Pavilion dv6 constantly freezes and hangs

[Mizzou_95]

Hello,

I have a DV6 laptop that within the last week has slowed to an almost unusable crawl. With both internet based programs (ie Google Chrome) and regular programs (Word, Photoshop Elements, etc) when I first start the computer things are fine, but within about 10 minutes all of a sudden it will take anywhere from 45 seconds to 5 minutes for the computer to recognize what I wanted it to do.

As an example when I booted it this morning it told me there was a Flash update available. I clicked on install and it took me to Adobe's update webpage fairly quickly, and downloaded the update program in normal time. I then went to open the update and 5 minutes later it opened.

Web browsers, no matter which one, Chrome, IE, Firefox, will all freeze for 2 minutes or more when I try to load pages from the internet. Virus and Malware scans have said the machine is clean. It is running on Windows 7 Home, which is the original OS for the machine.

I am starting to wonder if something internally is fried. This machine has ALWAYS had the fan run abnormally high, and I have read elsewhere where this model has had a lot of heat related problems. It is always on one of those laptop chiller mat things with the fan that plugs into the USB port, but it still has the fan running at ultra high speeds.

[DavidPK]

Hi,

Shut down the notebook.  Tap away at the esc key as you start the notebook to enter the Start-up Menu.  Select the Bios option ( usually f10 ) and under the Advanced or Diagnostic tab you should find the facility to run tests on both the Hard Drive and Memory.  Post back with the details of any error messages.

Regards,

DP-K

[Mizzou_95]

OK so I did the requested tests. It did a short and long test on the hard drive and then just said "Passed" and the memory test yielded the same "passed" result. No error message for either one that I could tell. I forgot to mention that I also use Iolo's System Mechanic (I have on many systems through the years) and even after going through all the little tweaks and what not that it inevitably will "find" the system is still freeze prone and not normal. 

Thanks for your help!

[DavidPK]

Hi,

You're welcome

From the Start Menu, open All Programs, open Accessories, right click the Command Prompt and select 'Run as Administrator'.  In to the prompt type the following command and hit enter.

sfc /scannow                 ( note that there is a space between sfc and the / )

Let the process complete, then type exit and hit enter.

Next, click the Start Menu, click Computer, left click Local Disk C once to highlight it, right click Local Disk C and select Properties.  Click the Tools tab and then click the button to 'Check the Drive for Errors'.  In the following window make sure both boxes are ticked and then click Start.  Agree to schedule the check at the next system restart and then restart the notebook - this process can take several hours to complete before loading back into Windows.

Any improvement?

Regards,

DP-K

[Tony-Kent]

I have only just bought a Pavilion DV6 and wish I never. It freezes every 30 seconds and even just typing this it pauses and I have to wait to see what it has accepted and what typing it has missed.

It's suppose to be a quad core machine but struggles to do the most basic of word processing or internet browsing.

Hopefully there is a fix before I give up and just tell everyone to avoid HP like the plague.

I bought it to handle photo editing, upgraded the memory in the shop, but this 'laptop' is worst than my old Toshiba.

Someone help - yes I've already done the test and no issues found, I've updated all the software as well. I even tried Windows 7 ultimate but unfortunately was then stuck as it would not recognise any of the network hardware.

Please help before I but a Sony or Samsung.

[Mizzou_95]

Hello again,

I did these recommended steps. The first showed no error messages, the second I was at work when it finished, but it was at the Windows login screen, so I am guessing that if it found anything it corrected it, but I don't know for sure.

Initially it seemed a little bit more responsive, but after about 10 minutes of use some of the longer system freezes are still with it. I don't know if it got some sort of crappy update from Windows 7 and all the patches they seem to do to fix their crap or what, but it for sure is not the same responsive machine that it once was.

Thanks again for your advice, it seems like it is maybe 20-25% better now, but not quite there.

[DavidPK]

Hi,

You're welcome

Try cleaning the notebooks air vents and see if this makes any difference, not only regarding the high fan speed, but also the performance.  See the HP document on the following link.

http://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c01657439

Regards,

DP-K

[ehsansaedi]

hi 

i have hp pavilion dv6-2190us and it freezes randomly , i did requsted tests, and check disk, i replece my hdd by another and it freezes, i cleaned air vent but it freezes again

i installed new windows and it worked for 2 day but after that began freezing again. 

it freezes everywhere , windows, startup, bios ,....

please help me

thanks

[Tony-Kent]

HP is this a design fault? I've has this laptop since September and its been like it from the start. Not a good advert for HP products or support.

[Mizzou_95]

I think it is inching closer to normal, but is still not there. Probably about 35-40% of the way there. Still freezes and hangs, though not as much as the previous days, and some tasks either will not load or take forever to do so, but at least it is semi-manageable to work with now without wanting to throw it across the room every 5 minutes!