*HP ENVY 14 & Envy 14 Beats (1XXX series) Owners Lounge, Part Deux*

My Envy shipped today, it should be arriving Friday before 4:30PM.

I'm really hoping I don't get a lemon-- I just have bad luck with hardware, so it worries me.

 

I know this has been answered before and I am sorry for asking again, but with a clean install what do I need to back up. I remember there being mentioned a partition not to delete and a file setup to backup? Can I delete all the partitions and create my own partitions? 1 for OS 1 for use, and one for backup?

Right now I am downloading windows 7 and backed up my key, but I want to make this as smooth as possible with drivers and the step by step instructions don't really give any info specific to the envy 14.

 

I can't seem to download Firefox. Once I run the install, it extracts it and then asks me to run it as either the administrator or the current user, even though they're both the same...
I was able to download Chrome, but I can't download Firefox from either browser.
Also the fans are really starting to annoy...

 

Do you have UAC enabled? If so, have you saved the executable file, then right clicked and selected "Run as Administrator?"

 

Now the top of the keyboard around the volume keys is getting burning hot. I am not playing games, just downloading, listening to music, browsing the web, and installing things with power turned on.

Normal?

 

I've turned UAC all the way down. Haven't tried the "Run as Administrator" thing yet, but I've never had to do that before. Is this something I should be concerned about for the future?

 

No, not really. Some applications are picky-- if I am not mistaken I recall myself having to run the Firefox installer as an administrator, regardless of if my account had administrator privileges or not.

Just give it a shot and see. I normally run with UAC off, but I am considering keeping it on if it is more transparent than it used to be (supposedly with Windows 7 it is, but I've never bothered to try).

 

Does anyone know where to find your windows key on the envy for a clean install?

 

If I'm not mistaken, you open the battery door and it's on a sticker under the battery.

 

Thanks I appreciate it.

 

I actually do have a slight whine. Minima though and less thn my Core2Duo and Celeron in work computer. Not noticeable except when in my silent room at night. Not bothersom t me either.

 

It's not meant to be raised to "find it in the dark". It should be flush, it's a misbuild. If you bought a new car and the door wasn't flush with the front fender you'd want it corrected too.

So that may be fine for your 5 year old laptop, but not for a brand new $1200 laptop.

That's pretty serious. I would call HP and see if it's something they can fix. I'd even ask if they could send someone out to fix it so you don't have to part with your new laptop since you need it, and don't want to return it for this one issue.

 

The discoloration is not the change in color of white when on a different angle. The discoloration is more of a patch of screen that is very evident and have different hues of color. Im just worried that after a month or a year, it may cause a bigger issue on my LED screen and would break it... What do you guys think? Request for Replacement??? I already clean installed and stuff!! haha... Also, my laptop does NOT have a wine and is in perfect condition other than that.

 

Haha, you're hilarious. Sounds like you never bought brand new car. So if you are comparing laptop build quality to car build quality I would recommend you continue taking bus if this is the case.

 

Haha I'm a degreed engineer with 15 years experience designing and building cars, managing QC for fit/finish and assembly, not to mention MCSA and A+ certified. Build practices carry across platforms, whether its cars, toys, or computers. Sure some flaws are to be expected, but certain things are unacceptable, like a protruding touchpad on a laptop.

 

guys, I'm having a heck of a time making the restoration disks. I understand that it will take 4 disks and I am using the right type of disks ( Sony, DVD+R 120/4.7gb) but it keeps telling me that the disk provided is not supported. Any suggestions? I am going to Best Buy in a little bit before school and thought I would pick some other ones up. Any help I would be very grateful. Thanks,

Also, Still getting use to the mouse pad as its very touchy and I find that a lot of times it does want to move when I want it to. For a quick fix I wanted to get a optical blutooth mouse until I can master my touchpad. Suggestions on this as well.

 

Hmmm, seems odd it wouldn't support DVD+R. Maybe buy some DVD-R's? If that doesn't work then there's something wrong with your DVD drive.

 

also you cannot move or even touch the computer while burning those discs or else HP will go "dude you did stuff, this disc is now a coaster since you did stuff since that could have messed up the burning for some weird reason. good for you!"

 

Hey thanks for the quick response. I forgot to mention that while I was burning them last night before I got too tired to continue. I was able to burn 3/4 but the 4th wont burn. So I was thinking it was the disks them selves. I've had them for a while, but I would think that wouldn't matter. Any suggestions for brands to try? Verbatim etc...

 

Verbatim is known for making the best writable media.

I actually had a 100 spindle of HP branded DVDs, and after going through all of them, about 1/5th of the time one would be a coaster. I'm currently going through a 100 spindle of Memorex DVDs, but I've only burned a few.

Though it helps a lot now that I burn the DVDs below their rated speed. I burn them at 4x now, it takes a while but it significantly decreased my coaster rate.

So, if you have the option I would try burning them at a lower speed than what your media and DVD drive are rated for.

 

That strange, what processor do you have?I have i5 520 and its not even warm.

I think you shouldn't worry about it, JJB said it might be moisture that trap inside and if that's the case, it will evaporate eventually.

Coming from sony F series with this screen



Which have a lot of light bleed...I'm very happy with E14 screen.

For those of you who planning to do clean install, I do install the driver in order...and backup files from the C drive.

 

For the most part I haven't found one brand better than another. There's apt to be some bad ones in any batch, they effectively use all the same process.

 

It's here! it's finally here. Fedex dropped off my 14 this morning, in the process of setting it up now.
it's sooo pretty.

 

Ugh.

Mine missed the FedEx cutoff. It's now delayed until August 3rd.

 

How's the webcam and the mics? The HP videos made a big deal about the quality of the cam and the mics with noise canceling I think too....

 

I think before my clean install my SSD was higher WEI rated. Any ideas? I see i can update firmware with a bootable cd. Maybe Ill try that.

7.9 -> 5.9 (160GB SSD)

 

Another reason why GD&T should be a worldwide standard. Especially in the automotive industry.

 

Thanks. Im gonna try them. Another dumb question. If there is a disk in the drive, how do you manually eject? Havent tried yet since Im trying to make a back up right now, but would it be the button to the left of the delete button on the top right?

 

Yes, I believe that would be it.

 

ok guys so I got the W7 iso loaded to DVD, but I can't get it to start when I turn on my computer. I uninstalled quick start and i am going crazy pressing a button when it starts, but all I get to go into is the Window Boot Manager wich gives me two choices: Windows 7 or some other tool which checks the hard drive.

HELp

 

I went into the BIOS somehow (ESC I think) and changed the POST to 5 seconds which gave me time to change the boot media selection by holding down F8 or whatever the button is.

 

where are the misc1-misc4 folders.

you need them too.

edit: nvm I see you renamed 'em.

order doesn't matter much beyond "chipset first dummy"

 

thanks brah, i kept hitting f2 for BIOS and it got me to some stupid HP thing lol. Finally get to the BIOs and there was just an option to boot from the CD. thanks +rep

 

Guys got it to run off the DVD but right away another problem. I get the Windows 7 logo come up, but step 5 ( Clean Install Windows 7 - Choose Language and Other Preferences) is not.

HELp

I only saved the SwSetup folder, am I just going to have to download everything off line?

 

Did the Windows splash screen show up? It may be a corrupted disc image.

Try rebooting into it again

 

Where did you get such a nice simple set of drivers?

 

yes everything went as they told me until step 5

EDIT same thing after I tried it again, try to make another DVD??????????

 

GD&T is a black art that seems to require wizardary to fully implement and interpret. It's like the legalese of engineering.

 

Ok I am an idiot. The fluidity of up/down-scroll is based on the sensitivity. It looks to me I'll be spending the next few weeks playing with this baby and figuring out the optimal sensitivity setting so I don't move my cursor around while typing and hitting the touchpad with my palm. (Yes, palmcheck is put all the way to the right).

/Captain Obvious

 

Isn't there a way to set the scroll rate to something like "1 line at a time," as the Windows default is something like 3 lines at a time?

That would result in the most fluid scrolling.

 

I have mine to highest sensitivity and its still a pain. I find finger positioning helps though, but my old synaptics (no orginal multitouch, but enabled by firmware) works better with two finger scroll.

 

It's not the scroll rate that's the problem. I already have it set at one.


The problem with this touchpad is it has so many settings to go through and my hunch is each one can potentially conflict with one another, leading to an unexpectedly jumpy cursor.

 

What exactly does this do?

edit: I finally figured it out! I wasn't holding the fn key while trying to use the quick launch buttons.

 

So guys, I called HP Support on the discoloration and he said that I should send it for LCD Replacement... He said it would be better if I do that rather than requesting for a replacement since it would be quicker and would not in any way risk my BCB.

What do you guys think? I asked for some compensation/Credit and he said that he cannot give that!!! Why??? My reason for asking for Credit is due to the delay that this will get me... Can I call some number for a credit?

What do you guys think? I kinda want to just replace the LCD since my laptop is working great! No wine, and I already clean installed with no issues.

 

On HP notebooks, it drains excess capacitance. Common button failure.

 

You'd have to talk to the sales department to get a discount, and they'd probably make you exchange for a new one rather than having the LCD replaced.

 

If you wanted to install the latest driver, dont just go by the swsetup folder.

If you get a good one, why bother?Alaskajoel have a whine at first and the replacement he got even worse. I would say keep it, you ARE NOT GOING TO SEE THE LCD ON THAT DIRECTION. No issue if you just see it from the front. Plus it might messed up the BCB, even though sales people say not.

 

The more I read on this thread the more I think about the Vaio Z

It would only be another week or twos paycheck I just feel like its such a cash burn... guhhh

 

I'm guessing the WEI isn't built to effective measure SSD performance.

 

The Windows Experience Index really is not a good measure of performance at all...