MediaSmart won't run

[lucas_demh]

Worked, man..
Thanx.
To you and the Dragon
(I hold some knowlege in C++, and... I know what means demons hiding in the "small stuff")
Also, I had Visual basic 2008 and 2010 installed here. Uninstalled not completely...

Windows 7 ultimate x64


Now...

Can you or someone tell me what the H&ll happened?
What exhactly was done here (if explainable)?

And what's exactly the role of the QuickLaunch buttons? Does the dv8t have any of those fast turn-on OS, like quickweb?
Is it related in first place?

Thanx you two again.

[Dragon-Fur]

Lucas,

HaggisCat took over for me because I may never have fallen on the fix for this on your machine.  I applaud the effort and it was with my blessing that Haggis stepped in and saved the day.   

As far as I can piece it together (after the fact),

There are a couple of things that could have happened to you:

The MediaSmart software just doesn't function correctly on the dv8 and must be massaged into place.  ?

OR

The documents lie.  sp46762 is supposed to be a standalone softpaq (installation package).  According to the documents, this is the case.  However, looking at the .CVA file (look in C:\SWSetup\sp*), it is found that the only update (about which there is obvious reference) in the softpac is the fix for a help file.  Something else is in there, and that something is important.  The problem is that sp46762 is Version 3.1 - a patch fix for Version 3.0 - apparently part of the complete installation package is missing.  That would mean that one needs V3.0 on the system before updating to V3.1. 

More importantly, it appears that in the case of the dv8, there is something about sp46762 that doesn't sit well.

The predecessor to sp46762 is SP45984 - that softpaq is no longer available.  This might have been a V3.0.x for specific hardware types, it could have been pulled because it was bad... ?

sp45140 is release Version 3.0 - this is a full release.  Even assuming there is something wrong with sp46762, I've never put that newer release (sp46762 - V3.1) on my HDX 18t - I'd have never seen the problem that you have even assuming it would affect the HDX.  I have a clean install of sp45140 - V3.0.30.1 - never been past V3.0.x on the HDX 18.

It appears that preloading the 3.1 puts something on the system that the dv8 needs, or can at least use.  But it also corrupts or leaves something out elsewhere.  Downgrading to V3.0 and then removing and reloading V3.0 apparently straightens out the mess - components are being loaded and then kept through the removal and reinstallation - probably in the registry.

This is all conjecture and not real precise, at that.  Hopefully it makes some sense, I'm writing on the fly - never a good plan.  I'll edit it if I look at this later and it fails to fly...

Here's a document about that pesky QuickLaunch software.  It's interesting; it makes sense that most of us can get along without it.  I do have some reference to it in my systems (because it's loaded at the present).  It's been on/off my systems several times - it's there, I find a problem and think, "Hmmm... let's take that off and see if it has any effect."  Then later, I find a post that says, "You must have QuickLaunch."... I put it back on for testing and there it sits.  HaggisCat knows more about this than I.  I don't have a strong opinion about it yet - my experiences with it have been mostly benign.

Understanding and Using HP Quick Launch in Windows

Yeah, I'm an old Unix hound - Windows patches (softpaq) are not real documented IMO.  I'd like better release information for all of the softpaqs.  I'm not that good at reading minds, or guessing about software contents.  I'd think a Version Release document wouldn't be too much to ask to see BEFORE one commits to the whole package.  Smiling.

Thanks, HaggisCat!

[HaggisCat]

Thanks for that info Dragon-Fur. Just from experience the only two applications that I have come across that the Quick Launch button software is for is to provide the audible "clicking" sounds when the volume is increased or decreased. The other is to provide the software for the HP touch screen computers, it's in there somewhere too.

 These are on older models, Dragon-Fur's link points out a use for it on newer machines.

 Here is the latest version of the MS Menu that probably would have worked as well.

 ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp51001-51500/sp51007.exe

 It's from Jan. 2011, file # sp51007, it installs version 3.1.2.2.

[lucas_demh]

You're right about the infos on the Softpacks; HP could be a little more organized...

And, as I could read from that link, the quicklaunch really has no use... only has, as points Haggis, a function that was kinda replaced by the QuickTouch Softpack...
Why the hell they make it available if it is so missfunctional...
Whatever..

Also, to what computer belongs this sp51007.exe?

2011... It seems up to date. Why is it not on dv8's page?

Thanx again for the answers guys,
and Kudos for Dragon too. I've forgotten to do it before...

[HaggisCat]

That update is from here.

 http://forum.notebookreview.com/hp-drivers-software-forum/519991-popular-hp-notebook-software.html

 And for specific HP models.

 http://forum.notebookreview.com/hp-drivers-software-forum/

 The people at Notebook Review seem to stay on top of it.

 HP is bad at two things, designing there own software and keeping their specific model support pages up to date. HP is not all to blame, the Media Smart programs are watered down versions from Cyberlink who also designed the "Recovery Manager" software and who knows what else.

 Know that all the MS software will work on any HP machine, desktop and laptop alike. Even drivers can be interchanged if the hardware is the same.  Eg. Synaptics touch pad driver can be used on a dv7 or G61 if the touch pad is designed for the use of the Synaptic touch pad driver.

 Things that can not be interchanged are BIOS updates, these are not drivers but specific instructions for the BIOS chip on the motherboard. If the wrong update is applied it may corrupt the BIOS chip and the laptop (desktop) will simply not boot. It is very difficult to fix a corrupted BIOS update.