HP Pavilion DV6000 Laptop Wireless Failure - HP Says 1 in 7 Affected
If your wireless is failing for no reason on your HP Pavilion DV6000 laptop, call HP before your warranty runs out. An HP tech admitted that 1 in 7 of them require motherboard replacement to fix the problem. Not a BIOS upgrade or drivers.
[UPDATE] - It has now been released that the problem was possibly due to faulty heat handling on the NVidia G84 and G86 parts. The BIOS update, listed in the extended warranty, simply changes how the fan operates. That should give your product about enough time to function before the warranty runs out.
You should call HP to get your laptop serviced if your laptop is exhibiting the following behavior
- Wireless device no longer recognized
- Wireless switch doesn’t work
- Wireless will not come back after shutting down or going into a sleep mode
The HP Pavilion DV6000 is a fairly popular laptop. Available at many retail outlets and online, it happens to be the one that I decided to purchase just under a year ago.
It’s a decent machine and the price was right. My particular model is a DV6436nr that I picked up at Best Buy. After removing Vista and installing Ubuntu, the laptop was running rather well. However, the wireless was spotty at best.
I assumed that it was due to the difficulties that can occur with wireless and Linux. I followed all of the guides and installed all the drivers. Yet for some reason, my wireless just seemed to be getting worse. Eventually, the device would only work when it felt like it. I decided to go ahead and install Windows XP and see if I could get it working in that OS. No dice. My laptop was still within warranty so I decided to start looking around to see if anyone else was having this problem.
It wasn’t long before I came across this lengthy thread at the HP site. In it, “Anna” from HP says that updating the BIOS will fix the problem:
“Hi, it’s Anna from HP Total Care,
I’m sorry some of you are having trouble with your wireless WLAN not detecting your wireless network and not displaying in your device manager. The issue appears to be affecting AMD based Dv6000, v6000 and Dv9000 notebooks running Microsoft Windows Vista.
We’ve got a BIOS update and some instructions on getting this resolved. If the BIOS update does not resolve the issue, please contact HP support and we will help facilitate a repair.
Please do not try replacing your wireless card or inserting a third party wireless modules as some have suggested here on this forum. This will not resolve the issue and is in violation of FCC regulations.
[...Instructions on how to install the BIOS update...]
I hope this is helpful. Please let me know if you have any further questions and we’ll work to respond personally or on the forum as best we can.
Anna”
This solution was garbage and yielded no results. The switch on the front was basically useless and the device simply was not being recognized any longer. Frustrated, I searched further and found that this is a much more prevalent problem than I originally thought. Even ZDNet posted an article about the failure.
I eventually called HP to get my laptop repaired. As indicated in other posts, the solution is a motherboard replacement.
Here’s the kicker: the customer service agent who helped me when I called HP said:
“Yea, there’s about 1 in 7 laptops that are affected. But, there’s no way to tell which ones they are and that’s not enough to do a recall.”
Wow. The worst part is: the problem is hard to diagnose due to the fact that the device only works half the time. Instead of it being a problem with the wireless, or the drivers, or the BIOS, it’s a problem with the motherboard.
I’ll admit: the repair process was painless. They sent me a box overnight with shipping labels and I had my laptop back in a week or so. But come on HP: if 1 in 7 devices are failing and it’s hard to detect, help the consumer out and let them know.
Until then however, you can call HP at 800-474-6836.
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May 28th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
Hi, my name is ROE and this article helped me alot. I had my HP dv6105us for 2 years and just last week I ran into the same difficulties. I get on my laptop last week as always and I write my blogs, check my email and visit my favorite gaming websites, as any other day I log off and I’m packing my laptop in my bag to go to work, upon arrival getting to my office I pull my laptop out, attempt to log on to the internet. My WLAN icon isn’t on the tabs bar and the device driver isn’t showing in Network connections or in Hardware device, its like the driver never existed so my switch is amber and not blue but the switch is on so I have a friend at Geek Squad who told me the same thing I would have to switch out my motherboard $600, my face dropped, I replied I might as well buy another laptop. So instead I bought a USB WIFI adaptor to patch the problem. I wish I signed up for the service plan when I bought my laptop but its OK when your gadgets give you problems you learn lessons, I just might go into TECH work after this.
June 5th, 2008 at 1:57 am
after some searching, and e-mailing hp tech support, they’ve come up with this…..
HP Pavilion dv2000/dv6000/dv9000 and Compaq Presario V3000/V6000 Series Notebook PCs - HP Limited Warranty Service Enhancement
can be seen at….
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/genericDocument?docname=c01087194&cc=uk&dlc=en&lc=en&jumpid=reg_R1002_UKEN
they’re coming to pick it up tomotrrow, and change the mother board!… will keep u up-to-date with the progress
July 3rd, 2008 at 3:15 pm
I had this problem and had my laptop sent away about 10 months into my warranty. Now its happened again, and my laptop is no longer under warranty. I really don’t know what to do. Will putting a new wireless card inside really not work?
July 18th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
It looks like the extended service warranty that rich davies supplied a link to may be helpful for you Paul.
Good luck!
July 31st, 2008 at 4:46 pm
wow r tardes just use an external usb or chip thingy you can buy one for 50 dalloors
July 31st, 2008 at 4:48 pm
oops sorry cheaper than that 24.99 at best buy 54mbs same as u had in it
August 1st, 2008 at 11:48 am
I bought a DV6000 in Sept. 2007 for college, and I still got about 6 weeks left on my warranty (only got it for a year thinking odds are after a year anything faulty is going to crop up, that was before I started looking at the model online). I’ m going to try calling them today and see if they will pay for my shipping too, even though the extended warranty doesn’t cover my product number.
I can say that generally I am very disappointed with both HP’s service and my purchase. I have had problems with compatibility between Vista and the graphics card, problems with shutting the computer down (could have been Vista there though), letters keep falling off my keyboard (I can reattach them luckily), the DVD-ROM drive and Xp don’t like each other to the point where it sometimes thinks blank DVD’s are CD’s. And now my wireless card is on the fritz, working for a few hours and then blanking out again.
The few times I have contacted hp (fro instance with the DVD drive) theny have all almost pointed me to the BIOS (which can be the cause of everything) or Windows, which they never tell me to repair but reinstall which they themselves don’t recommend.
I would recommend anyone looking at this line of computers to stay away, though HP does have an overall good track record for other models.
August 5th, 2008 at 8:02 am
I had the same problem. I have a presario v6000 and the wireless device stopped working. I couldn’t connect to the internet at all. I searched and searched the web at work to find ways to fix it. I tried updating the BIOS like Hp website says to do, I tried reinstall my NVIDIA– NOTHING WORKED. I might have even screwed it up even more by doing these things. I took my computer to a local tech and they said the wireless device is fried and to use a USB network adapter to connect to the internet and the nice thing was, they didn’t charge me for telling me that. My warranty is up and this has been the 3rd problem I’ve had with this stinky laptop. HP representatives are very difficult to communicate with and since I haven’t updated my warranty, the customer service reps were ruthless and unsympathetic.
August 15th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
When I called they said there is a recall of the wireless network adapter. All I did was call the above number and said I’m calling about the wireless recall went from there.
August 15th, 2008 at 9:28 pm
I have been fighting the same wifi problem with my dv6000. I got a message from hp that (hp connections) is no longer supported and causes problems. After I uninstalled the program, my wifi was detected and intstalled. No problems since. Fingers crossed.
August 29th, 2008 at 5:47 pm
I have the same problems with my pavilion dv6000 and of course the warranty just expired. i called hp tech support and they told me that since the warranty is up, i’d have to pay $50 for just 14 days of phone support for only this problem or $100 for a year for only this problem!!! they wouldn’t tell me if there is even a way to fix it!! i’m never buying anything from hp again!
September 4th, 2008 at 10:44 am
My DV6045nr has been sent in twice for mb replacement. Thank goodness I purchased the Frys Electronics extended warranty.
Of course, I demanded a complete laptop replacement with a newer, less problematic one. But, was told that Fry’s policy with HP laptops is the same as HP’s policy. In that, you must have submitted the laptop for repair for the SAME problem 4 times before they will consider a complete replacement.
This is ridiculous! My machine is a development machine and takes 2-3 days to configure it to how I need it for my development. To prep a loaner machine takes 2-3 days,
1st time = 14days (at HP) + 3days + 3days = 20 days
2nd time = 12days (at HP) + 3days + 3days = 18 days
Although I had a loaner by Frys, I was without my laptop 38 days so far with 12 of those days (almost 2 weeks) I was unable to work to to the transitions and configurations to and from the loaner machines!
This 4 strikes and you’re replaced policy is BS!
Ken
September 4th, 2008 at 10:46 am
Sorry, I forgot to mention that they do NOT REPLACE IT WITH A FIXED BOARD!!
They simply replace it with the SAME FAULTY version mb and it WILL HAPPEN AGAIN!!
This is a HUGE PROBLEM above and beyond just the problem itself!
September 13th, 2008 at 8:20 pm
My dv6000 hp laptop wifi switch went out and hp recall won’t cover a 2006
I tried to use a wireless usb but that would not work. Luckily best buy had a belkin n wireless express card adapter that worked in my wirless slot. This by passed the switch and everything is nowing working. It was alot cheaper to purchase the card for 56.00, then pay best buy 89.00 plus parts and have them send the computer out . I hope everybodies hp laptop has an express card slot. This truly worked for our laptop
September 22nd, 2008 at 3:50 am
Same problem on 2 different dv6000 machines. I replaced the wireless module in the first one with a brand new module, but did not fix the problem. Definitely a Motherboard problem!! Both machines barley out of warranty! Bad HP!!
September 29th, 2008 at 8:39 am
I have the dv6324us. Got it May 2007 with the Windows Vista. I had to reboot at least 3 times before it would actually work (which mean using up at least 30 minutes of my time). If I left it on but put down the monitor, and try to use it again even after just 30 minutes, I would have to boot it up again (x3). After about two weeks of frustrating time-wasting, I asked my husband to install Linux and XP on it (dual-boot) and it worked “perfectly”. I thought it was perfect compared to the earlier frustrations, until I read more problems connected to this laptop. This year, it died roughly about 3 mos after warranty expired (1-yr), as in, the blue lights are up, I could hear a short hum, some short beeps when I touch the blue lights, but monitor is black. Tried external monitor, same thing. Tried to reboot, same thing. So in the past week I had been searching for possible solutions (I’d hate to replace it with a new laptop when it has not reached two years!), and saw the many problems associated with it. In retrospect now, I see other problems that I have had in using this laptop: on and off detection of wireless, battery heating up too soon so my laptop would shut off suddenly (especially when watching DVD on it), and lately, battery just would not recharge enough, that I had to have it plugged in all the time when I used it.
In searching for solution, I came across the service enhancement program of HP and saw my product listed there eligible for repair. I called and said the problem about the monitor failure (which was included in the symptoms expected in this series), but failed to mention all the other problems I have had in the past when I was still able to use it. I was told to send in only the notebook minus the adapter and battery. So I called them again (1-866-671-7362) to add these issues and they edited their documentation so that now I will send battery and power adapter as well (and that I should receive them back too along the with notebook; if not, then I can ask them to send to me those two items).
I also mentioned my concern about repeated failures despite repairs — how long will I be eligible for free repairs [should be up to May 2009 as per their webpage on the service enhancement program or up to 90 days after (the last) free repair] , how many times can I send my notebook for repairs [up to 3 times, then if it fails again, my case will be escalated to a case manager and I will be eligible for replacement]. I was offered to purchase for $149.00 an extension of my warranty (from date of purchase) to cover an additional year from date of purchase of warranty (not of product) which sounded silly to me because my 24-month limited warranty (per their program) will cover me until May 2009. If I purchase the extension now, the coverage will start counting from today so it will last until Sept 29, 2009. The difference then would be an additional coverage of 4 months from May 2009 (orig 24-month warranty expires). No way I would pay $149 for that short extension!!! I might just buy a new non-HP laptop next.
October 1st, 2008 at 9:10 pm
I purchased my DV6000 July, 2007 with a 2 year warranty. My Wifi card stopped working today 10/1/2008, and I was covered under warranty, but regardless for those who don’t have a warranty, HP should cover all defective computers free of charge, or be subject to lawsuit. So my recommendation for those who don’t have a warranty is to call HP in Houston and speak to their service department. LETS FILE A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT!!!!!
PS Apple Computer computer would not ignore this….Think of purchasing Apple products in the future.
October 2nd, 2008 at 5:01 am
I had the same problem. And it started happening the first day of school. So the random time i was able to get on the internet, for SOME ODD reason my computer took me directly to the HP website and it said “if your computer is experiencing the following symptoms, call this number.” i did, the guy took me through a few steps for that BIOS thing, didn’t work and then sent me a box to send it to HP where it is currently being fixed. The fan thing, is that was it would get RIDICULOUSLY hot on my lap to the point it was very uncomfortable?
October 2nd, 2008 at 3:52 pm
I purchaced my dv6000 and four months into it card went out with warranty motherboard had to be replaced. Oddly, sis-in-law’s laptop same series card went too but unfortunally her warranty ran out.
October 2nd, 2008 at 4:55 pm
So my HP SUCKS BIG Nutz, my wifi isint working just like every one else, pluse my web cam is facked, due to driver issues. And like most, its out of worrenty…. O man, im so mad cuz my comp sucks and I owe HP 50 BIG ones just fore saying im a consumer sucker. SHIT
October 4th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
has anyone ever tried to get a refund? i don’t want the piece of crap computer anymore and just really want my money back…
October 4th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
I guess we all belong to the same club. I just got off the phone and am waiting for my box to arrive from HP. I bought my HP DV6000 June07 and the guy on the phone more or less told me that the motherboards are defective and need to be replaced. he said there would be no charge, sure, they already have me by the gonads..we shall see
October 6th, 2008 at 10:16 pm
So does anyone know when you send it away to HP does it come back to you minus all your files? My motherboard crashed to the point were I couldn’t even turn the darn thing on. I’m going through circut city because I got their extended warrenty (which was a huge waste of money). They wanted $100 to back up my files; (which i couldn’t do myself because my computer was so messed up even before the final crash). So now either I shell out 100 i don’t have or loss my files? >_< all companies stink.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:54 am
been having the same problems, then the damn thing just wouldnt even boot up any more. called hp told them what was happening and they said sure send it in well fix it for free under their extended warranty enhancement program. so the box arrives and i send it in. i had been keeping track of it on their site and it said under warranty $0.00 owed. then i check it the other day and it said out of warranty and i owe $318.00. so i call hp and after an hour of b.s. they tell me the optical drive went out and that they wanted $318.00 to replace it. now i had no problem with the drive before so i pretty much tell them i dont believe them and that i would like them to fix the laptop and return it. so i check the site later that day and it says in warranty $0.00 owed, great right. wrong i get the laptop back and not only does it still not work, the optical drive makes this horrible noise now. so thanks hp for standing by your crappy products.
October 10th, 2008 at 3:36 pm
mine was purchased on 08/04/06 and will be getting fixed with same problems no wireless and video. you can get video back by taking battery out and holding power for 30 secs. however just call and get them to fix asap. also try to back up your hard drive if you can get video back because they will be wiping the hard drive.
October 14th, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Took me hrs of lookin on the internet to get this exceptionally useful info. on an obscure website.
Well im going to try and get it fixed but i would recomend to anyone that gets it back in working condition to sell it asap at a loss and get something of decent quality and never get a hp ever again. guess it pays to research your purchase and not get the newest un-tested product out there. get something a year old and tested. Now get your old laptop out out and upgrade it untill it’s waaay to old, then get one a year old someday. Thats my plan.
DOWN WITH HP
October 14th, 2008 at 9:33 pm
funny thing is there is an ad for these crazy bad computers on the bottom of this web page , LoL
October 14th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
I have the same problem guys, and my dv9612ca is still in warranty, having bought it in march 2008. The thing is my bluetooth works perfectly ever since i bought, but the wifi just appears once every two months and then disappears.(strange having considered they are both part of the same module). My BIGGEST problem yet is that i live in Romania, and although there’s an HP hq here, the guys at the shop told me they’d have to send it in the US so solve the problem.. and that would take a few weeks only for transportation. my question is: what kind of external wifi adapter could i connect to it so i can get it to work wireless?
October 20th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Absolutely, positively, DON’T buy HP. Same problem here…1 month out of warranty. Did I mention Absolutely, positively, DON’T buy HP.
October 22nd, 2008 at 11:00 am
same thing!!!I don’t have wifi my screen is black my Vista does not start. I WILL NEVER EVER BUY HP EVER!!!!!!!
October 25th, 2008 at 8:12 am
Dear Service
Im the owner of a HP laptop with broken Motherboad.I would like to replace for new one.Could you please let me know which tipe of mother board I need to buy? Here is the tipe of my Laptop :
Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 HP
HP PAVILION DV 6000
Edited to remove personal info by admin
PRODUCT KEY:***********************************
s/n:***************
p/n:***************
service tag dv6190eu
Regards R.H.
October 29th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
RH, you’re about dumb as a rock. yes, please post moar product keys, while you’re at it, driver’s license number, social security, full name and address would be good too… dumbass.
November 6th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
After sending in my Pavillion 6000 for motherboard replacement I was informed that the optical drive did not work, well I used the drive to watch a movie 2 days before sending and did a system back up the day before sending it, H.P. wants 350 bucks to Replace the drive, What a rip off, I WILL NEVER DO BUSINESS WITH THEM AGAIN, BEWARE THEIR SLIMEBALL TATICS.
November 11th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
I have an HP dv6000 notebook. HP officially announced that they have extended warranties on the series because of the issues. This includes a full motherboard replacement. I sent mine in, and now the wireless and screen issues have been resolved. However, HP will not cover battery issues. Hope this helps.
November 13th, 2008 at 3:28 am
I got also dv6000 , bought on sept 07, first problem had after 6 mounths with video, like everybody alse had that same shitty problem with no screen, was black - 3 beeps and thats it..i mail my lapp to hp, they changed mb for no cost ( i had warranty that time) and then 6 mounths was all right. Now is Nov 08…i have wifi problem…i dont even know what to say, maybe only that i will never ever buy Hp, its very important to me coz i using my lap everyday to work…my warranty now is out - thats why i need your advice, should i just try that USB wifi adapter or maybe Belkin N Wireless ExpressCard Adapter ? i dont want it mail them again even for no cost when they will saying after that i had issue with optical drive and charge 350$ (they trying rip-off money for nothing ) ..so whats the best way to resolve this problem with wifi ?
November 15th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
i’ve had this problem also, no dont buy another wireless card. just reformat your pc. trust me it works i did it today and im no longer had a wire connected to my pc to receive the internet.
November 17th, 2008 at 4:19 am
Having exactly the same issues. DV6000 series HP laptop, bought two years ago. Already had one free repair while under warranty about 12 months after purchase due to hard drive failure (computer would not boot, blank screen, making beeping noises), had a free repair done. Worked fine for another twelve months then stopped working. Had some issues (error messages, unprompted re-starts etc) which may have been due to conflicts between anti-virus systems. Now the wireless network has gone COMPLETELY MIA. The wireless network is switched on and working (blue light on manual switch and bluetooth and wireless device on screen) but no bloody WLAN anywhere in sight. Did system restore, destructive restore/reconfig etc, re-loaded everything, have the latest BIOS, updated and re-loaded all possibly related drivers off teh HP site but no luck!!! HP need to take some responsibility and recall the wireless hardware and software responsible for the issue, even for those who are no longer under warranty - I agree that consumers should have a fair expectation of getting at least 5 years yuse out of a laptop - the existing situation is absolutley rediculous!! Some accountability please!!!!