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HP EliteBook 2540p
Introduction
This is a compatibility guide to running Linux with the HP EliteBook 2540p laptop.
This page is just for discussing using Linux on the HP EliteBook 2540p. For a general discussion about this laptop you can visit the HP EliteBook 2540p page on LapWik.
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Specifications
For full specifications see the HP EliteBook 2540p specifications page.
| Name | HP EliteBook 2540p |
| Processor | Intel® Core™ i7-620M Processor (2.66 GHz, 4 MB L3 cache) Intel® Core™ i5-540M Processor (2.53 GHz, 3 MB L3 cache) Intel® Core™ i5-520M Processor (2.40 GHz, 3 MB L3 cache) Intel® Core™ i7-640LM Processor (2.13 GHz, 4 MB L3 cache) |
| Screen | 12.1” WXGA Widescreen |
| RAM | Up to 8GB |
| HDD | up to 250GB |
| Optical Drive | DVD+-RW |
| Graphics | Intel HD Graphics |
| Network | 10/100/1000 Ethernet Intel Centrino 802.11a/b/g/n Broadcom 802.11a/b/g/n |
Linux Compatibility
| Device | Compatibility | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Works | |
| Screen | Works | |
| HDD | Works | |
| Optical Drive | Works | LightScribe function requires proprietary software to use. |
| Graphics | Works | Can run the Unity shell smoothly. |
| Sound | Works | |
| Ethernet | Works | |
| Wireless | Works | |
| Bluetooth | Works | |
| 56K Modem | Not Tested | |
| 3G Modem | Works | Hewlett-Packard Gobi 2000 Wireless Modem (QDL mode). qcserial driver loads. Requires the gobi-loader package and copying the firmware from the Windows driver. |
| GPS | Works | Integrated with Gobi modem. Requires special terminal commands to use. |
| USB | Works | |
| Firewire | Not Tested | Drivers load. |
| Card Reader | Works | |
| ExpressCard Slot | Not Tested | |
| Fingerprint Reader | No driver available. | Validity Sensors, Inc. VFS451 Fingeprint Reader. See http://code.google.com/p/vfs101driver/ for driver progress and http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2010/09/vfs101-fingerprint-reader-driver-coming-for-ubuntu/. Previously incorrectly identified as DigitalPersona. |
| smart card | no driver | RICOH |
| Webcam | Works | Can capture streaming video. |
| Media keys | Works | No configuration required. Bindings can be customized in System Settings → Keyboard Shortcuts. |
| Suspend | Works | |
| Hibernate | Works | Logon screen shows up after |
Notes
Evaluation done with Ubuntu 11.04.
See http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Qualcomm_Gobi_2000 for details on enabling the Gobi 3G modem and GPS. Note that enabling the autotrack mode of the GPS in Windows is not necesary.
Discussion
Anyone having problems with suspend/resume on hp EliteBook 2540p running Ubuntu 11.04, kernel 3.0.0-13-generic-pae #22.
It usually works 9 times out of 10, e.g for a few days, but then resume hangs and a hard reboot is required. It seems that after a couple of suspend/resume cycles the kernel hangs.
I have tried to debug suspend/resume using “resume-trace” debugging but nothing pinpoints exactly what the problem is, except that I suspect the i915 drivers.
As a reference test I have now kept the laptop running w:o suspend/hibernate/restart for over 9 days and I will keep doing that, and it have not locked up. So it is the suspend/resume that causes the problem.
I'm having similar problems with (K)Ubuntu 12.04 (3.2.0-29-generic). In some sense, it's even worse since sometimes the sleep mode does not show up in the “Leave”-Menu after a reboot. I wasn't able to figure out, what causes it, but sometimes sleep mode just doesn't work.
To stop the wifi led from blinking on network activity (really annoying in my opinion as the leds are pretty bright) set led_mode=1 for the iwlagn module (for newer kernels):
sudo -i
echo 'options iwlagn led_mode=1' » /etc/modprobe.d/wlan.conf
modprobe -r iwlagn && modprobe iwlagn
Taken from this blog
RICOH SmartCard Reader is not working.
works well (kernel 2.6.38)
About the flickering: a work-around is to suspend the machine, then revive it…
Sometimes the suspend doesn't suspend. It just goes the the logon page with the flicker still present. Good news is, if it does suspend, when you bring it out of suspension the flicker is gone.
Maybe you could help me there, then…
I have just bought this laptop and installed the latest Linux Mint Debian Edition (based on a 2.6.32 kernel) but experienced random (and annoying!) screen flickerings. I then chose to upgrade to a 2.6.37 kernel (first from liquorix and then from experimental) but now, during booting, the screen is backlit, but blank.
I now this bug has been reported, but I can't find any fix. Could you help me there?
Re the wireless driver: I had to install the firmware-b43-lpphy-installer package, as my network controller is the Broadcom Corporation BCM4312 802.11b/g LP-PHY (rev 01) chip, and it works fine.
Well, never mind. Switching to 2.6.37-999-generic grabbed from http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/daily/2011-01-19-natty/ seems to work!
System also works fine with Debian Squeeze with a 2.6.37 kernel from experimental. For the wireless drivers install firmware-iwlwifi package.