HP Ram Problem?

Hey everyone. Basically, I just got a new HP laptop. The model number is: dv9730nr and the specs are:

core 2 duo 1.67 ghz
3 gb ram
8600 graphics card
320 gb hd

On sale at Best Buy and couldn't resist. So far its been running pretty good, the thing is I suspect it might have some corrupt ram. After opening maybe 2 or 3 applications (such as a few internet browser windows and maybe aim and msn messenger) The fan goes on LOUDLY as if I'm running a graphics intense game and the CPU usage is usually somewhere between the 70 and 80 percentile. Keep in mind its a 3 gb comp! Also, the memory use, under cpu usage in task manager, never drops below 1.5 gb even if nothing is open.

Soooooo.....do I have some bad ram?

Thanks

 

No, you have a bad and bloated operating system. You need to look up the reinstall guide and use it.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=165319

 

appreciate the post, but I forgot to mention that I have Vista. The link you put is for XP recovery.....

 

Vista will run for a while until it finishes it's housekeeping then it'll perform more efficiently and cooler.

 

RAM problems will give you blue screens or major errors.

Run memtest86+ or your BIOS memory test if it helps you sleep better at night

 

Your OS will not even start if it was the RAM. Like Greg said it must be bloatware. You need to reformat and reinstall the OS

 

Get HWMonitor and check your temps. Make sure you have the latest BIOS flashed in. CPU-Z (from the CPUID guys) will identify your BIOS easily.

If you do wind up doing a clean install, try to switch to 64-bit Vista while you're at it. That way you can replace your 1GB SODIMM with another 2GB stick and be able to do dual-channel memory access. Or, downgrading to WinXP as Greg implied is a reasonable option.

 

Usually, if there's a RAM problem, you'll get a blue screen or you'll see a lot of RAM DUMP error messages. That's when your memory basically takes a dump because it can't hold whatever it's trying to hold. It's metaphorically incontinent! So sad.

I have 3GB and a 2.1 ghz dual core Turion. It's never gone above 62C and generally stays between 30C and 38C for both cores during web surfing and such.

 

Bloatware isn't 100% the culprit for the constant RAM usage. The main reason that the RAM usage is so high is because Vista pre-caches files and programs in the RAM so when you access them, they are ready to go. As soon as you start using Vista, it starts recording files and programs that you access and how frequently you access them. Once Vista knows enough about you, it will take the programs and files that you access the most and pre-load them into RAM so they are ready to go as soon as you access them.

I do recommend doing a clean install, because the performance gain is amazing, but you won't notice any difference in the RAM usage. Also, don't think of this as a bad thing, Vista does a good job at managing the RAM and will never take too much.

Also, I doubt you will be able to downgrade to XP on the new models. I've been hearing a lot of problems with people finding the audio drivers for XP. This is the biggest problem with the newer laptops, the manufacturers aren't creating anymore XP drivers.

 

It's Vista's fault. I'd suggest installing XP on the laptop using the link provided by Greg (or even better, Linux, if you're into that sort of thing ).

 

Lol it's Vista's fault.....I love that comment. Vista isn't completely bad, but at the moment for the everyday user, XP is just the obvious choice. As I stated in the end of my last post though, it's not possible to install XP on the newer model HP Laptops. The audio drivers are no longer made for XP, so people with the newer HP laptops are out of luck with audio if they move to XP.

 

Actually, I have full audio support on my dv9700t in XP.

 

just about ready to reformat this thing. Thing is, I just cant see how bloatware can cause the physical memory to hit between 1.75 - 2 gb's just by opening like 2 or 3 applications. I mean, it has 3 gb's of ram! How the heck can can a few apps make the memory hit so high?!? Maybe if I was running some hardcore games, but I'm not. I just dont get it.

 

Why do you think its called bloatware? It could even be a spyware or virus. Your OS files could be messed up

It shouldnt be that bad specially with just a few apps on. A clean install should fix this.

 

It seems like every time hardware improves, bloatware gets worse along with it...that's just how it works. I don't understand how anyone can tolerate the OEM Windows installs....they're taking an already crappy operating system and making it absolutely untolerable.