*HP ENVY 17 & 17 3D (1XXX series) Owners Lounge*

@fpsdoug46

It changes because the system environment for each run isn't the same. You may have different background programs running and those programs could be doing something different every second. Hence, you're never really going to get the same score every time. You will however get scores in the same ballpark as long as there is nothing drastically different.

 

Thanks guys but when I purchased the hp envy 17 I did not delete anything on it and I should have deleted the bloatware. the problem is i don't know what programs I should keep or delete as I am a newbie when it comes to computers. what should i unintall to make it run faster because sometimes it can get slow. Thanks

 

ENVY 17 SECONDARY DRIVE CADDIES AVAILABLE

From an email today from NewmodelUS:

 

You want to get the best performance out of your laptop? Do a clean install on the first page of this thread there is instructions on how to do it.

A word of warning if you are a newbie, and you don't know what you are doing you might end up with a brick.

Good luck

 

fpsdoug:
If you're a newbie and haven't really played around with computer parts/software then i suggest you don't do a clean install. Don't get too caught up in the numbers, that's all they are. You won't notice the difference anyway unless you obsess too much about it.

others:
Hi i've read almost the whole thread, I've been contemplating on buying an Envy 17 but I'm still not so sure about it, another laptop I'm looking at is the Asus G73. I really want the Envy 17 but the problems are keeping me from making a final decision. The most important one is the heat issue, which is not present in the G73. I don't have to make a decision any time soon, but do you guys think that future batches of the Envy 17 will be better? I really like it especially the one on Newegg(which is out of stock as of now). Hopefully they fix the problems before I buy one.

 

I have been looking to update my 1st gen dv5t and was wondering what the impact would be in using a notebook cooler with this envy. It appears that my assumptions are correct. You should be using a cooler with the envy 17 if you plan on any long term gaming sessions. I had to for my dv5 as well. I have found that the Antec travel cooler works well for me as it only raises the back of the notebook a couple inches and pushes cooler air up underneath the notebook.

 

while a flat notebook cooler will help (as other users have stated) I think its more important to get cool air into the intake as well as to make sure the hot exhaust air has room to get away.

If the laptop sits flat on the cooler you will still be restricting airflow to in the intake unless one of its fans sits directly underneath the envy intake fan.

I have this Cheap old stand from my old laptop.

It raises the back way off the desk and allows lots of space for air to get into the intake (this is underneath the laptop on the top left side)

Also I like the way it raises the screen to eye level.

Using this stand, even when I really put the system through it's paces (running a 3D game and playing a Blueray DVD at the same time) The laptop did not have any heat issues, hot air was being exhausted but the laptop frame felt warm not hot and the internal measured temperatures were all fine.

Idle temps with this are about 44 C for the CPU and 46 for the GPU when idle.
Under contant heavy load (e.g. 3d game), even after a few hours the temps do not go over 60 C for the CPU and 65-70 C for the GPU.

 

Yes... I feel the same way about traditional coolers...

After reading a lot of this thread and seeing others temps I would highly recommend a cooler like what SteviePL uses. It only makes sense as this "high" end notebook only has one exhaust fan. Especially if you plan to game.

Not that it is important but the the one I use for my non-envy 17 is here

 

It works great for me, also note that the only fan is on the intake, not the exhaust, there are two exhausts ports, one at the top back one at the top left, but the most heat seems to come out of the one on the left.

The intake is underneath the base, not on the sides. Keep it clear of the desk, and free of obstructions and I am sure your Envy will run a lot cooler.

Also using a 9-cell battery helps further even with the stand as it raises the base, giving another 1" of clearance over the intake vent.

 

yeah thanks im not gonna do a clean install as i have 0 computer knowlege and will probably screw up the whole thing. Honostly im happy with 10.7k on 3dmark, its good enough for me.

 

My Envy 17 is here, I've got my 17Gb USB drive and I cannot find the USB Recovery flash disk utility. Help!

 

It looks like I found it here. I did a search on all of HP to get this.

HP USB Recovery Flash Disk Utility - HP Customer Care (United States - English)

 

The touch pad is driving me crazy, but I started up the USB recovery utility and

The selected removable disk does not have enough space.

Note it is a 16Gb USB drive.
Argh.

 

Interesting, the recovery manager has a USB options and it says 16.4GB are required. I will use DVD's.

 

seems the F.13 A bios is available now, anyone try it ? feedback ?
it says that it's supposed to address an intermittent issue where the battery cannot be detected ... could it possible address anything else ?

 

Never mind, I can't read. The clean install does say that a 32GB USB drive is needed. Note that the USB drive support is built into the recovery manager.

 

<light bulb lites up> ... hmm...maybe i should get a 16 gb flash stick and use it for clonezilla backups ...
would be much faster than my external.

is usb 3 going to hit flash drives anytime in the future ?

 

Oh, how I like HP Support. . .

My first response to zero7404's post was how can he find these updates, but "HP Update" cannot?

Of course, the HP site Software & Driver Downloads HP Envy 17t-1000 CTO Notebook PC - HP Customer Care (United States - English) offers the download even if "HP Update" doesn't find it.

Oh, but wait, pressing the Download button yields the msg:

Still, I'm a sophisticated IT guy. I just switched to right-clicking on the Download button and "Save-as"-ed the Service Pack, but this yielded:

Good grief. HP screwed up the link.

And I have bugs in my Bluetooth keyboard! Real bugs--sugar ants! Just like a very old CG animated short with an ant that looked like an IC chip.

Bad day.

Just the same, zero7404, thanks for spotting the new BIOS. I will get to it when HP lets us.

 

I get this info the HP ENVY 17-1011nr BIOS update:

Code:

File name:		
sp50112.exe [1/1, 4.62M]
System requirements:		No additional prerequisites
Released:		2010-08-31
Version:		F.13 A
Compatibility:	Microsoft Windows 7 (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Home Basic (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Starter (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Home Basic (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Enterprise (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Enterprise (64-bit)

# Fix/Enhancement:		Adds support for new HP Notebook models.

[B]# Fixes an intermittent issue where the system cannot detect that the battery is inserted.[/B]

Same as you Benny I cannot download it, link is broken.

Only one change noted in the update so it does not seem like its that important.

 

3d!

Glasses-on Envy 17 with ATI 3D Technology

http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/01/hp-unleashes-envy-17-3d-hp-envy-14-beats-edition-and-specially/ -another link + envy 14 beats

 

Just got my envy. Only notable problem is wobble. I think that can easily be fixed by the methods described elsewhere in this thread. (Un-warping the body).

I'll post more later but I have to go to work now.

(BTW: Forgetting whatever you used as the password and having to factory restore within 30 minutes is priceless.)

 

My Envy shipped with this BIOS.

 

My Envy 17 showed up yesterday, I've made my recovery disks, backed up C:\swsetup and I'm considering how to clean it up for use. If I want to do a clean install where can I get a windows 7 install dvd? Can I get one from HP?

 

Places on the inte rnet are always to b e found where such boot able boot y can be acquired.

Or there's a couple of ways to get it from Microsoft, The Great Steal [legal site offering student discounts through digital river], and probably HP. You'll have to dig around though.

 

Looks like a good community here.
I just received my Envy 17 last night and it won't recognize my 6 cell battery. The 9 cell it came with works fine. Just got off the phone with tech support and she directed me to this BIOS update. Mine shipped with BIOS F.08. The thing is, she couldn't download the bios update either. She said she would look into it so hopefully this solves my battery problem. Other than that, the only other problem I have seen is the wobble. It is there though it doesn't seem to be as bad as some of the others had. It doesn't really bother me too much and not at all when I am typing on it.

 

is 145 F around that area is good temp ? id guess i have to stick with my laptop for a while.. i really dpnt mind the wobble but i am going to customize the screen to radiance display if they have that option.. so yeah i am not going to replace my laptop because i love it. its just im worried about over heat issues...

whats the degrees on over heating ?

 

Is this measured under load or idle?

From reading through this forum 145F(62C) is a normal temp. For the GPU anything over 100C (212F) is a problem.

 

thanks so much
i really dont know but i can take a shot. well i hope mine is ok... if it does have over heating issues then i just have to replace it. but then again i have to wait and see at end of the week. i had this like 3 days now


Hardware monitor ACPI
Temperature 0 60°C (140°F) [0xD04] (TZ01)

Hardware monitor Intel Core i7 720QM
Power 0 15.34 W (Processor)
Temperature 0 61°C (141°F) [0x27] (Core #0)
Temperature 1 58°C (136°F) [0x2A] (Core #1)
Temperature 2 61°C (141°F) [0x27] (Core #2)
Temperature 3 56°C (132°F) [0x2C] (Core #3)

Hardware monitor SAMSUNG HM640JJ
Temperature 0 43°C (109°F) [0x2B] (Assembly)
Temperature 2 43°C (109°F) [0x2B] (Air Flow)

 

Do you leave your system sitting flat on your desk? I might suggest elevating the back of the system an inch or two to see if you notice any temp changes. This can be done using a deck of cards.

From this forum these units run warmer due to the high end GPU and CPU and because of a design decision by HP to only include one system fan. On my other HP notebooks, as I have stated before, I use a notebook cooler which helps keep the temps down.

 

yes on a flat desk but i noticed alittle difference when you hold your laptop the temp decreases alot. so is it due to the flat desk thats blocking the heats around the bottom?

thats what i was thinking too i want to buy the cooler so maybe that could help me. ill try that to elevate the laptop thanks for the advice mate

 

I called the technical support hotline and reported the BIOS link broken, and they logged a ticked and said they'd have it fixed soon - so here's hoping.

 

It blocks the fan intakes at the bottom of the notebook. By elevating the notebook you allow "cooler" air to circulate underneath which helps cool off the notebook.

Just make sure that when you are buying a notebook cooler that you do not get one that blocks or just creates a new flat surface which blocks the fan. Also be VERY careful if you buy a cooler with a fan. Make sure that the fans BLOW air up onto the bottom of the notebook and that it does NOT suck or pull air away. The idea it to supply the one system fan with fresh air to help keep your notebook cooler.

Here are just a couple suggestions...

From SteviePL to give you an idea of one without a fan.

And here is one that I use for my non-envy17. I use this as it raises the back of the notebook up and also pushes cooler air up underneath my notebook.

Not every cooler or pad will work with every notebook. So do not get discouraged if the one you picked up does not work as well as you think it should. You might find it better to just raise the rear of your notebook with a couple desks of cards and be done with it.

 

guys i was looking up to see what new envy 17 videos they have and i came across a remarkable update! they are refreshing the envy 17 to give it 3d blue ray (with glasses) and giving the disply a 120hz and 400 nit full hd display. they are also making an envy 14 Beats edition (black) check out the video!!!


YouTube - HP Envy 17 with 3D display and Blu-ray, HP Envy Beats too

 

@ Rozwell

thanks so much for your advice mate my temp went down alot.

its now around 129 F or 131 F tops

 

hey guys, i dont have the envy 17 *yet*, but i've been to this thread a few times in searching around on it. saw a lot of videos some of you made while searching on youtube as well. indirectly, you've been a lot of help, so thanks for that already.


the only thing that im hesitant about is the size of the 17". i guess i could be called a poweruser, i have multiple things going on all the time. anyways, it's just the portability factor. i'd like to be able to sit comfortably in say a bus or so, and i'm not sure how that'd work.

i'd go for the envy 15, however it is not as impressive spec and feature wise. the envy 14 just doesn't cut it, screen wise, for me.

i plan on ordering the one on newegg/amazon:

i7 720
8gb ram
blu ray
1920x1080


for around ~1550 USD.

also, one last question: does the 5850 have DDR5 or DDR3 vram? i read it can have either, depending, and just am really curious as what HP chose as i plan to game on it.


any insight is more than appreciated, and i'll gladly post in this thread after i get it as well

 

so do you guys ever regret to get the envy 17 early? i sure dont i really dont need for 3d stuff but that would be nice... my envy 17 is just perfect the way it is.

even tho my screen flickers i can live with it. im not going to replace this because i have done so many projects with my envy...

 

yeaa 3d isnt really a necessity...everything the envy 17 comes with now is absolutely fantastic...although it would have been cool to see switable graphics or a 5870 graphics card but like u said...the envy i have is good enough 4 me!

 

i agree with you there with the switchable garphics

but yup exactly my point ^^

 

I've been messing with my envy all day, and despite having the newest ATI drivers from the ATI site, and turning everything on full performance / powerplay off... I still get only around 7k 3dmarks with 3dMark06.

What gives?

(i7-740QM, 8gb of RAM, 1920x1080, 500gb hd, and nothing else that really matters.)

Current CPU temperature is ~63degC average across all four cores. So, my theory about the i7-740QM running cooler appears to be not true. Oh well. $100 wasted, I suppose.

Super Pi Mod (1.5) also did 1M digits of Pi in 15 seconds. I was expecting it to be a bit faster than that.

 

Can someone kindly provide me with the drivers and original software, especially quickweb for the envy 17 1011nr ordered from newegg? I forgot to back them up when I did a fresh install. Your help will be appreciated.

 

They are all available online here

 

According to ATI Catalyst Control Center, my Envy 17 has GDDR5 in the 5850.

BTW, I got mine from Newegg a week ago. No problems and I love it

Dave

 

Here is a link to the results of the last run I did. You can compare it with your run to see what area you're having trouble with.

ORB - Compare

Dave

 

Thanks Dave!

My Scores:
SM 2.0: 2484
SM 3.0: 2705
CPU: 3295

Your Scores:
SM 2.0: 4211
SM 3.0: 4977
CPU: 3073

Why on earth would my video card be half as slow (5850, right, i mean, same card man)? I've got all the sliders in CC set on "Performance" and not quality. Most of my demos were around 20fps (aside from the CPU ones). No idea. If I can't get some better performance, back she goes.

(I've done this with powerplay off as well as catalyst A.I. on AND off.)

EDIT:
Contrary to what was posted in past on these forums, turning power play ON fixed this for me. Now i've just got a few more 3dMarks than Dave (i7-740QM). I'm up to 10918.

 

thanks, i appreciate the response.

have HP fixed the quality control with the envy 17 in the recent months? i've heard it has wobble issues / almost like open cracks in the chassis on the side.

 

Very cool! I'm glad you didn't have to send it back.

Dave

 

Mine doesn't have any wobbling issue and no major gaps. The only thing I don't like about mine is that it has 2 Seagate drives installed.

I've got 2 WD HDDs on the way and am going to use the Seagates for external storage.

Dave

 

Mine started building around the beginning of August. It has minor wobble (on some desks) and some small gaps around the sides. Nothing like what was reported at the beginning of the Envy line's run. As long as it continues to work flawlessly then I'm golden. Going to be putting it up against linpack/Intel Burn Test later today.

 

Hi,

has anyone of you experienced a screen quality issue, where you can see the pixels flickering (like a snow effect) on dark backgrounds?

The first envy I got had the same issue so I returned it. With the second one I did some experiments and the effect seem to disappear when I change to 16-bit colour. I just need to understand if it's a common issue and should look somewhere else for a new laptop.

I'm on latest ATI drivers btw (downloaded from HP)

thank you for your help

 

I don't believe that is the latest. You should go directly to ATI and download the latest driver from there.