Problem with Pavilion dv8 top slider bar (treble/bass control)

[JayMeyer]

I installed the patch "sp53677.exe" (dated June 20, 2011 inside the zip file).

I rebooted, turned on my wireless network using the touch-button.

FAIL: about 5 minutes later, the wireless network turned itself off and broke my network connections.  Then it turned itself on again a few minutes later (with the usual bluetootch warning popup).  This is exactly as it behaved before the patch.

I assume nobody expected this to work since we have overwhelming evidence that software is incapable of correcting the hardware design flaw.  But it was easy to attempt the software patch.

I wil lcontinue to ues the wired-ethernet until I can attempt the hardware fix (with the tape) on this thread.

[HaggisCat]

So apparently the link that was made prematurely through Media Fire may have had something wrong with it. Here is the link made available from HP. Personally I don't think it's going to make any difference, but there is nothing to loose.

 ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp53501-54000/sp53677.exe

[lucas_demh]

Guys,
Me don't have fancy tape shown on the pictures. How do I do it with Aluminium Foil and that black insulating tape?
Need every detail, if you guys have the time... I read that I have to contact a tip on another thing... If that's  so, can anyone point me where?

Also... The sound mute/unmute button is always red, but it works fine. It turns on and off the sound normally...
How to fix it?

[HaggisCat]

Here are links with in this thread to get the job done, the first one is for the Media Library to open your machine. Message 153.

 http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Lockups-Freezes-Hangs/Problem-with-Pavilion-dv8-top-slider-bar...

 Message 133 with all the photos and also look at the one from Brian just below it where he corrects me.

 http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Lockups-Freezes-Hangs/Problem-with-Pavilion-dv8-top-slider-bar...

 Here are some additional photos showing a better place to use as a ground. Message 195.

 http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Lockups-Freezes-Hangs/Problem-with-Pavilion-dv8-top-slider-bar...

 Even though you can use black electricians tape, it's not very good as the adhesive gets warm from the heat of the laptop and will "creep". The Kaptons tape is by far the best product here for this application and if you are going to order the Kaptons tape then you should also order the proper copper tape and not use the aluminum duct tape. The copper tape is far easier to work with as the adhesive conducts electricity (this is what you want) while the aluminum tape doesn't. With the aluminum tape the ends will have to folded over so the static electricity can follow a path to ground. The folded ends will have to be held in place with more tape.

 Copper Tape. http://www.amazon.com/JVCC-CFL-5CA-Copper-Conductive-Adhesive/dp/B000WQ5SZY/ref=pd_cp_hi_2

 Kaptons Tape. http://www.amazon.com/Gold-Kapton-Tape-Polyamide-36yds/dp/B0049KTIAU/ref=sr_1_2?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=131...

 Before doing any of the above, try this firmware patch from HP which is supposed to correct the problem.

 ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp53501-54000/sp53677.exe  Save it to the desk top and install it from there, not from a temporary folder.

[lucas_demh]

Copper or Kepton?
Things are a little more expensive here on brazil... won't buy 40 yards of tape to use a feet...

That "195" post shows exhactly what I asked, thx for pointing out.

About the Sound on/off button always red? Doesn't seem to be related to the grounding problem. It became this way from nowhere, and stood like that... whether the wireless keeps blinking "normally". (Funny to call this behavior normal... )

No, obviously that SP did not work... Have tried already, by the way.

[HaggisCat]

Of the two tapes the kaptons is the most important. The kaptons is applied first to the exposed connections where the cable is plugged into the hot-key strip and then the copper tape is put across the entire back section. The aluminum tape will work, it's just that the copper tape is more convenient.

 Reinstall your IDT High Definition Audio Driver and restart. That should fix the mute light problem.

 http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareDownloadIndex?softwareitem=ob-85714-1&cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en&...

 Save it to the desk top and install it from there.

[Lighthouse37]

Yeah, definitely a pointless update from HP. Anyway, finally got desperate enough due to the static electricty likely being higher this time of year in Calif and thus my WiFi now turning on/off every couple mins (and I work all day long on this laptop).

I didn't have the materials nor the time/patience to do Brian's fix, so I did the hack instead of just unplugging the panel. I put some tape over it and sealed it all back up. I left it unplugged when I tried to turn back on and nothing. Noticed the battery icon blink a couple times and that was it. I finally plugged it in to get it to boot.. But now once booted, it says it cannot detect a battery. I have two batteries, so I shut it all down and swapped them just in case and same result.

The good news is the touch panel no longer give me any issues. The downside is I no longer have a portable machine that can run on battery (at least start since it seems to run for a couple mins when unplugged once started).

Obviously I botched something. But what would be related!? I ensured all the items were repositioned and snapped in and the screws in place, etc. I did try to ensure I had grounded myself before touching the machine but I cannot say I was extremely diligent there.

Any ideas??

Thanks!

Mike

[HaggisCat]

Try a hard reset. Remove the adapter and battery and hold the power button down for 60 seconds. Plug only the adapter back in and boot up. The next time you shut right down (not sleep or stand buy) insert the battery back in with the adapter.

 It should function normally after that procedure. It is strange that disconnecting the hot key strip cable would cause a battery problem.

 You might try removing the cable altogether. There are just four screws at the top of the key-board and two on the bottom. The two on the bottom are marked with small key-board symbols. You don't have to disconnect the key-board, just fold it back out of the way to access the hot-key ribbon cable on the mother board. There is a small tab where it just pulls out from the system board _ some people prefer a pair of tweezers.

 I don't know if removing the cable will have a positive effect, but it may since unplugging the shot-key bezel seemed to have caused the battery problem.

[Lighthouse37]

Well, performed the procedure to no avail. A couple other notes. It won't boot up or come out of hibernate without the power adapater. However, it will run on battery once booted up. I only tested for about 30 mins. Now, I don't have any battery meter and I cannot even be sure the battery is charging. And of course, requiring power to boot up but then be able to run on battery isn't exactly a real-world scenario I find terribly helpful 🙂

I have not tried to remove the ribbon altogether yet since I need to get back to some things and I can at least function for now. But the reason why I am not rushing into doing that (well that and I always seem to break stuff getting panels and crap off), is I would have expected others to have issues and I am not aware of anyone else who performed this hack, having issues. Plus, I just cannot visualize how the two would be related - that is partly why I fear I jacked something up by being a lugnut or electrostatic grounding issues or something.

So...until I have some more time I quess...

Mike

[HaggisCat]

I am sorry, but I just don't have an answer for you. You may be right that you may have damaged something, but there is no way of knowing for sure. You are correct, you're the first to have this battery problem by disconnecting the bezel, I would leave the cable alone as removing it probably would not help. There is no way of knowing for sure about that either though.

 Did you remove the battery when you originally opened up the machine ? That's very important to do that.

 You put tape over the end of the exposed ends of the ribbon cable. That may seem like a stupid question, but I thought I should ask.