*HP ENVY 17 & 17 3D (2XXX series) Owners Lounge*

One suggestion. Many people over on the EVGA boards had issues with SP1, after letting Windows update install it. I downloaded the CD install of it and never had an issue. I think the actual installer does it differently...or maybe because it isn't one of 26 updates to download and install

 

Yes, I don't think the BIOS HDD test is a good metric for much of anything except finding errors on your drive.

Once you've determined the drive is error free, it's a poor tool to use to diagnose performance issues.

 

Funny as is, I guess mine just bricked. At this point with all these problems on this forum, I am just getting amused with it. I tried to restore to earlier today and it hangs at restoring the registry for about 20 minutes now.
Any idea what to do? I could not back up to the DVDs before, since I was missing one DVD. No driver backup, nothing. I am screwed.
How long would you give the system to try to restore the registry?

 

slotti

Do you still have a recovery partition???

reboot...hit F11 and restore the machine back to new

 

Should still be there, since I did not create the backup discs. Would you keep it running on trying to restore the registry for a bit longer or just screw it and force it to shut down and restore by hitting F11?

 

Looks borked to me! Depends on what you are gonna lose. BTW...the restore partition still works after you create the discs

 

slotti, call Resolutions and see for all your troubles if they can overnight you the DVD restore kit for free. I don't see why not.

P.S. Just read what Bobmitch suggested, if it works nevermind, but hey its always nice to have the free disks, lol.

KJ

 

If you want SP1 installer...get it here

Download details: Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (KB976932)

I have always had issues with Windows updates. I never let it push updates...I choose and do them half at a time...and the like...but service packs...just download it and do by itself

 

If you restore...do yourself a favor...first thing...create your recovery disks

 

Wow I avoided this thread all day hoping for some GOOD news...

Seems like things have gotten worse....

Is apoxxx still doing his clean install I'm guessing? Eager to see if it fixes the issue.

 

KJ and Bobsmith
I'll call them a bit later for the recovery disk.
Just when I wanted to hit the Powerbutton and force it down it actually rebooted (after about 45 minutes). Crazy. Restored to first boot up. Right away a couple JAVA update error...who cares.
Tried sound. Works through speaker now (though it sounds very bad, like cheap crappy speakers). Headphones chop out half of the vocals for some reason.
Guess I'll do some more testing tonight at home with my stereo connected.
I was under the impression that beats was supposed to give you some full sound?
I'll keep you all updated.

UPDATE: completely frooze on me. Crap

 

Is WiFi on?

 

Friends, friends. Help me understand why it's so important to save your recovery partion for a reformat. I understand why you'd need the wireless driver. But can't you jus get everything else off of hp's website with the exeption of the tridef.

 

Yup, was downloading updates (again) on WiFi. Worked fine 1st time around before I had those soundcard issues. Guess I am in the boat with the WiFi issue now.

 

Just wanted to share. When I first got my Envy it keeps freezing up every few seconds after i reboot it and that was after I installed all these updates and programs I wanted all at once. So I did a recovery through the recovery manager and installed updates 1 by 1 then reboot to see if it freezes up. After I'm done with all the updates then I download the programs I usually used and then it nvr froze again, so far at least. So for me I think it was some programs or updates that I think made the computer froze so I didn't install them and now it works perfectly.

 

So I formatted and tried to install windows, but it just says "setup could configure windows to run on tjis computers hardware. So Im posting on my phone now. Im done, this piece of crap wont even let you install windows, and i dont have the recovery dvds.

 

TheEnthusiast, welcome to NBR/Envy forums. I won't pretend to know a fraction of what some of these guys here on our forum knows but from what I think I understand..... you make the recovery dvds to reinstall the OS and all drivers except the Tridef if you want to get the from the factory configuration.

For those who want a clean install and nothing else, you need to copy the swsetup directory to get all the drivers and decide later which ones you want to install after installing your copy of Windows 7... I suppose it also saves you time and headache from downloading all those drivers.

KJ

 

Wait...did you do a system restore or from a restore point?

 

I did. And now it is freezing up on every reboot after about 2 minutes. I'll do the restore from the recovery partition when I get home.

 

Are you thinking it is your wifi card or the mobo? If wifi - why don't you see if they will just send you one to pop in?

 

The recovery DVD's include TriDef. If one chooses to do a "clean" install with their own Windows 7, then you download TriDef and make sure to keep a copy of the directory C:\SWSETUP and you can do your own install with everything to new. The recovery discs get you back to the moment you turn the machine on for the first time...with all the programs that HP loaded on the system as well

 

I get the restore point...but there are still, for lack of a better word, "rogue" files still left on the machine...cleaned registry or not...

 

Are you saying I should try the rstore poin again, or from the recovery partition (don't have the DVDs because I was short one)?
I want to give it another shot when I get home.

 

But what if I dont want any of that, and just want to install my own windows without anything on it. It won't let me, the hardware isn't compatible. I have never in my 15 years of playing woth computers experienced so much trouble with one. Thank you HP for this fantastic product, you can have it back.

 

I had that problem on the first day. For me recovery partition fixed it. Definitely try it out. good luck
Theres recovery manager. If you reboot 4-5 times in a row that would pop out or use the search to search recovery manager you can do a recovery partition

 

Recovery partition will clean up the mess and set it ALL back to when you got your machine. No rogue files, no corruption, nothing of the sort. I think it's the only way to clean up your machine

 

What about the F11 option on boot up?

 

F12 gives you options. I believe that F11 just runs the system recovery and reinstalls everything clean, again. In your case, Windows is accessible, BUT...not running correctly.

Restore the PC to its original condition using the f11 key if Windows 7 is not accessible
If the PC cannot launch into Windows, it may still be possible to use the HP Recovery Manager on the hard drive to restore the computer to its original operating condition. The Recovery Manager can be launched during the startup process by following the steps below.
1.Press the Power button to start the PC, and then press the f11 key when the standard BIOS prompts are displayed on the black screen.
NOTE: Pressing the f11 key during startup on a computer with an HP factory image will start the system recovery process even if the prompt is not displayed.

◦If the HP Recovery Manager can access the recovery partition on the hard drive, a prompt to backup the user files before beginning the recovery is displayed. Follow any on-screen instructions.
◦If the HP Recovery Manager cannot access the hard drive to fix any system errors, you will need to use the personalized recovery disc that you created to recover the hard drive to its original condition.
◦If you have not created the personalized recovery disc, or the discs are corrupted, you can order a replacement recovery disc from HP.
2.When the Recovery Manager starts, follow the step-by-step system recovery instructions shown above.

 

Leaving the office now. Will try from home.

 

That's weird, I've never seen Windows 7 do that but I've had limited platforms to run installs on. Sorry about your troubles, good luck with HP support.

 

Just to change the subject for a second....as I'm trying to learn more about SSDs in preparation for my Envy, I checked out HP's site and their take on the matter.

About Solid State Hard Drives HP ENVY 17t-2000 CTO 3D Edition Notebook PC - HP Customer Care (United States - English)

So the good news is, they say the 2nd gen. Intel SSDs will support TRIM.
Also, HP states in order to optimize your Intel SSD you must install the Intel Solid State Drive Toolbox which HP notes:

The Intel Solid State Drive Toolbox does not come installed on HP notebooks, but you can download it from the Intel Download Center . The toolbox guides you through the process of optimizing your particular Intel SSD.

Well, I enjoyed the quick read and it looks like with TRIM, the SSD will take care of itself with the occassional use of the Intel Solid State Drive Toolbox, but from what I get, you can configure the Toolbox to work by itself on a timed/schedule basis?

KJ

 

Bobsmith,
what would be your ultimate recommendation then. Try to reboot into Windows (it does work 1 out of 10 times) and try to restore once more, or do the F12.
I was on the phone with HP and they want to charge me for the recovery disk plus shipping...I declined for now, might try to call tomorrow again.

 

If you can only boot 1/10 successfully...I really think it's time to do the F11 system recovery! If you have any saved documents, etc...time to put them on a flash drive. This is gonna wipe your drive and install the software from scratch. Go back to the day you first turned on the machine...that is where you will be at the end of this...BUT...there won't be any corruption to cause you issues. If you do SP1 again...download it and install it yourself.

 

If I were you, I would just restore from the partition (and create your recovery disks ASAP). I personally don't like system restore points to back out SP's.

 

Reading all the different brand websites...TRIM / Intel Toolbox / Garbage Collection should be run about once per week. The nice part of the Intel Toolbox...it doesn't use write cycles to clean the cells on the drive...

http://downloadmirror.intel.com/18455/eng/Intel_SSD_Toolbox_User_Guide_2.0.pdf

 

Cam121 is very wise. Once you restore from the partition and are back in Windows...FIRST thing you should do is create your Recovery Disks.

 

I'm sorry if I missed it but is there anyone of the folks with faulty machines who have done a true reformat to with a virgin Win7 install- no hp stuff? If so, are any of those folk still experiencing problems?

 

I don't think anyone has yet. When I get mine in a couple of week that is probably the first thing I will do.

 

I wasn't planning on doing a clean install yet, but for giggles I went ahead and tried it tonight on my Vertex 3.

Worked fine. I haven't started messing with drivers or doing anything to make the computer actually work, but I'm sitting here looking at fresh desktop. Didn't do anything special, just click next next next, etc.

The disk I used was en_windows_7_ultimate_with_sp1_x64_dvd_618240 which I sourced with my MSDN subscription.

I'm treating this as a garbage install since (if I keep the Envy) I have other plans for disk allocation, so if anybody wants me to test anything crazy, I'm more than happy to (if able) I don't really care what breaks.

 

If I get the SSD / HDD RAID situation...I will ultimately restore using Recovery disks...BUT...I may experiment with that as well. I get my machine Friday. If I test the waters...I will post...keep an eye out.

 

bobmitch and cam,
thanks for the advice. will have dinner with family and then restore. picked up dvds on my way home to create recovery disks once I am done.

 

Just a few thoughts...

Download TriDef software. Supposedly the installer knows that you have an Envy and activates the software without a code. See if that is true:

DDD USA Inc::TriDef 3D for HP ENVY 17 3D - Welcome

Also...install AMD HD Radeon Catalyst 11.3 Mobility and see if it recognizes your video card.

http://drivers.softpedia.com/get/GR...ity-Catalyst-Driver-11-3-for-Vista-Win7.shtml

Those would kill my curiosity about a few things...

BTW

I double checked with Upper ups and HP. Using your own Windows 7 disk to install clean DOES NOT invalidate your warranty. If you should send your machine in for repair...don't be surprised if it comes back re-imaged by HP. That is that. I got the four year warranty with on site...so I am not gonna send mine in. Read the Asus forum with the G73's coming back with the wrong parts in them, etc...ugh!

 

I have a Intel X25-M G2 and as long as it is set up as ACHI in the bios windows 7 automatically preforms the TRIM function. No need for the intel toolbox. Not sure if the envy has that setting in the bios but I will find out when I put my intel 510 i have on order in my e17 i have on order.

 

The only decent sound I've ever heard from a laptop was the Dell M2010; of course it is a beast... That's why I bought it.... seriously I doubt the Envy will come anywhere close to it in sound... That's why I have my Call of Duty®: Black Ops 5.1 Dolby Headphone ProGaming Headsets, one analog and one with the digital decoder for my laptops

 

Well, my 6 year old Samsung has better sound, and it is everything else but a beast (btw. typing from it right now, since the Envy is doing the full system recovery to out of box state).
Estimated time remaining 29 minutes.....
This time I'll run the SP1 from disc.

 

Catalyst 11.3 does not properly detect hardware and only installs catalyst control center. Both GPU's show up as "Standard VGA Adapter". I'm going to run the stock HP drivers for now. Also in case you didn't know there is a thread on this section of the forum about customized 11.2 drivers that support switchable graphics, I did have that working fine earlier today.

Tridef link downloads a utility called "TriDefHPEnvy173DChecker" Running this utility launches your web browser and takes you to a page that says "Congratulations, blah blah Envy17, free download. Click Activate when prompted"

Following the download link lets you download TriDef-3D-4.5 install package. At the completion of the package installation you receive a window asking you for a serial number with the activation button greyed out

I'll email the tridef people about it when I'm in a better humor.

 

So I finally managed to install windows again after hours and hours of problems, only to find my computer freezing while downloading drivers... I think I've done what I can now, and a return is the only option.

I just hope they'll let me return it since I've formatted and removed the backup partition etc.

 

I am sorry to hear that. I am recovering from that same partition as I am writing this (obviously from a different computer).
I am curious if it will freeze again. I was fine out of the box, but windows sp1 update killed mine.
I don't think it matters that you deleted the recovery partition. After all, it is just an image. You only tried to safe them another RMA, so they should be thankful.
I am curious what the drop out rate on the Envy is. We are somewhere around 25% returns I have a feeling. That is bad.
.....ahhh recovery completed. Now let's start from he beginning.

 

Apoxxx...

Do you think replacing the wireless card would fix this? Perhaps tech support can send you one to replace yours...then see if that makes a difference. Hate to see you send the machine back if that is what is wrong...

 

Just got my Envy 3D tonight and I am really liking it so far. One question for owners: as you open and close your screen, do you get some distortion near the center of the screen (typical LCD distortion)? Just wondering if this is normal for the Envy 17 3D and if it could potentially pose a threat to the screen in the long run?

EDIT: The easiest way for me to see it is to open the "3D Demo" (make sure it's full screen) and then move the hinge.