*HP Envy 15 (11XX / 12XX series) Owners Lounge!*

Is there a list anywhere that shows us what each of those folders is for? Most of them seem pretty obvious but some have cryptic folder names and there's really no way to identify what's in the folder.

 

well, once the game is installed you won't need to use either the DVD nor the ISO, that's the point of the no-cd crack...just make sure the game works properly, then dump the iso.

 

There is a list of the drivers in the SWsetup folder, the very last item (2K .txt), it's still a little cryptic but should help.

 

There was a coupon out at the end of January as well. Of course you might be referring to the same one .

I was on the fence on ordering it at the time and i opted for the Sony CW since I needed something asap.

 

Is it possible to upgrade an i5 processor to an i7 processor on the Envy? Just wondering because the 5830 video card shows a version for an i5 and an i7.

 

Aren't you the same KevHuynh @ DPReview forum with all of those Macro photography? Lol....I am close on pulling the trigger for Sony CW. If they have the Sony CW + i5-540m or i7-620m + nVidia GT 330M, I would've pulled the trigger, but the best was i5-520m

 

They use different motherboards. I think someone here tried putting an i7-720QM on an i5 Envy and it wouldn't take.

I think you can upgrade it to an i7-620 - search this thread for i7-620 and you should find some posts about it.

 

Damn.

There's a cpu seller that has a ton of history selling chips and he's got the i7-920 for like 220 bucks or so shipped DHL.

Is this mobo hurdle just an Envy thing or is it with all I5/I7 processors?

 

Lol, naw man. I'm like the worse photographer. My pix for ebay are all shaky and fuzzy.

 

My Envy 15 right arrow button sticks, anyone have a cure?

 

Air duster and an alcohol wipe. Works for me at work.

 

I know in the desktop world they use different sockets 1156 and 1366 i think but sounds like with the Envy it has more to do with the Bios.

You can always bump up to the i7-620 (or better whenever they show up) when the time comes. Keep your awesome battery life and heat with that extra bump in performance.

Remember in real world application i7 Quads and i5 will be comparable, if not a little skewed towards the i5.

 

The i7 920 is a desktop processor.

 

That would be it. Thanks!

Does anyone know how we can get the above link added to the HP Out Of The Box Guide thread?

 

Can someone who has the power slice tell me how hot it gets on the bottom when using it? I'm very very close to buying the envy with that $300 off coupon they have right now, but I need to know if I'm going to be able to put it on my lap or not and use it as an actual "laptop" for 3-4 hrs when I can't get access to a power outlet. (I can deal w/ the extra weight and size of the "slice").

And also, how hot does it really feel on the palm rests w/ moderate usage like streaming music while running multiple semi-heavy load applications (like very large databases, etc.)
I've read tons of reviews on the envy with detailed temperature readings but I just want to know how it "feels". I don't know what xdegrees farenheight "feels like" or if it's going to make my palms all sweaty.
I was in a fry's electronics today and played with and envy 15 i7 and the palm rest was uncomfortably warm, but I think it was a first generation envy and everything I read says the 2nd generation envy's run much cooler right? And really, how much hotter do the i7's run than the i5's? I mean if it's not that big of a difference I would get the i7, but if it is I would definitely want the i5 (since it sounds like the i5 can still play any game on med settings and do everything else I would want it to do)

So, cliffs notes, with a medium heavy workload on the processor, (not gaming, just cpu intensive apps)
a) how hot does the envy "feel" heat wise on the bottom with and without the "battery slice"/can u put it your lap comfortably?
b) how's it "feel" heat wise on the palm rests
c) how's it "feel" heat wise w/ i5 vs i7 is the difference really worth the processor downgrade?

Thanks for help, much appreciated

 

Gotcha.

This was the guy. It's the samei7 720

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...2&Category=164&_trkparms=algo=LVI&its=I&otn=2

 

Word is (from this thread) that the i7s are significantly hotter, but not unbearably hot, whereas the i5s have no heat issues.

Honestly I don't regard the i5/i7 swap as a 'downgrade' - on most current tasks the i5s are equal if not better than the quads. That may not be true going forward but we're only barely seeing two cores used in applications these days - I buy quads for my desktop just because the marginal cost is a lot less, but for the Envy, the recommendation I got (and support) is i5-540 all the way.

 

yikes, today I was playing a flash game and the right arrow button made a loud snapping noise when I pressed it a bit hard (but not any harder than I used to treat other keyboards).
the button seems to be fine despite this, but pressing it carefully I do notice it sinks in a bit, taking a bit of the end key down as well.
that really scared me..

 

Well I'm probably in trouble anyway. I didn't make the disks before I upgraded to Ultimate. If I'm reading a line from that link correctly:

"Recovery disk cannot be created if the OS has been changed"

 

Ultimate can do system image by itself.

 

Wait, why do you guys think that Apple will *increase* the price of the new Macbook Pros?

If the past is any indication, the new top-of-the-line model will replace the outgoing top-of-the-line model at the same price with all of the old models getting knocked down in price and the bottom-of-the-pack/s getting discontinued completely. I saw this happen years ago with their Power Mac G4 desktops and they always do this with their phones and media players, plus this happened recently with their white plastic Macbooks going to unibody construction + upgrading screen spec for the same price.

You basically get a better machine for the same price when the new model comes out. That's how technology works. This would/should be the case as I don't think they have justification to raise prices.

Also, I think a lot of these Envy vs. MBP comparisons are WAY overblown. Maybe in benchmarks, the current top of the line Envy "BLOWS AWAY" the current top of the line MBP, but benchmarks are NOT what matter to the vast majority of users. Build quality, design, looks, battery life, user experience --- those things are *FAR* more important (again, to most users) than the numbers on your screenshot.

Keep it real, don't be a fanboy.

 

b) My i5 always "feels" comfortable. The temperature at medium-high loads "feels" lukewarm at most.
c) I don't have an i7 to compare against.

 

I don't think you need recovery disks. I just copied the SWSetup folder and that allowed me to install what I needed and skip the rest of the crap. Seems much faster and better. Don't really see a point of factory restore.

 

I agree except if you have to return the envy to HP for any type software related warranty issue (or phone related software support). It's also a very quick and easy way to completely wipe your machine if you are returning or selling it, all your personal stuff is removed.

 

You could just reinstall your own W7 and activate it with the original HP key (which you extract before reinstalling over factory install) which will wipe and revert everything.

 

a) no warmer than body temperature for the hour or two I've used it while browsing the web with the computer on my lap. Without the slice, it can get quite toasty since the metal case is on one's lap. Think of the slice as a "lap cooler" than extends battery life 1.5 times, but unfortunately costs $125.
b) toasty, but not hot. Definitely warm to the touch.
c) dunno, only have an i5.

 

If you use the system on battery, get the i5, if you use it on a desk, get the i7.

The i5 gets better battery life and runs cooler. More importantly, it is faster on battery power than the i7 is(unless you are encoding video or something).

The i7 of course, is really fast, so get it if you need it.

If hte i7 620M was reasonably priced, it is my CPU of choice.

Honestly, I think the most compelling reason to get an i7 quad is the USB3 and the extra ram slots. I hate HP for screwing us i5 owners for no reason here.

 

I thought that the RAM slots were a limitation on the motherboard (i.e. Intel) and not HP?

 

Regarding slipstreaming/vlite: Be careful if you use vlite to remove unwanted Windows options, because it will break the ability to install future Service Packs. I slipstreamed SP1 onto a Vista DVD back in the day, also removing a bunch of unwanted crap (screensavers, wallpapers, Windows junk apps, sounds, sample videos, etc) and somewhere along the way lost the ability to upgrade to SP2 when it came out. I had to do a clean reinstall with my RTM dvd to be able to upgrade to SP2.

Here's the MS knowledgebase article that even mentions vlite: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/968279/en-us

I don't think this technically applies to simply slipstreaming a service-pack to an install DVD, but using vlite you would have to be really careful to not make any other changes. The space and bloat savings with vlite was great, but not worth losing the ability to upgrade service packs.

 

b addendum) changed "Fan Always On" to "Off" in the BIOS last night because I started noticing a buzzing noise with the right-side fan. With the fan not continuously running, on a bed, at medium load, the machine felt warmer than under medium-high loads with fan always on.

Hmm, hope the buzzing stops or might have to send 'er in for repair.

 

Sounds like a bad bearing, blow it out with compressed air.

Also why are you running it sitting on a bed? thats VERY bad heat wise.

 

I played Civ4 in an economy airline seat for 3 hours straight, and it was fine The slice doesn't get appreciably hot, nor does the Envy itself. On battery the palm rests are perfectly cool. When running a Handbrake job on a 1080p file while plugged in, it gets mildly warm. The i5 version just doesn't get uncomfortably hot. It gets noticeably warm, but not even enough to make my palms sweat. As for the i7, I have no idea. If you're not planning on doing a ton of HD encodes or fluid dynamics simulations, I would say go with the i5. If you can't think of anything other than games that you will need the i7 for, you don't need one, and it will be cooler and last longer on battery and possibly even perform better by going with an i5.

 

So guys, I just ordered a Desktop and intended to get a light laptop to complement it.

The desktop is a Dell Studio XPS 8100.

However now that there's a 300 USD off coupon for the Envy I'm thinking of canceling the order and actually just having one machine.

I do not travel much, I will mostly be using engineering tools: MATLAB, LabView and MS Word, Excel, Visio.

I am a multimedia buff, so I want a machine that can playback/stream HD content with no problem. I'm sure the Envy 15 is up to task but my major concerns are the little inconveniences I keep hearing about.

I intend to get the i7, and I have no idea how hot this guy gets since user experience is relative. But I can imagine that a little warmness won't bother me at all.

The display only opening to an angle of 110 degrees raises an eye brow ... It's just a bad design to implement. It'll mostly be on my desk, and I move it downstairs while watching TV so that isn't an issue but still ... Has it actually been an issue with anyone?

Lastly, I will be doing a clean install the minute I get this thing. I'm hoping setup isn't a hassle with drivers and what not.

 

Actually I think the envy opens to 120 degree's or somewhere thereabouts. Anyway I've noticed some complaints about how far the screen opens but to be honest it seems almost perfect angle for me at least.

 

I am getting the 'buzzing' on the left side CPU fan(s), only when it is at the lowest idle speed. I actually swapped out the whole fan assembly with the one from my other envy (which I'm returning) this seemed to solve the problem until 2 days ago when it started doing the same thing again

What is very strange is when I went back to the other envy with what should be the 'bad' fan I heard no buzzing sound? It had been off for several days so I just fired it up again and will leave it on to see if the noise returns.

I ordered a replacement fan assembly from HP which should be here today, will advise if this solves the issue.

I also tried compressed air (as someone mentioned) and it made no difference. I am now wondering if this may not be the fan at all but rather some sort of power issue when at idle. IMO it is not the bearings since there should be some noise from a bad bearing at more than just the lowest RPM.

Anyone else have the buzzing sound from either of the fans??

 

i hope HP fixes the problems with this machine, i love it but it has to many flaws.

 

I hav hte buzzing sound, and it has nothing to do with the fans. My fans are off 95% of the time but I hear it anyway. It is not always there though, iti s some sort of power issue related to the CPU being at low speed or something like that.

My Dell Inspiron 9300 does it, my Mini 9 and the Touchstone charger for my Pre all have hte same problem. I have no idea hwo to fix it.

 

two battery related questions:
how does the envy handle it's cooling if the slice covers the two bottom vents?
also, reposting, how bad is it for the normal battery to be kept plugged in at 100% and more often than not only being discharged to 70% before being plugged in again in terms of overall battery life?

 

Well I haven't had a reason to extend my current laptop's lid beyond roughly 100 degrees, but still you won't always be using a laptop computer in ideal situations.

In the event that you have to work under conditions such that your straight line of sight is much higher than usual, you would wish this guy could exceed 120 degrees.

Not a big deal just a minor flaw in design I guess. The more I look at this machine the more I'm trying to convince myself that I don't need an optical drive and great battery life. Regardless, my Dell order has already shipped, and while the desktop is more powerful and will be used for all my computing needs, a laptop computer is an absolute necessity in my life.

Maybe I'll just buy both. But that will be redundant seeing as the ENVY 15 is almost as powerful as that machine.

 

yeah my other options was a very slim MSI. If the ENVY doesn't live up to my expectations I'll be returning it for that MSI.

But i REALLY hope it meets them.

 

The entire front of the laptop is wide open to allow for airflow. It allows the slice to work, and also makes it possible to leave it working on a bed.

 

TEMPERATURE COMPARISON -- HP FACTORY INSTALL vs. CLEAN WIN 7

Due to the fan issue I posted earlier, I unpacked the Envy that I was returning to check for fan noise. After idling for 2 hours I noticed it felt warm compared to my other Envy. After all the recent posts regarding temperatures I decided to compare the 2 machines.

What I found was quite surprising, the factory (restored) envy runs more than 10C warmer with all settings the same as the clean win 7 install Envy. It appears that factory setup has over 70 processes running and never allows the CPU to idle. The 2 biggest culprits for CPU usage seem to be 'desktop windows manager - DWM.exe' and explorer.exe. On the clean install DWM.exe and explorer are almost always idle....

Screen shots below. The factory version has been running for 3+ hours and the other one has been on all night (sleep) and running today for ~5+ hours. All power plan settings are the same and the 'clean install' machine has been used all morning while the 'factory' model has been just idling.


HP factory temps: EDIT: (+2 hrs) temps now 38 & 39C, still 3 - 6% CPU usage @ idle. EDIT 2: 6 hrs later; now at 36 & 37C and CPU still 3 - 6%

Clean install temps: EDIT: +6 hrs (at idle) Temps down to 18 & 28C, GPU at 35C

 

The slice does not actually cover the air intakes on the bottom. There are rubber spacers between the computer and the slice which leave about 1/16" air gap around the base and there is a full width detent area on top of the slice that matches where the vents are and allows air from below the hinge area (1/8" gap) to reach the intakes.

 

You guys are going to make me pull the trigger on an Envy really soon.

The i7-720 ... I'm guessing it's not worth the price? What about the dual SSD option? Does the Envy have an option to put them in RAID (0 and 1)?

I don't know why I'm so indecisive. I promised my sister I'd give her my current machine once my desktop order arrives, but I've just realized how much of a necessity a laptop is for me.

 

Speaking of RAID, does the 160gb+250gb option ship in RAID or...?

 

Not sure, but the ideal configuration I can think of would be the HDD mirroring 160GB worth of data (OS/Programs/Page file) to the SSD for faster reads. You pretty much get the performance of an SSD ... Well kinda.

 

Consensus from this thread seems to be that the SSD is worth it if you can afford it (or if you get a good enough coupon). Whether or not the i7 is worth it depends on what you're using it for. For my case (regular business use, occasional gaming use, photoshop but not video editing) I came down squarely in the 'not worth it' column since I preferred the additional battery life of the i5.

 

I think the 2x SSD does ship in RAID0.

 

@akin_t
IMO it's well worth the price; 2 160GB 1.8" intels for $550, can't touch that for less than ~$1000 plus cost of brackets etc. The dual SSD's ship in RAID0 config.

@nu D
Pretty sure you can't pair an SSD and HDD in RAID, if you could the HDD speed would cripple the SSD performance...

 

The only reason to get 720 is for 2 additional memory slot and USB 3.0. The memory bandwidth on i7 is also noticeable faster.