Official Huawei Program (HiSuite) broke my Laptop.. what now?

[user2021ms]

 Short Version

tldr; 

I installed an official program from Huawei which was neccessary to transfer files from my Huawei tablet to my laptop. My (dell) laptop then crashed, which it had never done before and is now broken. Should Huawei reimburse me? I am 100% sure my laptop is broken because of this program. I sadly only have limited proof of this happening.  

Long Version

Hi Everyone,

I hope you're all well.

 

About a year ago, I purchased an SSD to upgrade my old/slow laptop. I took everything apart, fitted the Laptop (Dell Inspiron) with the SSD, put it back together, loaded Windows and since then enjoyed a seamless and (for my use) perfect laptop experience.

 

Then, in early November 2020, I purchased a Huawei tablet and by Christmas, I wanted to transfer some of my files from the tablet onto my Dell laptop via a USB cable. As most Android users will know, all you usually have to do is hook up the android device, grant access on your android, and then head over to file explorer on your windows PC/laptop  where you will now be able to see all the files on the andriod device (be it a tablet or phone).

 

In contrast, (and similarly to Apple if I'm not mistaken), Huawei users have to install a program called HiSuite, in order to view the files on their connected device. This can be installed from their official website, which I did.

 

The problem is that HiSuite is an absolute nightmare. It's full of bugs and quite simply doesn't work (I'm not the only one who thinks so, just go have a look around online.) I was having loads of trouble with the simple procedure of transferring files via a USB cable from my tablet to my laptop because HiSuite was going crazy, when all of a sudden my laptop crashed. It had never done so since I had installed the SSD and had never run into the slightest problems.

 

When I turned my laptop back on, an error message informed me  that it didn't recognise a hard drive (it no longer recognised the SSD). As the SSD was still under warranty, I contacted the company where I purchased it (crucial.com, a very reliable and trusted retailer in this field). After performing their recommended trouble shooting (power-cycling the SSD) , we concluded the SSD was dead. With all my files on it, I was rather annoyed.

 

I also concluded that this must've been 100% the fault of HiSuite, because my laptop had always performed excellently until I installed it. Taking the SSD out of the laptop resulted in me accidentally breaking the touchpad and because of Brexit-complications with shipping the SSD to Poland for warranty replacement, I still don't have a working laptop.

 

My question is whether Huawei have any liability in this instance, as effectively, their defunct program HiSuite has broken (parts of) my laptop.

Could they reimburse me to some degree?

 

Happy Easter and many thanks for your help!!!

[dx100uk]

what you should have done was purchased a simple and cheap SSD to USB lead and tried the SSD on another PC, to see what gives.

then run diagnostics on it.

now the fact that we've all done it at one time or another forgetting to disconnect a ribbon cable? i suspect and snapped it which goes to the touch pad (easily replaced) it's sadly not Huawei's fault as much as we might like it to be..

 

[user2021ms]

Hi there! Thanks @dx100ukfor your swift response. I'm impressed by this forum!!

 I have tried the SSD on other computers and it doesn't work. I have also tried the old hard drive on my laptop and it works. So it's definitely the SSD that's broken.

 I also seem to have answered my own question: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/phone-internet-downloads-or-tv/problem-with-an-app-software-or-download/

here's the relevant quote:

If the fault’s caused a problem with your device

You’re legally entitled to compensation if the fault has caused a problem with your device - for example if you installed a new program on your PC and it’s making your PC crash.

The compensation should make up for the problem caused by the faulty digital product.

Take the following steps:

1. Find out how much it’ll cost to fix the problem - ask a repair shop or try to get a quote online. This will also help you prove it’s the fault that caused the problem.

2. Write to the company you bought the digital product from, with a copy of the quote and an explanation of the problem. Include screenshots and any other evidence you may have that the damage was caused by the faulty digital product. You can mention that you’re entitled to compensation under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

 

Yes, I do agree it is my fault that the touch pad doesn't work. It's not the ribbon, I had disconnected that but I think I may  have accidentally damaged the contacts when trying to reconnect the ribbon. oops...

[dx100uk]

Should be very cheap to replace it

have you still got the SSD?

 

dX

[user2021ms]

yes I still have it. thank you very much!!

 

[dx100uk]

got one of those cheap SATA to USB leads that you can use ?

[user2021ms]

No, sadly not. Should I write a letter to Huawei asking for a replacement as outlined in consumer rights act 2015, paragraph 46?

[dx100uk]

Not their problem imho. Very rare for a simple prog to hurt a drive. Just co -incidence i expect.

 

Go get a sata<>usb lead off amazon or ebay they <£5.

I bet all it needs is a chkdsk or something running on it.

most ssd manu's have their diagnostic software online

Plug it on your pc and test it.

 

Dx

[dx100uk]

sorry but bad weather has caused me issues .........

 

popping the SSD directly in a PC does not give you the same kind of diagnostics access to that of an external SATA to USB interface gives you..

 

get yourself one of those cheap leads the does the job.

goto the SSD manufacturers website and download the diagnostic tools most have specifically for the job.

 

now i'm not saying you'll get any different result, but believe me i've serious experience in SSD's and have sorted numerous SSD's by using an external interface lead. and the manu's software.

 

the drive is outside of 6mts purchase so what you posted earlier is not necessarily applicable. sadly there are so many sites the gloss over important issues it's not really funny for them to do it just for clicks...

 

outside of 6mts the purchaser has to prove that the device failed because of an inherent failure that was present at the time of manufacture, it doesn't matter what caused that, the device failed. i would not ever be going anywhere near, as in your case, the 'fault' was latterly 'exposed' for want of a different word, by the use of xxx 'whatever',  your claim is against the retailer of the SSD, that it was not 'fit for purpose'. get it yet......?

 

i will suspect and this is where the interface comes in, when you plug the interface into your PC it will give the usual up scale tone 'hey a new USB device is connected - up tone bop-bep'. if you then plug the SSD onto the interface , pop the interface into a USB socket i bet it doesn't recognise anything. if it does, i'e a new drive letter. dont do anything, note the drive letter and run the manu diagnostics software and i bet it sorts the issue.

 

however if it just doesn't make any difference then the SSD is dead, neither you nor the retailer will be able to prove anything, nor the history of why it failed. most times i find the retailer delay a wee bit whilst they contact the manu and say hey your drive i sold to a customer failed etc etc and they get refunded then you get refunded, though most of the time i find retailers just cough up and refund without delay.

 

HTH 

 

dx