e9280t problems and complaints

[JimCapeCoral]

Gardengal5:  Great post.  Answers the questions concerning the latest mobo and bios being shipped by HP. 

[hpsad]

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gardengal5 wrote:

My e9280t was built 10/21/09.  So far no BSODs.  Doing more experimenting (to flush problems w/in 21 day period).

Looks like the same stuff (click to expand):

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Install the 64 bit version of CPUZ, it will tell you what revision of the motherboard you have.  http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php

Based on the info you provided it looks like HP hasn't done anything to fix the motherboard problem and are still trying to cover it up with the performance crippled 5.22 BIOS.  My computer will consistantly freeze with the 5.13 and 5.18 BIOS 10 minutes after a cold start (system powered off for 6 hours prior to cold start).  With the 5.22 BIOS it would do the same thing but the computer had to be off more than 8 hours for the cold start to cause the freeze.

You'll also want to check out the info on this site: http://www.computerlimbo.com/showthread.php?tid=3&page=5

[randallintacoma]

hpsad:   

It is possible that HP has done the things you claim and if you have a unreliable computer then you have every right to be mad and I hope you pursue them relentlessly until you get satisfaction.  But there is clearly something different about what those of us with the e9280t machines are seeing in performance and your experience. The motherboard may be the same and the BIOS may be "crippled," but the e9280t is working just fine and I'll be darned if I can see any way that this computer is crippled.

My computer was built on 10/22/09.

[bwinkjet]

I have had the e9280t, windows 7 Bit for a week and have had one or more blue screen events daily.  Worked with tech today and had no solutions other than to start from scratch and see what that does. (restore to original factory conditions)  So, would have to reinstall all peripherals, software, personal settings, etc.  Not a happy thought.  Glad to find this forum.  At least I am not alone with this problem.  Did full diagnostic tests; passed with flying colors.  Hope they issue a bios fix for this pretty soon as it is pretty frustrating.  Will continue to follow this board.

[hpsad]

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randallintacoma wrote:

hpsad:   

It is possible that HP has done the things you claim and if you have a unreliable computer then you have every right to be mad and I hope you pursue them relentlessly until you get satisfaction.  But there is clearly something different about what those of us with the e9280t machines are seeing in performance and your experience. The motherboard may be the same and the BIOS may be "crippled," but the e9280t is working just fine and I'll be darned if I can see any way that this computer is crippled.

My computer was built on 10/22/09.

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If you've been following the other thread you will see that there are some customers, but not very many, who have no issue with their e9180t, so just because your e9280t is working doesn't mean they have resolved the motherboard issue.  I don't see how they could resolve it when Pegatron themselves said they could not fix the problem and the e9280t is using the same motherboard.  You wouldn't notice the performance crippling in the 5.22 BIOS becuase you never experienced the performance with the 5.13 or 5.18 BIOS, the performance of the system using those BIOS versions is noticably faster.  But if you're happy with your crippled Core i7 920 then congratulations.  The rest of us won't be satisfied until we get a non freezing system with the 5.18 or earlier non crippled BIOS.  I could reflash my BIOS to 5.22 and not have as many freezes, but it's not worth the performance hit when I can warm restart the computer to eliminate the freeze.

[Proximo]

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bwinkjet wrote:
I have had the e9280t, windows 7 Bit for a week and have had one or more blue screen events daily.  Worked with tech today and had no solutions other than to start from scratch and see what that does. (restore to original factory conditions)  So, would have to reinstall all peripherals, software, personal settings, etc.  Not a happy thought.  Glad to find this forum.  At least I am not alone with this problem.  Did full diagnostic tests; passed with flying colors.  Hope they issue a bios fix for this pretty soon as it is pretty frustrating.  Will continue to follow this board.

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bwinkjet:  sorry to hear that!    Maybe 50 to 500 people on the 9150/9180t thread were hoping the 9280 would not have the same story.  What you are relating (a BSOD a day) is a typical "bad scene" scenario, and sounds disturbingly like the same story.  Not all machines have these problems, but generally folks who don't have them don't read the support forums, so only 15, or so, "no problem first buy machines" are reported .

If you can't stabilize the machine, eliminate BSODs, you should start agitating with HP for a replacement.  Check out the other thread, try the workarounds for freezing, etc.  They only fix freeze type BSODs, BTW.   There are lots of other reasons for BSODs. 

[jimmyt]

I just opened my e9290f--quick ship version of the e9280t--pretty much the basic specs with an upgraded video card.

My bios is v 5.18 (7/6/2009); the mobo is pegatron rev 1.4 as far as I know (based on querying it w/ Belarc); the graphics card covers up that detail.  All I can see is a little sticker with a P/N on it.

I was well aware purchasing this machine is a crapshoot, and made an assumption that the newest models might escape the issues.  I won't be tossing out my Dell 9000 series real soon though.

In going to the various threads, the issue for me is that it's impossible to figure out how many machines are doing just fine...most?...more than half?...very few?

I'll post back after I play some more.

FWIW, and that's not much, I considered the Gateway equivalent b/c of the bigger power supply among other things (hot swap drives, e.g.) but in the end got nervous about buying Gateway.  I am fully prepared to eat crown on that.  I guess I figure at some point in the next year HP will fix my computer if it craps out.  Pollyanna, I know.

[randallintacoma]

jimmyt: If it helps any, my e9280t has been running since the 27th with several cold starts, long runs and sleep sessions without issue. I have the 5.22 BIOS dated 10/12/09 though. I looked at your e9290 model before I bought mine. Did you notice that HP doesn't list the quick ship option for this series anymore?

[jimmyt]

I tried to order the e9290f from HP.

Order went through and then HP canceled it.

Called HP; they told me resellers had bought them all and HP was out of stock.

I bought mine from Newegg; that e9290f config is available from other suppliers.

It may well be an older version, though, since it has an older BIOS.

HP did offer to build and ship an e9280t configured to the e9290f config.  I turned them down b/c I did not want to wait, even though they offered to discount the build to below the $1249 price elsewhere after I ragged them about being out of stock the day it was posted to the site.

I don't think there is a reason for them not being listed other than since they are out of stock they are obviously not a Quick Ship model right now.

I did give HP quite a bit of grief--long boring story--and noticed they removed the link for the e9290f Quick Ships within a few hours after that.

Message Edited by jimmyt on 10-31-2009 07:50 AM

[bwinkjet]

Follow-up.  Several days later after reverting to factory fresh condition and using only peripherals provided by HP except monitor and internet hookup the problems are growing worse.  Clear pattern has emerged.  Use of the computer after several hours rest either after sleep or cold start produces the problem blue screen.  Most of time, if not all, the USB mouse and USB keyboard locks up.  If no blue screen occurs, then must reboot via the off/on button on the box.  Each time, many personalized settings are lost and must be reset.  Will talk with them tomorrow, level 3 and see if there are any solutions.

Paul