HP Envy 15 freezes when moved

[t-mat]

I have tried searching for similar problems, and there certainly is no shortage of reports of HPs freezing.  But I haven't quite found a forum post that seems identical to my issue.  For the past month or so, I have been struggling with my HP Envy 15 freezing on me when being used.  I first noticed this issue when I would relocate rooms and have to physically move my laptop.  I've never been rough with it, so I'm not sure what caused this issue.  I first noticed when streaming videos because the screen would freeze and it does not ever unfreeze.  I have to hold down the power button and force the laptop to restart.  I have since learned how to move my laptop so that it will not freeze.  It does not matter what I am doing on my laptop.  Whether I am streaming videos, typing a document, browsing the Internet, etc.  My wife moved the laptop without talking to me because she wanted to stream a movie and watch it in a different room.  Before I could say anything, it was too late and she had already moved it.  I told her that the laptop was probably frozen now and we would have to reboot it.  She laughed and asked why and I explained there is a special way to carry it.  She laughed at that again and when I showed her it was frozen, she felt really bad for me that I have been having to deal with this and told me to buy a new laptop.  I share that because maybe knowing what parts of the laptop I avoid touching might provide some insight on what the issue is or where I can begin to fix it.  I've basically found that I can touch the right corner closest to me on the keypad portion of the laptop.  And my left hand carries the laptop by holding the upper left portion of the monitor.  I know for a fact that applying any pressure on the battery portion will cause the laptop to freeze.  And I have noticed that the underside of the laptop seems to be sensitive too.  Basically, I don't think this is a software issue.  I have removed the battery and installed it making sure it's locked in place.  But that hasn't solved anything.  I know my warranty is expired, so if there is something I need to replace, I figure it's hopefully cheaper than listening to my wife's recommendation on buying a new laptop.  I had miserable experiences with other laptops of other manufacturers and this HP was great until I started having this issue.  I'd just rather not have to buy a new HP every couple of years.  Any suggestions on where to start would greatly be appreciated.  Thank you!

[sandytechy20]

@t-mat

Thank you for visiting the HP Forums! A great place where you can find solutions for your issues with help from the community!

I understand that your HP ENVY 15t notebook freezes when you move it.

Don't worry though as I have a few steps to determine the issue and find a solution as well,

First, let's start with performing a hard reset on the PC to release any excessive static/power that could have caused the issue. 

  

Turn off the computer. 

Disconnect all external connected peripheral devices such as USB storage devices, external displays, and printers. 

Unplug the AC adapter from the computer. 

Press and hold down the Power button for about 15 seconds to drain any residual electrical charge from the capacitors that protect the memory. 

Press the Power button to turn on the computer. 

If a startup menu opens, use the arrow keys to select Start Windows Normally, and then press the Enter key. 

  

Second, you can check if there is Bios update available for your PC, here is the link to download. 

  

Performing a test on the Hard drive as well as on the Memory from the Hardware Diagnostics:  
1) Shutdown the computer.  
2) Turn the computer back on again and repeatedly tap on the ESC until a Startup menu appears.  
3) Press F2 once for System Diagnostics.  
4) Go to Component test.  
5) Run extensive Memory and Hard Drive test.   

Depending on the test results, If the test passes then I would suggest you perform a complete system recovery.  

Note: Recovery will wipe off everything from the computer. If you have anything important get in touch with some local stores to get your data backed up. 

  

Click here to know: How to perform each step. 

Let me know how it goes.

Cheers.

[lcleyes]

I just had this exact same problem with the same kind of laptop, and my problem was that my hard drive was failing. Apparently it can be caused by either physical problems, like damage to something inside the computer, or software problems, so if you haven't been rough with your computer you might be dealing with the latter. In my case, I probably just dropped my laptop a few too many times.

I just got it back from repairs, and it's completely fixed; if you're still looking to repair your laptop, I would recommend taking it to a computer repair store and asking someone there to check if the hard drive has gone bad.

If you do get it fixed, the hard drive will probably have to be replaced-- the people repairing it should be able to save and transfer your files from the old one but you will need to reinstall any programs you had onto the new hard drive.

I hope this helps you and anyone else searching for answers for the same problem.

[t-mat · Accepted solution]

I started to think it was the hard drive too as I read online about other laptops with similar issues.  I found on a forum that someone said they had a similar issue with their laptop and it ended up being the heat sink.  So I put some brand new Artic MX-4 thermal paste on the heat sink and oddly it solved all my issues.  I'm glad it didn't  end up being the hard drive as I was started to think that was the issue.  Thanks for the reply.  Glad your laptop is fixed.