2 month old printer - just broken!

whirlwind147

Hi All,

Hoping someone out there can help me with a couple of questions?

I bought a £300 touchscreen printer from PCWorld on 8th January 2011. It's one of those wi-fi jobs that connects to the internet through my wireless router. About 5 days ago it had a message on it saying that there was an update for the printer available and do I want to download it. I pressed the yes option, it starting downloading 1 of 5 downloads, very slowly but it did all 5. Then it said "Do not power down during update" and the touchscreen started to go really bright and then really dim about twice every second.

I got bored waiting for the message to disappear so I went to bed. Woke the next day message was still there. Left it while I went to work, came back, message still there. This is about 18 hours later. So I googled HP envy 100 download errors and apparently this is a huge problem and lots of people have had the same issue and HP knows there is an issue with the updates but have done nothing to address is it since it came to light IN OCTOBER 2010!

There is a secret menu reset which I can't get to work. When you unplug the printer and turn it back on again it restarts and then the dreaded do not power off message comes straight back again.

Given that the printer is over 4 weeks old I have emailed HP technical support (instead of going to PCWorld whom I know from experience are absolute rubbish when it comes to customer service) and he's told me to power off the unit (which I had already done) and try the secret menu reset (which I have also tried), I tried them both again anyway and have just emailed them back to say nothing has worked.

At the end of their email to me they have said if neither fixes work they will investigate the possibility of replacing the printer. Reading the forum posts of other people with the issue HP are replacing the printers but with refurbished printers and not new ones.

Sorry about the long story but I have finally got to my questions!!

1. Is my only option to accept a refurbished printer?
2. Can I argue the fact that the printer is not fit for purpose and I want a full refund (I'm not to keen to accept the same printer again as they haven't done anything to fix the issue for over 4 months)?
3. Can I get what I paid for the printer if they do say yes to a refund (it is now £199 in PCWorld)?
4. Have I done the right thing going to HP direct and not PCW?

Thanks to all who read my post and thanks even more to those that respond!

Cheers
Graham

IndigoBlue_2

First of all let me ask as to why on earth you paid £300 for a printer, that is lunacy. I got my Wifi printer for £60 from amazon and it is cracking. I suggest you do the same after you take my next piece of advice (Canon by the way, not HP or Epson as they are both rubbish).

Now, what you should do next is get your receipt/bank statement, go to PC world, tell them the product is faulty and you want a full refund. You will get what you paid for it back (not the sale price they now have)

I agree with you on one thing though, the people at PC World are idiots, the tech guys are even worse, my 10 year old neice could do a better job than those clowns.

tsimehC

IndigoBlue wrote: »

I agree with you on one thing though, the people at PC World are idiots, the tech guys are even worse, my 10 year old neice could do a better job than those clowns.

Agreed, when you see them trying to sell you a USB printer cable for £20 you know something isn't right either. Also, you can use the Sales of Goods Act to get a refund from PCW, not sure 100% though...

CoolHotCold

Best bet is to take it back and one of two things will happen
Either their systems say its a Code 5 which means under first year it just gets replaced with a replacement in store (doesn't have to be a printer or even a HP) but they are under no obligation to give you a full refund.
Or
Their systems say its HP that deals with them in which case they'll take it in (its not something you can do as only HP retailers/service centers have access to HP's automatic booking system) and HP will decide to fix or repair.

whirlwind147

Thanks to all of you for your responses. Looks like I'll try and take it back to PCW on Monday. I'm just praying to god I don't have to go through the Techguys!!!

Thanks again folks!