Welcome to the 2530P Owner's Lounge! A place to liase with other owners and share useful tips/tricks/mods to get the most satisfying user experience from HP's finest ultraportable.
Release date: 18 August 2008 (pre-GFC build quality) | | | |
Alert about 2530P bios newer than F.13 - do NOT upgrade to it for
these reasons unless you don't care for the awesome no-whitelist, dual-IDA modded functionality and consequently higher resale value.
Customized 12.1" HP 2530P systems ordered by approx additional expense spent
RED - highest performance setup | GREEN - lowest power consumption drive setup (2.5" SSD see here).
^1 - can sell HP supplied 1.8" SATA HDD to recoup storage upgrade costs
US$308 12.1" HP 2530P 60GB SSD_____ : US$300 2530P + US$90 60GB 2.5" SF1222 + US$18 ODDcaddy - US$100 HDD+DVD sold@ebay
US$390 12.1" HP 2530P 80GB SSD+DVD : US$300 2530P + US$140 80GB 1.8" Intel X18M G2 SSD - US$50 sata HDD sold@ebay.
Ensure has minimal cosmetic issues, remaining balance of 3yr warranty and a decent battery.
OS, drivers and disassembly
Drivers,
Manuals,
Maintenance And Service Guide,
Media Services Library with disassembly videos.
disassembly guide
Replacing a damaged LCD: two-gen older nc2400 shown with very similar process.
Popular HP Notebook Software Collection : one-stop location for the latest versions of popular HP notebook sw.
Win7 OEM sources : the additional HP installation contents added to a Win7 CD.
HP/Compaq Desktop Wallpapers : A compilation of stock wallpapers from the HP and Compaq notebook range
Touchpad/quicklaunch
Two-finger scrolling touchpad driver
Enabling third-button mouse click scrolling with touchstyk
Increasing touchstyk speed under Linux/Ubuntu
BIOS/DMI modifications
modded bios: no whitelist allows use of non-HP WWAN/wifi cards, dual-IDA giving a 12-17% CPU overclock.
HP Flash BIOS Emergency Recovery: in case have a bios flash go wrong.
HP DMIFIT 2C10 Utility: change DMI details, eg: model number, serial,
password.
amtool: if get a
Warning Machine is not in committed state bootup message.
Resetting a forgotten bios password (M&S Guide pg42). OR try the
free utilities to generate a master password.
How to disable VPRO: to correct Intel Management Engine bios halting message "ME is initializing..."
Overclocking/Undervolting
Stock+overclocked with dual-IDA+TME-unlock PLL pinmod. Includes W7 WEI+wprime, Linux' glxgears, +measured power consumption (< 5W at idle with SSD!!).
Storage
1.8" sata SSDs available: if want to replace the 1.8" HDD to gain a lot more performance.
Second hotswappable HDD/SSD via optical drive bay
Add e-sata: Flush-type expresscard for fast external storage
USB 3.0: add USB 3.0 to a 2530P via it's expresscard slot.
e-sata/usb cable or enclosure, useful for external e-sata storage. Eg: convert optical drive to be external unit
1.8-to-2.5" SATA adapters
Expansion
93Whr_9cell: 2540P 93Whr 9-cell battery. Gives 12% more battery life than 2530P/2510P's 83Whr 9-cell.
DIY eGPU to attach a desktop videocard via expressport. Provides HDMI/DVI and accelerated graphics.
LCD swapout for a AFFS/IPS panel
here.
Lenovo related.
Tweaks + other mods
HPfan: set your 2530P fan to preferred cooling/noise level.
webcam_retrofit: how to add a webcam if your 2530P didn't come with one.
2510P_kb: can fit the 2510P keyboard if prefer the blue highlights on some of the keys.
DSDT-2530P.rar 2530P ACPI DSDT table for perusal.
wifi-in-WWAN slot : using a USB mPCIe wifi card in WWAN slot
MC8780/MC8781 WWAN: add US$30 internal 3G card using 2530P's WWAN and SIM card slots and antennas.
Use VGA port as default output (CN): by altering LID switch circuit.
Dell AC Slim Adapter (CN): use Dell's slim 65W adapter to power your 2530P.
BETA 2530P bios versions (CN): if wish to study the bios.
Building a 2530P from spares (CN): some good internal photos.
2530P DIY modding (CN): extensive technical modding explained.
Schematic
LA-4021 Elitebook 2530p.pdf courtesy of
laptopdesktopschematic. Block diagram in the spoiler. Note: contrary to the schematic the released 2530P's WWAN systemboard port does not have pci-e pins connected to it.
13.3" Dell Latitude E4300 versus 12.1" HP Elitebook 2530PMini 2530P Review
HP's 12.1" 2530P is a superbly built ultraportbale with business-class durability as shown by a 80kg man standing on it
here. When used with a 6-cell battery it has an impressive 6+ hour battery life courtesy of the ULV/LV CPU while only weighing 1.46kg (without the 180gram DVD). 10-13hrs is possible using the 9-cell. It *might* come with 3yr global onsite warranty (check using
warranty checker). A 2530P is equipped with a well sized non-chiclet keyboard with touchpad and touchstyk, 1280x800 LED backlit matte LCD, expresscard slot, mini firewire port, DVD writer, internal modem, bluetooth, WWAN-ready with mPCIe slot+antenna+SIM slot and 2xUSB ports - left one powered with optional 3rd via optical bay caddy. A
docking station with s-video port and 9-cell battery can extend the system further. See some professional reviews:
NBR,
laptopmag.
There are negatives as well: only 2 USB ports, a mono speaker, no HDMI
and the WWAN/wifi slots are whitelisted as are on all HP Business systems. Additional USB 2.0/3.0 or even e-sata ports can however be added using the expresscard slot.
2510P, 2530P, 2540P, 2560P differences
| Item/Owner's Lounge | 2510P | 2530P | 2540P | 2560P |
| unwhitelisted bios | yes | yes | no | no |
| PLL/overclocking | ICS9LPRS355/yes | ICS9LPRS397/yes | no | no |
| LED-backlit LCD | 12.1" 1280x800 | 12.1" 1280x800 | 12.1" 1280x800 | 12.5" 1366x768 |
| primary/optical bay | 1.8" ZIF/pata | 1.8" usata/sata | 1.8" usata/sata | 2.5" sata/sata |
| CPU/chipset | 65nm Merom/965GM | 45nm Penryn/GS45 | 32nm Arrandale/QM57 | 32nm Sandy Bridge/QM67 |
| FSB Mhz | U7x00/L7700 533/800 | U9x00/L9x00 800/1066 | 1066 | 1333 |
| Graphics | x3100 | 4500MHD | Intel HD | HD3000 |
| no of RAM slots | single channel (1) | dual channel (2) | dual channel (2) | dual channel (2) |
| RAM | DDR2-667 | DDR2-800 | DDR3-1333@1066 | DDR3-1333 |
| Wifi | 4965AGN | 5100AGN | 6200AGN | 6205AGN |
| expansion slot | PCMCIA+mPCIe | expresscard 1.0+mPCIe | expresscard 1.0+mPCIe | expresscard 2.0+mPCIe |
| WWAN-ready | yes | yes | yes | yes |
webcam and nightlight | no, consider mod | yes - on some models | yes | yes | | Displayport/HDMI | no | no, consider DIY eGPU | yes/no | yes/no |
| USB ports (+ODD caddy) | 2 | 2+1 | 3+1 | 3 |
| native e-sata | no | no | no | yes |
| keyboard | traditional | traditional | semi-chiclet | island |
| Bootable SD card? | no | yes | yes | yes |
| Weight with 6-cell+ODD | 1.63kgs/3.59lbs | 1.70kgs/3.75lbs | 1.81kgs/3.99lbs | 1.92/4.24lbs |
2510P/2530P/2540P HP Accessory List shows shareable accessories between 25xxP units.
COL=undersirable features of the series.
So then how does one go about extending the functionality of the 2530P in a cost effective manner? Read on..
Acknowledgements: a cast of many 2530P and other NBR users contributing to this thread. Many thank yous.