Any one with a stable 8510w?

Hi there

My 8510w just won't be stable no matter what I do. Tried all drivers, latest BIOS etc. All settings, disabling everything not needed to run the comp etc.

I'm running XP with 2GB 1xdimm in the laptop as 2x2GB was even more unstable. All the latest drivers and BIOS and still when it comes to gaming or any thing very CPU intensive the comp will start lagging even in Windows and I have to reboot to get it working again at ti should.

Any advice appreciated. I'm about to return the PC in but I'd really hope that it wouldn't come to that but I've already spent like 3 whole days and installed XP multiple times etc. The comp stayes stable for a little while and then starts this strange behaviour shortly after all drivers have been installed Which has led me to believe this is software based but even then I can't rely on the PC as it is so I'd have to send it in.

Thanks,
Simon

 

8510w here running:

Windows Vista Business 32-bit SP0, Windows XP Professional 32-bit SP2, and SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 32-bit default kernel SP1.

What I can tell you:

The video driver + black screen on boot issue exists on the Vista OS if using the newer driver. Going to the 101.63 driver resolves it.

For the system lagging when playing games, need specifics. Video driver version, source of video driver (i.e. hp.com, nvidia.com, laptopvideo2go.com). Which game(s) cause this? By latest BIOS you mean F.0F correct?

What does windows Task Manager show (show all processes for all users) for the Process tab in terms of CPU usage? (What's using your cpu, what is the IDLE %?). What does Windows Task Manager show in the Performance tab for memory?

Is your RAM after-market ram or came w/ the system? When the system starts slowign down after awhile, can you run mobilemeter in winxp and provide the temps it shows for: CPU, GPU, Harddrive, Systemboard etc?

You can get mobilemeter here:
http://www.cs.rit.edu/~rjy2985/mobmeter.html

Best of luck.


Specs are:
4GB Ram (2x2GB)
T7700Cpu (2.4Ghz)
DVD+-RW (no blueray).
1680x1050 SXGA+ screen.

 

Hi Jaxx1

Thanks for the reply

The system runs games fine for a while then just out of the blue it starts to lag and framerate drops to a crawl. I have to exit and reboot. This happens with both the HP drivers provided on their website. I've tried several ForceWare drivers from laptopVideo, lately been using the 169.09 as a guy with a Lenovo T61p had them running Team Fortress 2 smoothly (my fav game). I have the F.0F BIOS and all the latest drivers for the motherboard, nics, etc etc. I've disabled the Intel AMT. I've tried every combination of drivers there's out there and I've disabled everything non essential to run the games.

I'm using Process Explorer instead of Windows Task Manager and the strange thigs is that the CPU keeps going from 10 to 40% usage but no single process is taking CPU but that doesn't explain the LAG I have in windows once this thing happens. This is most like software based but no matter what I do it keeps happening.

Checking out mobilemeter..

What drivers are you using for your GPU?
Thanks,
Simon

 

FORGOT: My second 2GB dimm is after market yes.. so these dimms aren't identical but they should work all the same! I know sometimes there's a problem with that but then the board has a problem with stability, just goes to show that the board isn't mature. I'll be getting a matched pair soon tho instead..
Simon

 

UPDATE: I've found out that once this lag happens and I load up some new app NVCPUI seems to use a lot of CPU, up to 50%. One might think aha that must be it but there's really no way of knowing that it isn't normal and that even NVCPUI might be getting slowed by something else.

Wish that WIndows had better self diagnostic tools, I know.. I'm a dreamer

 

K well here's to addressing your questions in order...

1) What drivers are you using for your GPU? : I'm using HP 101.63 drivers now. Went from 167.58 to 156.31 to 101.63 (I know, wrong direction right? lol). That said, lost some nice features, but from a stability standpoint, 101.63 seem to be the winner for this system in my opinion. I believe a new one will be available soon from HP, however...

2) I'd say this could likely be the culprait. Will explain how it affects #3 below, but long story short, try this routine:
---a) Purchase a 2 x 2GB SODIMM 667Mhz -KIT-. (not 2 separate ones) and see if they do the trick. I've seen some 'mission critical' systems fail due to non-matched memory kits. Not so much a motherboard issue as it is mis-matched specs on the memory which can't properly be compensated for. (i.e. ram module density, heat tollerence, etc).

3) The only thing that makes sense to me here is that Nvidia's control panel is trying to validate the Vram (dedicated 256 + the allocated system ram, which can vary), and it's having problems. Either that, or corrupt install. I'd try uninstalling NVidia control panel and any overclocking utils installed (if any) and see results.

Last, can you post temps from mobilemeter when the system is running well, and also when it's 'sluggish'....

So best advice I can give, purchase a Ram -KIT- (not 2 separate modules), since the BIOS will try to enable dual-channel mode, if they're not a perfect match, awkward things can happen and your findings are not unheard of due to ram issues or heat issues.

 

Jaxx1.. Thanks again for your help here..

Right now I think I've narrowed down the culprit but I haven't been able to do any serious testing so I don't know for sure but the laptop has never been as stable as it is now.

What I did was that I disabled TPM (Trusted Platform Module) in the BIOS and the fingerprint sensor as well as NOT installed HP Security Suite. I'm running ForceWare 169.09 and I haven't had a single problem but like I said I need to test more

I'll keep you posted..

Can you tell me if you have the TPM module enabled etc?

 

That statement right there tells me that you need to verify the RAM is good.

ANY time you have issues like this (or upgrade your RAM w/ new unproven parts) you should run Memtest86.

Until you get a clean bill of health on the ram you are chasing your tail on software.

Put all your ram in there, burn a Memtest CD and let it run overnight. If it finds errors, you need to replace the bad RAM.


My 8510w is pretty solid. I have some Vista issues, but XP runs good. I did have it all setup very nicely and the drive took a dump so I'm reinstalling everything again.

 

Hi TrickHP..

I've already tested the RAM with both dimms in and it passed all tests. I'm currently running tho with just 1 dimm as I don't need the extra complication while I test out my stability after reinstalling and disabling TPM. Do you have TPM enabled and do you play any 3d games?

Thanks

 

Hi, Simon,
First, I'm not a gamer (definitely). But I do play some shooters from time to time. My system looks very much like yours. I have the latest drivers (video from nvidia.com). I was very concerned reading your sad accounts of struggling with your machine.
I"ve played COD4 demo today at full throttle (max resolution and effects at high). It revealed no signs of instability. I did not notice any lags or whatever.
Is it a good enough test? Sorry, I don't know what Team Fortress 2 is (neither 1, see above). The only problem I encountered so far was no sound on midi playback (resolved). Or should I mention that General tab in System shows just 3.00 Gb RAM?

 

Fyi, I do have the TMP module enabled and am now using it.
Sounds like this won't assist much, but i'd be curious as to using a ram kit from crucial/micron (2x1GB or 2 x 2GB) and see if your results vary.

I know kits have ~10% markup over separate sodimms, but it's an easy way to validate from the vendor side that specs of both modules match.

 

Thanks for the feedback, I'm glad that your platforms are stable. I'm beginning to think I have a lemon.

Done clean install of XP SP2.
All the latest drivers from HP, system still unstable.
Update the ForceWare drivers, tried several variants, 169.09 worked the best but still gave me the stutter to a crawl situation.
During this test I've had the TPM and all other non essential hardware disabled in the BIOS.
Using 1x2GB dimm from HP, Memory tests from a CD boot tests out fine.

I've even started experimenting with different drivers for like the network cards etc etc. But it's not doing anything for me, always the same problem.

Just to recap on the problem itself: During intense game play the computer will suddenly start to stutter and give me 0-2 fps and sound gets very very choppy and all I can do is to try to quit the game and reboot. In Windows the CPU is at 50-90% load but there's no process actually taking that much power and combined (in Process Xplorer) the processes there don't add up to the amount of CPU that's being used. Windows is laggy and unresponsive.

Thinking about returning this PC and going for 8510p instead, what do you think?

Thanks,

 

i have a friend which has the same problem with her toshiba a200... strange... maybe there's something with the video drivers - did you try the old ones? (101)

 

Update: I've tried the Dual Core Win XP stability fix from MS as well as the Intel CPU stability fix, the Audio Memory Corruption fix and another general "stability" fix from MS that's not in any automatic updates. All to no avail.

I'm beginning to think my laptop is a lemon and this issue is beyond drivers conflicting.

Any one here playing Team Fortress 2 successfully on their 8510w?

Simon

 

Hi Simple-Screen.. yes I had the first gen drivers installed when this happened and later drivers make the issue better but in the end the comp will always come to a crawl and a reboot is needed.

I'm ordering a new laptop on Monday if I can't fix this over the weekend. Right now my rig is stripped, no firewire, no parallel port, no SD card reader, no nothing if it's needed to run the comp. The TPM is disabled as well as Intel AMT.
Running the latest BIOS and latest drivers, including newer driver for the NICS from Intel. Running ForceWare WHQL 167.58 from HP. Only have 1 dimm in the machine that tested fine with MemTest, this dimm is the HP dimm that shipped with the comp.

I've installed a few special fixes from MicroSoft that don't ship in any SPs etc. These include a stability fix for dual core CPU's that show erronious behavior, didn't work, fix for Intel CPU's, didn't help, fix for Audio devices causing memory corruption, didn't help, general stability fix that I've enver heard of , didn't help. Installed a fix where a third party driver stops the system from opening a file on NTFS based system, no help

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...bcWLGUMJkOU+Wfc1yFNYUQxQ+Ei2UJsefuo9myJJ+gA== Here's a link and at the bottom there are more links to Microsoft fixes that I've installed.

What I need now is deliverance
Have a good weekend every one and thanks for posting!

 

You have 3 year on site service from hp. Have you contacted them? I have 8510W WITH VISTA BUSINESS, all hp auto driver updates, nothing from other vendors and the thing is stable as a rock! Games, ESRI GIS graphics intense modeling software, nothing freezes and runs like a bat out of hell. You are under warranty, get them involved.

 

It sounds like your laptop has always been like this regardless of the ram put in. Is this correct? If it is, just return it, you've gotten a bad laptop. On another note, I've had no problems with my 8510p and I did a clean install of XP.

 

8510W, T7300 2 gigs
installed XP
Been absolutely rock solid as my game and work machine since Oct? I think when I bought it.
I am using what ever the newest driver was when I bought it from the modded drivers for video.
Everything else was installed from the HP site.
I travel allot and this machine has been perfect and gets lots of complements for its features and looks.

 

Hi Pongo..

Do you play any Source engine games such as Half Life 2, Team Fortress 2, Portal?

Thanks

 

UPDATE! CULPRIT FOUND: The reason for my instability seems as it has nothing to do with my PC, it's Steam and Steam alone, everything else is very stable on this machine so far

 

Before I updated the BIOS on my 8510w, the notebook would hang while booting every once in a while. After the BIOS update it's completely stable.

This is the best notebook I've ever owned, from build quality to features to weight and performance.

 

Hi Rice

I agree, this laptop is awesome, I coulnd't be happier and I'm loving HP Protect tools.

This laptop is reasonable size, very powerful in apps and games and quiet compared the MegaFlops it's churning out.

Well done HP.

 

Only Shooter I play is Red Ochestra.

 

I didnt have any problems with any Steam games but my GPU is different than yours. If I were you I would test other drivers as nothing else comes to my mind.

 

Hi Destiny, I've tried like SHED loads of drivers and no dice.
The only thing that works is to set the sound acceloration to Basic and run the games using DX 8.1 mode.

All other games are super stable, just source based games behave like this. I get the notorious sound looping crash, this is a known issue in Source Based games.

Simon

 

have you checked hp business forum?? people there usually post some good stuff.

 

Hi Destiny, yes I have already posted there, more response here

 

Well that sucks about Steam My brother plays CS:S and TF2 on his T61p with the same GPU as you so must be some kind of weird bug on Steam's part. GL getting it resolved!

 

Can you describe if this sound problem gives you a bsod??

 

Destiny, it doesn't give be a BSOD. It gives me a stutter to a crawl, 0-2 fps and the sound is like looping or crawlign at the same "speed" as the game (aaaaaa uuuuuuuu eeheheheheheh) you don't hear any words from the comp. just a repeating sound that will change tone every now and then. What I can do is that I can quit the game but Windows is lagging. However it's not lagging in a normal sense where you can use Proces Xplorer to see what process is using your CPU and terminate it. It's lagging and CPU usages is say 80% but there are no processes using that much CPU visible and all put together they don't add up to 80%. If I were to guess it's some kind of I/O error related to sound and graphics.
To get a stable Source Game I put sound acceloration to basic and make use no higher res then 1280x800 using DX 8.1 video renderer. If I bump up the resolution and use AA I will end up getting a crash like I describe. It's like if I keep the game small enough to fit into inboard memory on the GPU all is good.

Thanks
Simon

 

Call support and ask for replacing the gfx and motherboard I guess. If this doesnt help it something not harware related or you have a lemon. Do you know any other people with similar config (same laptop model or gfx card) having this problem??

 

hi-please help if you can...
i've got HP8510W with XP OS,and i can't install any update for nvidia drivers-when i start installation,the error screen occurs and says somethin' like-THE FILE THAT YOU TRIED TO OPEN IS CORRUPTED...PLEASE CLOSE THE APPL....
i've downloaded latest drivers from HP site but i can't install them-i also tried Driver Cleaner but nothing...
how can i delete driver files from original location on C:disk???
i think that old files block the new ones and won't let them install....

thx

 

odd , cause all my school's computers (8510p and w) are stable and no problem found in 4 months.

I personally love the 8510p, I want to get the 8510w too, though my school won't let me use it at my room.

So I use the P mostly.

 

Check if the file seems to be corrupted on another computer as well. When you download you do it to your hard drive, don't you?

 

Destiny.. yeah these are downloaded games, I've redownloaded several times. I can use DX9 now with severa launch parameters. This is withouth a shred of doubt an issue i n the SOurce engine that they are aware of obviously and have been working on..

 

Oh well. My reply was to nuendo's post but that brought some light anyway
Have you tested the directx with dxdiag??