HDD Failure

[Domski]

Bought this notebook for my kids from PC World just over a year ago (19 April 2016)  so it is no longer in warranty.    On switching on, Windows 10 loads (eventually) and I am able to log in but nothing else is working.  Have run system diagnostics which have identified a Primary HDD Bay failure (failure ID 6CTXVK-83E8L-2-XD7WLK60Q903).    I am astonished that a computer that is only 13 months old has already had a hard disc failure and rather disappointed with the quality of this product.

Have called PC World as per HP Support instructions, but they are not wiling to help other than to replace the HDD at a cost.   Is there anything HP Support can do, given that the warranty has only just lapsed?  Many thanks

[Huffer]

We at the Forum have no ability to extend an exception to the warranty. HP might come in and offer some assistance but generally one year means one year of warranty. It is very hard to explain to users that the hard drive's failure after a year really says nothing about thre quality of the computer in general. HP does not make hard drives. Hard drives can last 10 years or they can fail in 6 months. It is why we learn to back up as data that is on one hard drive is inherently unsafe. Hard drives in computers used by kids also for some reason have a tendency not to last a long time. 

In any event, we can provide instructions for replacement of the hard drive and restoration of the operating system so the laptop is as good as new. It is not as expensive or difficult as you may fear. In fact, sending it in for service likely means you will be without it at least a week even if HP were to allow that. Or, the hard drive can be replaced with self-help and you can be back up and running the same day. If HP does it you will lose all the data on the drive. If you do it yourself you can likely salvage most if not all of the documents, music and pictures, etc. on the hard drive. We can show you how to do that, as well. 

Here is the Service Manual:

Manual

See p. 46. You basically flip the laptop over and remove quite a few screws to take off the back cover which exposes the hard drive. 

Replacement drive:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Seagate-BarraCuda-Internal-Drive-Factor/dp/B01LXRWWB6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qi...

For a bit more money you could actually upgrade the laptop to a solid state drive which has no moving parts and is much less prone to faiure even with mishandling. Not to suggest anyone mishandled your laptop just that an SSD will produce less heat and zero vibration or noise. 

Post back with any more questions. 

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