Coping with the Compaq CQ56-115DX - Life After the NVIDIA Settlement

[shinobi1]

shinobi1 - nice job!

Installing the appropriate HP video driver or the latest WHQL version from AMD should restore your screen brightness control. You may also need to install the QuickLaunch drivers for the HP macro keys to use the keyboard for brightness control. (You may have brightness control with the native Windows 7 driver in the Control Panel Power Options applet. Have you checked to see that, or just trying with the keyboard?)

You may want to consider installing the latest AMD chipset drivers. If everything in Device Manager shows up as enabled and there are no "Unknown Device" icons in the hardware tree, then you don't need to install anything else. Anything new or updated would only be a step in fine tuning and adding features available in updated drivers.

nambinhvu - it would be against forum rules to discuss that topic, so thank you very much for not going down that path.

Thank you.

I did go into power options in an effort to achieve brightness control. The option does not show up, which apparently means 7 does not have a handle on that function.

I do have a clean device manager with 7, which is something that struck me as odd. After I installed XP, but prior to driver installation, the device manager correctly was crying out in pain, saying to me: "Boy, do you have a mess here." And that's what I wanted and expected. I rely on the device manager to let me know when I have a driver problem.

But 7 apparently is making do. It is not alerting me regarding my need to install the proper video driver software . . . . like XP did. Now granted:

The default video software within 7, for our video "card", is superior to that found in XP. I understand that. But still, it is not correct and it does not fully support our video . . . . even though this was an SP1 install, supposedly the most recent 7 version.

I realize MickeySoft wants everyone to go on line, connect to their updater, and allow "big brother" to fix all problems. I plan, instead, to go here

Software & Driver Downloads Compaq Presario CQ56-115DX Notebook PC - HP Customer Care (United States - English)

download piecemeal what I want, and install on my own. This is similar to what I did with XP and it worked out quite well.

Or else maybe I'll just chuck this old Windows 7 thing and install Windows 8 beta.

ETA

Hey! I just noticed that BIOS update which is showing up at the above-linked HP web page. Has anyone else installed that . . . . or do we already have it??

nambinhvu

I think your fix for the buttons is quite innovative and creative.

It seems to me maybe they made that plastic part a little thicker than was appropriate for most people. I also like your solution because it is reversible. That's the way to go IMHO.

Still, for risk takers out there, for those willing to risk an irreversible approach, perhaps intelligent application of a Dremel grinder might make things better.

[Mr. Fox]

nambinhvu - that's great, dude. No wonder those buttons were so hard to push. That design is just goofy. +1 rep for figuring this out.

[Deldrin]

For anyone else who has scratch installed 7 on their CQ56-115DX:

Excepting the video drivers, did you find it necessary to install any other drivers?

Also, out of curiosity:

Did our laptops ship with SP1 or are you guys having to do the upgrade?

I did not have to install any drivers. I was surprised by that actually. I did a clean install of 7 on mine but I don't remember if it already had SP1 or if I had to install that separately. I want to say that I updated it after the initial install via windows updates.

I did go into power options in an effort to achieve brightness control. The option does not show up, which apparently means 7 does not have a handle on that function.

Not sure what I did different. I have screen brightness control and edited the default power plan to lower the brightness when on battery and then lower it some more when idle for a few minutes. This is working flawlessly. I'm wondering if HP has there own power manager or custom power plan. If so, I did not install this. Maybe that's the difference?

[shinobi1]

I did not have to install any drivers. I was surprised by that actually. I did a clean install of 7 on mine but I don't remember if it already had SP1 or if I had to install that separately. I want to say that I updated it after the initial install via windows updates.

This is only JMHO . . and I'm not an expert:

I believe, from a scratch 7 install, we need to add drivers for at least video and sound. This is not to say video and sound fail to function. They both do function. But a look at the device manager shows windows is not recognizing either device by its actual name. Windows is, instead, using default drivers for both video and audio. These default drivers work . . but they are not operating either function at its full potential.

At the HP page I posted earlier you can download the actual drivers for video, audio, and for other things, too. I've not done it yet because I've no broadband access here at home and the drivers are gargantuan. But I'm betting after I've acquired and installed the drivers that my device manager will correctly indicate both video and audio are being recognized by the actual name of each.

Windows 7 SP1 did contain the proper drivers for both our Wi-Fi and hard wired internet connections, though how up-to-date they are I don't know. But the device manager is seeing both of those devices and naming each specifically.

Re-reading your post now, once again, I take note you ran Windows updates. That would, of course, automatically have brought all of your drivers up to snuff. What I wrote above is regarding my own situation. I have not run Windows updates, which all but requires a broadband internet connection. I was writing about a scratch install of Windows 7 SP1, as found on and downloaded from Digital River, but without anything further being done.

Not sure what I did different. I have screen brightness control and edited the default power plan to lower the brightness when on battery and then lower it some more when idle for a few minutes. This is working flawlessly. I'm wondering if HP has there own power manager or custom power plan. If so, I did not install this. Maybe that's the difference?

I'm betting what you did different is that you ran Windows updates. The latter installed the proper video driver for your CQ56-115DX, giving you brightness control straightaway. If you had brightness control prior to running Windows updates I've no explanation whatsoever, except that you must be an exceptionally adept person with dazzling technical acumen.

[Deldrin]

Re-reading your post now, once again, I take note you ran Windows updates. That would, of course, automatically have brought all of your drivers up to snuff. What I wrote above is regarding my own situation. I have not run Windows updates, which all but requires a broadband internet connection. I was writing about a scratch install of Windows 7 SP1, as found on and downloaded from Digital River, but without anything further being done.

My brain is working a little better today. I do remember now that I did install the drivers manually. I had saved all the downloads in to my C:\Drivers directory and installed everything (whether device was installed by Windows properly or not).

Also, my install of Windows 7 did not include SP1. I updated that through windows updates afterwards.

I'm betting what you did different is that you ran Windows updates. The latter installed the proper video driver for your CQ56-115DX, giving you brightness control straightaway. If you had brightness control prior to running Windows updates I've no explanation whatsoever, except that you must be an exceptionally adept person with dazzling technical acumen.

If I had the brightness control before I installed drivers, I wouldn't know. When setting up a machine (xp, 7, etc..), I install the OS, update drivers, and install Windows Updates all back to back. In that order too (it's usually a safe method ). The only things I don't install from the manufacturer is anything that isn't required to make the machine and it's hardware work. That means all the dumb HP managers, consoles, and crap don't get loaded. Windows wireless and power managers work perfectly fine without adding HP's crap to the mix.

So I guess when you get a good connection, get everything updated (drivers, win updates), and then see where you're at.

[shinobi1]

If I had the brightness control before I installed drivers, I wouldn't know. When setting up a machine (xp, 7, etc..), I install the OS, update drivers, and install Windows Updates all back to back. In that order too (it's usually a safe method ). The only things I don't install from the manufacturer is anything that isn't required to make the machine and it's hardware work. That means all the dumb HP managers, consoles, and crap don't get loaded. Windows wireless and power managers work perfectly fine without adding HP's crap to the mix.

So I guess when you get a good connection, get everything updated (drivers, win updates), and then see where you're at.

Agreed, agreed, and . . . . agreed! A clean install is what I always go for, as well.

Only slight point of confusion is that you needed to put in SP1. The version of the 7 installer I ran (it was from Digital River as per Mr. Fox) already had SP1 included.

But most important is leaving out all the crap, as you said. HP only makes things worse, and even more bloated (this OS already is a massive "bloat job" IMO).

Next: The bloatarama of Windows 8!

I'm still not there with my drivers . . unable to download them here at home. Looks like next week before another excursion to civilization.

I did glance at the BIOS update. It has a dated date circa May '11? (I think). Would hope our laptops already include it, but I need to check.

The BIOS on this laptop is, for me, perhaps its worst feature. It's a kindergarten BIOS. I hope somebody writes a better one and publishes it on the net. I like to be able to get my paws on a computer's "levers of power".

[nambinhvu]

Agreed, agreed, and . . . . agreed! A clean install is what I always go for, as well.

Only slight point of confusion is that you needed to put in SP1. The version of the 7 installer I ran (it was from Digital River as per Mr. Fox) already had SP1 included.

But most important is leaving out all the crap, as you said. HP only makes things worse, and even more bloated (this OS already is a massive "bloat job" IMO).

Next: The bloatarama of Windows 8!

I'm still not there with my drivers . . unable to download them here at home. Looks like next week before another excursion to civilization.

I did glance at the BIOS update. It has a dated date circa May '11? (I think). Would hope our laptops already include it, but I need to check.

The BIOS on this laptop is, for me, perhaps its worst feature. It's a kindergarten BIOS. I hope somebody writes a better one and publishes it on the net. I like to be able to get my paws on a computer's "levers of power".

You can check your bios version as well as other info by typing msinfo32 in the start menu's search box and pressing enter. Mine came with F.17, the new version is F.18, so no, it didn't include that bios update.

Another way would be to type systeminfo in a command prompt window.

[Deldrin]

The BIOS on this laptop is, for me, perhaps its worst feature. It's a kindergarten BIOS. I hope somebody writes a better one and publishes it on the net. I like to be able to get my paws on a computer's "levers of power".

I've never seen a BIOS so sparse with options, but in my humble opinion, these laptops are for people who probably don't care about the BIOS (or may not even know what it is). So I don't expect much from it.

Another way would be to type systeminfo in a command prompt window.

systeminfo -> very handy utility.

[Mr. Fox]

You can check your bios version as well as other info by typing msinfo32 in the start menu's search box and pressing enter. Mine came with F.17, the new version is F.18, so no, it didn't include that bios update.

Another way would be to type systeminfo in a command prompt window.

I've never seen a BIOS so sparse with options, but in my humble opinion, these laptops are for people who probably don't care about the BIOS (or may not even know what it is). So I don't expect much from it.

systeminfo -> very handy utility.

I was also amazed at how sparse the options and adjustments were in the CQ56 BIOS.

The Windows sysinfo tool is a good one.

[shinobi1]

I was also amazed at how sparse the options and adjustments were in the CQ56 BIOS.

The Windows sysinfo tool is a good one.

I need to check my BIOS version. But taking the above posts into account, it now appears I might be a version behind. Flashing a BIOS is less than a daunting task. But there is always a teensy risk, a vanishingly small risk, of bricking the laptop. Hence I ask:

Anybody know offhand what advantages are conferred by the new BIOS? If it's not something important to me, I'm not gonna re-flash just yet.

Also, off the topic of BIOS:

I have priced new CQ56 caddy/cable sets at circa $12 on eBay. This seems quite reasonable to me; how about you? Having a second set would allow very easy and speedy HDD switching. The $12 sets include the four screws.