Technobabbles I try to sound like I know what I'm talking about. Don't be fooled.

HP Doesn’t Support Weird Problems

As you all should know if you've been following this blog for a while (well, actually, since my first post, which is doubtful), I have an HP iPAQ with Wi-Fi that hasn't worked for a long time now. That was nearly two years ago, and since then, I've been through several conversations with HP's technical support team, over various media, with no solution.

First I tried a chat, then an email, then another chat, and another, but nobody has been able to solve my problem. In fact, the email support request was rejected for some odd reason.

Before the most recent chat attempt, I isolated the problem for them. All by myself, with no instructions. I got the idea that since the Wi-Fi works after a hard reset (which clears all data and programs installed after manufacturing), but it fails after restoring a backup, there must have been something changed inadvertently. I set to work on that hypothesis, and found that the problem lies somewhere in the Registry, Windows' worst feature ever.

Armed with that knowledge, I asked HP what keys and values I should restore to their original state to make the wireless work again. I was met with denial. Apparently they don't give out that information (or they don't know it). I asked what manufacturer produced the networking chip, and was again met with ignorance (though I did get some suggestions). After failing in attempts to contact the possible manufacturers, I had to give up.

So, I've done all this legwork and still have no answers. The fact that I can no longer synchronize with my computer (another thing that broke, and which HP was unable to fix) doesn't help, since I can't lose the data and programs on the device. My only hope now is for someone at HP to read this and do something nice, out of the ordinary. All I need is a few pieces of Registry information, but I can't even get that.

For anyone who might be able to help, I have an HP iPAQ hx2755 from October 2005, running Windows Mobile 2003SE (the WM5 upgrade, which I aborted before it could actually start, was what broke the syncing capability).

As you all should know if you've been following this blog for a while (well, actually, since my first post, which is doubtful), I have an HP iPAQ with Wi-Fi that hasn't worked for a long time now. That was nearly two years ago, and since then, I've been through several conversations with HP's technical support team, over various media, with no solution. First I tried a chat, then an email, then another chat, and another, but nobody has been able to solve my problem. In fact, the email support request was rejected for some odd reason. Before the most recent chat attempt, I isolated the problem for them. All by myself, with no instructions. I got the idea that since the Wi-Fi works after a hard reset (which clears all data and programs installed after manufacturing), but it fails after restoring a backup, there must have been something changed inadvertently. I set to work on that hypothesis, and found that the problem lies somewhere in the Registry, Windows' worst feature ever. Armed with that knowledge, I asked HP what keys and values I should restore to their original state to make the wireless work again. I was met with denial. Apparently they don't give out that information (or they don't know it). I asked what manufacturer produced the networking chip, and was again met with ignorance (though I did get some suggestions). After failing in attempts to contact the possible manufacturers, I had to give up. So, I've done all this legwork and still have no answers. The fact that I can no longer synchronize with my computer (another thing that broke, and which HP was unable to fix) doesn't help, since I can't lose the data and programs on the device. My only hope now is for someone at HP to read this and do something nice, out of the ordinary. All I need is a few pieces of Registry information, but I can't even get that. For anyone who might be able to help, I have an HP iPAQ hx2755 from October 2005, running Windows Mobile 2003SE (the WM5 upgrade, which I aborted before it could actually start, was what broke the syncing capability).