*HP EliteBook 8740w Owners Lounge - PART 1*

1 and 4 are under the keyboard, 2 and 3 are on the bottom.

OK, then I guess I'm not sure how to test for a bad ram stick, but I must conclude that RAM in DIMM 1 is working, so should I pull out both RAM sticks and install the xtra matched pair from my new system?

EDIT:
Old System
2 GB in DIMM 1
2 GB in DIMM 2 (matched)
system sees only 2 GB

New System
2 GB in DIMM 1
2 GB in DIMM 2 (matched)
system sees 4 GB

bookshelf
matched pair of 2GB sticks uninstalled from new system

EDIT2: noon here, going to have short lunch, anyone willing to chat on Skype to help me get 4GB on my old system? dknight427 is my skype name...I'll log in by 1:00, probably before that

 

I hear ya! For what it's worth -- if it weren't for your diligent work and reporting, I might have thrown in the towel already. It's really disappointing that we're seeing these problems on HP's flagship notebook.

 

That's what I'm going to do when I get my system tomorrow. My machine will come bare with only FreeDOS installed.

 

Old System:
removed RAM2 from D2
system showed 2 GB, confirming RAM1 in D1 is ok
removed RAM1 from D1 and installed RAM2 in D1
system showed 2 GB conforming RAM2 is ok
installed RAM1 in D2 and system reports 4 GB...back to normal now

That's odd. I re-seated RAM2 in D2 at least 4 times, But whatever, at least now I can call HP and not feel like broke something on my old system (which they want to study).

EDIT: back on my New System running RAM in D1 and D2, the system seems more stable from Sleep/Wake crashes, but now it seems more likely to go to sleep improperly, causing a restart when you try to wake it...the "bad sleep" is indicated by the lights on the touch control buttons not turning off for nearly a minute...last test I was on my 5th Sleep mode when this happened...when I ran RAM in D1-4, I never got past 3 Sleep/Wake cycles before a crash

 

Old System - 720qm, M7820, 4GB
3DMark06 - 12,373
SM 2.0: 5,111
SM 3.0: 6,020
CPU: 3,040
res: 1280x1024

PCMark05: 7,683
wPrime 32M: 17.47 s
wPrime 1024M: 550.63 s

Cinebench 11.5 64-bit
OpenGL: 24.32 fps
CPU: 2.79 pts
CPU (single core): 0.87 pts
CPU MP Ratio: 3.19x

New System - 820qm, M7820, 4GB
3DMark06 - 13,063 (+5.6%)
SM 2.0: 5,364 (+5.0%)
SM 3.0: 6,338 (+5.3%)
CPU: 3,253 (+7.0%)
res: 1280x1024

PCMark05: 8,291 (+7.9%)
wPrime 32M: 16.46 s (5.8% faster)
wPrime 1024M: 517.46 s (6.0% faster)

Cinebench 11.5 64-bit
OpenGL: 26.46 fps (+8.9%)
CPU: 2.98 pts (+6.8%)
CPU (single core): 0.99 pts (+13.8%)
CPU MP Ratio: 3.03 (-5.0%)

FYI: comparing 820 to 720
820 base freq is +8.1%
820 turbo freq is +9.3%

 

memtest86+, also available on SysRescCD (which is the most useful recovery / partitioning utility boot CD evar). It will actually test the RAM for subtle arrors (and form an effective hardware stress test for the RAM and related cooling) - you can run it overnight with all the RAM in and see if it turns anything up. [Although your test re: just getting the damn things recognized answered your more immediate question.] Some folks routinely do this with new machines as a burn-in tool anyway.

Oh, I haven't any right to complain given how long most here have waited, I ordered mine last week. It's irritating that they waited until ship date to inform me of the shortage though . . . the main purpose of the post was to warn that the availability codes seem to mean nothing, so don't get your hopes TOO up.

 

FYI -- I get this exact same "bad sleep" problem occasionally as well, with the same symptoms (e.g. lights) you report. I have 16GB RAM and haven't made any RAM changes.

 

No prob. I didn't mean for my resp to be taken as argumentative just explanatory. Thanx for the warning. Hopefully your delay is being incurred for no other reason than because they have to use the parts for us earlier orderers and not because of a much wider reaching delay of no chassis or some other crazy shortage.

 

That would be just, fair, and hopefully short!

No offense taken and you didn't sound irritated in any case, just clarifying. Internet communication fail, I should use more smilies or something

 

It would appear I am back in the game.


My MSI has a blue line going down the middle of the screen, Newegg is out of them, so their option of replace is now refund.

I hadn't sold the dock or RAM for the 8740W...so I guess I need to look back at this.


When it comes back on Monday (fingers crossed), I plan on calling to get the same price they gave me 2 months ago....which was 24%. Can someone PM me the rep that gave 28%?

Or should I be looking elsewhere with all these fan and RAM issues? This is the 4th time since January that I've been kicked in the junk by a bad notebook*...I really don't want the 5th laptop I purchase this year to be yet another hotbed of issues.



*My X201 was sent in unsuccessfully for repair on the right speaker, a driver fixed it 2 weeks later. Otherwise, it's been perfect.