Hi everyone, hoping for a bit of advice for a beginner. Backstory: HP dv9815nr OEM Vista Home Premium. After 1 Windows Update, I lost the optical drive. After another, I lost audio. Did a ton of troubleshooting via Dell Tech Concierge Beta and Microsoft but no one could figure out what had happened. Dell told me it was a M$ issue and told me to call them. M$ told me it was hardware failure and to contact HP. HP would not give me any info without me spending $60 for 2 weeks of tech assistance (which I have free through Dell Concierge Beta). Went back to M$ and they did a remote session to my computer and the tech actually crashed it. Could not get it to reboot. He gave up. Finally, Dell told me the best thing to do would be to a clean install. Tried with Vista HP (didn't have the restore disc so used the Vista iso found here and made my external HDD bootable) but for some reason the Vista install wouldn't complete- just kept going through the install, restarting to complete, then began the install again. Got tired of that so I used the W7 Enterprise DVD my uncle gave me to get the files to my external HDD and successfully installed W7 Enterprise. After lots of driver issues I got it up and running. Surprisingly, I had audio (but still no optical)! This confirms that it was software. After updates the audio disappeared again, a restore didn't solve it. I now want to get my computer completely working as it should be so here is my plan- re-install Vista Home Premium, see if that fixes the optical/audio. If all goes well I want to upgrade to W7 Ultimate using info from your (amazing) forums. I have 2 questions- 1. What could have cause the install to repeat over and over like that? I had used the exact same files/external hard drive to install successfully before. 2. I have created a system image using W7 Enterprise. After I install W7 Ultimate is it possible to use that image to restore the settings/drivers? Any help with this would be very appreciated. I've been dealing with this issue since 1/21/12 and am about ready to just take a sledgehammer to this notebook! Thanks in advance!
1.Maybe just need to change boot order, and pop the dvd out. I am just thinking that your laptop thinks it needs to reinstall again and again 2.what settings exactly you talking about? Win7 will install most drivers for you,then you can get some some from HP site if needed. download a fresh copy of win7 ultimate from the site, and fresh install. We'll walk you through when needed. I am positive you machine will be fine. What are your machine specs btw? ram for example.
Thanks for the quick reply hbhb- I wasn't expecting anyone to be awake or get back to me so quickly! 1. I actually have to install from a bootable external hard drive since my optical drive is no longer recognized. I purchased an external optical drive but it's not recognized either. Really sucks (note- it shows up in BIOS and in the registry files but doesn't show in My Computer or in Device Manager, even after clean installs). I tried removing the external HDD with the 2nd install and it still made no difference. 2. I was basically referring to the graphics settings, browser settings, and stuff like that. As far as the drivers, unfortunately there have been several issues with the drivers for my model and Windows 7. HP is not providing W7 support for my model (dv9815nr) even though it's just a few years old. I found a guide posted by a very nice person and some of the drivers work while others do not and I've had to update them through M$ Update (I only have 2 posts so I can't post a link- google "HP Windows 7 Upgrade Guide for dv6000/dv9000 models" and it should be the first link). I can't really remember which was which since it was just trial and error with seeing which ones would freeze my system up. I'm currently downloading W7 from a link on this forum but it's sticking around 3 hours right now (200 kB/s - 229 MB of 2.4 GB, 3 hours left)- yikes! Here are my specs from the HP site. My particular notebook only has 3GB RAM. I know 4+ has had some problems. (Yes, I've run the Compatibility Tool and I'm definitely compatible) Product Number KN866UA#ABA Microprocessor 2.00 GHz AMD Turion 64 X2 Dual-Core Mobile Technology TL-60 Microprocessor Cache 512KB+512KB L2 Cache Memory 3072 MB Memory Max Up to 4GB DDR2 (Up to 1 GB may not be available due to 32-bit operating system resource requirements) Video Graphics NVIDIA GeForce Go 7150M Video Memory Up to 1071 MB Hard Drive 250 GB (5400 rpm) Multimedia Drive LightScribe Super Multi 8X DVD±R/RW with Double Layer Support Display 17.0" WXGA+ High-Definition BrightView Widescreen Display (1440 x 900) Fax/Modem High speed 56K modem Network Card Integrated 10/100 Ethernet LAN Wireless Connectivity 802.11b/g WLAN Sound Altec Lansing speakers Keyboard 101-key compatible Pointing Device Touch Pad with dedicated vertical and horizontal Scroll Up/Down pad PC Card Slots One ExpressCard/54 slot (also supports ExpressCard/34) External Ports 5-in-1 integrated Digital Media Reader for Secure Digital cards, MultiMedia cards, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, or xD Picture cards 4 Universal Serial Bus USB 2.0 1 VGA (15-pin) 1 RJ-11 (modem) 1 TV-Out (S-video) 1 RJ -45 (LAN) 2 headphone-out 1 microphone-in 1 notebook expansion port 3 1 IEEE 1394 Firewire (4-pin) 1 Consumer IR
Just out of curiosity hbhb- have you ever encountered an update selectively removing PnP devices such as the audio chip or optical device? I google the crap out of it and it seems like a lot of other HP users have the issue and get bounced back and forth like I have been. It's rather frustrating to say the least and leaves me always wondering what's going to be taken away next. I actually had a tech at M$ tell me "maybe it's HP's way of telling you to buy a new computer". Nice.
forget HP support or MS while you at it; one thing you can easily install off of a usb flash drive. Have a 4GB stick handy. I will read once more your post; and NO i never encounter that type of BS yet, finger crossed! while you at it, make sure you are getting win7 that includes SP1 so you don't have to hassle with the update after. Thanks for the specs, you also need a 64 bits. I know you ll be okay this time
Thanks! I don't have a flash drive handy that's why I had to create a bootable disk from my external hard drive but it gets the job done (successfully installed W7 Enterprise from it so I know it works). I've definitely given up on MS & HP. They just want more money. I considered upgrading legitimately but if neither are going to supporttheir product, why should I give them a penny of my hard earned money!!! It is complete BS and the fact that the optical drive works in another notebook shows that isn't a hardware failure.
I made sure I was getting the SP1. Why would I need 64 bit? My system is 32 bit... or at least the OEM Vista was 32 bit.
we all legit here, so no worries. You ll be up and running shortly. oh youalready up and running hihi stick with ultimate here, it is friendly. Too bad you dont have a USB, coz that is quick and less problematic, but still as you said your External drive will do the job. Stick with 32bits, i thought u had a 4GB RAM. My bad, i know there are work around but not worthed as this point.
Well I'm not exactly up and running yet. Still downloading, just using a desktop for all the dirty work. The notebook is just sitting here resting. I really liked W7 while I was using it. Seems so much faster than Vista. Ok good about the 32 bit. Thought I was missing something and maybe that was why I was having so many issues!
absolutely Win7 is wayyyyyyyyyyy betta than vista and you ll have it shortly. I meant you up and running in a sense that you are working on it. So all good
haha gotcha. As long as my daughter stays asleep I'll be up trying to get this working. No notebook = no $$ for me and it's already been 2 weeks! I cancelled the first download and I'm downloading the torrent from the repository sticky. Less than an hour to go on that one. Just means I get to make another pot of coffee....
Already had it dl'd and ready to go. I've done so much research and googling on this it's scary Just so I understand the activation, DAZ is the way to go and you only need to flash if it doesn't work, correct? 20 mins to go on the torrent. I feel like a kid on Christmas morning.
i knew you were on the move ,haha Daz will dazzz it up, u wont need anything else. It just helps to understand how it works for our sake, hihi yeah stay like that kid everyday, it is a joy!
Awesome, I like it when things are simple! I try to... it's the only thing that keeps me from wanting to inflict bodily harm on some people on a daily basis!
Quick question for you... to copy the ISO to the external HDD do you recommend a quick copy+paste or using a tool? I have Daemon Tools, ImgBurn, and UltraISO at my disposal.
I understand the feeling and I can relate, taking the higher ground isn't easy, it requires as much work as wanting to Dex some people(in reference to DEXTER, the series); but is more rewarding! Ultra ISO will do the job,
LOL I actually say that and people just don't get it! We <3 Dexter. I actually had a pretty bad falling out with my daughter's father and when my mother flew out to help me make a 1600 mile move we went to the hardware store for necessities. At the same time we looked at each other and said "we need plastic sheeting, a chainsaw, duct tape..." it was rather funny
That s very hilarious i get what you mean , that is what you gonna do to win7 , you gonna Dex it for good, and make it stick to the ground of your hard drive for good and be done. And that tool Tito is referring too is excellent as well.