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12-25-2010, 12:56 PM
Greetings all.
I recently customized a new Envy 17 3D, however I left one important thing out. The dual SSD/HD option. On the phone ordering this machine, I wasn't given much information regarding the SSD for the machine, and couldn't see spending 500 dollars for that upgrade, so I opted for the standard 500 gig HD.
Afterwards, I tried calling and upgrading before the computer was built, but was basically told "sorry" but you can send the laptop back after you receive it in the mail if you're not pleased with it. Such a pathetic response and excuse, and one to which I just laughed. Long story short, I bought a 128 meg Crucial C300 6GB/s from Newegg, and have installed it in my Envy. Now here is where the problems start. To effectively run this SSD, the BIOS needs to be set to AHCI, along with a few other things in BIOS.
Because of the locked BIOS Win 7 isn't recognizing that the drive is SSD, and therefore isn't set properly to optimize the SSD, trim, disabling defrag, etc. Because it was not installed from the factory the option they set on this computer is set for a HD, not set for an SS drive, and therefore my new installed SSD is running sub-par. This particular Crucial drive, and fellow users of the drive, boasts speeds upwards of 350+ MBP/s 140-150+ MBP/s read/write respectively, on 6Gb/s. I'm getting... not even half that. And from what everyone tells me, it's because I'm not set to AHCI. Which of course... my BIOS is locked and I can't change the setting.
I know HP locks their BIOS settings to keep idiots from ruining their systems for whatever reasons they have. However, I paid an extra 300 dollars for an extended warranty that covers ALL damage. Even if I was to throw it out a 3 story window because I had a bout of nerd rage, the laptop replacement is covered. That being said, I want full access to my BIOS settings.
I am so far extremely disappointed in HP. From mediocre support and tech help to laptops that are very expensive yet locked and bared, which essentially is taking something we pay full price for and limiting what we get. And besides, warranties run out, and these settings they force onto us stay the same. For the money I paid for this Envy 17 3D, I could of easily had my own laptop built completely custom with full access granted to me, and with a few extra goodies that this laptop doesn't have. But hindsight is always 20/20.
Basically, I want to know if there is any way I can gain full access to my BIOS to be able to change my settings to AHCI, and eventually in the future when this laptop starts to slip and become outdated and underpowered, the option to overclock so it will stay current as long as I can make it.
I've searched Google and read countless pages with people asking the same question, with no real fix ever to be shown. It is to my understanding that updating or flashing the BIOS won't help, as it doesn't fix the problem. So is there some sort of firmware/software that we can use, or is there something on the board like a DIMM pin that needs moved? Or is there ANY suggestion at all?
I mean this is like buying a exotic sports car for hundreds of thousands of dollars, only to find out that big 12 cylinder engine has 8 of its cylinders "locked" to prevent you from voiding the car's 3 year warranty. Give me a break.
Again, with the extended warranty I paid out the rear for, even if I completely [censored] up my system and it's my fault, I'm covered.
So.... how do I gain full access to my system?
Link to HP's OEM BIOS for this system's MoBo:
ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp50501-51000/sp50943.exe
Any help would greatly be appreciated... I'd really like to have full access to my system to not only install this SDD properly, but possibly even OCing in the future.
Thanks in advance.
I recently customized a new Envy 17 3D, however I left one important thing out. The dual SSD/HD option. On the phone ordering this machine, I wasn't given much information regarding the SSD for the machine, and couldn't see spending 500 dollars for that upgrade, so I opted for the standard 500 gig HD.
Afterwards, I tried calling and upgrading before the computer was built, but was basically told "sorry" but you can send the laptop back after you receive it in the mail if you're not pleased with it. Such a pathetic response and excuse, and one to which I just laughed. Long story short, I bought a 128 meg Crucial C300 6GB/s from Newegg, and have installed it in my Envy. Now here is where the problems start. To effectively run this SSD, the BIOS needs to be set to AHCI, along with a few other things in BIOS.
Because of the locked BIOS Win 7 isn't recognizing that the drive is SSD, and therefore isn't set properly to optimize the SSD, trim, disabling defrag, etc. Because it was not installed from the factory the option they set on this computer is set for a HD, not set for an SS drive, and therefore my new installed SSD is running sub-par. This particular Crucial drive, and fellow users of the drive, boasts speeds upwards of 350+ MBP/s 140-150+ MBP/s read/write respectively, on 6Gb/s. I'm getting... not even half that. And from what everyone tells me, it's because I'm not set to AHCI. Which of course... my BIOS is locked and I can't change the setting.
I know HP locks their BIOS settings to keep idiots from ruining their systems for whatever reasons they have. However, I paid an extra 300 dollars for an extended warranty that covers ALL damage. Even if I was to throw it out a 3 story window because I had a bout of nerd rage, the laptop replacement is covered. That being said, I want full access to my BIOS settings.
I am so far extremely disappointed in HP. From mediocre support and tech help to laptops that are very expensive yet locked and bared, which essentially is taking something we pay full price for and limiting what we get. And besides, warranties run out, and these settings they force onto us stay the same. For the money I paid for this Envy 17 3D, I could of easily had my own laptop built completely custom with full access granted to me, and with a few extra goodies that this laptop doesn't have. But hindsight is always 20/20.
Basically, I want to know if there is any way I can gain full access to my BIOS to be able to change my settings to AHCI, and eventually in the future when this laptop starts to slip and become outdated and underpowered, the option to overclock so it will stay current as long as I can make it.
I've searched Google and read countless pages with people asking the same question, with no real fix ever to be shown. It is to my understanding that updating or flashing the BIOS won't help, as it doesn't fix the problem. So is there some sort of firmware/software that we can use, or is there something on the board like a DIMM pin that needs moved? Or is there ANY suggestion at all?
I mean this is like buying a exotic sports car for hundreds of thousands of dollars, only to find out that big 12 cylinder engine has 8 of its cylinders "locked" to prevent you from voiding the car's 3 year warranty. Give me a break.
Again, with the extended warranty I paid out the rear for, even if I completely [censored] up my system and it's my fault, I'm covered.
So.... how do I gain full access to my system?
Link to HP's OEM BIOS for this system's MoBo:
ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp50501-51000/sp50943.exe
Any help would greatly be appreciated... I'd really like to have full access to my system to not only install this SDD properly, but possibly even OCing in the future.
Thanks in advance.
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