To all of you recently discussing the SSD issue...I'm the one who's been posting in the HP forum.
I just did a fresh install of Win 7 Pro x64 on my SSD tonight. As I mentioned on the HP forums, I couldn't use the recovery disks to install to my 80GB Intel SSD, it bombed out immediately stating the drive was smaller than the factory drive.
I had no luck finding out through HP the standard dv8 recovery disks would work or not. That was going to be my next path, but then my IT service provider at work happened to have the OEM disk for the Win 7 version that I purchased, so here I am with a fresh, clean install.
Now, my question for the experts....I still have my original 500GB drive. I'm not going to wipe it until I'm content that things are working smoothly. So, my next question is which drivers do I really need to install. Can I get them all from the swsetup folder? I have my 500GB drive the the secondary bay, so I copied the folder onto the SSD (which will be my system drive, 500GB will become my data drive). Has anyone found a resources that discusses what each of the subfolders in swsetup contain? Some of the names are helpful, others not so much.
Off hand, I can tell I don't have all the drivers for the screen as i can't get to my optimal resolution. The volume buttons aren't working. Other than that, I haven't started poking around yet. Any thoughts?
Thanks!
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timesquaredesi MagicPeople VooDooPeople
^ the swsetup has drivers that were included when the machine was built. as with all drivers, newer version are on the hp support and drivers site. i strongly recommend you get them from there. that is where i got all the drivers for my dv7 from and everything worked perfectly.
as for which ones to install, the general installation looks like this:
1) install chipset drivers
2) install video drivers
3) install all others which your system needs (check which devices are not recognized in device manager)
4) (probably applicable to you) install drivers for your media card reader. this should show up as 3 or 4 unknown devices in your device manager
that's smart to keep the other drive there until your clean install goes fine. i dont know of any how to's that would list exactly what drivers you need. it varies per machine but my above steps are the general path that most people take - installing the 'most important' drivers first. -
I ordered my DV8 on cyber monday and had it shipped to the US (I live in Canada). 2 questions;
1 - Do you have to sign the package to recieve it?
2 - Where is the DV8 manufactured (not assembled) China or US? (for duties)
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timesquaredesi MagicPeople VooDooPeople
alliemac - win 7 x64 specific drivers for the dv8 are here:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareList?os=4063&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&lang=en&product=4011375
i recommend downloading the following drivers:
1-intel matrix storage driver
2-idt audio
3-intel chipset
4- graphics driver
5-cir reciever / device driver
6-nic driver
7-webcam driver/software
8-fingerprint driver/software
that should cover the 'drivers only' that you will need in order for windows to recognize your hardware. in my eyes, everything else is optional. -
2. It's manufactured in Tennessee. When I sent my Dv7t back it was to Tennessee. I'm pretty sure just don't quote me on that lol. I know their headquarters are about 5 hours away from me in Palo Alto, CA. -
timesquaredesi MagicPeople VooDooPeople
^ it is tennesse. when i sent back my 1st dv7t, that's where i shipped it to.
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okie, so while we are on the ssd topic, i just wanted to make sure that i have everything right. My dv8t goes into transit tomorrow and I'm planning on getting a ssd for my OS. So, this is what ive done thus far
1. I downloaded the win 7 64bit iso.
2. I used the eicfg_removal utility to enable the disk to work as a universal win 7 install disc (optional)
3. I downloaded Microsoft window 7 usb/DVD download tool
4. I burned the ISO onto a a DVD using Microsoft's program.
5. I downloaded and burned the HP drivers that timesquaredesi recommended in post #1154.
so, i have my install disc and driver disc rdy.
I plan on buying a ssd drive and caddy (hoping to find a cheap one) within the next week, so...
once the laptop arrives, I need to:
1. remove old hd and install ssd into bay #1
2. use the Win 7 64 install disc on ssd drive.
3. use authentic ms code for win7 that should be on the bottom of my laptop to activate win 7.
4. install drivers via driver dvd.
5. reinstall old hd into bay 2
6. wipe original hard drive in bay 2 and use as storage drive
did i hit everything or am i missing something? -
timesquare - thanks for the info, I really appreciate it! I've done a few of those now, and will work on the rest tomorrow.
mattmjb - mine was built in Shanghai (ordered around 11/17).
smoses - I've seen cheaper caddies...if you do a google search for the part number (which can be found in the hp forums on a thread about the dv8 and/or by looking at the hp parts info for this machine - don't have link - am working from my newly built machine, so not much of my old stuff is here) you'll find several resellers. I chose HP, but it costs more. The others were mostly refurbished parts which isn't a big deal for the metal/plastic components, but I figured since there was a drive connector and cord involved, I might as well buy new.
I installed my SSD in bay 1 and my HDD in bay 2. My understanding is that bay 2 is not bootable (I think I read that in this thread?) so I wasn't concerned about just putting it in there from the get go. Seemed to work fine.
I had trouble with the MS online activation. It didn't tell me it failed, but I went somewhere that provided an overview status of my system (not sure where that was yet - new to Win 7) and noted that the activation had failed. I checked the product key and tried again...fail. I had been on the internet so I know I was connected. I was frustrated and thought I had found another MS/HP trap associated with trying for a fresh install. But, then I decided to try the phone activation. It worked. I have no idea what the difference is.
Now, it's so far so good. I'm working on identifying which drivers I want to install. Still haven't figured out which driver will get my 1080p resolution back. I want my tiny text again. Just need to go to bed for tonight.
Anyway, as a caveat, I'm not an IT person...I just play one at work (a perpetual side effect of being the tech-savvy individual at a small firm). I'm an engineer, but not computer. So, I'm just reporting what has happened to me as well as what worked and what didn't, but I certainly don't claim to be an expert. -
alliemac9- thanks for the heads up, ill plan on using the phone activation.
timessquare- what driver are you talking about in your post when you say "nic driver" cant find it -
Does it have to be the person who purchased the laptop that signs for it? -
Twill take you to a printable form on fedex website that you print and sign or give instructions for the delivery driver.
Yes you can pre-sign for your package and they will leave it for you.
This is what I did and taped it to my door with instructions to leave it on the back patio.
This releases fedex from liability should something happen to your package after they leave it. -
Well I got the dreaded " Thank you for your order. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience you have experienced with your custom computer" email today. Hey at least I got a $50 coupon to use at the HP Home and Home Office store. I ordered my DV8T on cyber Monday and had an original build by date of December 8th. Called HP and they said all orders with an original build by date of December 8th have been pushed back two days.
I didn't think this would bother me but I'm like a kid on Christmas Eve, I can't wait to open my new toy! Ha-Ha!! -
I keep getting 'HPTCS HAS STOPPED WORKING' errors popping up. I called HP for technical assistance, on the phone for an hour, all I wanted to know was what program to disable or uninstall to make the problem go away but she insisted that it was a malware problem and had me run a malware scan that found nothing. The next solution she had was to do a complete disk recovery and I was unwilling to do one at this point. Has anyone else had this error message problem? Does anyone have a suggestion as to how to make it go away? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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timesquaredesi MagicPeople VooDooPeople
also - take a look at newmode.us for caddies. many dv7t owners (incl myself) got our caddies from them. i think i paid like $33 or $35 shipped. -
timesquaredesi MagicPeople VooDooPeople
some however require the driver + additional software to be installed. nvidia is one of the things that needs to be installed in order to take full advantage of the gpu capabilities - getting optimal resolution, switching between multiple displays, etc. -
or paint -
on a more imp note....hows the performance now..and what ssd are u using ? -
Does any 1 no if there is a place in the US that i cant order my Dv8 from and hav it shipped over to the UK coz they cost loads more over here!!
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Unless i read it wrong, I think that HP sells a set of two HD caddies for $49.40 (go to HP Parts store http://h20141.www2.hp.com and search for part # 483862-001). you can sell the spare one to someone else here. i am sure a lot of ppl would be interested in getting a second HD in their dv8t (i know i am). btw, my dv8t finally got shipped today which is the exact est. shipping date.
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or open a US mailbox service that will forward your DV8 to you in the UK
but remember there is Customs and VAT to be paid so check.
some countries now won't charge custom on Notebooks .
also I don't know if the warranty on the DV8 is international , some HP models are , I think the business series . I can't tell since I'm still waiting for mine to ship .
Good Luck -
I got the 80GB Intel X25-M Gen 2. Shut down takes 7 seconds now. Boot up takes 27 I think? This is down from 21 and 48, respectively. I don't have all drivers installed yet, so those things may change, but it does feel fast. The only other metric I measured before the switch was how long it took to open Firefox straight after booting. I haven't timed that with the SSD yet, but it does feel like apps just open quick - of course, I have only used IE and Firefox thus far...still need to get things functioning right before I start installing my other apps and migrating data.
Anyone out there experiencing a pop from the subwoofer on shut down? I don't remember that from before the switch. Maybe I should install the specific sound drivers? Anyone know which ones that would be?
Also, can we post screenshots here? If so, would anyone be willing to expand out all of their device manager so I can see what it used to look like? Then I can compare to see which devices still need drivers? Seems like a lot of generic stuff in there right now, but I don't really remember what it used to look like. I have fairly standards specs with bluetooth and no TV tuner.
Will the little remote still work or are there certain drivers for it? I've noticed people talking about not adding mediasmart...anyone care to expand on what that was and why to load it or why not to?
Thanks! -
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timesquaredesi MagicPeople VooDooPeople
7 seconds for a shutdown? WOW!
betw yesterday and today, i have been convinced to get an ssd drive. now i gotta start selling some junk i have to make the $.
as for the remote, i think it'll still work. i will test mine out tonight when i get home and revert back.
are you still missing drivers in device manager? look at my post # 1154 in this thread - i listed the drivers that need to be downloaded. if you dl and install everything on that list, your machine should be ready to go. the only drive i didnt put on the list is bluetooth which, since you have, you should download and install. -
Well I received mine today and even though I'm waiting til X-Mas to power it on I did examine it thoroughly today for defects. No scratches, no flex in the keyboard. Looks to be fine. But I'm treating myself by waiting til X-Mas to fully play with it lol.
My whole experience was amazing with HP. Here is an outlook on my experience to help those currently waiting.
Ordered: Nov. 30 (Cyber Monday)
In Production: Until Dec 5
Shipped: Dec. 5 (Saturday)
Received a Day Early: Dec. 10
NOT BAD!!!!
Here are pictures outta the box. Excuse the image quality, I had to use my dad's digital camera as my batteries were dead for mine.
My Specs:
HP Pavilion dv8t Quad Edition customizable Notebook PC
* Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
* Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-720QM Processor (1.6GHz, 6MB L2 Cache, 1333MHz FSB)
* 50% OFF! 8GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
* 500GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
* 1GB Nvidia GeForce GT 230M
* 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 (Espresso Black)
* Intel Wireless-N Mini-card with Bluetooth
* HP Integrated HDTV Hybrid Tuner
* HP Color Matching Keyboard
* 8 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
* System Recovery DVD with Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
* Microsoft(R) Works 9.0
* HP Home & Home Office Store in-box envelope
*HP 2 Yr Accidental Warranty
$1,318.99 BEFORE TAX!!!
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timesquaredesi MagicPeople VooDooPeople
^ sweet looking machine! i commend you on your self control - i would be using the hell out of that thing right now.
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timesquaredesi MagicPeople VooDooPeople
something you probably already know but it's cool nonetheless - the esata port doubles as a usb drive. so you have 2 usb ports on both sides of the machine.
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timesquare - not sure yet if I'm really "missing" drivers. I haven't loaded your entire list yet, but as I was clicking around in device manager last night (last thing before calling it a night), it just seemed like so many things looked really generic. I was having trouble w/my bluetooth mouse where it would connect the first time, but after sleeping and then trying to wake up wouldn't come back, so I'll definitely want to try the BT drivers.
Anyway, it hit me that it would have been nice to capture a screenshot of device manager prior to doing this so I could see when Windows was using a generic driver and when I had a specific driver. I was under the impression (from my IT folks at work) that Win 7 would go out and find specific drivers for a lot of things, so I'm just trying to figure out what's what.
I'm hoping the SSD will be worth all the hassle in the long run (the story is longer than what I've reported here)! Realistically, even just the new machine would have been a huge performance boost for my photo apps (my last personal laptop was an HP zd8000 which had crazy specs for a laptop, but it's getting bogged down...it's 4.5 yrs old, so it's ready to get rebuilt and go into semi-retirement). The dv8 has a slower processor, but is quad core (vs 3GHz P4). I wish I would have done the ram upgrade to 8GB, but soon enough the DDR3 ram will get cheaper and I can add more...4GB should tide me over until then. I think separating system from data will be a significant performance boost relative to photo work, so that was my main goal - the SSD just seemed like a fun spin on the concept! -
Thanks. -
And one other thing...am I the only one who thinks the glossy screen is obnoxious?
My last laptop had it too, so I've become used to it. And Mac has gone that way as well, so it seems like there aren't many options out there, but my work laptop (Dell) still has a nice matte screen. I think the reflections on the glossy are really distracting.
After placing a screen protector on my iPhone, I began to think about buying a matte or luster screen protector for the thing - if they make them big enough!! -
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Hey Guys. Did guys you find out what caused the shipping delays?
Ordered on: 11/28/2009
Order in production
(Estimated to ship on December 9, 2009)
Today is the 10th and I called them.
Lady told me she wasn't too sure what was happening with my order.
Maybe they don't have my 8 gb of ram in stock?
Here's my order:
• Genuine Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
• Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-720QM Processor (1.6GHz, 6MB L2 Cache, 1333MHz FSB)
• 50% OFF! 8GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
• 1TB 7200RPM SATA Dual Hard Drive (500GB x 2) with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
• 1GB Nvidia GeForce GT 230M
• 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 (Espresso Black)
• Intel Wireless-N Mini-card with Bluetooth
• No TV Tuner w/remote control
• HP Color Matching Keyboard
• 8 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
• System Recovery DVD with Genuine Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
• $20 OFF! Microsoft(R) Office Home and Student 2007
• SAVE $30! Norton Internet Security(TM) 2009 - 15 Month Subscription -
Sitting nearby is an old ThinkPad A30P which has a matte screen (retired to print server duty). There are no reflections but by comparison it looks dull as mud. I don't know if it is possible to eliminate glare without losing brightness. At least with a wide viewing angle you can adjust the screen angle to minimize reflections without loss of image quality. -
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Oh well at least I'll get an almost free case out of it. -
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timesquaredesi MagicPeople VooDooPeople
wow, hopefully the machine is not delayed by too much. $50 can only cover a small amount of mental anguish
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I ordered on Saturday. I would think HP would build their computers in order. I'll keep that gift card idea in mind when I call them tomorrow
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I can tell you so want one. -
I uninstalled it via crapcleaner, ran its reg cleaner then used HP recovery manager (start button, programs, recovery manager i believe) then hardware driver reinstall. If you don't have that HP stuff (ie you did a clean install of Win 7), then yeah snatch it off the hp site.
Good luck brutha -
Them guys in China must be swamped with all the Cyber Monday orders.
Lets just hope the speaker controls on my laptop are going to be ok.
And does the HP software really bog down the laptop? -
On the DV7t the bloatware I think some call it didn't slow down the computer but there was so much crap you'll never use. I think someone said on this site, "why spend time unistalling apps when you could be reinstalling drivers on a fresh install of windows" Such a true statement. I will be reloading Windows 7 on it once I get it up and running. -
Hi i got my dv8t and was thinking reloading windows. The thing is i don't have an actual copy of windows 7, only the key that is on the bottom of the compter. Can i buy a copy of windows 7 for cheap or is ther a site where i can download windows 7 and use my factory cd key?
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http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=432564
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=428068 -
computerstriker Notebook Evangelist
To you guys who bought an additional hard drive caddy:
Where did you guys buy your hard drive caddys from?
Did you buy it from the HP Store and is it the hard drive mounting kit?
Could you please give me a site to purchase one for my dv8t?
And if you received one already, what are your thoughts? -
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timesquaredesi MagicPeople VooDooPeople
i saved $684 using the 30% off coupon. $450 or $500 cannot compare to the $684. with the spare cash, i ordered the docking station, another hard drive, a logitech surround sound home theatre system, usb drives, some laptop bags and a whole bunch of other stuff. i figure i saved it, might as well buy more stuff!
i remember that i still had a ton of money left afterwards.
besides, after seeing this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96dWOEa4Djs , i feel like i want a desktop again >
but then again, i dont really need another insane laptop. this one is plenty fast for me. im even considering not getting an ssd drive again. lol. what's the point of having a fast bootup time if i cant put my movie and music collection on the same drive? OS + ms office on a drive seems like a waste of $250 to my pockets. -
Got mine today too bad i couldn't be home when it arrived but i will see soon! 33 day wait from order to delivery is a little long but it looks like it will be worth it.
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HP Pavilion dv8t Quad Edition customizable Notebook PC
* • Genuine Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
* • Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-820QM Processor (1.73GHz, 8MB L2 Cache, 1333MHz FSB)
* • 8GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
* • 500GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive
* • 1GB Nvidia GeForce GT 230M
* • 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 (Espresso Black)
* • Intel Wireless-N Mini-card with Bluetooth
* • No TV Tuner w/remote control
* • HP Color Matching Keyboard
* • HP Long Life Notebook Battery
* • Mobile Stereo Earbud Headphones (1 pair)
* • Microsoft(R) Works 9.0
* • HP Home & Home Office Store in-box envelope
Estimated build date: December 9, 2009
Today is 11 of December 2009 but no shipping information yet.
I called HP they said " Give it 24 to 48 hours it seems that the system is not been updated yet. And I just check the system to see if you order number is in the delay list but I couldn't find it so it means that your order is not delay" Also i haven't received any email
yet regarding the delay or with shipping information..............Anyone wanna share their thoughts or experience !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks in advance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*HP dv8 Owners Lounge*
Discussion in 'HP' started by rageman, Oct 19, 2009.