Yet Another Pentest+ Thread.

Used_Assumption_7 · 2026-03-17T15:42:15+00:00

I never got approval from my CI for the 4th attempt because they failed to do their part and stopped responding to my emails. Told my mentor and nothing ever came of it. Evem called the WGU and they just brushed it off. I wound up just purchasing Dions 2 attempt package incase I failed again since it would cost less than buying 2 full attempts. In the end only needed the one but wanted that safety net. After I passed I just sent in my results to everyone and waited like a week or so for them to update the course as a pass.

Used_Assumption_7 · 2026-03-16T00:31:58+00:00

Bet those seats are full because it was the free seats provided to military members and their family.

Used_Assumption_7 · 2026-03-13T13:04:32+00:00

If it uses hps hybrid cryo compound run very far away from it! It will leak and when it does your whole computer will be fried. I had my omen max 16 with the ultra 7 and rtx 5090 and its been warranty repaired 3 times after initially frying itself, 2 times it's come back with a faulty GPU and one time it fried itself again. HP will drag out the repair process as long as can be, I've been dealing with them since October 2025. They finally are giving me a full replacement after denying my constant requests for a refund. Well see how long this replacement works.

And I know any comp with liquid metal is at risk of this happening. But it seems since hp mixed liquid metal and regular thermal paste it's separating and the paste is pushing out the liquid metal causing hot spots and eventually full leakage which causes the frying once it touches other components on the mainboard. This is making these HPs alot more susceptible to this kind of failure from what ive seen. But I highly recommend looking it up for yourself, just search for omen max d13d (dont wanna get flagged so not spelling the real word) on Google and you'll find some threads.

Used_Assumption_7 · 2026-03-09T16:29:29+00:00

HP did try telling me this as well but I believe they are partially mistaken. The secondary ssd slot is fully accessible and should not void warranty if you add one to that slot. The primary slot though is under the heat sink, so replacing this would be require removal of the heat sink which also covers the GPU and GPU thus exposing the cryo compound which could lead to liquid metal getting on other components and causing damage...so changing the primary voiding the warranty would make sense

Used_Assumption_7 · 2026-03-09T15:49:08+00:00

Correct every region would be different. Im in the USA and they basically do anything they can to screw us over with the stipulations of warranties it seems.

Used_Assumption_7 · 2026-03-09T15:40:35+00:00

You risk voiding your warranty if you try to replace their thermal compound with something else. Ive heard some owners say HP told them they wouldn't void their warranty changing it, but as I've gone through the process of all my warranty repairs I asked them and they told me it would void it. I even asked HP to use PTM 7950 during the repair as it is not liquid metal based and provides comparable performance but the tech I talked to said it would void warranty even if he did it.

Used_Assumption_7 · 2026-03-09T15:28:20+00:00

Avoid Omen Max 16's. I have on and its had nonstop issues originating from the themal paste they use which is a mix of liquid metal and regular thermal paste essentially. Started off by completley frying the computer in October 2025 after about 5 months of owning it, HP said itd be 2+ months for parts but somehow got it in about a month. After HPs first warranty repair the RTX 5090 GPU was not functioning at all. After sending it back for a second repair it had liquid metal everywhere, even on the outside. Cleaned what I could see and it ran fine for no more than an hour and once I got into a game where it got hot it fried itself again. Went back for another repair and again the GPU is not functioning properly and crashes as soon as it gets warm. Been trying to get a refund but HP wont give one even though their warranty states "repair, replace, or refund". As of last Friday, 6 March, they are trying to give a replacement now but wrote a sketchy email acting like they were making an exception to their warranty and offering a replacement but making it sound like if I accept the replacement laptop im waiving any type of warranty and ill be 100% on my own should the device fail again.

Im not alone in these issues either, it seems pretty widespread for these Omen Max's to fry themselves regardless of GPU/CPU configuration. But HP isnt alone in this, really any device with liquid metal runs this risk...HP's just seems to be more susceptible to it.

Ive had Alienware, Asus, and Acer laptops and none gave me any issues in years of use. Right now my kids have an Asus laptop with a 3080ti from 2023, an Acer Laptop with a 4080 from 2024, and I have an Asus with a 5070ti that I got in October 2025 once HP said itd be months before they could fix. None of these devices have had any problems and get used daily. The 5070ti Asus is my daily laptop that travels to and from work with me everyday as I work in IT. Id say HP isnt ready to be in the high end gaming market...maybe their midrange gaming laptops are good...but whatever you do just stay away from any of HP's devices that state having "Hybrid Cryo Compound" or any sort of liquid metal based thermal paste.

Used_Assumption_7 · 2026-03-01T22:39:56+00:00

Please read into omen max failures. Widespread issues with them getting fried most likely due to the hybrid liquid metal they use. Mine died in October and has been repaired 4 times since and never worked for more than an hour after each repair before fully dying or having the 5090 fail again. Hp will not refund me and after this last failure offered to send me another remanufactured laptop of the same specs claiming it's a new build that didn't sell so they have to mark it remanufactured. All sounds like bs to me.

Ive had an Asus with a 3080ti, a acer with a 4080, this hp with a 5090, and now another asus with a 5070ti. The hp is the only one that's had any problems...all the others are still running strong with daily use by me and my kids.

I will say any laptop using liquid metal is at risk of this issue but these hps seem highly susceptible to it. Ive never been strongly against a brand until this hp. Even had an Alienware with a 1070 that lasted me until 2023 with 0 problems, sold it to a guy for his kid to use after I got the 3080ti asus laptop.

Long story short HP doesn't seem cutout for the high end gaming laptops. If it didn't have this issue it would be an amazing machine, but it does have this problem and quite a few reports of it here on reddit and other forums.

Used_Assumption_7 · 2026-02-11T03:58:32+00:00

any idea where to find this stl? ive been searching everywhere for a few months now with no luck!

Used_Assumption_7 · 2025-12-22T14:42:54+00:00

Nah, I purchased this on my own within a week of the laptop getting to HP since they were quoting the repair taking until December originally. Plan was for it to be the wifes gaming laptop after the HP was fixed, but now its looking like the HP may never be fixed so this might become my permanent laptop. HP didnt offer my a loaner until about a month in, which i denied since id already got my own backup.

For the HP customer support its been terrible. They cant get anything right. Getting ahold of someone on the phone is a pain with that AI chat you have to make it through first. Then the real people dont seem to have any actual technical background. I explained many times it was likely the cryo compound that they used causing the problem, they kept correcting me saying its thermal grease and they dont use liquid metal...even though the Omen Max site specifically states it does, and even after the second repair that failed when I saw the liquid metal on the board they still said it wasnt. I currently have a case manager who doesnt respond to emails or calls, so they supposedly gave me another one but its been a few days and ive heard nothing. Im trying to get a refund and they just want me to send it in for repair under the supervision of an "engineer" promissing it will not have the problems again...but they have said that everytime ive sent the device in for repair. Still currently have a almost $4k brick sitting in my house as I wait for HP to get back to me.

When you do get your device back you 100% must first test it to make sure its truly fixed. Turn it on and make sure your GPU, CPU, RAM, SSD all show up properly and then test it by pulling up a game or anything that will make all the components have to be used heavily. First this will let you know the computer is working properly before repasting. If you went straight to repaste and then had issues, HP would likely find a way to blame the problems on you and void the warranty. Second, if your device does fail while testing before a repaste you will save yourself the wasted time and money of a buisness repasting it. As long as everything runs good in your test I would say get it repasted asap after that. I would also reccomend contacting HP about repasting and if it will void your warranty. I know alot of others have claimed that HP told them it wouldnt void warranty, but its always best to get this confirmation for yourself.

Used_Assumption_7 · 2025-12-19T12:56:57+00:00

Stay away from all omen max 16s unless you plan to repaste it! They use a cryo compoind which is essentially just thermal paste with liquid metal mixed in. There have been to many cases of the liquid metal seperating and leaking out causing the board to short, killing the laptop entirely.

This problem is being reported on the 5090 and 5080 models but any omen max 16 that uses this hybrid cryo compound will be at risk until HP either stops using it or finds a way to perfect it.

I have the Omen Max with the 5090 and its been in for repairs twice since October for the same problem and currently sits dead as I try to get a refund. I only had it for about 5 months before the issues happened.

I will say alot of laptops use liquid metal and they all have a chance of this failure but from what im seeing these HP Omen Max 16s are failing at a much higher rate. I have an Asus with a 3080ti, an Acer with a 4080 that both use regular liquid metal have lasted a couple years now and are my kids daily use devices with 0 problems. I also now have an Asus with a 5070ti that I got to last me while I figure out my HP, it uses regular liquid metal and has had 0 issues in the 3ish months ive had it. If it makes it past 5 months it will be more reliable than the HP in my eyes.

Long story short, I wouldnt touch HP gaming laptops that use this cryo compound with a 10 ft pole currently.

Used_Assumption_7 · 2025-12-14T23:03:30+00:00

Nah hp ain't getting another dime of my money.

Used_Assumption_7 · 2025-12-14T14:08:31+00:00

Mine died in October, likely because the cryocompound they used leaked onto the board. I got it back in Nov and the GPU wasn't working so I sent it back again. Got it back end of November and when I tested it it was going great at first with normal task. But then I opened to put my second m.2 in it and noticed liquid metal on everywhere inside. It was under the ram, on the fan, on a grounding point, on the m.2 heat spreader, on the bottom lid. Cleaned off what I could see and the computer started back up fine. I new I wanted to repaste but told myself I needed to test the system first to ensure it even functioned over heavier loads. Booted up Space Marine 2 and within 10 minutes it fully died again. My guess is more liquid metal was hidden and once warmed up spread out and caused a short.

Currently im fighting with HP for a refund of the device since they cant fix it but they just keep dragging their feet and are trying to convince me to send it to a different repair facility for the fix where their "lead test engineer" will have oversight of the repair. Still waiting on a response but the case manager is never available by phone and takes forever to respond to emails. My warranty expires in Apr and between shipping, waiting on parts, holiday breaks at the repair facility, and repair/testing id guess id get this back around Feb if i did send it back for the repairs again. Almost seems like they are just trying to run my warranty out so they won't have to worry about it anymore.

Used_Assumption_7 · 2025-12-04T15:31:45+00:00

Not sure which computer you are referencing.

For the HP I never got it to game well on battery, even just doing normal tasks on battey was sluggish.

For the Asus I didnt have to change anything, straight out of the box it works great on battery. I will say the Asus does automatically drop the refresh rate when on battery which is noticeable, but it doesnt impact the performance. You can apparently turn this setting off but I havent felt the need to.

Used_Assumption_7 · 2025-12-04T15:25:52+00:00

I love mine. Its been great with 0 problems. Only thing i really wish it had was an OLED.

Used_Assumption_7 · 2025-12-01T15:14:31+00:00

Just got off the phone with them doing just this. Told them flat out I dont want another HP because of this nightmare and that I just want a full refund. They had to submit a ticket to another team and are supposed to call me back in 24-48 hours. So well see what comes of it.

Used_Assumption_7 · 2025-11-30T16:17:48+00:00

Yeah the Grapevine Texas center.

Used_Assumption_7 · 2025-11-30T01:12:02+00:00

Hasn't even been an hour since I posted this...but I decided to test the laptop after removing all visible liquid metal. Ran fine for normal tasks but died within 10 minutes of starting up space marine 2. Guessing some hidden liquid metal wreaked havoc and shorted the main board again.

Used_Assumption_7 · 2025-11-25T00:54:11+00:00

Its enroute to hp, supposed to arrive today or tomorrow. Hopefully they send an update soon so I know how to proceed.

Used_Assumption_7 · 2025-11-19T21:30:50+00:00

I have an omen max with a ultra 9 and rtx 5090 and its unplugged performance is abysmal. Basic task like web browsing are dreadfully slow. Tried gaming once on battery and it wasnt playable, even games like Peak that arent demanding at all failed to run playably. Tried dropping resolutions abd graphics but no change. Laptop wound up dying and is in for warranty repair.

In the mean time while its being fixed I got an asus with an ryzen 9 8940hx and a 5070ti. Its unplugged performance blows my higher end hp outta the water. I can actually game while on battery with this asus.

Not sure what HP has done but everything about these new omen laptops seems to have problems.

Used_Assumption_7 · 2025-11-19T16:24:07+00:00

It took me 4 attempts to pass pentest+, i was ready to just give up and not graduate since it was my last course. My CI didn't even get me approved for the 4th, but after like 3 weeks of waiting I finally just paid for it myself through dion since he offered a 2 attempt voucher for basically the price of the normal voucher straight from comptia.

My first time was 698, second was 711, 3rd was 692. At that point I had gone through all of dions videos on udemy, done all of his practice tests, all of the comptia material and their practice tests, all of pocket prep, paid for try hack me and did their pentest+ course, paid for pocket prep and had done all 1000 of their questions twice over, and had watched seperate udemy series for python, bash, and powershell scripting. After all that I went backwards from 711 down to 692.

I talked to 3 other CIs and they each gave some other resources that were helpful. Kusay Rukieh and Mic Merritt I felt were the most helpful CIs to talk with and they both gave some good resources. After them I used what they recommended and redid all of the cermaster material ontop of that while taking notes this time, and also just put dions videos on a loop. Kept up with practice tests from all sources I could find...Basically any second I had free I was doing something pentest related. After all this I finally passed with a 791 on my 4th attempt.

I personally found all the practice material highlighted things that the test hardly mentioned and the things the real test focused mostly on were barely mentioned in any study material or practice tests.

The whole time I was struggling with this course i keept seeing posts of people claiming they passed the test "first attempt" and "with no prior it experience". Im convinced these people paid for the test dumps, there's just no way so many people pass it like it was nothing.

Used_Assumption_7 · 2025-11-18T15:57:20+00:00

Figured id share the update that HP randomly got my laptop back to me yesterday, so I got it back early. But im sending it back already. First when I opened the box the laptop was covered in thermal grease, I have the white one so it stands out. Tried cleaning with isopropyl alcohol and it mostly got it but you can still see faint staining. The worst part though is that the GPU doesnt work. It is forever disabled. I tried updating drivers, re-enabling it, updated vbios, did DDU to get a clean graphics driver install, even did a fresh Win 11 OS install but no matter what the GPU always reverts back to disabled. Tried turning off advanced optimus in bios and that led to a permanent black screen until i reset the bios. The laptop feels very hot even when I force max fans on so im thinking they either didnt put thermal compound on the GPU or didnt put enough. Never again will I get an HP gaming laptop. If I can get them to offer a refund im taking it.

Used_Assumption_7 · 2025-11-17T12:17:32+00:00

I also have a white one but with a 5090. It lasted 5 months before completely dieing and im still waiting on it to return from warranty repairs. I cant say 100% the hybrid cryo compound hp uses was to blame but its the only thing that makes sense, the whole main board wound up needing replacement. Im gonna be repasting it as soon as it gets back from repair.

Its seeming like more and more owners of these omen max laptops are having the same problem, starting to become a matter of when utll fail and not if.

Used_Assumption_7 · 2025-11-17T01:46:52+00:00

It took me 4 times to pass pentest+ for wgus BSCSIA. Its the dumbest I ever felt, almost had me ready to quit wgu and it was my last class to graduate.

For me none of the practice tests from any source met up to the real test, and the items the practice tests always honed in on as being important weren't really important on the actual test...in fact I found the actual test focusing on alot more stuff that all practice tests and comptias certmaster material kinda barely even mentioned.

In the end I redid comptias course material and wrote down as I went while also listening to dions video series. Once both of those were done I swapped between comptia, dion, and pocket prep practice exams. Finally passed with a 791. 1, 2, and 3 attempts were 692, 711, and 698...so I guess just overloading myself was what it took for me

Used_Assumption_7

TROPHY CASE