Many Hewlett Packard and Compaq Buyers Can't Use Disk Space They Paid For

larrydougherty · 09-21-2004, 08:20 PM

CONSUMER ALERT - Many Hewlett Packard and Compaq Buyers Can't Use Disk Space They Paid For

Not all of the massive hard drives Hewlett Packard (HP) and Compaq tout in their ads and on their boxes can be used by Pavilion and Presario owners for writing letters, storing photographs or music and other every-day uses. Without telling buyers, HP and Compaq fill as much as 10 percent of each hard drive with a hidden "recovery system" - backup copies of the operating system and factory-installed software.

Industry analysts say the computer giant saves money by not giving consumers CDs with backup software. However, these corporate savings cost Pavilion and Presario owners hard drive space they paid for, but can't use, because it's in a partitioned-off space containing HP's "recovery system." HP introduced this system on Pavilion models loaded with Windows XP, beginning in September 2001, and later added it to the Compaq Presario product line. Pavilion model computers also have a stripped-down version of Windows XP operating system without some security features and other features of Windows XP sold at retail as a stand-alone product.

HP hid the recovery partition, which prompted complaints from consumers that they didn't get CDs of the software loaded on their computers and all the space they paid for. Bruce Greenwood, an HP marketing manager, acknowledged that the change to the no-CD policy generated 50 user complaint calls a day.

Besides a lack of disclosure, the lack of recovery CDs can cause other problems. When hard drives fail, the recovery system can't be used and software can't be reloaded. In many instances, computer owners then must call technical support and pay the computer company to send the same CDs it used to provide for free with a user's original computer purchase.

Ironically, these CDs recreate the "recovery partition," again taking away useable space from computer owners.

You can review a copy of the lawsuit our law firm filed to address this problem by clicking on http://www.jameshoyer.com/problem_hp_harddrive.html

**ZER0X** · 09-22-2004, 01:08 PM

My computer is a Compaq Presario, the recovery space uses about 4gbs

Im not worried about 4gbs, That's about the size of a dvd...

kof2000 · 09-22-2004, 02:11 PM

u have no idea those recovery partitions are useful. if i dont want it i first make the recovery dvds, then format the drive and make full use of it.

**Praetor** · 09-22-2004, 02:15 PM

Quote:

u have no idea those recovery partitions are useful

I dont?

**ZER0X** · 09-23-2004, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kof2000

u have no idea those recovery partitions are useful. if i dont want it i first make the recovery dvds, then format the drive and make full use of it.

Yer they are useful, so im not worrying about it

**Praetor** · 09-23-2004, 02:59 PM

They're only not-useful for people that know what they are doing who, in general, dont bother buying such systems to start wtih

Lorand · 09-23-2004, 03:03 PM

Have anyone tried to use that recovery?
I tried on a HP Pavillion and a Compaq laptop without any luck. In the end I reinstalled Windows from CD (CD form another computer, of course

).

**Praetor** · 09-23-2004, 03:05 PM

Works ok but it was a slightly harrowing process

**ZER0X** · 09-25-2004, 11:22 AM

Well today I stuffed up my computer, dunno why.....and thanks to compaq's recovery system I fixed it......and "Praetor" that right clicking problem I had ages ago all gone, no problem like that happening again, dunno why?

b3n · 09-26-2004, 02:31 AM

probably adware as usual

09-21-2004, 08:20 PM	#1 (permalink)
larrydougherty New Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 1	Many Hewlett Packard and Compaq Buyers Can't Use Disk Space They Paid For CONSUMER ALERT - Many Hewlett Packard and Compaq Buyers Can't Use Disk Space They Paid For Not all of the massive hard drives Hewlett Packard (HP) and Compaq tout in their ads and on their boxes can be used by Pavilion and Presario owners for writing letters, storing photographs or music and other every-day uses. Without telling buyers, HP and Compaq fill as much as 10 percent of each hard drive with a hidden "recovery system" - backup copies of the operating system and factory-installed software. Industry analysts say the computer giant saves money by not giving consumers CDs with backup software. However, these corporate savings cost Pavilion and Presario owners hard drive space they paid for, but can't use, because it's in a partitioned-off space containing HP's "recovery system." HP introduced this system on Pavilion models loaded with Windows XP, beginning in September 2001, and later added it to the Compaq Presario product line. Pavilion model computers also have a stripped-down version of Windows XP operating system without some security features and other features of Windows XP sold at retail as a stand-alone product. HP hid the recovery partition, which prompted complaints from consumers that they didn't get CDs of the software loaded on their computers and all the space they paid for. Bruce Greenwood, an HP marketing manager, acknowledged that the change to the no-CD policy generated 50 user complaint calls a day. Besides a lack of disclosure, the lack of recovery CDs can cause other problems. When hard drives fail, the recovery system can't be used and software can't be reloaded. In many instances, computer owners then must call technical support and pay the computer company to send the same CDs it used to provide for free with a user's original computer purchase. Ironically, these CDs recreate the "recovery partition," again taking away useable space from computer owners. You can review a copy of the lawsuit our law firm filed to address this problem by clicking on http://www.jameshoyer.com/problem_hp_harddrive.html

09-22-2004, 01:08 PM	#2 (permalink)
ZER0X Moderator Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Australia Age: 18 Posts: 1,417	My computer is a Compaq Presario, the recovery space uses about 4gbs Im not worried about 4gbs, That's about the size of a dvd... __________________ AMD X2 4000+ Socket AM2 2Gb RAM DDR2 667 Dual Channel 160Gb ATA100 8mb ASUS EN8800GT 512mb

09-22-2004, 02:11 PM	#3 (permalink)
kof2000 Diamond Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Oahu Age: 26 Posts: 6,273	u have no idea those recovery partitions are useful. if i dont want it i first make the recovery dvds, then format the drive and make full use of it. __________________ QX9650@4.2 swiftech \|9600@3.0 9700 nt 780i \| 790fx 8gb ddr1200 \| 8gb ddr1200 2x150gb 3x1tb \|2x250gb 3x8800gtx \|3x2900xt 1gb 2x20xdvdrw \|2x20xdvdrw 15in1 card reader \|15in1 card reader ng15/g9 \|ng15/g9 1200w psu \|1200w psu 2x28" LCD \|2x28" LCD

09-23-2004, 02:59 PM	#6 (permalink)
Praetor Administrator Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Canada Age: 25 Posts: 19,951	They're only not-useful for people that know what they are doing who, in general, dont bother buying such systems to start wtih __________________ ASUS P5K Premium WiFi-AP, Q6600@3.7 / ASUS P5ND, E6400@3.8 4GB OCz Platinum XTC 8500 / 4GB CorsairXMS2 6400 5x500GB Seagate 7200.10 / 2x500 Seagate 7200.10 OCz 8800GTX 768MB @ 630/800 / 2x Galaxy 8800GT SLI

09-23-2004, 03:05 PM	#8 (permalink)
Praetor Administrator Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Canada Age: 25 Posts: 19,951	Works ok but it was a slightly harrowing process __________________ ASUS P5K Premium WiFi-AP, Q6600@3.7 / ASUS P5ND, E6400@3.8 4GB OCz Platinum XTC 8500 / 4GB CorsairXMS2 6400 5x500GB Seagate 7200.10 / 2x500 Seagate 7200.10 OCz 8800GTX 768MB @ 630/800 / 2x Galaxy 8800GT SLI

09-23-2004, 03:03 PM	#7 (permalink)
Lorand VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Bucharest Age: 41 Posts: 3,042	Have anyone tried to use that recovery? I tried on a HP Pavillion and a Compaq laptop without any luck. In the end I reinstalled Windows from CD (CD form another computer, of course ).

09-25-2004, 11:22 AM	#9 (permalink)
ZER0X Moderator Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Australia Age: 18 Posts: 1,417	Well today I stuffed up my computer, dunno why.....and thanks to compaq's recovery system I fixed it......and "Praetor" that right clicking problem I had ages ago all gone, no problem like that happening again, dunno why? __________________ AMD X2 4000+ Socket AM2 2Gb RAM DDR2 667 Dual Channel 160Gb ATA100 8mb ASUS EN8800GT 512mb

09-26-2004, 02:31 AM	#10 (permalink)
b3n VIP Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Australia Posts: 373	probably adware as usual __________________ WinXP Home SP2 Intel Celeron D 3.1ghz XFX nVidia Geforce4 MX4000 128mb AGP 8x 512mb RAM 160 HD (2x80GB) Lite-On DL CDRW/DVD -/+ R RW 16x 17" LCD - 1280x1024@75hz www.glaciagames.com

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