Hewlet Packard Pavilion PC

More support information is available on the Hewlett Packard website - https://support.hp.com/gb-en/computer

If you get problems with your telephones (ie phones ringing, not being heard, not being able to hear callers) when you plug the computer's telephone cable in, then there is an adapter that you need to get from HP. Its called, you guessed it, a telephone adaptor and this will solve the problem.

Return to Top of Page

If you have problems and need to reinstall from scratch, simply place HP Recovery CD in CD-ROM, switch off machine and wait 20 secs. When you reboot, it boots from the CD ROM taking you straight into the Recovery CD Menu.

Return to Top of Page

The machine that I have seen had the CD ROM and Sound set up in MS-DOS mode but watch out the drive letter is M:

Return to Top of Page

There is a directory called DOSBOOT on some Pavilions. This includes an option to make boot disk which does the following,

• Initialise the pavilion soundcard
• Set the volume of the CD Rom
• Load the CD Rom driver
• Load the mouse driver

From DOS Prompt type:
FORMAT A:/S
COPY C:\DOSBOOT A:

Return to Top of Page

The problem is that when in any Word Processor you can only get about 7cm of the typing window. The fix is to go into Start Settings Printers and remove the Generic Text Only Printer and replace it with a standard windows type eg. HP Deskjet 500.

Return to Top of Page

To enter the BIOS on the Hewlett Packard 3120, then hold down the CTRL+ALT+ESC keys as the machine is starting up.

Return to Top of Page

The Pavilion 6370 has the capability for T.V. output. If you reset the BIOS defaults, it puts the TV settings to NTSC (American standard), which isn't compatible with UK televisions. To get round this, go into the BIOS, into PCI Configuration and change the setting from NTSC back to PAL.

Return to Top of Page

If when you run the recovery CD, the hard disk doesn't have a partition on it, the recovery process assumes there is a problem with the drive and advises you to check the cables and use FDISK as necessary.

However when the Recovery Process runs it alters the drive letters, as follows,

• A: - Boot Image
• B: - Floppy Disk
• C: - Hard Disk
• D: - RAM Drive
• M: - CD ROM Drive

So, if there is no partition, it makes the RAM Drive C:, and when it tries to extract the DOS Utils to the RAM Drive D: it cannot find it, so it doesn't copy the files, leaving you at a DOS prompt with no FDISK program.

To get round this log onto the A: drive, and type,

The DOS Utils will then be extracted to the root of the RAM Drive, and you should then be able to run FDISK, etc..

HP Diagnostics & Recovery CD Refuse to Run

On the motherboard on these machines, there is a flash EPROM, which contains information about the machine, such as the serial number and software build. This EPROM is unique to each machine, so if the motherboard is replaced then the EPROM needs to be flashed or the Recovery CD and HP Diagnostics will refuse to work.

There is a way round this,

• When you run the Recovery CD it will crash and leave you at a DOS prompt.
• Insert a blank formatted floppy disk into the Floppy Disk Drive.
• Log onto the M: drive and type -
  • COPYDISK M:\SUPPORT\TATTOO.IMG B:

This will create a bootable floppy disk to flash the EPROM. This disk will only work on the machine it was created on. When you run it, just follow the onscreen prompts (it will ask you for the Model No, Serial No, etc.).

BIOS Update Utility

Similarly there is an option to create a BIOS Update Utility in case the BIOS on the machine gets corrupted. Follow the same instructions as above, but at the M: prompt type in

Return to Top of Page

If you ever get the above problem, go into the BIOS and change the Power Management from Customized to Disabled.

Return to Top of Page

It would appear that the onboard graphics card of this machine (and probably the rest of the range) only support hardware emulation of Direct 3D. This can be proven by installing DX6 and using the diagnostic which comes with it.

Return to Top of Page

After turning on the HP Pavilion PC, just before Windows loads, a message will appear on the screen asking the following:

The monitor will then go into suspend mode (black screen) and the system will not boot into Windows.

The issue is caused by a game or application that changes the PC's default display properties (such as the refresh rate). To clear this, follow these instructions,

• Restart the PC. At the Blue HP screen press the F8 key.
• When the Windows Startup menu appears, choose "Safe Mode." The PC will boot into Safe Mode.
• From the Windows Safe Mode desktop choose start and settings and Control Panel.
• Double Click on the Display icon in the Control Panel.
• The "Display Properties" window will appear. Choose the Settings tab.
• The color palette will be set to 16 color 640x480 display area. Choose the Apply button. The following message may appear:
  
  At this time display properties settings are limited to troubleshooting changes only. The next time you restart your system the display will be set to 640x480x16 color mode. Custom refresh rates will be removed, and any secondary displays will be disabled. After you have restarted successfully you will be able to change your driver or make other setting changes if needed. Choosing not to continue will retain your original display settings.
  Are you sure you want to continue?
  
  
• Choose Yes.
• The following message will appear:
  
  You must restart your computer before the new settings will take effect. Do you want to restart your computer now?
  
  
• Choose Yes.

Return to Top of Page