Ordered a HP dv9000t - any recomendations (aside from RAM) for when I get it?

VoltronADVoltronAD
edited September 2006 in Hardware
Hello -
I'm brand new to these forums and first just wanted to say I really enjoy the discussions going on here :)

Also, after reading Sledge's review of the 8000t I was going to purchase one, but the price on the 9000t with the Core 2 Duo was just to good to resist. I was wondering if you guys have any recommendations on some things I can do to tweak my new laptop when it arrives (I'm so excited!!). I did go with the 512 7600go, but I have to say I'm a little dissapointed I paid the extra for a driver that shares system memory :( Oh well. Thanks in advance for any thoughts on (1) Better drivers to use (video/etc/etc)
(2) Hardware upgrades (I'll be buying 2 gigs of ram for sure)
(3) General tweaks

Here is the rig:
HP Pavilion dv9000t customizable Notebook PC
* Genuine Windows XP Professional
* Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo processor T7200 (2.0 GHz)
* 17.0" WSXGA+ BrightView Widescreen (1680x1050)
* 512MB NVIDIA(R) GeForce(R) Go 7600
* HP IMPRINT Finish + Microphone + Webcam
* FREE Upgrade to 1.0GB DDR2 SDRAM (2x512MB)!!
* 100 GB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive
* FREE Upgrade - LightScribe DVD+/-RW w/Double Layer
* Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection
* No TV Tuner w/remote control
* 8 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
* Microsoft(R) Works/Money
* HP Home & Home Office Store in-box envelope

Comments

  • Sledgehammer70Sledgehammer70 California Icrontian
    edited September 2006
    Hey VoltronAD

    From the looks of it you have a solid laptop coming your way, the only things I can see that will increase performance is maybe graphic drivers along with a 2nd Hard drive, & of course adding 1 more Gig of ram.

    The dv9000 just like the dv8000 has 2 hard drive bays "SATA" having 2 drives would allow for better storage and the use of being able to put app's and games on the other. The Core 2 Duo's love memory and will make good use of it if you provide it so 2GB is always a plus. The main thing I would say is uninstall all the HP extra software your not going to use, Most of it runs at startup and you can easily decrease your boot times by removing some of it or by simply making it not run on startup.

    As for Graphic Drivers, I have been using the new drivers from http://www.tweaksrus.com/ these drivers are based on the normal desktop drivers & work wonders for the GO series laptop cards :)
  • VoltronADVoltronAD
    edited September 2006
    Thanks for the input :) I will go ahead and bookmark those graphics drivers and install them once I get the laptop. I think I am going to order the ram you used in your review, at ~$100 a stick its a sweet deal.

    I do have a quick question - as far as having 2 drives: Would you recommend I just buy any other SATA drive and throw it in, or get 2 new drives and set up a raid array?

    I still can't believe that HP suckered me with that 512mb geforce 7600...wish I would have read the thread here before making the order!
  • Sledgehammer70Sledgehammer70 California Icrontian
    edited September 2006
    I would run the drives as 2 seperate drives and not raid array them. If you have a laptop raids are not really needed. If you feel like you want a backup just buy and external setup and BK your laptop when you feel like it.

    I want to warn you HP is famous for not shipping the 2nd HD bracket in their Laptops, so if your 2nd bay lacks the bracket your going to have to make some phone calls.

    Its pretty nromal that all the 7 series GO cards below the tags 7900 will support Memory mixing. 90% of the time the card will never use it, but they set it up that way just so you can use it if the card needs it.
  • maxclarkmaxclark In a hole in the ground
    edited September 2006
    What is a graphic driver??? i am also planning to get the dv9000t but am wondering if when it comes to the HardDrive, if a HD at 7200 RPM will make a difference when it comes to the ones the dv9000t offers running at 5400 RPM???
  • Sledgehammer70Sledgehammer70 California Icrontian
    edited September 2006
    Graphic Driver:

    Def: A graphics driver is the software that handles instructions and data between Graphics Card and an operating system. The graphics driver removes the need for a programmer to write different lots of code for every possible bit of hardware that may use the application.

    "Source"

    Nvidia has its drivers it makes, but I tend to use tweaksrus's drivers as they seem to give a nice performance boost anywhere between 2% and 10% depending on your hardware.

    HD question:
    7200RPM Drives will make a difference if you have one drive and are gaming and running your OS off of it. If you have dual 5400RPM drives I can personally say, by installing the games on the 2nd drive and leaving the OS on the main drive you will get the same access and play speeds as you would get with a 7200RPM drive.

    It is also great to have a 2nd drive to put your Virtual Memory on. As if your OS is running a program on the main drive and the virtual memory is on that drive also it is going to run a bit slower, but by having the Virtual memory setup on that 2nd drive it will free up data speeds from the main Drive :)

    Now having a 7200RPM drive as your main drive and a 5400RPM as the 2nd drive is always good, but having dual 7200RPM drives is the best current setup you can get. It is always good to put programs on the 2nd drive as it frees the main drive just for OS bull crap :)

    All my comments above are mainly from personal Experience.
  • maxclarkmaxclark In a hole in the ground
    edited September 2006
    cool thanks...you know alot
  • Sledgehammer70Sledgehammer70 California Icrontian
    edited September 2006
    maxclark wrote:
    cool thanks...you know alot

    I wouldn't say I know allot, I just test a ton of things out for performance in regualr setups, rather than OC'ing things :)
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