or just getting it fixed somewhere. It seems that
if I get it fixed somewhere else I can't complain to HP anymore as
they would just say it's no longer their concern. AARRGGHH!!
Dewaine Chan
Have the repair shop gives you full description of the problem and repair
on the bill. Keep all of the above and if you do ended up filing a claim
against HP, you have the documents to back it up. Having a picture to
back it up is always nice.
Dewaine
atkulp
> Dewaine Chanwrote:
Have a detail log of the calls & Email correspondents to HP Tech
Supports.
> Have the repair shop gives you full description of the problem and
repair
> on the bill. Keep all of the above and if you do ended up filing a
claim
> against HP, you have the documents to back it up. Having a picture
to
> back it up is always nice.
>
> Dewaine
>
> atkulp wrote:
>
> I had a Pavilion XT118 a year ago. I bought it refurb (just under
> $1000) and within three months the power supply died. I bought a
new
> power supply, only to have the power connector stop accepting power
> within another month. I called HP and to my surprise and relief it
> was still under warranty and they fixed it. Phew.
>
> ***SNIP***[/quote:869419c6ce]
atkulp
www.ikenfixit.com is our web address and all of the other info is
there as well. Glad if we can help out.
I sent a note via your site's contact form. I am not interested in
paying $600 through HP Authorized Service!
evamen
on a recommendation in this forum. The plug is now secure but the
computer doesn't turn on. They said that the capacitor is shorted
and that this can happen after wiggling the plug too many times
(wires can get crossed-they said). They offered to find a dead
board, swipe the capacitor and solder it onto my laptop. ($295 for
any motherboard-related work.)
I highly suspect that they installed the adapter backwards and
therefore shorted the board. I'm hoping someone can confirm my
suspicions so that I can address this with the store.
Thank you!
ikenfixit
and opened fuse.. If they did this I dont think I'd recommend them to
anyone.Weve seen them all, have upgraded just about everything from
Acer to Xteranote and all do fail eventually in one manner shape or
form. If you cant get it figured out locally give us a call we will
help..
www.ikenfixit.com
intre...@hotmail.com
I wanted to take a moment to say thanks to those whom have responded to
my HPLaptop email address for dead laptop information. Over the first
few weeks the account was opened, there was only a small trickle of
mails, and as a result hadn't checked it in a while. When I checked it
tonight, however, I was stunned to see nearly 80 new messages - most of
them recent.
If you've sent me your address et al in response to this or related
postings, please bear with me as I sort through the emails that have
been sent to me. I fear we're still a ways away from class action, but
it's a start.
Thanks,
David Whitney
dementedapple
that every time I find one that has all im am looking for in a pc
there is something imposibly wrong with it and will become usless
after a month of worck this is frustrating. I cant even begin to
imagin how the people who bought this shit are feeling now if any one
knows some great laptop short of a thoghbook plz send me a message
Dewaine Chan
has been running just fine. I have been using an old IBM Thinkpad 600X
with a PIII 500MHz CPU for the past two years having no problem what so
ever. Ever think about buying a Thinkpad?
Dewaine
Jorge
problem. It turns off from the nothing; Its kind of randomly. The
battery just doesnŽt charge. Well the problem is that im from Mexico
(I Bought It In McAllen, Texas) and i couldnŽt send it to the
warranty because they need a "House" mail and i got a PO Box. Well
the point is that now the warranty expires 2 days ago. I went to "We
Repair Laps!" and they told me that is a motherboard problem (Costs
1000+ USD). I was wondering if you fixŽem or what?(and how much could
it cost) will it work with a new battery?... Thank You For ANY Help
You Can Bring Me.
ikenfixit
cost effective to replace in most cases.
loverboyd
I found a docking station on Ebay for 39 dollars, It should be in on
monday. I'll let you know if that fixes it. If not I'll probably send
it in to Ken here. . .seems like he knows what he's doing.
If that doesn't work. . . hunger strike chained to the front of HP
headquarters.
jbstix
ikenfixit.com- because guess what? He def. can fix it!
Here's my quick story:
I have a HP ZX5000, about a year old, and starting experiencing the
power jack issue.
Finally it got to the point where it would not power on at all.
I first contacted 800tech.com and sent my laptop there for repair.
I can say they at least "tried" but could not fix my laptop.
They are not the best as far as reliable communication, which can be
frustrating.
So, instead of having them ship my laptop from NY back to ATL, I
called Ken @ ikenfixit.com and he said he would fix it.
Come to find out, I had to have the system board replaced, but Ken was
determined to fix my laptop.
He is honest, knowledgable, and fair- and no BS!
I've had the laptop for about 5 days now, and so far it is rock
solid!
The power jack is more solid than it ever was before.
I have no ill feelings toward 800tech.com, they just couldn't get the
job done. If it was a simple power jack repair, they probably would
have done fine.
This post is to let everyone know that Ken (ikenfixit.com) is the REAL
DEAL.
Thanks Ken for a great job, I appreciate it!!!
Jeff
ikenfixit
hesitate to pick up the phone. We take care of our customers 100%
800tech did nothing wrong and I can see where they ran into an issue
on the short. These are hard to find parts for and many components
are propietary in design. We are going to be seeing a ton of these
hot-boxes as were getting 5-10 per week now.. (HP!! Do you want to
buy a design for a jack to eliminate all problems)? Its in the
works..
www.ikenfixit.com
loverboyd
for 39 dollars, and my computer is working perfectly now. It's a
little bit more of a hassle to carry around with me, but it delivers
power great.
Plus I have 3 more USB ports now.
loverboyd
Jane Doe
> I have, like many of you, been the unfortunate owner of an HP
> Pavilion-series laptop with the infamous weakling power-jack problem.
> If you're wondering, this problem is usually typified by symptoms like:
>
> * Spontaneous and instantaneous power-downs of the laptop for no
> apparent reason
> * Refusal to start or charge a properly inserted battery
> * Movement of the AC power adapter plug causing power "glitches"
> * "Clicking" noises emerging from the area near the power plug
Yep, that's exactly what I'm seeing with my xt4316wm. That's why I came
here tonight, all set to post a tale of woe only to find that there's a
HUGE thread all about it! :-)
In my case, the notebook was fine for approximately 1-1/2 years. About
six months ago I noticed--but didn't care, since I run it via AC power
99.99% of the time--that the battery light was constantly flashing
orange. Then, about a month or two ago, I started having the "sudden
loss of power" issue. It ALWAYS happens as a result of moving the
laptop, even the slightest bit. Of course I had checked for loose
connections, but both ends of the adapter were always securely plugged in.
Finally, today, I decided to TRY using HP's tech support to see if they
could offer any advice/solutions. Since I was unaware that this is a
known issue--at least known to people who post here!--I approached it as
something that was a problem for me only. And you know what? The tech
acted that way too! Never once did he say, "Oh yeah--THAT problem!" He
suggested various things to try, all of which either didn't apply or
would be a total waste of time. For example, he suggested letting the
battery run all the way down...but my battery isn't holding a charge, so
that's not an option. Then he said to reset the power management via
Control Panel, blah blah blah, and reboot. Great, except for one thing:
I dual boot Linux and 'doze on it; if the problem had anything to do
with 'doze power management, the problem wouldn't exist when I'm running
Linux--but it does.
Well, I'm glad to know it's not just me.
ikenfixit
machine thats having power problems.. (Been through this a hundred
times on the 2100/2500 Compaqs and the twin HP's) Asking for a bigger
issue is all this will accomplish. DC Jacks are a problem on all
notebooks and Fujitsu as well as Toshiba seem to be the most well
developed and dependable..I'd say IBM 3rd... (Althought hey have
issues of their own).. If you need help just yell. It is repairable
and the longer it goes the worse these get.
jleoussis
9600). Sounds like a potent, hefty desktop replacement huh? Well let
me tell you, even a desktop is more portable than my piece of crap.
Bought it a year and up to now I have encountered 4 major hardware
failures (it's such a pleasure waiting for the next prob to hit u).
1) after 2 months of operation, the screen started to flicker and
displayed horizontal lines. Cause? Faulty motherboard. Replaced under
HP warranty
2) 2 months later, performance started to deteriorate rapidly
(freezes, shutdowns) eventually leading the machine to crash. Cause?
Hard Disk Failure. Lost all my files (although i'm a reg.
back-up'er). Replaced under HP warranty.
3) 3 months later, battery wouldn't last for more than 5 minutes
although for 8 months this junk was almost always on AC power. Cause?
Dead battery cells. Replaced under HP warranty.
4) And of course why would I bother writing on this forum if I didn't
have a new problem with the crappy DC power jack. The lead was
wobbling from the first day of purchase (showing the low-end,
unacceptable quality materials HP has come to use) and right now I've
been using my sister's Pavilion (oh yeah we were that stupid!!!) to
recharge etc etc. Cause? Cheap, no-good material used. No warranty
left.
I have bashed HP support numerous times in the past, I've written some
letters of complaint (aggresive ones) only to receive the same
treatment: IGNORANCE. Apparently my warranty has expired (which for
me isn't a prob coz the next time it breaks down i'll make a frisbee
out of it) so I'm stuck with a machine that doesn't run on AC and
when it starts off with a fresh 100% charged bat it runs for an hour
and 20 mins tops (it's hungry too even with the display brightness at
the lowest levels).
Ken from Ikenfixit, you're probably one of the last technicians that
will ever lay hands on this baby. I'll never spend a single dime on
this thing not even to buy a spray to clean the monitor. I'll contact
ikenfixit.com by tomorrow and arrange a repair for they seem to have
high-levels of customer satisfaction (really, how much is it for a DC
jack replacement?).
That's all. Oh and sth else.
HP, as a friend has already mentioned, has nothing to do with the
traditionally high-quality, reasonbly priced products company we all
knew. Even the printer paper they sell may suffer from harware
failures.
Take care y'all and patience to all of us (naive, romantic, or even
stupid consumers) who made the mistake to go for HP notebook.
jleoussis
fxyekim
whether the ZD7000 can run without a battery inserted? I cannot verify from
HP support whether it will run without a battery inserted.
The AC monitor on the front panel is not lighting up. My problem could be
the battery or the powerjack. I had a tech guy re-solder the powerjack but
it's still not working. He even showed me that power is going thru by
testing with a voltmeter on the other side of the jack. Big deal, cost me
$165 for nothing.
The docking station option could be a cheap way to go. Unless I can verify
whether nothing is wrong anywhere else like the power distribution module,
I'm just spinning my wheels.
Ken, can you help here? How do I ship it, I don't have the original
shipping box anymore. It's 2 years old.
Mike
"dementedapple" <dement...@hotmail-dot-com.no-spam.invalid> wrote in
message news:MqCLe.31444$D21....@fe07.news.easynews.com...
ikenfixit
Field effect transistor or diode in the supply line is shorted open
or across. Does the adapter start pinging when its plugged in?(Led
flashing and making noise) Also look at the jack and see if its Gold
or silver as the gold are the ones breaking at the rear and
resoldering the jack to the board will not do anything to help this
issue. We'd be more than happy to check it and give you a free
asesment. We dont charge for laptops we do not repair but I'd say
eithr way yours should not be an issue. Address as well as shipping
info is available at www.ikenfixit.com Feel fre to call if you need
further help.
Ken
bwinzenz
Any more word on the docking station possibilty. I have an HP ZD7000
and would get it fixed, but dont want the hassle if i can just buy a
used docking station and fix it.
I have the "exact" same problem with my ZD7000, where the power jack
simply stopped working. In fact, if I plug in the power cord now,
the laptop shorts out and shuts off (have to unplug the battery to
get it to turn back on). We bought a docking station for around $75
almost a year ago and it works great. The ZD7000 docking stations
will supply power to the notebook via the docking station connector.
It makes typing on the built-in keyboard a bit hard as the speakers in
the docking station cover the touchpad (yes, you'll need an external
mouse) and make it hard to get to the space bar (and other keys on
the first row), but it's still usable. I may try ikenfixit at some
point in the future, but right now we don't travel with this laptop
(we use my work laptop - Dell Latitude D600), so fixing the AC
connector isn't the absolute highest priority. I am on my second
laptop. The AC connector went out after about 9 months and was
replaced under warranty. The replacement lasted for about 5 months
(by then, the 1 year warranty was up, so I didn't bother calling
HP).
Ben
ikenfixit
definitley shorted. Glad to help down the road if we can. Docking
station shouldnt cause further issues as this bypasses the adapter
supply line.
W Chan
has anyone hv problems with the DV series. (eg. dv4170ca.. or the dv4000
series in general..) ? i am considering to get one this week....
thks.
w.
vancouver bc
--
"ikenfixit" <k...@ikenfixit-dot-com.no-spam.invalid> wrote in message
news:n9eYe.183384$AI1....@fe02.news.easynews.com...
Dewaine Chan
quality control into consideration. If a company consistently makes
inferious products not caring about quality, do you really want to go with
it??? Just something to ask yourself before you spend the money.
Dewaine Chan
Jane Doe
Sorry for the long delay, but I hadn't checked back here since I posted.
Don't worry! There's NO WAY I would let those morons convince me to do
ANYTHING.
I'm debating what to do at this point. The laptop is basically useless
now--it's impossible to keep it from powering off, even for a few
seconds, so it's just sitting unused in my bedroom. I'm EXTREMELY
interested in joining a class-action suit if anyone else is so inclined.
I'm also considering contacting HP myself and essentially telling them,
"YOU know it's a problem, I know it's a problem, lots of other people
know it's a problem...so what are you going to do about it?" and see
what they say.
kgarg01
desolates'!! I own a zt3000 and looks like hp timed it very well as
soon after expiring my 1yr of default warranty, I started to have all
sorts of problems. And now I'm at the point where the laptop doesn't
power et al; my $1700 worth of investment just seems to drain out.
After reading all these forums, I don't think it's worth investing
any time with hp tech support. So, folks, what's the word out,
besides contacting the last hope Ken from ikenfixit?
ikenfixit
purchased extended warrantys, After three HP board replaces failing
they have sometimes opted to send to them us and hopefully be done
with this headache every 6-8 mo's.. HP Tried to rectify the origional
jacks that were failing when they broke at the rear of the positive
pin.(Gold center pin visibly). They went to a hard wire-positive lead
jack(Silver) and although these are a good jack the lead itself
overheats and causes a ring-crack and a bad solder joint not long
after the board replacement. Weve been paralling a second lead to
help dessipate heat and should be an end to the issue.. (As well as
connecting the jack more efficientley to the systemboard).. As to the
Class action or petition? I'd simply suggest starting a free blog,
Compiling names, Addresses, And issues. (We are swamped but if you
want to send us an email we will store it).. Who better to know than
he who gets these in for repairs? I will remain neuteral, Will NOT
disclose personal info and we are members of the better busines
bureau of western Michigan and would like to remain as such. I can
honestley say without doubt that since we started this business
almost three years ago, Compaq's and HP's have been at the top of our
repair list. This can be proven and if you look on E-bay for laptop
parts you can tell by whats selling the most, And what laptops are
highly listed for parts. Just a thought.. Ken
Jane Doe
I may very well end up sending mine to you, too, but I'm just so highly
pissed that HP *KNOWS* about this...I feel they should be held
accountable. I am not the least bit litigious as a rule, but this is so
outrageous it makes me want to sue!
Prior to this I had NEVER had a problem with any HP product I'd bought
for use at work or home. That includes MANY desktop PCs, printers, and
scanners over a long period of time. So I was really shocked by this,
on two counts: 1) That an HP product actually had a problem, and, 2)
that so many other people were having the exact same problem.
I know you can't give an exact amount without actually seeing it, but in
ballpark terms what could I expect if I sent this to you?
ikenfixit
tear down and reassembly. This price will also give you a jack solder
joint warranty against future failure.. (Providing its not ripped off
the board).. Please also understand we are not in any way Slamming
HP.. But we do agree very strongly that there is an issue here.
R&D as well as quality control should have picked up on this in
my opinion prior to opening sale to market.. HP Seems to be having a
problem admitting to issues.. The X1000 video card issues?, The BIOS
update from within winphlash on the SST39SF040 chips utilized on the
ZE4k series, Compaqs 2100 series, As well as the similar 2500 and HP
5K notebooks.. And now these just after warranty jack issues. Whats
next?
dksage
the power jack issue. HP/Compaq sells an All-In-One Media Cable
XC1000. This cable, is a extension of the cables used for the
HP/Compaq docking stations. Cables are cheap and can be bought
through Circuit City, CompUSA and HP/Compaq. The cable provides
power using your existing power adapter plug into another computer
port on your laptop. Trust me, I have spent the money on a
replacement power adapter and $100.00 bucks on the troubleshooting.
I bought the cable and no longer have an issue with the power jack.
Here is a hyperlink to a picture of the cable. (Sorry you'll have to
cut and paste the
address:)http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/product_detail.do?product_code=DV318A
On the Circuit City Website:
http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Compaq-All-in-One-Notebook-Media-Cable-DV318A-/sem/rpsm/oid/97356/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do
Adapt, overcome...
ikenfixit
surface mount units and I can see this being a bigger issue soon..
(If the factory 2.5mm solder joint does'nt hold do you think the
docking stations or flex cables will either)? I would not believe
so.. Same consumption, Less contact area... Just My opinion..
Kalina
My powerjack has been broken for about a year. Having the power cord
on certain angles usually helped, til today, it finally stopped
getting power all together.
I had taken it in for repairs about a year ago, when it happened, the
technician could not fix it.
So I've dealt with it all this time thinking there wasn't a solution.
I am glad to see others have been able to get theirs fixed and I hope
I can too, as I am in Canada and the services recommended are US
based.
I would really like to get it fixed, I am a self-employed web
designer, I really need my laptop back in working condition asap.
indoglans
Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2005 5:39 pm Post subject: Re: HP
Pavilion Laptop Owners with Bad Power Jacks....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
============
Hi Ken,
Thanks for repairing my laptop (HP Laptop Pavilion ZT 1185 having the
power jack problem, from Charlottesville) and sending it on 7th Oct
by FedEx Ground. But I have not received my laptop yet . It is really
urgent for me to get my laptop. It would be better if you can send me
the Track Number.
Appreciate your help.
Thank you
Ajay Kumar
ikenfixit
sethtriggs
just stopped charging the battery. At that point there were green
deposits on the battery terminals in the front of the computer and on
the battery. So I had it repaired and replaced. So I thought anyway.
I've now gone through two subsequent batteries that have failed to
charge. Leaving the laptop plugged in overnight to initialize the
battery results in the red light (battery fault). Right now the
battery claims to be charging since the battery light is orange. But
the power meter remains at "86% (charging)."
The laptop works with AC now (though I did have the bad power jack
before)-indeed, I'm on it right now. but I'd really like to be able
to use the laptop on airplanes and places that lack AC outlets.
Anything I can do? This computer, BTW, is running Windows XP Home
Edition with 256MB of RAM and a Celeron processor.
-Seth
Kalina
jack issue and had it back to me immediately. I am using it right now
and couldn't be more pleased.
Thanks Ken, I am so glad I found this thread.
Amen to Google... :)
KansasUser
from Ken at IKENFIXIT. I sent it to Ken as I was having the same
problem many other posters have had: no matter how gently I treated
the laptop, I kept having power jack problems even though I spent
over $1,500 on the machine.
As a matter of fact, I had problems within six months of buying it.
This bothered me greatly, as many of you have similarly noted. Since
I had a two-year warranty, I initially used it. HP fixed and returned
the machine, but within six months I had the same problem again. Argh!
So I found this board through Google. I saw Ken's many and varied
posts. I wondered if he were trustworthy and reputable. So I noticed
two things. One was the response of a poster several weeks ago
indicating that he was very happy with Ken's work. The second was
that I went to Ken's site and noticed that he is a member of the
Better Business Bureau in his area, which is a very reputable group.
Then I called him. (By the way, I found that it is better to call him
in the morning if you want to talk with him.) He was very helpful. I
even asked if he would advise a local repair shop in Kansas as to
what to do. He agreed. (Ken told them what to do, but they did not
want to stand behind the work--or maybe in my opinion, they did not
even want to do the job.)
Therefore, I sent my laptop to Ken. He fixed it and turned it around
quickly. And I now have a laptop for which the power works and stays
on as it should. No problems! (By the way, I have noticed my laptop
seems to run much cooler, FWIW.)
I hope you understand that I still have a warranty and could have
returned the laptop for another motherboard replacement--at no cost.
But I am tired of having my computer gone for a week or more every
six months for a board replacement.
Ken's fee was reasonable and well worth the money (by the way, I paid
him with a credit card number over the phone). I highly recommend him
to those of you who are tired of HP's worthless warranty re: the power
jack. In fact, I would go so far as to recommend others to buy a new
HP Pavilion, but ONLY IF they have Ken or somebody like him fix the
jack problem. Except for the jack, I have been very pleased with the
HP Pavilion.
Give Ken a call. He will be glad to talk with you, and will treat you
right. If anybody has a question, please send me a post. Questions
about cost should be referred to Ken, as cost can vary a lot
depending on the model and I am not knowledgeable of repair costs.
Anything else is fair game though.
bmllamaman
problem you all have. My battery stopped charging, and I thought for
sure it would be part of the HP Battery recall, but no such luck. In
addition, my battery would be dead and then the power would just cut
off from the power jack!! So then I would have to restart the
computer and the same would occur. Eventually, the battery would
charge enough to last about 30 seconds, so when I would see the
screen start to dim, I would quickly pull the power plug out and
reinsert it quickly, and I would be ok.....
Finally, I got tired of this, and bought both, a new battery and a new
power supply. I thought I was back in business - until the screen
dimmed while using the new power supply!! That's when I started
thinking the problem is not the supply, but the jack. I Googled it,
and here I am.
This is totally ridiculous that this many people have a problem.....is
anyone thinking "CLASS ACTION SUIT"?
Jim
ø?°`°?mikeø,?,ø?
< Ken's fee was reasonable and well worth the money >
How come everyone thinks IKENFIXIT is so wonderful, but no
one will mention how much he charges for the 'power jack' problem?
"KansasUser" <n...@spam.invalid> wrote in message
news:GCT8f.187997$KX7....@fe03.news.easynews.com...
ikenfixit
89.00 plus return shipping. The HP ZD, ZX, And , ZV series are a
little more complex however and were currently getting 169.00 for
these models. Thanx to everyone for the positive responses to the
repairs. We cannot repair all issues but have built an excellent
custmer base and have had the same people returning as well as
refering us for the past 3 years as well. Good luck all and these are
really not a bad machine theyre just a power hog as to be expected.
(Adapter the size of a Brick and 120Watt to boot).. Take care All,
And I hope people keep grouping together and posting in these forums
to give the manufacturers an honest opinion of the faults at hand with
their products. (They seem unable to admit to these problems).
Ken
KansasUser
lawsuit. In 2003 a consumer filed suit against HP regarding the
display blackout or flicker. The law firm invites others who have had
such problems to contact them. The attached link contains another link
to the law firm. From what I can read, it still seems to be active.
Good luck.
http://www.infohq.com/Computer/computer-news-jun03-16-23.htm#confcahps
KansasUser
HP-installed battery without power cord will hold only about an hour
and a half before running out of power. Do you know of a good OEM
battery that will give me five or six hours of use, that I can
substitute for the HP battery?
Thanks, Ken. I appreciate your good work.
ben_myers_spam_me_not
Very few in the computer industry have resulted in significant awards to the
plaintiffs... Ben Myers
ikenfixit
battery on one of these power hogs.. Better to buy a refurbed second
batt and rotate once every couple days. Also drain them down once in
a while as keeping them fully charged seems to deter the longevity
for some reason.. (Thermal breakdown I suspect). Good luck!