DV7 Unlisted model - Need drivers and BIOS updates (Win7 and Win10)

[Chuck_Mo]

Hi everyone,

I recently received a Pavillion DV7 laptop with all stickers removed from the system. I'm struggling to find BIOS, drivers and firmware updates for this system to install Win 10 or maybe even an older OS. This is what the system reports:

System Family: = 2
System Model: = EW7-I7C2381TBR1
System SKU: = AU86T4B
System ID: 181C

BIOS: "InsydeH2O Version 03.71.51F.0B"

Chipset: "Intel(R) 7 Series/C216"

Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-3610QM CPU @ 2.30GHz (8 CPUs), ~2.3GHz

Can anyone tell me what the model of this system is or at least which model it is compatible with in order to download the correct BIOS, drivers and firmware? I'm sure there's some document somewhere regarding this model but I haven't been able to find it. Please let me know if you need more information.

Thank you.

[Huffer · Accepted solution]

Look inside the battery bay for another label but a third gen Intel Core Pavilion DV7 is the DV7t-7000 Quad series with this Service manual:

Manual

and these Windows 7 64 bit drivers:

https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/selfservice/hp-pavilion-dv7-7000-quad-edition-entertainment-not...

Post back if you need any more help. Best OS for it is Windows 7 or 8.1...switchable graphics has issues with Windows 10 but can be made to work with some effort. 

If this is "the Answer" please click "Accept as Solution" to help others find it. 

[Chuck_Mo]

First of all, thank you.

Second, there was a sticker there in the battery bay stating the same model number. I removed the sticker only to find that everything was blacked out by some kind of black magic marker. Needless to say, I got the windex and paper towels out and started to rub it off to see the model number. It wouldn't come off completely but I managed to lighten it enough to see the model number. It is a DV7-7030US.

Could you please elaborate on how to install Win 10 on this system?

Thank you.

[Huffer]

Do you actually own a copy of Windows 10? If not you have to buy it. Just put it on a thumb drive, boot from the drive and run the installer. Windows 10 will pick up most of the drivers except maybe the video. You will have to force install the Windows 7 driver. We can help with that when you get to that point. 

[Chuck_Mo]

I do own one and tried installing it twice before. Both times Windows installation completed without any problems. Also, both times within seconds of connecting to the internet to download drivers the screen went black. Reboots made the system freeze before login screen. I suspected the problem was with the Display Adapter (Intel Graphics HD 4000) but booting into safe mode was no help since it wouldn't let me install or update any drivers by generating errors.

[Huffer]

What do you know about the history of this laptop? 

[Chuck_Mo]

Nothing, it was given to me by a friend in bulk wholesale business.

[Huffer]

I think you need to run UEFI diagnostics from a bootable thumb drive and check to see you have a viable hardware platform before spending a lot more time and/or money on this:

http://www8.hp.com/us/en/campaigns/hpsupportassistant/pc-diags.html?jumpid=va_r602_us/en/any/pps/pl_...

[Chuck_Mo]

I just did. It passed a few tests and seems to be fine, what should I look for?

[Huffer]

The video and the memory