HP Support Forums
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So, umm, yes. A girl thank you very much! 
Anyway, the only cable I am uncertain about is the one that comes from the back of the media drive cage and that has a small, rectangular, flat black plug on the end. It looked like it needed to plug into one of the front panel pin areas on the motherboard so that any LED on the media drive would light up when the drive is plugged in? I just chose an open, seemingly matching set of pins on the mobo labeled front panel of something. It has been a while, so I may not recall exactly what they are labeled. Teehee! See? I AM a girl!
I bought my m9340f in August before my fall semester of college. I'm pretty sure I paid over $1,000. During that semester, I remember one time when I heard the fan making the loud humming/choking noise. However, I turned off the computer and when it turned back on it was fine. I thought nothing of it.
So, anyways, when I started using the computer again in the spring semester, after Christmas vacation, the fan would consistantly make the noise. Once in a while it would get louder or fade away but for the most part it was just a consistant nuisance. At this point I didn't even know it was the graphics card fan. I thought it was the chassi fan. Luckily I was able google it and came across this thread. I listened to the advice given on the first page about adding a drop of oil to the graphics card bacause I don't like spending time with customer service and waiting/mailing etc. and getting a replacement that reportaly has a problem with the model...(however now I see someone got a 9800 model O.o...you deserve it man...I wouldn't have the patience to battle with em).
It took about a half hour for me to do. I never took apart a graphics card before so it was an interesting experience. But now having done it, I could probably cut that time in half. So it's all good, butalthough I shouldn't have go through that to begin with. I used 3-In-One sae20 motor oil although I doubt it matters for this cheap little fan.
It runs silently once again for about 1.5 weeks now. I'll be sure to report back if anything changes.
Oh and btw did anyone else break a grey wire that was wrapped around the top of the tower. I assumed it was there for warranty purposes when I accidentally broke it, but just want to make sure. Whatever it is, I don't need it. 
http://www.neowin.net/index.php?act=view&id=37711
Also a link to everything you could ever want to know about 64 bit things (this site is worth its weight in gold for giving 64 bit problem work arounds):
http://www.start64.com/index.php?option=com_frontp
After a successful installation, you may install your favorite programs only after verifying that each one specifically states it is compatible with 64 bit Os's. This can be tricky. If a program states in "System Requirements" that it is Vista compatible, that does NOT mean it is 64 bit compatible. If you cannot get something that specifically says it is 64 bit compatible, it is not. There are some occasions when you can get non-64 bit compatible programs to install and run, but this is rare and you need to be very careful with them. Since these programs are looking in folders arranged in and named in the Windows XP folder format for where to install, save and erase programs, you have to keep a watchful eye on them to make sure they do not erase or over-write something important. Ususally, however, they will just not install or work at all.
If you had the typical bloated HP installation of the Vista operating system as a 32 bit system with all of your programs installed, and then tried to upgrade using a 64 bit Windows program that you purchased....well, you are doomed to experience difficulties. For instance, my PC came with the HP operating system installation, but it was 64 bit. However, I wanted all the HP bloatware off my PC. I also wanted Vista Ultimate instead of Home Premium. So, I used a newly purchased Ultimate 64 bit upgrade disc and a program called v-Lite to create my own operating system installation with all the service packs, hotfixes and drivers slipstreamed into the disc which I then burned to a DVD. To do this, you must research and find all the necessary 64 bit compatible drivers. Just taking them off the HP disc or HP website is not good enough. Most will need to be found elsewhere. You must get the proper chipset drivers from the Intel site, the proper video card drivers from the Nvidia site, the proper Hauppage TV Tuner drivers from the Hauppage site, etc. Some of the other hardware drivers and programs (infrared, bluetooth, fax, etc.) can be downloaded from HP's site, but try to find as many of the big item drivers as possible on the appropriate hardware manufacturers site. Some people will try to scare you and tell you that doing this will cause your PC to run less effectively or not at all since HP sets up certain parameters in the BIOS, on the motherboard, in the magic universe, blah, blah, blah. That just is not true. I am also sorry to tell you that by choosing a 64 bit operating system, you have caused yourself more trouble than good (for now). I learned this the hard way. It is only my opinion based on my experience and is centered around the program/driver compatibility issues. Once more companies start writing for 64 bit compatibility, it won't be such a problem. However, I have seen quite a few software companies plainly state they have no plans to support 64 bit, which is ludicrous, since this is the future standard! Without 64 bit, we cannot take advantage of the larger amounts of RAM above 4 gigs that we have the opportunity to use. Whatever! They will learn eventually. For now, it is our job to circumvent all the idiots and make our PCs run as well as we can (or better than they can)!
Google "v-Lite" and do some reading in their forums. You will learn a lot and empower yourself in the process.In the meantime, make HP send you a new video card. When they say you have 3 days to return a card, they mean you have 3 business days (not counting weekends) from the time you receive your new card to get the old card picked up by FedEx (or you drop it at a Fed Ex location and it shows in the system returning to HP). Again, it must show in the FedEx tracking system as returning to HP with 3 business days of your receipt of the new card. The old video card must then be back at HP within 15 business days from the time you received your new card. I have done the procedure twice now. Yes, there is some risk for you in having your credit card charged. Unfortunately, HP does have to protect themselves from dishonest people, but I have had no trouble with my credit card in this process yet. Just remember to keep screen shots and receipt copies showing all dates, and remember to not dilly dally in the process of getting cards swapped out. To me, this is the part of the process that I can get behind for HP. I am sure they have been burnt too many times in the past, and that makes it harder on all of us. The part I cannot get behind is the difficulty in getting this fan issue attended to, and so we must all stay on them for as many times as it takes to make them do the right thing. As of today, my third video card from HP has been working for a few weeks with no further noise. It was not until I got an American on the tech support line (sorry India, no offense) that I finally got someone who acknowledged this as a problem and said it would be taken care of. I questioned that statement, since one of the Indian reps previously said he would take care of the problem for me too (although at the time it sounded insincere), but the American guy was as good as his word. I could tell the process would be different by how he handled me and the transaction. By the way, if someone tells you they have to have a supervisor call you back to help you, understand that you will say "OK", hang up, and call right back to get another rep. You will never get that call from a supervisor. I did not, even after calling twice to ask about it, and another poster I saw in a different forum never heard from a supervisor or anyone else ever again either. to be contd in next post...
Hi Heather,
I did not mean to go back to XP. But, perhaps I misunderstood what you were talking about. I just came across this article mentioning the iTunes and Internet Explorer 64 bit issues. Have a read. It is interesting:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1213598/6
I use Firefox as my web browser. I also use programs written by small software companies, but I had to look long and hard to find 64 bit compatible programs to meet my needs.
Please check out the web site I mentioned earlier. http://www.start64.com/index.php. They will really be able to help you with a lot of 64 bit questions. I have heard great things about Windows 7 by the way. But, since the trial can only be used up to about three months I think, you would then have to reinstall your old operating system and programs all over again I think. Too much hassle for me. Vista works fine for me. No glitches at all, other than me not knowing the OS as intimately as I did XP. Because I knew XP so well, there was nothing I could not do to it and recover from if needed. With Vista, I don't dare mess with much unless I expect to re-install my OS fairly frequently from making mistakes. That is how I learned XP though, so there is really nothing that is that much worse about Vista, if I am honest about it.
Below is a link to a program that says it will override the driver enforcement policy in Vista which may allow some of your programs to run without a lot of extra fuss. Read what they have to say and try out the program to see if it helps. I have not used it, but I am considering trying it out for fun. Be aware that you have to disable Vista's User Account Control before using this program. UAC is Vista's main security feature, as well as the one that causes the most heartburn to experienced users. If you are not PC somewhat savvy, or do not have an excellent antivirus AND anti-malware program (and I do not mean any free versions chikita, then do not try this.
http://www.ngohq.com/home.php?page=dseo
By the way, trying to type a reply in the HP forum causes my web page to jump too, and I use Firefox. The secret is to click in the reply box twice before trying to type. This is most likely an HP web site issue (something in the way they wrote the site) and not your problem. If I weren't lazy, I would look at the code to see what the deal is, but I don't care enough. 
Take care!
