I have a Pavilion g7-2323dx and it has some problems

I mentioned my problem here Re: Fan Problem with Pavilion g7-2323dx - HP Support Forum - 4308660

but the problem is not solved.

There were three problems associated with using a Windows 7 HDD from a previous Toshiba laptop that I had.
1. Trackpad wasn't working properly (solved by installing driver)
2. wireless button is turned off and won't turn on (not solved, driver didn't run because of some sort of error)
3. brightness can't be controlled (not solved, the brightness is set at maximum and can't be controlled by F2 and F3 buttons)
4. Fan is not working properly. Does HP laptop fans get out of order frequently compared to other types of laptops? I already had this problem fixed by Best Buy when I had warranty but the problem persists again. So I was wondering if they didn't fix the problem in the first place...

But when I saw some tutorials cleaning out the fan on an HP laptop seems not worth the effort. You have to basically tear the whole computer apart!
Somebody said compressed air can should work fine, but I have doubts about that because the dust would still be inside the machine and would clog the fan again? Also I see you can get it for like $10 on Amazon. Which brand is the best? Can you get it for cheaper at a local store?

Would getting a laptop cooler help with the fan and relieve me from having to fix the fan? (something like this: http://www.amazon.com/AVANTEK-Lapto...10715640&sr=8-2&keywords=17inch+laptop+cooler )

Also, right now it is reading only 2GB RAM whereas it originally had 4GB. I was wondering if I had the RAM mixed up while switching with MAC RAM or if the Windows 7 HDD is reading only 2GB RAM out of the 4GB.

 

A few thoughts on:

Action Mode Keys - Check your BIOS setting for the Action Mode Keys setting. If it set to “disabled” the function keys on your notebook will not function as control keys for either the display brightness or Wifi On/Off without also simultaneously pressing the function (fn) key. If you “enable” the Action Mode Key through the BIOS you won’t need to press the function key until you’d like to use the F keys (1-12). My personal preference is to just leave the setting disabled and use the fn key.

RAM - check in your BIOS for the amount of functioning RAM. Your HDD has nothing to do with the amount of RAM that Windows sees. The version of Windows (32 or 64bit) you’re using does. With only 4GB total available this isn’t an issue in either case. To see which stick is working in each RAM slot…. you can download and install CPU-Z.

Cooling - You can try the compressed air approach… but from my experience you’ll likely be better off just biting the bullet and taking the unit apart and cleaning the fan and heat sink vent fins which are likely clogged with lint, dust, and hair. Look for a video on You Tube…. it’s really not difficult if you’re patient, organized, and pay attention to what goes where.

Hope some of that is helpful, Dave

 

How often does the HP laptop need to be taken apart for cleaning dust, etc?

I heard that HP laptops have the worst fans (I'm guessing because they get clogged very often, requiring frequent cleaning out sessions?), is that true?

I was thinking about buying a cheap Toshiba laptop to not deal with the cleaning all the time...

 

Much like a car or motorcycle air filter, how often you need to clean the unit is totally dependent on where and how much you use the notebook. If you use it sitting on your lap, pillow, or blanket… or places like that… it will suck stuff like crazy. On the other hand, I’ve disassembled units that were 5 or 6 years old which were basically used as a desktop for their life and were very clean internally.

That said, I’d guess every 2 to 3 years is a reasonable rule of thumb for HP notebooks… which really isn’t any worse than most others. Heat kills computers and most people usually wait way too long to do the cleaning which in-turn causes other issues. If you want to avoid the issue all together try looking for a Lenovo. Many of those have an easily accessible filter and/or fan… some others as well.

Best, Dave