How to Destroy...

[yanathin]

Now this is strange question that I bet hasn't come up here before, but is there any way to completely screw up a PocketPC (without physical harm) that even a hard-reset couldn't fix? My iPAQ 4150 has many problems that need to be fixed, but the folks at CompUSA said the only way I can return and exchange it is if it cannot be operated at all. I tried installing Resco Registry and deleted a bunch of keys that sounded important. My main goal is to try to get Bluetooth to not work. I was successful in having it give me errors each time I tried to turn it on, but after a hard reset it worked again. If anybody knows of any ideas, please tell me, and try not to get distracted by the complete absurdity of this question.. :lol:

[Janak Parekh]

I'm afraid that your acts could be construed as sabotage, and that's not something we'll be able to help in. (Besides, short of overwriting the ROM, you're not going to be able to induce a permanent software failure.)

Why don't you tell us what your problems are, and we might be able to give you feedback on an appropriate way of fixing it?

--janak

[Kowalski]

this is the place where good guys share knowledge.
you should ask this kind of questions to hackers
plus there is no way to do such a thing unless you screw up the rom, which voids the warranty

[c38b2]

A few months ago I overwrote the ROM with what was supposedly a Linux distribution for PPC. After the hard reset my PPC never turned on again, even after hard reset. 8)

[billbuckner]

Yayyyy!!! :lol:

[Kowalski]

A few months ago I overwrote the ROM with what was supposedly a Linux distribution for PPC. After the hard reset my PPC never turned on again, even after hard reset

what you have done is wrong! we should keep this place legal

[c38b2]

What I have done is wrong? It was wrong to overwrite MY ROM on MY PPC? I don't think so... it's not wrong or illegal, it just makes me lose my warranty (which was gone anyways). :roll:

[Steven Cedrone]

My iPAQ 4150 has many problems that need to be fixed, but the folks at CompUSA said the only way I can return and exchange it is if it cannot be operated at all.

Why don't you tell us what your problems are, and we might be able to give you feedback on an appropriate way of fixing it?

I agree with Janak, why don't you tell us the problems you were having and let us see if we can help you?

And remember this: if you do overwrite your ROM, you will void your warranty (and you will lose all hope of getting a replacement unit)

Steve

[Jon Westfall]

This thread intrigues me. I've had warrentys like this before and have been tempted to screw up a machine, but never have. (I actually find that I'm quite competent to screw it up by accdient atleast once before the warrenty is up). What you're proposing here is one step away from a forum thread labled "N E 1 got a full copy of <program name> or a reg code???"

not a place we want to go.

[Kowalski]

What I have done is wrong?
personaly i dont want to help yahathin with the way he wants, and anybody in this forum.
if we answer such a question, what will the next "illegal" question be?

[Kacey Green]

not to aid this person in an attempt to defraud, but it won't void your warranty if an HP ROM update fails and borks your device (if it is still under warranty and it bricks your device, hp will fix it)

[Mobile_Bear]

If you lend me your PPC I am sure that I will accidentaly screw it up.

I actually find that I'm quite competent to screw it up by accdient atleast once before the warrenty is up

I am also very competent in that matter.

[milkman dan]

if you really really want, you could rig up a car battery to the contacts on your CPU... that might look a little suspicious though :alfdance:

[Janak Parekh]

What I have done is wrong? It was wrong to overwrite MY ROM on MY PPC? I don't think so... it's not wrong or illegal, it just makes me lose my warranty (which was gone anyways). :roll:
In that case, it's not something the original poster wants to do anyway. I think Kowalski's point is that surreptitious means to destroy a device really go against the spirit of a warranty, and we as the community shouldn't condone it.

--janak

[rugerx]

Yanathin sounds like an unhappy customer.

The retail store will only take it back if it does not work at all?
What kind of customer service is that?
If the 4155 is truly defective, and they wont take care of you? Wont swap it out?
Well, I normally dont condone stuff like this but screw em. :devilboy:

Cant return unless it does not work? OK, I can handle that /Evil Grin.

I would not feel bad at all.

[felixdd]

Actually Yanathin:

1) Talk to their manager about that policy and challenge them. It sounds like your "warranty" ain't much of one. Managers are often softer than you think and they may yield to your request. Talk to HP as well and see if the place's actions infringe on any rules as a HP products dealer.

2) Ask on the forums what your problems are. We may be able to help :)

[ghostppc]

Yanathin sounds like an unhappy customer.

The retail store will only take it back if it does not work at all?
What kind of customer service is that?
If the 4155 is truly defective, and they wont take care of you? Wont swap it out?
Well, I normally dont condone stuff like this but screw em. :devilboy:

Cant return unless it does not work? OK, I can handle that /Evil Grin.

I would not feel bad at all.

I have to agree. As long as it's a true problem that cannot be resolved by troubleshooting or repair.

I usually won't buy an extended warranty because by the time the merchandise has stopped working, the warranty has expired. And more often, I've gotten rid of the item before then because I've gotten tired of it. I think this is the case for most people, and retailers do what ever they can to sell extended warranties, with no real thought of the customer really using it one day. Not all companies are like this.

Even though I know I won't need one and tell them I won't need it, I've had stores tell me to buy the warranty, and if I don't need it before it's up, to bring the merchandise back "in non working order" and get a replacement. (still didn't use it though) Is it ethical? Probably not. But it's hard to define what is covered in a warranty when you purchase a product. "Does it power on? Yes. Then we can't take it back. It has to spit pea soup and require a priest before we take it back and issue a replacement" :devilboy: Just my 2 pennies. :mrgreen:

[maximus]

Or alternatively, the original poster should go to a nuclear test site (nevada desert or one of those french polinesian island where the french folks do nuclear testing), and wait for a nuclear blast. The EMP produced will surely toast every single transistor in the device without any physical damage :mrgreen:

By the way, has anyone invented a portable EMP generator yet ?

[ctmagnus]

portable EMP generator links (http://www.google.ca/search?sourceid=navclient-menuext&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22portable+EMP+generator%22)

[maximus]

Reminds me of the Ocean Eleven movie....

[epdm]

Hi ppl,

Noneteless I can understand Yanathin's frustration. I recently had a similar problem with my Toshiba E800. I bought it slightly over a week ago but the machine broke down. No image at all. When I returned it to the store they said they'd send it up for repair. I rejected this because: 1) I didn't want to wait for over 4 weeks and 2) I certainly didn't want to get a "repaired"machine. Mine was merely 10 days old so I expected a simple swop. Especially since the toshiba E800 isn't cheap. I believe if I pay a premium sum for a high end machine then I expect premium service as well.

In the end they gave me a receipt for the amount to buy a new PDA in that store. This is almost as good as getting a refund although I'm reluctant to buy stuff from them again.

Perhaps Yanathin can try at the manufacturor themself. If it's HP then maybe they have service points where customers can bring-in their faulty equipment for repair. I know that HP's pick-up service is quite okay.

Regards,

EPDM

[Gremmie]

Quick overview, CompUSA recently updated their warrenty, but earlier warrenties on PDA's were vague and didn't rule out intential breaks. There was only a short paragraph that described the warrenty, but never said what it covered. The rest of the booklet was dedicated on computer warrenties. So, no, he may not be breaking any sort of laws. Besides, warrenties are sold with high margins and he will be forced to repurchase it, this will help the company.