*HP dv6t & dv7t Select Edition / Quad Edition (6XXX series) Owners Lounge*

Jerohm, after all the naysaying about HP's alleged abhorrent laptop screens I was starting to get scared that I made a terrible purchase with my dv7tqe. Thank you for a post on the other side of the fence. I really just want to enjoy my first laptop.

 

I am finding my screen to be just fine. Still adapting and adjusting settings, but am sure I will be overjoyed. I am coming from a 1600 X 900 17" Fujitsu that has been a great workhorse, but has aged out and weighs nearly twice my dv6t. If we try hard enough, we can find defects in everything.

Looking at a screen / monitor in a store such as Best Buy is like looking at a TV in a similar setting. They have been optimized for the retail setting by their resident experts. The products are eye candy "tuned" to sell. When you buy one and bring it home, you have to tune it as you would a piano or guitar. Your new computer or TV (out of the box) will never look exactly like what you see in a store. So, you have to adjust such electronic products to your individual preferences.

It's all good! Keep in mind that people share what they don't like more frequently than what they are overjoyed with. Take a deep breath and enjoy your laptop!

Cheers!

 

I really wish thread search was functional. I switch between the graphics cards all the time. This was covered a ways back.

I chose the DV6TQE for portability. I travel, I bought the old DV7 and the sheer size was just overwhelming, it wouldn't fit in my current airport vetted bag, and would've been a pain anywhere. Even the screen on the DV7 isn't big enough for any decent CAD or design work, so I know that I'm going external for that anyhow.

One thing I do like so far is that I haven't found my laptop in my briefcase with fans full on and overheating a slow death. The HP power management is pretty good. My Lenovo was crap.

 

Does the DV6TQE have a second hard drive bay? If not, I'm thinking about doing the optical drive hd swap but thats $40 for an external dvd burner, and $45 for the hd enclosure for the optical drive, which makes it not worth it to me.

 

Quick question, so do the latest models of the dv6tqe all include the Sandy Bridge processor??

 

4 digit CPU number (2520M, 2630QM, 2720QM, etc..) = Sandybridge
3 digit CPU number (720QM, 820QM..) = Clocksfield
3 digit without Q (520M, 620M..) = Cloverfield

Yes dv6t'QE' models should have Sandybridge but earlier model have defective chipset B2. So buy one with model number starting 6xxx, which is this thread title.

 

My first ever post on this website.

Hello World... or something.

Really interested in this DV7t though. Read thru most of the posts, lots of info. Have yet to see a thorough/professional review though (i.e. on other websites like anandtech, laptopmag, notebookreview, etc.)

P.S. Minor correction, the above poster meant to say Clarksfield (not clocksfield) and arrandale (not cloverfield) being the designations for the mobile versions of the cpus. In case anyone tried to google or wikipedia or something...

 

My screen looks excellent, and a vast and marked improvement over the Gateway I had previously.

On my previous Gateway (NV5927U) I definitely experienced the 'screen door' effect, although I had a coworker with the exact same laptop whose screen looked excellent.

I was somewhat worried with this laptop that I might experience it again, but I have been quite happy to note that it is not the case. The screen is extremely smooth and clear. So far no complaints except for a minor one with updating the ATI 6770M drivers which I have since worked around.

EDIT:

My screen is the AUO139E.

EDIT2:

My machine is:
dv7tqe | i7-2630QM | 6770M Graphics | 6GB DDR3 RAM | 750GB 5400RPM Hard Drive | Blu-ray player & SuperMulti DVD burner with Lightscribe

Would have liked to have had a backlit keyboard, and if I could find one that would look decent in this machine and was sure to fit, I'd try it myself.

 

So the one I ordered was XW898AV. Is that the right series?

Also, they (HP) just increased the instant rebate by $100. Of course, that makes no difference if you want to use the 30% off coupon. I'm trying to figure out HP's pricing models. The biggest coupon I've ever seen was for 33%...my guess is that the 30% coupon wasn't moving stock fast enough and so they needed to make it more enticing to those who normally don't look for coupons.

EDIT: for those still looking...I haven't found any preordering discounts to lower the price of a dv6tqe below ~$770. Since about February at least... Different free add ons might change that line marginally, but that's what I've seen. Given inflation, today would seem cheaper than March, let's say, so there's no time like the present

 

Has anyone found a sata cable for the second hard drive in the dv7tqe at a reasonable price? The cheapest I found was $38.55 + $6.90 shipping from Newmodeus.com.
HP dv7tqe Cassy & Cable

 

On that link in red letters it says

Yet right above that the website says

That's pretty confusing.

 

There was an old dv7 with the old i7 quad!

I'm in contact with newmodeus, I wrote an email and asked them about an ETA on the cable. I'll post the answer here:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/hp-...ries-second-hard-drive-cable.html#post7494615

 

Has anyone else's webcam disappeared from their Device Manager? I have a dv7 and used Skype just a few days ago for a video call. Now Skype doesn't think I have a webcam, and there's no webcam listed in the DM. (I have another HP laptop, and on that one the webcam appears under the category "Imaging Devices.")

I'm pretty sure it had something to do with software/updates I installed, but I don't want to start uninstalling stuff willy nilly. System Restore created lots of additional problems. And there's no webcam setting in the BIOS. I think a fresh install may be in my future unless someone out there has a bright idea.

 

First completely shut your computer down ... and come back up. Does that help anything? The Webcam is a USB device so you should be able to go through a new hardware discovery procedure if it is something transitory. (Control Panel->Adding new hardware OR scan for hardware changes). Good Luck

 

Did anyone get the 6230 wireless card work?

 

Has anyone figured out how to disable the webcam yet, using key combinations?

 

Thanks to everyone for dropping so much knowledge in this thread, much appreciated. Two questions:

1. I just created the set of backup media from HP Recovery Manager. After doing so, I figured to just delete the partition using the option "Remove recovery partition". Well, after choosing this option, it doesn't seem to do anything. The recovery partition is still there. Can I just go to my computer and click "format" to regain the 17 GB on my drive?

2. After backing up the "SWSetup" folder, can I just delete it or is that where the actual drivers are located?

Thanks!

 

If you choose to reformat the recovery partition it will clear the drive but it will not add it back to the first drive on it's own. Also the recovery drive is usually a hidden drive.

 

you should be able to use the Administrative Tools->Disk Management to delete D: and grow C:

I hope you verified your Recovery Disks.

SwSetup should be able to be deleted ... just make sure you made a BU copy.

My drive (640GB/7200rpm) also has a 200MB Partition 0 and a 103MB Partition 3 in the beginning and end of the disk.
(I wouldn't screw with those myself)

 

Hmm I did not realize that you could do it with a windows standard tool. I've always used downloadable applications or HP's Recovery Disk
Remover. Thanks for the correction!

 

Thanks, that worked perfectly! Repped!

 

I originally posted it in the modding thread, but probably more people read this one... so I'll post it here aswell.

I have an old DV9000, do you think that I can use the hard-drive the caddy used in that one in my new DV7tqe 6000 without having to buy any new parts from HP?

Spoiler

 

Has anybody run a dv7 with and without a cooling pad / cooler under it?

Which model cooler did you use and how much difference did it make in CPU temps?

Just did a Prime95 and saw 79-82° on core one, which is bound to be higher when summer get here.

 

everest reports the hdd is only using sata2, can anyone confirm this?

gigabyte 6 series tool reports 1x sata 3 being used, 1x sata 2 being used

someone confirm something, lol.
I've got an "old" ssd so it doesn't really matter but i want to know for sure

 

Anyone have any recommendations for a laptop sleeve for the dv6tqe? I plan on just slipping it into a sleeve and then into my regular backpack while at college.

 

So the search button isn't working and I need to know where to find the HP Hardware kit/Cable kit to add another HDD/SSD I would search the thread but the search doesn't work and google takes me to many things that aren't the kit. I also asked 2 HP Support techs. They were not able to help me.

 

My monitor is listed as generic PNP in device manager. Any ideas how to figure out what screen I have and correct this? This is from a factory minimal restore also!

 

Just a few pages back

My question is why is everyone so concerned with finding the model number? Was there some issue with these screens such as a failure that I don't know about? I mean you either like the screen or you don't and you don't need the ID Number to tell you that. Unless the goal is to go to HP with the numbers? No Offence I just don't get it.

 

Does anyone know how to temporarly turn off anti-aliasing? I'm running CIV4 and my mouse doesn't show up in the game. I read a post somewhere that said they disabled anti-aliasing and it fixed the problem. Any ideas?

 

There isn't an option in CIV4? I don't have mine yet but there should be an option in the graphics control panel.

 

Kinda wondering what to do with my dv6tqe. It is crazy fast, like the look and feel. Problems are..the arrow keys SUCK!! I use them a lot for gaming and constantly miss the forward/back keys. Also the screen looks fine, but I want to run a higher res to fit more on the screen. What other options are there to replace this. Looked at XPS 15, but the 540m is kinda weak. Sager looked interesting. Any suggestions??

 

Try here:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/hp-...xxx-series-owners-lounge-348.html#post7408062

 

Man that sucks I was really hoping to hear people say the arrow keys were awesome as I saw them in pictures and was worried.

As for what to do with the laptop I'd gladly sacrifice myself and take it off your hands for free.

Thanks, I had tryed to search for the DV7 before but I think it was on another menu/page as it only showed DV7-3300 as the highest model.
This is very helpful

 

I have an ATI card so I go to my ATI Catalyst Control Center -> Graphics Settings (tab on the left) -> 3D -> Anti-Aliasing/Adaptive Anti-Aliasing/Anisotropic Filtering

Then I put the sliders all the way to the left. Uncheck "Use application settings" to make ATI CCC override other settings.

Also, this forum suggests disabling anti-virus/spyware/etc. software before opening the game.

 

Is "Num Lock: OFF"; 2, 4, 6, 8 a solution?? Early on, people questioned the double 'home', 'end', 'pg up', ... keys. Since I would never use the numeric pad ANYWAYS ... They actually suit my needs rather well....

 

hey guys,i have a problem here,may i ask you guys the owner of the new dv6 series,i want to change my laptop,but i am really confuse now,to choose between the asus n53sn,full hd,nvidia 550gt, and of course the lovely great machine hp dv6 quad series,i want to asked your opinion,

1 The dv6 resolution only 1366x768 HD ready,but the n53sn is 1980x1080 full hd,are there any significant difference between this two resolution,if yes,what are the difference,which one better?is the hp hd brightview led,just a marketing name?or really have a good result?

2 And the last one,can i know about the beats sound,and the cool sense techonolgy?does the beats sound give the special effect?because the n53sn have the bang and ofulsen speaker.

3 Is the cool sense techonology really working?are the laptop making so much noise?because the reason now i want to change my asus f80s,my laptop fan was to noisy and overheating,


thankyou so much guys for your opinion,i really appreciate your opinion and full review of dv6 quad new series,

 

According to the link on microcenter, the N53SN is still only a 1366x768 screen.
Micro Center - ASUS N53Sn-XR2 Laptop Computer - Silver N53SN XR2

In terms of "Better" a 1080p screen (1920x1080) resolution screen is 'better' because it will give you more usable workspace in the same size screen, and the images displayed can have finer detail. However it doesnt appear to be relevent as I dont see any reference to a 1080p screen being on that particular Asus laptop.

And yes, HP's brightview is partially a marketing name, its simply the name for their glossy finish screen with an LED backlight.

I dont know about the other two questions for you.

EDIT:

Now the N53SV appears to have the 1080p screen you mentioned for only a few $$ more, although it is a slight step down in the graphics processor (GT540M)
http://www.amazon.com/N53SV-XV1-15-6-Inch-Versatile-Entertainment-Aluminum/dp/B004L9M4QY

 

I think this post would be better answered in the sub-forum "What Notebook Should I Buy?"
I suggest looking through the N53SN Owners Thread to see it in detail.
And here's some info on screen sizes.

 

thanks so much

 

Thanks -- the problem isn't transitory. I spent a couple of hours on the phone with HP tech support and ordering yesterday. Tech support agreed with me pretty quickly that the issue was a hardware malfunction; the USB connection to the webcam may have come loose (since it was working a few days ago). Long story short, I'm returning this unit, and I ordered a new dv7 to be shipped (fingers crossed) on May 31. HP took back the 10% discount for the delay (boo), but I was able to get them to upgrade me to a 2720QM for the same original price.

I'm pretty sure that my dv7 isn't representative, but if you haven't yet tested out your webcam with Skype or some other software, you may want to before your 21-day return period is over.

 

If I want to uninstall the Norton antivirous software do I need to do more than just the uninstall that is available with the installed program or do I need to run the Norton removal tool? I have not activated the software. Im assuming that it IS installed.

 

This sucks, can't find another laptop to beat what I have, unless I spend another $500+. Wish I could just put the dell 1080 screen on this laptop and call it a day, really like the laptop otherwise. Even 1600x900 would work, just cant fit enough on screen at the 1366 res.

 

I constantly play Civ 4 Beyond the Sword (latest patch) on my DV7 with all settings at max and it plays fine.

 

Not to step on your toes but HP Bright-view does not imply an LED back-light. I have an HP Bright view infinity screen with a TFT CCFL. You are correct on the glossy finish though and to add in "infinity" is a glossy glass like surface that makes the screen "frame less" (Flat and level with the frame). Hope This Helps.

All you have to do in order to install something else is to use the Norton Uninstaller in the Installed Programs list. I would run both though just in case. In my experience Norton likes to leave little bits and pieces behind.

 

Not $500 more. I say that because I've really thought about it. However the Dell XPS 15 is probably the nearest competitor with a 1080p screen and it looks like for a comparable laptop I'd be paying something like $200-$250 more with taxes (using both laptops coupons to get them to their cheapest possible level). You can always hook it up via HDMI to a nice HD screen or TV and the 6770M is strong enough to put out a nice picture.

 

Don't forget about programs that can re-map your keyboard keys. Having the extra numpad keys there is a bonus instead of having to do Fn+XX. You could map 1,2,3,5 as the arrow keys and they are in the normal inverted T orientation. All the other numpad keys can be mapped for quick access to frequently used commands.

Remap Keyboard Keys with These 3 Free Apps [Windows]

The screen is another issue, I'm not crazy about mine either(dv6tqe). I'm hoping for a compatible aftermarket upgrade at some point in the future.

 

I think I'm on mt 5th bluescreen now, is there anyone olse having this problem?

 

I haven't had a BSOD yet. Does the screen give you any idea what is puking?

 

Not yet. Check the windows event log, see if anything interesting pops up?

 

Get an external (if you game at home).

I'm going with an Envy 17 (non 3D) quick ship model myself. I'm just waiting on the HP case manager to call me back. It is a bit more expensive....but it has everything that I want....(especially a backlit keyboard)....and it is a good value for what you get. (Plus I have a $500 coupon from the Sandy Bridge issue that I'm hoping to use).

The quick ship Envy 17 (2070-NR) is $1350 + tax if you use an EPP discount...which...yeah...is probably about $300-400 more than most want to spend.