*HP HDX18 Owners Lounge*

Does anyone know if any of the major chain stores carries the HDX18? I was hoping to get a first hand look at it before buying online.

I really want to get a laptop soon, and I am torn between the HDX and Dell SXPS 16. The Dell seems to have a bunch of issues right now (heat being the primary). The HDX is way cheaper (with coupons), but it seems like the build quality can be a little iffy. Also, I don't think I would mind the 18" size, but I am not totally sure. Besides, the idea of putting an SSD in as a primary and using a larger secondary for data is appealing.

Thanks.

 

My HDX18-1010ea came back from HP with bios version f.20, has anyone seen this, as it seems newer than whats listed on HP's site?

 

On the "Details" tab of the properties screen from device manager, you should be able to read the "Device Instance Id"

You can use the info from that screen either in google or on http://www.pcidatabase.com

 

I've seen the HDX18 at Fry's Electronics.

 

Thanks. I called the Fry's in Concord, CA and asked if they stocked the HDX16 or 18. The sales guy said he thought those "we're discontinued" but said he would check. They he proceeded to put me in hold hell for 15 minutes and never came back. I hung up! I guess I will try Palo Alto.

 

Macrium Reflect is very good and free. Google about it!

 

Do you know any other software? The one you linked to is not free. I need to pay for it for write tests.

 

Hello to all! I've just received the HP HDX18 and would like to know if there is anyting to be aware of regarding first time use/ set up out of the box?
Your help as well as your time is appreciated.
Thank you.

 

Can you use SLI with the HDX 18t?

 

Whats up guys been reading for a while finally decided to join. Ok so I call the HP tech support line and they tell me that it is possible (although it is not covered by warranty and they guarantee nothing) for the user to upgrade the graphics. So I ask him if I can put in a 9800m GTX and he says yes although they cant sell it that way or warranty or guarantee anything. Has anyone tried this or heard anything about upgrading the graphics?

 

Sorry - URL is wrong: www.newmodeus.com

http://newmodeus.com/shop/index.php...ch_result&search_in_description=1&keyword=hdx

They also have a 5% discount code from their facebook page: FB072808

Products
------------------------------------------------------
1 x Hard Drive Caddy and Cable for HP HDX18 (for 2nd HDD bay) (HP-HDX18) =
$39.99
1 x Optical Bay Hard Drive Caddy for HP HDX18 (OBHD-SATA-SATA) = $42.00
------------------------------------------------------
Sub-Total: $81.99
United States Postal Service (Priority Mail (2 - 3 days)): $4.95
Discount Coupon: FB072808 : -$4.10
Total: $82.84

 

I missed the first chance at getting the new 500 GB 7200 RPM Seagate harddrives that Newegg had but I now have two on the way. They are sold out again BTW. Now if only I could get my hands on the G.Skill 8GB DDR2 5300 kit.

 

well my hdx18 arrived today, seems to be in good shape, but the touchpad is the exact same one from the hdx16, which means the lines don't line up with the patern that surrounds it.

 

I know its trivial, but that drives me crazy. My OCD cant handle it!

 

Well I got mine order yesterday should be shipping out in about two weeks. I want to thanks those who have helped me with my many questions. So soon I will be an official owner of a HDX18t. Can't wait..I did make a few changes as suggest by a few on here and saved a few bucks in the long run. I will keep you posted with my journey to becoming a HP owner. I hope it goes easier than the Dell H*ll I was in. My refund from Dell paid for the whole thing in which I got a bigger refund for my hassle so it all worked out. I can't wait to put this baby through its paces. Sad I am getting more in this than I had on my Studio 17 for less money. I was going to go for the 3 Dimms 4gb memory and the better vid card but did not want to shell out that much and do not think I really need it so I used the money saved to get Home & Student and the migration cable to off load my suff off the Insprion 1520. Life is good....lol

 

My config...tHP HDX18t Premium Series Notebook PC
- Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium with Service Pack 1 (64-bit)
- Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo Processor T9600 (2.80GHz)
- 4GB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm) - For 512MB NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT graphics
- 500GB 7200RPM SATA Dual Hard Drive (250GB x 2) with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
- 512MB NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT
- 18.4" diagonal High Definition HP Ultra BrightView Infinity Display (1920x1080p)
- Lightscribe Blu-Ray ROM with SuperMulti DVD+/-R/RW Double Layer
- Webcam + Fingerprint Reader with HP Imprint Finish (Fluid)
- Intel Next-Gen Wireless-N Mini-card with Bluetooth
- HP Integrated HDTV Hybrid Tuner
- HP Color Matching Keyboard
- 8 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
- No Productivity Software
- System Recovery DVD with Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium (64-bit)
- HP Home & Home Office Store in-box envelope

 

I bought the Blu Ray Burner, but I'm wondering what capabilities it has. I expected it to be a straight burner, without support for erasing or dual layer, but?

The Device Manager shows: HL-DT-ST BD-RE GBW-B10N

With it showing "BD-RE", does that mean it supports erase? What about dual layer reading / writing? The specs from HP seem nearly useless, and I can't find any info on the web (I assume it is a Hitachi-LG drive).

 

so noone has heard anything of replacing the graphics?

 

From what I remember of the DV9500 I had, it is possible but nearly impossible. There are two factors involved.

1. The MCM (I think that is the form factor) that HP uses is slightly different then all the rest of the manufactures. This means it is dam near impossible to get a replacement that will work.

2. If you are fortunate to get a replacement then the fun begins. On the Dell and most others all you do is pop out the HSF combo and the graphics should pop out. However on the HP it is not that easy and requires some patience and skill.

 

Mine arrived yesterday afternoon; I too have the same problems with the touchpad and some "bowing" on the left side of my keyboard. But no dead pixels so I am satisfied. Can anyone with a 2.8GHZ Core Duo and 4GB memory tell me what their WEI is? I checked mine right away and it is an overall 5 because of the graphics? I have the DDR3 memory and 1GB dedicated graphics (hope I put that right). My HDX "DRAGON" and my DV-7T have higher WEI's. What can I do to tweak my machine? I am not a heavy gamer, but I do like Crysis and the Call of Duty genres. Alot of movies and music videos from ITunes too. Any tips?

 

Do you have item numbers and cost information please? Thanks

 

For the hard drives or memory?

 

Seagate Momentus 7200.4 ST9500420AS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Notebook Hard Drive - OEM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148374 $139.99 (Still sold out)

G.SKILL 8GB (2 x 4GB) 200-Pin DDR2 SO-DIMM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) Laptop Memory - Retail: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231210 was $379.99 (Deactivated Item)

 

Why would it be deactivated? Does anyone even make 4 gig DDR3 ram sticks yet?

 

I can't answer your question about the DDR3 memory. Sorry. The memory I posted was DDR2.

 

Hey all,

I know it doesn't come up that often, but occasionally the question is asked if it's possible to run XP on the HDX18t. I can confirm that it is possible. I have a working 32-bit XP Pro installation with Device Manager identifying all detected devices. I cannot confirm every device would work as effectively or provide all the functionality as the factory Vista install and drivers, as I don't plan to make my XP installation do everything. I set up a separate partition for the XP install, which I am using for applications where I am not sufficiently satisfied with how they performed with 64-bit Vista. I will still use Vista for Media Center and such and would NOT recommend completely doing away with the factory Vista install if you want to be able to do everything the HDX18t was designed to do. Also, for those considering attempting this, it is not for the 'faint of heart'. For my install, it required doing a lot of searching, research, and trial and error to get all the drivers. Unfortunately, I'm not in a position to put a detailed guide together right now, but I thought I would let everyone know it is possible for those adventurous enough to do so.

Cheers!

 

I switched from Ghost to ShadowProtect after reading about it at PCMAG.com.

ShadowProtect is much faster, has more options, and you don't have to build the recovery boot disk (adding drivers etc. like Ghost).

The bare-metal recovery boot disk and ShadowProtect definitely work - my Samsung 500 gb 5400 RPM drive went totally dead (unrecognized even) a week after I started using ShadowProtect and I had my system back up and running with blank 320 gb 7200 RPM Hitachi in under 2 hours, no glitches.

 

http://www.memory-up.com/memory/DellStudioLaptop_RAM381.html?utm_source=PriceWatch&utm_medium=cpc
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Micron/8566MDR3S4GB/
http://www.micron.com/products/partdetail?part=MT16JSS51264HY-1G1
http://www.satech.com/mt16jss51264hy-1g1.html

http://www.micron.com/products/modules/sodimm/partlist?den=4GB

 

XP questions
Is your BluRay working?

Did you use vista drivers from the HP web site, http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareList?os=2093&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&product=3769214&lang=en

Linux, Intrepid: Does anyoine have the Bluray working?

 

Can someone confirm that this notebook will fit in a Mobile Edge MEV17S case, as I'm considering having one imported in to the UK, but won't be able to return it

 

Unfortunately I do not have a Blu-Ray disc to test this out. I was planning on using Vista for playing media.

I did use Vista drivers from HP as my first source. Some work, some do not.

 

What about 4GB 1x4 200-pin DDR2 PC2-6400 SO-DIMM. Anybody know where I can get them?

 

Hey everyone... i'm seriously thinking about getting a hdx18 some time this week. Can anyone tell me if it is necessary to get a laptop cooler? I'm not a gamer but I do use my laptop for long hours (sometimes 12-15 hours) for Photoshop, Flash, After Effects etc and I also occasionally leave it on overnight to download stuff or convert videos. I find laptop coolers pretty inconvenient and I know heat isn't much of an issue with the hdx18 but I will get one if you guys think I need it... and if i do need one, which one would you recommend?

 

Thanks Lanc, just got this in and I really wanted a slim carrying case as the hdx18 is already a bit of a beast. This bag and the slim kensington power supply are perfect. Rep to ya.

CC

 

You really feel that messenger bag fit this laptop well? The one I got from Amazon, did hold it but I don't feel anything you spend this much money on should sit outside the pocket designed to hold a laptop. I felt like it was unprotected in that bag.

 

jm,

Well? It fits in the slot for the laptop in this bag, though granted it just barely fits. If you are addressing the issue that that bag does not have the protective padding that other bags do then I totally agree. However, I have plenty of bulky bags that I hate to carry if I am not traveling long distances. I wanted a slim bag for around town and this fit the bill for me.

CC

 

Great! I had ordered another of this bag for another HDX18t, and when I received it, the bag was about 1/2 inch smaller than my original one, and the HDX18t didn't fit! I gave it to my daughter for her 17" Dell.

I'm happy to hear that the current Belkin's still fit! I must have gotten a defective one!

Thanks.

 

Yes it does. I posted about it earlier in this topic. Just do a search.

 

Yeah thats what i mean. I actually had that messenger bag infront of me when I compared it to the one that I got. I posted a picture of it in this form:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showpost.php?p=4445740&postcount=3738

It was a: Targus - Platinum Blacktop Deluxe Laptop Case - Black/Gray Model: CPT401DUS

It isnt a drop in the bag type case, but you put it in flat, strap it in and zip up..
This case imo is the same size if not a bit more easier to carry around and it keeps the laptop totally protected in padding. I am just making sure people are aware of this as I understand using a bag to protect your investment is important, but if one has padding and one does not and there the same size for carrying...

 

Personally, I hate fold-open notebook bags. Just my preference, but only TOPLOADERS for me.

 

Good point. This is not the bag for you if you are looking for good protection from impacts. I am a bit more careful when I carry it in the belkin messenger compared to my other cases but I do still really like the Belkin. I agree with Lan about top loaders only and my specific target was a very slim case which the belkin fits to a tee. Thanks for the post about the targus and the pic.

CC

 

Sure, I also prefer top loaders (which is the reason i ordered the messenger bag) but just didn't feel right carrying my notebook in a place it wasn't meant to go into. And to be honest, imho, I had them both infront of me and the targus was thinner. Just wasn't a top loader.

Your welcome for the pics. They were posted to help people find a case, when I was searching i found lots of posts but a picture is thousand words.

 

That MobileEdge MEV17S is a real nice toploader bag, with a sleeve that the HDX18t fits in for very good protection.

I, too, like the lightness and ease of the Belkin, but if was going to really travel, the MobileEdge fits the bill. Under $50 at Amazon.

 

I am a bit mystified by the "in a place it wasn't meant to go" statement. Because the fit is tight in the laptop slot? I won't argue that it isn't a snug fit but I don't feel like I put it somewhere it wasn't meant to be. Was the belkin messenger 17 made for the HDX18? Probably not, but it fits-and I really like the look and feel of the case.


CC

 

I just scored the G.skill 8GB DDR2 5300 kit from someone of eBay for $300 with shipping. I just happened to search eBay for ddr2 so-dimm 8gb and the search came back with this item: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120375686085 They had just posted the auction. Now, hopefully it gets delivered. The user has 100% feedback so that makes me feel better.

 

I just purchased the Toshiba 18.4-inch gaming backpack for my HDX18. Picked it up for $80.00 plus s/h and tax. It appears Toshiba jhas/had a notebook similiar in size with the HDX. Once it arrives, I can give a quick review if anybodies interested.

Here's the site if you are interested:
http://www.toshibadirect.com/td/b2c/adet.to?seg=HHO&poid=426912

 

Mine seems to be getting pretty hot - I've got an application that watches it and it always stays hotter than I would like. Though, I don't know if it is really dangerous ranges. The Zalman 2000 is nice and should fit the 18t- http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Zalman/ZM-NC2000
This forum also has a lot of info -
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=263039

 

Anyone have trouble with their onscreen sound adjstment popping up and going crazy. It's happened to me a couple times. The 3 bar sound readout with Volume, Treble, and Base keep popping up and either the treble or base will keep adjusting up or down randomly. (which one is changing depends on which is selected on the mediasmart bar. The only thing that stops it is a reboot.

 

Are you doing heavy stuff like gaming when it gets that hot? Or just normal stuff like surfing, microsoft office etc? What temp do you usually get?

 

I was getting this behavior until I installed the latest MediaSmart update on HP's website.

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareList?os=2100&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&lang=en&product=3769214