Quick Launch buttons issue - no longer work

[WestChase]

Hello. I own a new DV9035NR pavilion laptop running Windows XP Media Center Edition ver 2002 SP2. For 7 months now, since ownership, I have not had any issues with the Quick Launch buttons. However, they stopped working over the last fews days and I can't figure out why. I tried all the obvious, such as remove the latest Microsoft patch (just 1 and unrelated), remove/reinstall the drivers, remove the hardware and reboot, etc., but nothing has worked.

The strip of buttons that I am referring to resides just under the Altec Lansing speaker area and has a label on the left titled "quickplay". All buttons are normally illuminated in blue, while the mute/unmute button can display in amber when audio is muted. I am *not* referring to the "FN" keys counterparts that are tied to the horizontal numeric keys on the actual keyboard.

When these buttons stopped working, the volume + and - buttons were constantly dim and the mute button remained amber ... despite the audio being unmuted or not. This is true even during the pre-boot stage.

I ran HPs system check (http://h20239.www2.hp.com/techcenter/HP_SystemCheck/hp_syscheck.htm) and followed the instructions to update my BIOS and other drivers to current. In particular, my BIOS went from F.06 to F.26; a seemingly large jump for such a young computer. After the BIOS updated, the volume + and - quick launch buttons now appeared illuminated in blue once again (as they normally should). However, the quick launch buttons continue to do nothing -- no sound, no change in color -- when pressed ... and the mute remains amber.

I contact HP support via chat who recommended everything from a reload of the O/S to mailing my laptop in for repairs. While I appreciate their efforts, does HP think that people buy laptops and use them once every 3 months? I could not survive without mine for 4 hours; never mind a stretch of days.

At present, I have installed "sp33258 - 12-2006 - version 6.10B" of the Quick Launch system. There is a icon in the taskbar shaped like a rocket ship. A right-click offers "Adjust HP quick launch properties" as well as "Desktop Zoom". Regardless, the About windows reads "HP Quick Launch Buttons ver 6.10 C1". Strangely, the HELP states that I would see a MEDIA tab with configurable options ... however, that is untrue (zoom and preferences are the only tabs).

Would anyone kindly offer some insight? While the buttons are not life-threatening to my existence, I did find the mute/unmute and volume+/- quite useful.

Thanks in advance,
West

[Anshumali]

donno but reading this thread might help
http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=1090609

[Colin Patrick Brady]

I agree, I have the same problem with my dv9000 series HP notebook. It runs vista, and has gone through long stretches of 'normality', however for whatever reason (updates, reformatting, etc.) the thing flips out and freezes the moment that any of the quicklaunch keys are hit. Is there no solution to this problem?

Colin

[sumr]

Issue:
-All HP Quicklaunch buttons don't work.
-Speaker, minus and plus buttons not lit (other Quicklaunch buttons lit).

Experience:
Hard to believe after all the hours I spent reading your post (thank you), browsing this forum, reading the pitiful HP knowledge base, contacting support (India), emails with HP support that the buttons work again!

HP Solutions tried:
Flashed new BIOS v27
Reinstalled HP Quicklaunch Buttons software v 6.10B9

HP Solution refused:
Do complete recovery.

Solution:
I turn my laptop off at night shutting down the right way through Windows Shut Down.

I turned on my laptop as usual this morning and then decided to clean house a bit so closed the lid while the laptop was running. The power scheme it was on when I closed the lid was the default Portable/Laptop.

While cleaning I accidentally unplugged the laptop. I keep the battery out when not using it so the laptop power was interrupted.

I plugged it back in and logged in to find the speaker, minus, and plus buttons were lit blue. All the buttons including these work now. Looks like it was a hardware reset to me.

Hope this wasn't a one in a million fluke that the buttons began working for another reason. Probably best to do through BIOS versus a hard reset.

[yama_2]

OK gather around children i have a definete SOLUTION. yes you heard right a solution! and no its not a recovery!

ok so for a long time my quick launch buttons werent working. and only the + - volume buttons light was off.

after reading tons of forums i decided to flash my bios to the latest version as mr west said. that resulted in the + - button light to come back alive.

however this still did not actually make the buttons responsive to touch. so again i took west's experience and took out the battery while the AC adapter was on.

then when your ready pull out the AC cord and presto!! turn your laptop back on and you will hear that sweet beeping sound of your quicklaunch again!! and no west that wasnt a 1 in a million! :D

[Ricardo HK]

Same problem here... Brand new Pavillion HDX. The quicklaunch buttons worked fine for the first weeks, but then, suddenly, nothing more.

Tried everything possible: uninstalling, reinstalling, checking the autostart (msconfig), active/inactive services, downloaded all latest drivers, manually removed the drivers at the devices mngr. but nothing makes the buttons work again.

It's funny, because I payed A lot for this laptop which is one of the most expensive ones around and It's really sad how it starts to present failures so early.


Media center also doesn't recognize the built in tv tunner, as it freezes everytime you try to watch tv.

Thanks.

[dderolph]

I'm still trying to determine exactly what the "HP Quick Launch Buttons 6.10 B9", that I see in the Programs and Features list (Windows Vista Home Premium), is and whether I really need it or can uninstall it.

Based on the discussion here, I believe it's not functioning in my Compaq Presario Notebook PC. I gather the quick launch items that work under HP Quick Launch Buttons 6.10 B9 appear in the system tray area, right?

I believe my Presario Notebook simply shows what Windows Vista would normally show. You can see what my tray area looks like here: http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y256/farmpond/forums/systemtray.jpg

Does it look like I have HP Quick Launch Buttons or just regular Windows stuff?

[yama_2]

hey again. i noticed that my previous solution doesnt fully fix the problem. after hard booting it the light reappears and it all works fine. but after a while it seems to decay.

so far i only know that you have to hard boot it everytime it stops working.. :S

[sumr]

Hey Yama,

In your post saying it wasn't one in a million you responded to west. I think you meant to respond to me - sumr : )

Anyway, I'm sorry you have to put up with the Quick Launch problem! It stinks. I'm happy to say that after I discovered pulling the plug worked (without battery in) - essentially a hard boot - that everything has worked since.

One thing that is different, is everytime I push the volume button, the volume slidebar 'window' pops up. This is frustrating when it happens during full screen gaming.

I'm looking for a solution. The Quick Launch software (rocket ship icon) has very few options and none address preferences.

[Ricardo HK]

Hey all,

Yama's solution works sweet. When you unplug the power cable without battery, seems like the issue is gone, but, it comes back every time you put the computer to hibernate.

In my case, I'm using a HDX, which is the "best" people can buy from HP.