*HP ENVY 17 & 17 3D (2XXX series) Owners Lounge*

[rwilliams129]

Can I create the system image on an external drive, and then use that drive to reinstall the image on the ssd I get?

[fiver5]

So, fiver5, are your integrated graphics and switching still enabled?

Yes, I still have switchable graphics the only thing that doesn't work is brightness hotkeys which I now have a workaround for.

This is the procedure I followed. This seems to be a mess for everyone, so YMMV.

-Clean
-Install Intel HD GPU drivers downloaded directly from Intel
-Install Catalyst Provided from HP
-Reboot
-Install Catalyst Mobility 11.4

Installing the catalyst from HP might not even be required, I dunno. I landed on needing to do it in this order after quite a bit of trial and error last week but who really knows. I have done this from a clean Win7 install and by doing a full uninstall of all GPU drivers/driver sweep/ccleaner.

[NVS8NT]

has the Envy 17 SATA III or only SATA II Ports?

i want to buy a SSD Vertex 3 or Crusial C400

It has two SATA III Ports, I am running a vertex 3 in there with SATA III speeds.

[Phisherman]

Hello everyone! I just arrived here and thought I'd join your wonderful group. I have been reading this for weeks, and am almost to the end! Almost every post has been very helpful and I would like to thank everyone who has contributed!

Good thing I ordered when I did, I got a free SSD+7200! I think I am the luckiest person (or unluckiest person depending how you look at it) alive, since I basically am getting a new Envy 17 for free also!!!!

On another note, I noticed there wasn't much information about the non-HD version, specifically refresh rates for the 1920 x 1080 LCD. I asked HP chat and they told me it supports 90Hz. But time will tell since mine arrives (hopefully) in less than a week!

[Bobmitch]

Yes, I still have switchable graphics the only thing that doesn't work is brightness hotkeys which I now have a workaround for.

This is the procedure I followed. This seems to be a mess for everyone, so YMMV.

-Clean
-Install Intel HD GPU drivers downloaded directly from Intel
-Install Catalyst Provided from HP
-Reboot
-Install Catalyst Mobility 11.4

Installing the catalyst from HP might not even be required, I dunno. I landed on needing to do it in this order after quite a bit of trial and error last week but who really knows. I have done this from a clean Win7 install and by doing a full uninstall of all GPU drivers/driver sweep/ccleaner.

The HP download is probably required. The CCC from 11.4 doesn't include the applet for Switchable Graphics. I am gonna experiment with 11.4 again right now. God...if there was a potential dealbreaker for me and the Envy...it was the ATI GPU. However, there isn't another laptop in the Envy's class...I know that some people feel strongly about the Dell XPS...I have had Dell's...they are OK at best.

Just installed 11.4 on top of HP install. CCC no longer works, but the drivers do. Switchable graphics is gone! Ugh!

[Phisherman]

The HP download is probably required. The CCC from 11.4 doesn't include the applet for Switchable Graphics. I am gonna experiment with 11.4 again right now. God...if there was a potential dealbreaker for me and the Envy...it was the ATI GPU. However, there isn't another laptop in the Envy's class...I know that some people feel strongly about the Dell XPS...I have had Dell's...they are OK at best.

Main thing I don't like about the envy, The AMD/ATI garbage.... I used them a few times in the past and have had very unplesant experiences with them. Hopefully they clean up their act, or maybe HP can fix it?

[Bobmitch]

Main thing I don't like about the envy, The AMD/ATI garbage.... I used them a few times in the past and have had very unplesant experiences with them. Hopefully they clean up their act, or maybe HP can fix it?

Wishful thinking! ATI has had questionable drivers for years. Even AMD taking them over hasn't done much. HP is going to do only what they have to. I checked the download sections for two and three year old Pavillions, etc. HP has done the initial release of graphics drivers and never again. Dell and others are the same way. They all expect that you will use the same graphics drivers for years. Sad considering how good the Envy is and how good it could be.

Experimenting right now. Disabled the Intel GPU...trying to reinstall 11.4 Catalyst. We will see

Well...that didn't work. CCC won't install

OK...here is the deal. You install the HP grapics drivers which gives you 8.800... AND Intel grapics drivers. Then...install 11.4, but do a custom install. DO NOT install the new CCC. Leave the old one in play. You get less control over the drivers, BUT Catalyst 11.4 seems to work with the HP CCC version. Switchable graphics works, but with some caviats...Brightness control buttons no longer work, AND when you switch graphics, you must remember to set the monitor refresh rate back to 120 HZ when going back to AMD 6850...OR...you will refresh at 60 HZ. This is a major pain!!! BUT...you can update your drivers

[Bobmitch]

Yes, I still have switchable graphics the only thing that doesn't work is brightness hotkeys which I now have a workaround for.

This is the procedure I followed. This seems to be a mess for everyone, so YMMV.

-Clean
-Install Intel HD GPU drivers downloaded directly from Intel
-Install Catalyst Provided from HP
-Reboot
-Install Catalyst Mobility 11.4

Installing the catalyst from HP might not even be required, I dunno. I landed on needing to do it in this order after quite a bit of trial and error last week but who really knows. I have done this from a clean Win7 install and by doing a full uninstall of all GPU drivers/driver sweep/ccleaner.

What Catalyst Control Center do you have installed? Does it say CCC or CCC Control Static?

[Bobmitch]

Here is an oddity. Went to the Dell download site...checked how they do it with Alienware that have switchable graphics and AMD. They release separate packages for AMD and Intel graphics. You can mix and match. However, with that said...their drivers are older than HP's...

If I had one wish for HP...put Nvidia GPU's back in your choices when building ANY machine

[Bobmitch]

Check this out. Ran 3D Mark 11 on the 11.4 Catalyst's. With HP drivers, my score topped at 1862. Here is the score using 11.4...Up quite a bit I might say. Granted synthetic benchmarks...but nice increase!!!