HP won't repair my laptop with valid warranty because I have linux installed

[3DartBlade]

I have spent the last 4 hours talking to HP's customer service because my laptop has hardware issues, but they won't take it in for repairing or even analysing because I don't have windows installed. Installing windows would mean backing up or deleting hundreds of gigabytes of personal data, so that I can install an OS I don't want or need, create a Microsoft account that I also don't want or need so that I can confirm, that I do in fact have hardware issues, which not only have I deduced myself, but there are ways to figure that out wich do not include wiping my hard drive, in case you don't trust my judgement. I would like to think that wanting to avoid these is reasonable.

If I continue to be denied service because of my choice of software, I'll be sure never to buy another HP product again and suggest to everyone I know to avoid it, as it would seem their warranty is highly conditional with seemingly undisclosed terms. I'm sure everyone agrees that's pretty bad. 

It's bad enough that I have to post here in hopes of maybe finding a solution. Windows is not the only operating system, in fact it's one of the worst ones out there, so please build structures for customers to be able to recieve the service you promised without wiping their hard-drive or backing up hundreds of gigabytes of data for no good reason.

Thank you. 

[Deep_World]

Hi @3DartBlade,

Welcome to the HP Support Community!

Thanks for reaching out!

We're thrilled to have the opportunity to assist you and provide a solution.

I’m really sorry you’ve had to spend hours on the phone and still not gotten the support you need , especially when you’ve taken care to protect your personal data. It’s completely understandable to want your hardware issues addressed without being forced to reinstall an OS you don’t want or create accounts you don’t need.

To help figure out the best way forward, could you share a bit more about the hardware problem itself? For example:

What specific issue are you experiencing (e.g., display problems, keyboard, touchpad, battery, overheating, audio, or something else)?

visible signs of hardware failure?

If I know exactly what’s happening with your laptop, I can suggest ways to troubleshoot or gather diagnostic information that doesn’t require wiping your hard drive or installing Windows, which might make it easier to fix  the problem.

I hope this helps.

I'm glad I could help! 😊 If this resolved your issue, please mark it as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" Your feedback not only keeps us going but also helps others find the solution faster! 👍✨

Take care and have an amazing day ahead! 🚀

Best regards,
Deep_World

[3DartBlade]

Dear @Deep_World,

Thank you for reaching out. 

The issue I'm experiencing is the following:

During intensive or prolonged network use, Wi-Fi cuts out entirely and the OS stops recognizing the network card altogether. After this happens a sizzling noise can be heard coming out of the laptop, which leads me to believe that there is a contact issue. Sometimes this is solved by a restart, but other times it will persist throughout several restarts and fixes itself only after given time to rest while turned off.

I have tested this using an Ubuntu live disk and the issue persists.

Best regards, 

3DartBlade

[Deep_World]

Hi @3DartBlade,

Welcome to the HP Support Community!

Thanks for reaching out!

We're thrilled to have the opportunity to assist you and provide a solution.

I’m sorry you’re going through this; I understand the concern and don’t worry I’ll help you with this. 

Here are a few steps that can help narrow things down:

Troubleshooting Steps you can try : 

1. Check for overheating

Since the issue appears under heavy network use and improves after the laptop cools down, overheating is a strong possibility.

• Ensure the laptop is on a hard, flat surface with good ventilation.
• Remove any dust buildup around the air vents if possible.
• You can also try testing the laptop in a cooler room to see if the issue happens less often.

2. Confirm where the noise is coming from

To better understand the situation, could you please confirm:
Does the sound seem to come from the air vents or from another part of the laptop?
This will help determine whether it's fan/thermal-related or something else.

3. Update Wi-Fi and chipset drivers

Driver crashes can sometimes cause the Wi-Fi card to disappear until rebooted.

• Update your Wi-Fi adapter driver from HP’s support page for your model.
• Updating the chipset drivers can also help with power and device-management issues.

4. Update the BIOS (important)

BIOS updates that often address stability, power management, and component detection problems.
Please visit the HP Support website, enter your laptop’s model number,and download the latest BIOS update available for your device.

I hope this helps.

I'm glad I could help! 😊 If this resolved your issue, please mark it as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" Your feedback not only keeps us going but also helps others find the solution faster! 

Take care and have an amazing day ahead! 

Best regards,

Deep_World

[3DartBlade]

1. Issue persists

2. Middle of the laptop

3. Already latest

4. Already latest

[Deep_World]

Hi @3DartBlade,

Thanks for your response. It looks like you’re still having trouble with the unit.

To get you the best assistance, we need to take this conversation to a private chat. We're inviting you to a private message to protect your privacy and ensure that any sensitive information remains confidential. 

To access your private message, just click the little blue envelope icon on the upper right corner of your HP Community profile, next to your profile name. Alternatively, you can click on this link. 

You can use this link as well: 

Private Messages - HP Support Community

We're looking forward to helping you resolve this issue! 

Stay tuned, and thanks for your patience! 

Best regards,

Deep_World

[3DartBlade]

"(...) Unfortunately, there are no other actions we can take through this route.  (...)"

They're telling me to contact them in the same way that started this whole thing. They continue to refuse me service. If you're seeing this, avoid buying hp, unless you want to be committed to exactly one kind of software.