Pavilion dv7-1245dx loads apps slowly, freezes w white screen, hangs with rotating icon

Question

I have dv7-1245dx, less than 1 year, running Windows 7, Norton, Microsoft Office apps, esp Outlook, use several real estate apps that are web-based. I'm trying to run my business with this machine, but am having constant performance problems: loads apps very slowly (1-2 minutes), freezes at random times (no pattern I can detect) and the screen turns white, or system just hangs and displays the rotating icon endlessly. Usually, my only resort is a hard shutdown (ctr-alt-del doesn't work as it won't take any input). Have run optimization/maintenance tools, had repair person and geek squad look at it, but either it seems fixed then starts these behaviors again in a week or so, or they say they can't diagnose any problems with the maintenance tools.  Can anyone help me? Thx!

Answer 1

I have the same issue with a Pavilion DV7 19xx running vista home premium, it freezes every 20 seconds for a minute, so that it appears that the programs are not responding, however after a minute or so it starts to run normally., only to freeze 20 seconds later again, something impossible to fix,I tried to run a chcdisk, with no positive result, and the restore point seems to have been lost or deemed invalid...
This even happens in all fail safe modes
So I downloaded the service manual, as the warranty has expired on this particular model that was a replacement model for another model that went bust and was given to us instead of very severely mal-designed laptop, that either was a Monday model, or was bad from the design out...
I opened it(the new model), and the cooling ribs was full of dust, and this on a model that is less than a year old(however without warranty due to specific circumstances). A PC requires service, just like a car, but not in less than a year...
in regard to heat problems..
This model as the former, got so hot that it was to hot to sit on my wifes lap, I would even state that it is a fire hazard, and that HP should look into this NOW before it ignites a fire somewhere and a law suit drops in and they would have to recall PCs like auto mobiles sometimes get recalled..
there is an open space, just behind the cooling ribs where a fan draws in air (and dust), however the ribs spacing is so small that any dust will get caught there, after a while there is so much dust that the heat sinking performance is lost and the PC starts to shut down, due to overheat.. however, it can stall, and just keep on heating, until it reaches some critical point.
I am generally getting very tired of these issues with HP laptops, and will most certainly not buy one, the next time my wife needs an Upgrade due to my experiences with not 1 but 2 different laptops, that is not up to the job, they claim to be...
In fact, I'm speculating in submitting a complaint, to my countries "ombudsman", that takes care of these issues and can invoke certain penalties on companies who are breaking certain marketing laws such as supplying products that continuously keeps breaking down... due to mal design.. a mal design is for example when a speeder in a car jams.
I would still be great-full for any advice on how to fix the freezing problem..
I cannot recommend though to open your laptops without you being a skilled technician, and you will need the service manual to do it..
Any advice/recommendation is welcomed, although I'm not optimistic..
I'm 36 years old and have been working with computers since I was 12, so I'm not some kid that is just mad, in fact I do understand that sometimes in order to earn money in these days, things are getting rushed, and when they do, errors happen as we are all humans..