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

[Mr. Fox]

Anyone have a good link for an N660 for a decent price? looking to upgrade

Bert

Well, here are two links to be notified when it becomes available so you can buy it for $65.79. Might not be a bad idea to do this while you are looking for one. LINK and LINK (I believe Excel Computer and Laptop King are exactly the same company operating under 2 different business names. I know at least a couple of our thread contributors purchased from Excel with good results.)

Provantage has the N660 for sale cheaper than feeBay, but still not at a decent price.

For a reference on what should theoretically work in the CQ56 go here and scroll about two-thirds of the way down the page to the section where the V Series starts and there is a list of all socket S1G4 mobile procs. The AMD part numbers are listed to assist with your web search.

I'm an Intel CPU guy, so one of several AMD CPU gurus that have been contribution to our thread can clarify whether any S1G4 proc is not compatible. To avoid heat issues, stay with the 25W or 35W TDP ratings.

[ziklag]

Just put my name on the wait list for the sold out cpu's. I hope they stay the same price. Mr Fox, I remember that you posted some links to programs to get rid of the bloatware on the replacement laptops. Could you please re-post the links and instructions. Thanks for all the help to everyone in making lemonade with that lemon we are getting.

[Mr. Fox]

Just put my name on the wait list for the sold out cpu's. I hope they stay the same price. Mr Fox, I remember that you posted some links to programs to get rid of the bloatware on the replacement laptops. Could you please re-post the links and instructions. Thanks for all the help to everyone in making lemonade with that lemon we are getting.

Some folks have recommended PC Decrapifier. This tool works just fine, but it's not really necessary and you could end up messing some things up if you're not careful.

All you really need to do is go into Control Panel > Programs and remove everything with HP in the program name. The only HP stuff you might want to keep is the applet for QuickLaunch buttons and maybe the HP Wireless Assistant (not necessary... user preference). While you're in there, nix anything that you're not going to use, such as Microsoft Office trial version, crapware for internet provider sign-up and all of the crappy advertisement-driven browser-based java games, etcetera, etcetera. Be prepared to wait, and wait some more, as most of the HP crapware takes a very long time to uninstall. Be patient and wait so the removal is successful.

After removing all the dross, run MSCONFIG and disable (uncheck) everything on the startup tab that you recognize as a program that does not need to run at startup. (The only things than need to run are antivirus/security programs.) You can disable almost everything, and you can re-enable something if you run into a glitch. Anything relating to software other than antivirus/security programs does not need to run at startup and will slow your system down.

One of our NBR buddies--I think maybe it was dchen2k--posted a link to a utility for customizing the extra keys on the CQ56 to do what you want them to do. I don't have that link, but maybe they'll post it again on this thread. If those extra keys annoy you, that utility may be able to disable their functionality so they do nothing if you accidentally press them.

Two programs I have used for years with excellent results are Spybot Search & Destroy and CCleaner. Spybot has some features similar to MSCONFIG (only more advanced) for turning off startup items as well as security features to clean and immunize your system against malware and hijacking. You need to select Advanced Mode from the menu to access all of Spybot S&D features. CCleaner is good for removing leftover garbage files and for deleting obsolete registry entries. After removing all the bloatware, you'll definitely want to run the CCleaner registry tool to remove all of the obsolete references to that garbage. Expect to be amazed at the number of invalid registry entries. Run CCleaner file clean up and registry cleaning tools monthly as part of your maintenance ritual.

If you want to take the time to totally de-HP your system, you'll need to take more drastic measures and follow this thread for a squeaky-clean Windows 7 installation. Personally, I recommend using the ISO method. Be sure to create HP restore media first, and download all of your HP drivers to have them ready to go. (You can also copy the SWSETUP folder located in the root directory of your C: drive to have a copy of the factory installed drivers ready to install.) You can backup/restore your activation, or simply reactivate after entering the Product Key on your COA sticker. (This is not something noobs should attempt unless they are ready to make the potentially painful transition to geek. A from scratch OS reinstall is unbeatable, but definitely an undertaking reserved for the adventurous and experienced.)

Additionally, if you elect to install the latest AMD reference drivers for your HD 4250 IGP, you'll want to first totally eradicate every trace of the obsolete HP video drivers. The 11.6 drivers available from AMD are working much better on my wife's CQ56 than the HP video drivers. To do that, you'll need CCleaner and Driver Sweeper. While Catalyst 11.6 drivers are available, I recommend that you follow the instructions on this thread to ensure a successful video driver update. Look at the first post under "How to Setup (thanks to steviejones133)" for simple step-by-step instructions on how to get a clean AMD video driver installation.

Lastly, some recommendations on your security software. The Norton Internet Security suite is a fine product. It does a lot more than most of us need it to, and it does use up extra system resources to run all of its fancy features. The CQ56 needs all the help it can get for performance, especially with the stock CPU. If you're wanting to use the bare-bones Norton Antivirus, here is a link where you can get it with a year subscription for only $11. I am using this on my Alienware system and it is excellent. I am going to purchase it for my wife's CQ56 when I get around to it, or when her trial runs out (whichever comes first). I do not recommend McAfee security products for a number of reasons that I will not go into on this post. Avira has a free alternative in anti-virus software that I have had good results using for a very long time. There are free alternatives out there besides Avira, including Microsoft Security Essentials. Microsoft Security Essentials has also worked very well for me. Everyone has their favorites. (Be careful if you choose to go with Microsoft Security Essentials, as there are malware infested knock-offs out there that have fooled many computer users.) Here is a link for the genuine version.

Hope this helps you guys! Have a great day.

[nambinhvu]

Great thread. Glad I found it. The "Settlement People" received my old DV6000(dv6448se) on June 20 so I have yet to recieve my CQ56. As stated at the opening though the original entertainment platform, despite the warts (sometimes it was so hot you could barely touch the touchpad!), and crashes it was a really well equipped platform. The audio was especially good and the case was attractive - and the touchpad was terrific! And the camera ... OK I am depressing myself thinking of the inadequacy of the replacement. Anyway you now have me considering upgrading the processor. The memory was a no brainer which I would do as soon as I got it. I am hooked on using a mouse and use a Logitech wireless one with my HP Elitebook 8540w from work so the touchpad is really a non issue.

All this aside where does one buy an AMD P520? I have never upgraded a laptop processor but may give it a run as a project. I used PassMark PassMark Software - PC Benchmark and Test Software as a comparison of all the chips discussed (and to thoroughly disgust mystelf with how bad the V140 was compared to the TL-56 in my dv6000) and the P520 seems respectable. A bit better than the T3000 in another laptop I have and a bit less than the I3-370m in yet another.

As complete aside I bought a Toshiba portege 830 (has an I3-2310m processor) and that is one sweet laptop - if pricey!

LT

If you ever need help taking it apart, just ask me, I've taken mine apart 5+ times now haha XD I even redid the thermal paste once and yeah :P I think I got more experience taking this thing apart than anyone else.

I'm fine with it. I'm still dealing with a pending claim, but as long as I can at least read the info on it, I'm grateful (also didn't expect to get the final word in on that thread. ). I'm just looking forward to contributing here, but by the time I get my laptop in about two months, this forum might be crickets too.

I stopped getting emails from this forum for some reason lols I clicked the link and noticed a bunch of new posts XP I'll be around hopefully once you get your laptop.

Anyone have a good link for an N660 for a decent price? looking to upgrade

Bert

You could try emailing the people selling them on ebay. I emailed one guy that was selling it for over $110 and got him to sell it to me for $85, still pretty expensive, but it's ok I suppose, it's much faster now and I think it was worth it, better than buying a brand new computer and wasting more money.

Well, here are two links to be notified when it becomes available so you can buy it for $65.79. Might not be a bad idea to do this while you are looking for one. LINK and LINK (I believe Excel Computer and Laptop King are exactly the same company operating under 2 different business names. I know at least a couple of our thread contributors purchased from Excel with good results.)

Provantage has the N660 for sale cheaper than feeBay, but still not at a decent price.

For a reference on what should theoretically work in the CQ56 go here and scroll about two-thirds of the way down the page to the section where the V Series starts and there is a list of all socket S1G1 mobile procs. The AMD part numbers are listed to assist with your web search.

I'm an Intel CPU guy, so one of several AMD CPU gurus that have been contribution to our thread can clarify whether any S1G1 proc is not compatible. To avoid heat issues, stay with the 25W or 35W TDP ratings.

Actually, it's the S1G4 processors he should be looking at. Here's a link Socket S1 (S1g4) It lists the highest clocked processors for each family, if you want to see the other clocks just click the hyperlinks. Hope that helps. I'd go with the phenoms because they can take full advantage of the faster ram. Also depending on what you do with it, more multitasking or running virtual machines, the triple and quad cores might be a better choice for you. If not, go with the dual cores, because they run much quicker for most everything else.

Some folks have recommended PC Decrapifier. This tool works just fine, but it's not really necessary and you could end up messing some things up if you're not careful.

All you really need to do is go into Control Panel > Programs and remove everything with HP in the program name. The only HP stuff you might want to keep is the applet for QuickLaunch buttons and maybe the HP Wireless Assistant (not necessary... user preference). While you're in there, nix anything that you're not going to use, such as Microsoft Office trial version, crapware for internet provider sign-up and all of the crappy advertisement-driven browser-based java games, etcetera, etcetera. Be prepared to wait, and wait some more, as most of the HP crapware takes a very long time to uninstall. Be patient and wait so the removal is successful.

After removing all the dross, run MSCONFIG and disable (uncheck) everything on the startup tab that you recognize as a program that does not need to run at startup. (The only things than need to run are antivirus/security programs.) You can disable almost everything, and you can re-enable something if you run into a glitch. Anything relating to software other than antivirus/security programs does not need to run at startup and will slow your system down.

One of our NBR buddies--I think maybe it was dchen2k--posted a link to a utility for customizing the extra keys on the CQ56 to do what you want them to do. I don't have that link, but maybe they'll post it again on this thread. If those extra keys annoy you, that utility may be able to disable their functionality so they do nothing if you accidentally press them.

Two programs I have used for years with excellent results are Spybot Search & Destroy and CCleaner. Spybot has some features similar to MSCONFIG (only more advanced) for turning off startup items as well as security features to clean and immunize your system against malware and hijacking. You need to select Advanced Mode from the menu to access all of Spybot S&D features. CCleaner is good for removing leftover garbage files and for deleting obsolete registry entries. After removing all the bloatware, you'll definitely want to run the CCleaner registry tool to remove all of the obsolete references to that garbage. Expect to be amazed at the number of invalid registry entries. Run CCleaner file clean up and registry cleaning tools monthly as part of your maintenance ritual.

If you want to take the time to totally de-HP your system, you'll need to take more drastic measures and follow this thread for a squeaky-clean Windows 7 installation. Personally, I recommend using the ISO method. Be sure to create HP restore media first, and download all of your HP drivers to have them ready to go. (You can also copy the SWSETUP folder located in the root directory of your C: drive to have a copy of the factory installed drivers ready to install.) You can backup/restore your activation, or simply reactivate after entering the Product Key on your COA sticker. (This is not something noobs should attempt unless they are ready to make the potentially painful transition to geek. A from scratch OS reinstall is unbeatable, but definitely an undertaking reserved for the adventurous and experienced.)

Additionally, if you elect to install the latest AMD reference drivers for your HD 4250 IGP, you'll want to first totally eradicate every trace of the obsolete HP video drivers. The 11.6 drivers available from AMD are working much better on my wife's CQ56 than the HP video drivers. To do that, you'll need CCleaner and Driver Sweeper. While Catalyst 11.6 drivers are available, I recommend that you follow the instructions on this thread to ensure a successful video driver update. Look at the first post under "How to Setup (thanks to steviejones133)" for simple step-by-step instructions on how to get a clean AMD video driver installation.

Lastly, some recommendations on your security software. The Norton Internet Security suite is a fine product. It does a lot more than most of us need it to, and it does use up extra system resources to run all of its fancy features. The CQ56 needs all the help it can get for performance, especially with the stock CPU. If you're wanting to use the bare-bones Norton Antivirus, here is a link where you can get it with a year subscription for only $11. I am using this on my Alienware system and it is excellent. I am going to purchase it for my wife's CQ56 when I get around to it, or when her trial runs out (whichever comes first). I do not recommend McAfee security products for a number of reasons that I will not go into on this post. Avira has a free alternative in anti-virus software that I have had good results using for a very long time. There are free alternatives out there besides Avira, including Microsoft Security Essentials. Microsoft Security Essentials has also worked very well for me. Everyone has their favorites. (Be careful if you choose to go with Microsoft Security Essentials, as there are malware infested knock-offs out there that have fooled many computer users.) Here is a link for the genuine version.

Hope this helps you guys! Have a great day.

I posted the thing for the program that allows you to customize keys. Here's the link HotKeyz - Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET Downloads It pretty much lets you make your own keyboard shortcuts, and even some macros that can auto click and stuff for you. I only changed the mail and print keys cause I never use them, though I'm not sure if you'll be able to stop the other ones from activating when you press them. I believe there's a feature that lets you disable the windows hot keys while running the program though I don't really have a need to customize more keys, so I've never tried much other than that.

[Mr. Fox]

Actually, it's the S1G4 processors he should be looking at.

Correct... sorry for the typo. I corrected my post. Thanks for pointing out the keystroke error. And, thank you for the additional technical information on the compatible AMD procs and HotKeyz utility link.

[nambinhvu]

Correct... sorry for the typo. I corrected my post. Thanks for pointing out the keystroke error. And, thank you for the additional technical information on the compatible AMD procs and HotKeyz utility link.

Yup, hope they help, I use a program with hotkeyz called Turn Off LCD to, you guessed it, turn off the screen lols I like leaving it open and having the power to quickly turn off the screen, especially since I like leaving my laptop on all the time. Btw, ran prime again and checked temps 27.7778C temp in the house and the processor got up to 83C max. As opposed to last time I did it 21.6667C in the house, and got up to 80C max I believe. I need the temp in the house to go back down, so I can compare the temps better. I don't know if the line application and using less thermal paste helped, made it worse, or did nothing. I guess as long as it doesn't overheat, and from what I'm seeing, pushing the processor to the max and getting a max temp of 83C I doubt it'll overheat lol

[Mr. Fox]

If you're living in a hot house this summer, 83C under full load is not too bad and I'd say you're in good shape. While lower temps is always better, you are not entering the danger zone.

[nambinhvu]

If you're living in a hot house this summer, 83C under full load is not too bad and I'd say you're in good shape. While lower temps is always better, you are not entering the danger zone.

What exactly is the danger zone? lol I think on normal use the highest I've ever seen it hit was 70, but it's usually around 60ish.

[Mr. Fox]

It varies by product and you would have to consult the OEM specs for the specific thermal limits on a given processor, but a general rule of thumb is getting up into the mid-90's is generally bad news for most processors and below 90C is acceptable for most.

[nambinhvu]

It varies by product and you would have to consult the OEM specs for the specific thermal limits on a given processor, but a general rule of thumb is getting up into the mid-90's is generally bad news for most processors and below 90C is acceptable for most.

Haha ok, I think as long as I'm not stressing the GPU at the same time as the CPU I should be fine lols

Wow that was extremely strange, I've never seen that before. I had one stick of ram inserted one side more than the other and didn't realize it, when I was checking the ram it showed 8GB total, but only 4GB useable, I was like wth o.O I thought I shorted one or something, then when I checked it wasn't pushed in all the way, put it in correctly and it's working fine again lols I didn't know that was possible haha to show the 8GB but not work because it wasn't inserted all the way XD