Envy 14: New owners in Paradise Lost Thread: (Got Problems/Questions/Issues?)

What is a minimal install and how do you do it?

 

When starting up your computer, press ESC right before Windows starts up. This will bring up a menu and I think the option F11 is for Recovery Options. This will bring up another menu where you can select Minimal Recovery.

 

Has anyone noticed that when you power up windows on battery, with intel graphics as default, maximum screen brightness is a step lower from the maximum when powering windows plugged in with AMD graphics as default? I noticed this only a couple of days ago on my E14. To add to the puzzle, switching to AMD graphics on battery in this scenario still keeps screen brightness a notch lower. I have to plug the laptop in and manually switch graphics again to return screen brightness to its normal maximum. When starting windows on power adapter, none of this happens. What may be the issue?

 

I did a clean install and the HP tech support lady wanted me to hit FN + ESC to get my product info but that doesnt work. Did a clean install delete that option?

(Just calling them about the minor WIFI always off problem on reboot.)

 

Man, talk about laugh out loud. That gave me way too funny of a visual.

 

go find your swsetup folder and reinstall the hp support assistant. Least I think that's what has that thing.

might be quicklaunch, but I know you an find your product key in the support assistant (oh but yeah if you deleted that well...I dunno where else that info is located, maybe under the battery cover or something)

 

OK, my faith in HP was already not very high, but upgrading the BIOS negates use of your recovery media? I lost what little faith I had in them completely. They even had my faith building up by giving us another method other than WinFlash to upgrade the BIOS, but my Recovery Media is not supported on this computer? It's ONLY supported on this computer. I hope this maybe has something to do with the Intel Anti-Theft technology that was implemented in the last BIOS update. Anybody have any thoughts on why they screwed up so royally?

 

Find out why clean installs have so much trouble updating BIOS while you have them there.

 

yeah someone else noted that bios F12 doesn't work with recovery media

flashing back down to F06 does though

 

But shouldn't the recovery media work, no matter the BIOS? Flashing the BIOS is already not the safest thing to do, but having to reflash it just to recover? Shoddy....

Edit: and if you're having to recover, isn't something already screwed up? If you can't get to Windows, you can't reflash the BIOS, so far it seems to have to be initiated in Windows to get it to work. I guess there MAY be another method, but from HP the only method is Within Windows.

 

I thought i shouldn't tell them about me doing a clean install since it voids the warranty, or so I read on this forum earlier. (Correct me if I am wrong please)

Question: How do I get older games like counterstrike to run fullscreen on my laptop? They always run in a small window with black bars on the side

Thanks!

 

I have notified HP of the DVD BIOS update problem (recovery DVDs not working after updating BIOS) hopefully they will fix it, but I am doubtful that the person I live chatted with has any clues, hopefully he will relay my message to someone who can fix it on the next BIOS update.

 

I don't believe that clean install voids the warranty, though I could be wrong. I would read the warranty terms and conditions to check that.

For CS in windowed mode, try setting the resolution to 1600x900 and see if that fixes it (you might have to find a config file to alter to do so, check your steamapps folder). If that doesn't work, check this: GotFrag eSports - Forums - Counter-Strike Discussion - Window mode

 

Yes it gets rid of the FN + ESC pop up. You just need to install HP Quick Launch located in your SWSetup/HPQL folder. I hope you did back up your SWSetup folder as suggested for a clean install? Either way, I recommend doing the minimal install from the recovery disks.

Clean install does not void the warranty. You can always use the HP restore discs to change it back to system state anyhow.

To get the screen to be full, you probably really want "preserve aspect ratio".
- First you will have to switch to a non-native resolution, using the screen resolution panel (right click desktop , choose "screen resoluiton"), preferably the one you want to game at.
- Go into your Catalyst Control Center. Quickest way is to right click desktop and choose "graphics properties".
- Make sure you are in "advanced" mode (clicking button on lower left if it says "advanced" to take you to advanced mode. If it says "Basic" then you're already in Advanced mode).
- Click the graphics pull-down menu from the top and choose "desktops & displays"
- In the lower left you will see an image of a monitor or laptop with a little updside down triangle in the upper right. Click that triangle and choose "configure"
- In the "attributes" tab you should see "Scaling Options". If you're at native resolution it will be grayed out, but since you chose a lower resolution from the first step, you should see three options: Preserve Aspect Ratio, Full Screen, Centered. You will want to choose "Preserve Aspect Ratio" and OK.
- Now you can switch your desktop back to native resolution, and when you go in game it should run at the resolution you chose, filling the screen.

 

I'm reporting it too. I haven't experienced it but figure it can't hurt to get them looking into it. That's something that needs to be fixed right away IMHO.

 

I've experienced a sudden shutdown (buzzing noise occurs, then the computer shuts down suddenly) and there is an intermittent high pitch noise coming from the base.

Would you guys recommend sending it in for a repair? I've had it for about a month now..

 

I tried searching the forum/google, but just to make sure:

If I have a clean install and I have already burned the recovery disks, is there any reason to keep either the recovery or hp_tools partition?

 

Keep hp_tools, it's needed for BIOS update. Well, there's a way with a flash drive, but it seems hit or miss at the moment. I completely wiped the hard drive (well, ssd) and used clean install, it just added the hp_tools partition back but not system recovery.

 

Flash drive method only works on official HP install/minimized recovery.

 

@htwingnut: I did backup the swsetup folder. But you are saying I should do the minimal install from the recovery disks, instead of just installing the HP Quick Launch? What does the minimal install? Thanks!

 

Minimal recovery is a factory install option from the recovery partition that installs the OS, validates it as an HP OEM installation, and installs drivers and a much smaller selection of programs (bloatware) than the full recovery. You'll still want to get rid of all of the Mediasmart stuff, though. It's recommended by a lot of people because it's an easy way to minimize bloatware while maintaining the HP installation (apparently important for BIOS updates).

 

So I just got my Envy 14 in (whoooo!) and I bought an extra battery that I realized I won't be needing. Is it as easy as calling them up and asking them for a mailing slip and a credit back to my account or is this going to be a hassle? Just wanted to get an idea of what I'm in for.

 

depends on your luck and/or other stuff.

edit: I mean I have no clue how they do for partial returns and stuff. Should be doable if you talk with the rep for awhile.

 

Anyone know what it's best to do with the battery when you first get the machine, how long to leave on charge, then run down, how many cycles to run through etc?

 

Hello everyone,

I juste wonder if it is possible to unsnap the keys of the keyboard and put them on another spot ? I'm French, I'm going to buy a QWERTZ version of the Envy 14 and I wanted to know if the keys can be move in order to make an AZERTY version.

Thanks.

Greg.

 

I have exactly the same problem, with that little difference that when I hibernate, the screen stays blank and the system never powers off. In order to get it back online I have to press the power switch for more than 5 seconds to turn off the machine and power it back on. I am on i5 520 with the switchable graphics version, 8gb of ram.

Did you find anything new on that issue?

 

Well I have a new envy 14 as I said above and I am now having a HORRIBLE experience:

Everything was fine until I left the computer on overnight and it froze. After restarting Windows said it needed to run the startup repair. The startup repair said it could not repair the computer and HP's tool thing suggested I restore the computer. Soon after the restore was underway it froze as well. Now when I restart it tells me the install didn't work, that i should restart it, but it gives me no option to restart the install. I don't know where to go from here. It wasn't on long enough for me to make restore discs and I didn't purchase one from HP.

Please Help!

 

Try running some hardware checks, another user was having freezes and it turned out his HDD was defective.

 

I'm having a touchpad problem, even with the most up-to-date drivers. If I have my right thumb over the "left click" button and use my right index finger to scroll, the cursor is okay most of the time but will frequently jump or simply lock. To unfreeze it, I have to release both fingers from the pad.

I'd love to keep the laptop, but as long as the touchpad is unreliable, I can't see myself keeping it.

I'm wondering if anyone else has had similar problems and/or successfully resolved them.

As I said in another forum, I can't believe they'd ship something like this -- it's like having the keyboard start sending random characters if your fingers are anywhere near the "home" keys.

Has anyone else successfully fixed this problem with their laptop? Most of the advice I've read has involved installing dubious 3rd-party programs or re-training myself to use the touchpad differently...

 

I don't know why this keeps coming up as the solution (forcing a power-down). All you have to do when the screen doesn't turn back on is close the lid so it goes to sleep again and wait until the glowing HP on the lid shuts off. Wait two seconds, open the lid again and you should be up and running. No problem, no data loss.

Will people start spreading this information around?

 

Probably your only real solution

 

In other news, and in addition to all the other nonsense that's been going on with my computer, it's now developed this horrible buzzing sound.

When it's plugged in, there's no problem, but when it's on and you unplug it (running on batteries) all of the sudden it has this buzzing sound that sounds like something is arcing inside. It literally sounds like electricity arcing. And get this-- while it's doing this, if I use the touchpad at all, like even just a slight touch, the arcing/buzzing sound gets 2-3 times louder until maybe 1-2 seconds after I take my finger off the touchpad. I just cannot believe how much has gone wrong with this thing. I hope to hell that I'm an extremely isolated indecent, as this happened 4 days after the return period ended.

Thankfully I've already got a replacement being cross shipped, but I can't tell you how mad I'd be if I hadn't already asked for one before this happened.

I'd like to know if anyone else gets this buzzing.

 

After pressing some keys I saw a beats logo come up? Not sure if I've accidently turned off the software or not? Anyone know how to check?

 

I am starting to learn that it is best to take the battery out when it's not in use. My battery wear has been jumping up and down by about 1-2%, and I have realized that leaving it in the laptop for any period of time seems to make this happen more. I took it out one night when it was fully charged, at 58,208mwh, and when I put it back in the next day, it said it was at 58,534mwh. It has gotten as low as 57,661mwh and seems to go down if I leave the battery in the computer, even when the computer is powered off.

 

My wear hasn't really budged from 3%.

I've had my envy since uh...whenever it arrived on july 16th or so. (well after it stabilized at 3%)

 

You probably accidentally pressed Fn + b (this shortcut turns on Beats Audio and turns it off). Try pressing it again.

 

thats the one! nice one.

 

SO would you mind giving us some tips on how you maintain your battery? Do you pull it out when you're just using plug-in power? Do you only remove the cord when the lappy's powered down? I've had mine for 23 days and it's to 6.9%

 

...I just leave it in there. I don't do anything special at all.


Not all batteries are created equal I think. Also I'm just looking at the wear % on HWMonitor.

 

If you updated your video drivers, make sure the ATI and Intel drivers are being used together from the same driver package. I noticed when I was having the black screen issue, the Intel drivers were the older driver being used and not the same model that was installed with the updated ATI drivers. Switch to ATI card, check driver version under device manager and then check Intel driver version, are they the same driver package? If not while using ATI card, update the Intel driver to match ATI driver.

 

Hmm... my wear never seems to stay the same... it passes battery checks though, and I get decent times on charges. About 4 to 4.5 hours in general. But HWMonitor AND Battery Bar both seem to get the same readings, when one jumps up or down, the other does too. I read a few battery FAQ's and forums w/ users and how they treat their battery. It's kind of a pain to take it out, but, user's in the forums recommended not having the battery in when you aren't charging it and using AC, even when for short periods of time. Hope it dosen't turn out to be faulty...

 

zman, were you refering to me about the defective hdd? cause that happened to my envy lol

and i was wondering what temp is normal while idling on the ati graphics because mine is around 51C and i couldve sworn it wasnt that high before today...

 

Mine is usually in the 45 celcius range. Could've been, HDD's are commonly a defective part and someone did say something about an error after running the disk surface test.

Edit: Even the Almighty Apple has shipped units w/ defective HDD's and ram. None of the OEM's are perfect in this regard.

 

so im guessing 51 celsius isnt exactly normal... (50 now but still)
my cores are at low 40s so idk why the gpu is that high.
any fixes?
and if it matters, my envy build is the same as zman's
thanks

 

Do you have GPU-Z installed? It's on the first page if you don't, check and see if it's downclocking itself (should be at 100mhz if it is downclocking) Is the room you're in hotter than normal? Could just be a difference in ambient temperature, also check to see if your fan is working and blowing out the side properly.

Edit: My cores generally run in the 30's, if yours is the same as mine, it should do so as well unless the ambient temperatures are different. If the room temperature is higher than my room temperature it could be normal.

Edit: If you've got flash banners running on the web page, they could be the cause too. Flash can kinda heat things up I've noticed, I have it disabled right now.

 

anything besides that? cause the room is the same, the fans seems working, and its even on a cooling pad lol
btw im only running this page and aim

 

What does it get up to without the cooling pad? Are you using Firefox?

 

Sorry to ask one more time but I just wonder if it is possible to unsnap the keys of the keyboard and put them on another spot ? I'm French, I'm going to buy a QWERTZ version of the Envy 14 and I wanted to know if the keys can be move in order to make an AZERTY version.

Thank you

 

Sorry to ask again, but is the Envy 14 really only available online? I just need confirmation, thanks.

 

I currently have 2 envys. The battery on one is about 3% worn and the other has 0% worn (stats from Batterybar Pro). Is it possible to have 0% worn out for 2 weeks ? HWMonitor shows me that the battery is -1% worn... I've already made an RMA to return one of the envy. I've asked the RMA representative if i can swap the batteries and I can without any problems.

So is it possible to have 0% worn or is this battery a bit weird?