HP EliteBook 2730p

This is a guide to running Linux with the HP EliteBook 2730P laptop.

This guide is intended to provide you details on how well this laptop works with Linux and which modules you need to configure. For details on how to actually install and configure the required modules have a look at our guides section for distribution specific instructions.

This page is just for discussing using Linux on the HP EliteBook 2730p. For a general discussion about this laptop you can visit the HP EliteBook 2730p page on LapWik.

If you would like to edit this page please first view our Editing Guidelines.

For full specifications see the HP EliteBook 2730p specifications page.

Everything works fine without post-installation tuning. Switching between laptop mode and base station mode works great with <Fn>+F4. I just add some tips for the scrolling in tablet mode (using the dedicated switch) :

To map the events with up and down keys, just add these two lines to your rotate script :
sudo /usr/bin/setkeycodes e007 108
sudo /usr/bin/setkeycodes e006 103

Note1: Invert the codes when you rotate your screen (see section “xorg.conf and Tablet Mode” below)
Note2: Add a line in /etc/sudoers to allow 'sudo /usr/bin/setkeycodes' without password

Installation took forever - would not boot from my external cd, so i had to convice it to use my sd card to boot and a separate partition on the hd for packages.

I had to use the “alternate” cd with the option acpi=off to get it to even boot - otherwise it crashes immediately.

Fortunately the network (lan + wlan) worked out of the box. WLan seems to randomly drop every once in a while, but will pick back up after a short time.

Starting X with the intel driver crashes the whole machine. Tried both the 2.4.1 (ubtuntu) and 2.4.2 (debian) version. Only luck was with the standard vesa drivers. Resolution is 1024×768.

The error seems to be in the kernel. Loading the it 2.6.27.2 amd64 bit kernel from deb http://kernel-archive.buildserver.net/debian-kernel trunk main allowed ACPI to start, which in turn is required for all other hardware. Afterwards most things started to work just fine.

Tablet (pen), and Sound require tinkering (see below).

xournal has a bug in ubuntu 8.10:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/intrepid/+source/libgnomecanvas/+bug/272316
working well in lucid 10.04

Most of the system works out of the box. The Tablet, extra keys and WWAN works by following the instructions below.

The Wacom tablet needs a configuration file 65-xorg-wacom.rules in /etc/udev/rules.d with the following content:

ACTION=="add|change", SUBSYSTEM=="pnp", ATTR{id}=="WACf*", ENV{NAME}="Serial Wacom Tablet"
ACTION=="add|change", SUBSYSTEM=="pnp", ATTR{id}=="FUJ*", ENV{NAME}="Serial Wacom Tablet"
ACTION=="add|change", SUBSYSTEMS=="pnp", ATTRS{id}=="WACf*", ENV{ID_INPUT}="1", ENV{ID_INPUT_TABLET}="1", ENV{x11_driver}="wacom"
ACTION=="add|change", SUBSYSTEMS=="pnp", ATTRS{id}=="FUJ*", ENV{ID_INPUT}="1", ENV{ID_INPUT_TABLET}="1", ENV{x11_driver}="wacom"

Screen rotation, Extra keys etc, see below

Gobi WWAN, see below

There seems to be an error in the DSDT, see http://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=11884 This causes the battery and some switches not to work.

According to bug report this is fixed in kernel version 2.6.29-rc1 and above before that use the option mentioned below.

ACPI works fine when the option “fan always on on AC Power” is turned off in the BIOS.

STR (suspend to ram) working well in lucid 10.04 and fc14 (not in maverick 10.10)

The drivers crashes when entering sleep mode. A related bug report is here:

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/xserver-xorg-video-intel/+bug/291555

According to the info from http://intellinuxgraphics.org the GM45 chipset is only properly supported starting from version 2.4.2, but the package in Debian unstable (2.3.2-2+lenny5) contains all the patches necessary. On the other hand, the kernel has to be patched to have AGP working properly. The patch can be downloaded from here:

http://intellinuxgraphics.org/download.html

It's already incorporated into 2.6.28-rc2.

One thing to notice is that 3D acceleration is much faster in landscape mode (1305 FPS in glxgears) than in the portrait one (112 FPS only).

screen rotation works fine with intel 2.5.0~git20081023 / kernel 2.6.27, but crashes with intel 2.5.0~git20081023 / kernel 2.6.28-rc3

Some combinations leave traces on the screen, best results where achieved with video-intel 2.4.1-1ubuntu10 / kernerl 2.6.28-rc3

second Monitor recognized and working from vga-port (maverick 10.10 does NOT! out of the box, like fc14 and sabayon 5.4)

Adjustment of the screen brightness. Using Gnome Brightness Applet doesn't make any changes and neither does cating various values into

/proc/acpi/video/GFX0/DD04/brightness

I've managed to adjust brightness using these commands:

xrandr --output LVDS --set BACKLIGHT_CONTROL native
xrandr --output LVDS --set BACKLIGHT 9000

but the second one takes way too long to have it assigned to the dedicated buttons.

The largest possible value seems to be 12382

• on lucid 10.04 brightness adjustment works fine out of the box via fn-f9 fn-f10 and fn-f11.

In current distros based on xorg server 1.5 (ubuntu 8.10 or fedora 10 preview x64), you should set the following setting in the “intel” section of your xorg.conf:

Option “Legacy3D” “true”

this decativates the GEM functions of the 4500hd, but resolves some problems:

* screen brightness changeable through gnome-powersettings / applet (keys don't work out of the box, but they are just not assigned)

* suspend to ram works out of the box

* xorg runs stable. (no crash at logout/shutdown)

https://forum.ubook.at/index.php?page=Thread&threadID=304

You need to load the module hp-wmi. Depending on your kernel version, the rotate button might not work (prior to 2.34).

To load the module at boot time, execute the following command as superuser

echo "hp-wmi" >> /etc/modules

Now we need sensible mappings for the scancodes. Add this to your rc.local above the “exit 0” line. Change the keycodes at will.

#up and down keys
setkeycodes e007 108
setkeycodes e006 103

#presentation button and info button
setkeycodes e008 229
setkeycodes 0x213b 178

You might want to recompile the hp-wmi module if your rotate button does not work. Add the middle line to
the driver/platform/x86/hp-wmi.c

{KE_KEY, 0x213b, KEY_INFO},
{KE_KEY, 0x2169, KEY_DIRECTION},
{KE_KEY, 0x231b, KEY_HELP},

The direction key is mapped to keycode 153 by default.

The rotation switch does not give an ACPI event, however there is a file /sys/devices/platform/hp-wmi/tablet that
indicates the current swivel status.

See http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=7738673&postcount=225 for a script for automatic rotation. Use this script as basis to modify your working rotation script. Change the occurances of “dock” in ”…/hp-wmi/dock” to “tablet”) and the 4 in the elif line to 1.

if [[ -e /sys/devices/platform/hp-wmi/tablet ]]; then
new=`cat /sys/devices/platform/hp-wmi/tablet`

elif [[ $new == "1" ]]; then

on lucid 10.04 first part of the script woks well and turns into portrait-mode, but second part after swiveling back to landscape does not

As the laptop has a built-in audio jack sensor, you will only have sound when you plug in your headphones with the out of the box setup. However if you use the following config it should work as expected.

cat /etc/modprobe.d/sound
alias snd-card-0 snd-hda-intel
options snd-hda-intel model=laptop enable=1 index=0

https://forum.ubook.at/index.php?page=Thread&threadID=304

It may require 2.6.27 or later due to driver fixes.

Is more sensitive vertical than horizontal

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=939165
https://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=18351

Otherwise works fine, including the scroll zone.

The TouchStyk
you can set the middle mous button scroll (like on thinkpads) on Gnome with
sudo apt get install gpointing-device-settings
then find 'Pointing Devices' in the settings menu and look for 'emulate mouse wheel' and play with the key or button number (3?) in 'PS/2 Generic Mouse' as which the Styk is recognized. The price is to loose the paste-function for the middle click.
Didn't find a way to make the styk work as a 'left mouse click' on hitting the styk.

It's an AuthenTec model, USB ID #08ff:2810.
It is apparently not going to be supported for a while, according to this: http://www.mail-archive.com/fprint@reactivated.net/msg00781.html

You may have to download the current firmware from http://intellinuxwireless.org/

Wireless confirmed to work solid unter 32bit without WPA.

Unter 64bit with WPA and 2.6.27 kernel there are sometimes drops - these may also be related to Ubuntus network manager - further investigation is needed.

Debian 64bit with WPA2, 2.6.28 kernel and wicd network manager wireless works without any problems.

To get the 3G WWAN module to work you need:
* gobi_loader
* qcserial driver
* firmware for your WWAN-module
* (if kernel > 2.6.32) The following patches

apt-get install gobi-loader

As of latest 2.6.32-5 the wwan-patches is in debian kernel package!

== Compile and install a wwan-patched kernel ==
(hopefully this step is soon obsolete http://groups.google.se/group/linux.debian.bugs.dist/browse_thread/thread/cdf5062a7437d820/1864b07820688b26)

* download kernel source, kernel patches and kernel-package
<code>
apt-get install kernel-package linux-patch-debian-2.6.32 linux-source-2.6.32
</code>
* unzip, apply debian patches as well as wwan patches to source
<code>
tar xfj /usr/src/linux-source-2.6.32.tar.bz2
cd linux-source-2.6.32
/usr/src/kernel-patches/all/2.6.32/apply/debian <patchlevel> (while writing it was 5)
patch -p1 < ../usb-wwan-2.6.32.diff
</code>
* make kernel package
<code>
fakeroot make-kpkg –initrd –append-to-version=+usb-wwan-patches kernel_image
</code>
* install kernel package

* Download firmware from HP
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=321957&prodSeriesId=3784558&prodNameId=3784561&swEnvOID=2103&swLang=13&mode=2&taskId=135&swItem=ob-83605-1

* How to choose version
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&objectID=c01738839&jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN

* Copy

cp -r Qualcomm/QCImages/Source/Packages/[Your version number] /lib/firmware/gobi

1. needed to install gobi_loader (which is not yet in the repositories) from here via 'make' and 'sudo make install'
2. needed also the firmware (amss.mbn + apps.mbn) from my vista-install (C:\QUALCOMM\QDLService\Packages\0\*, for my APN web.yesss.at) copied to /lib/firmware/gobi/* according to this (OK, in german but its not so hard to imagine, what Bob means …)
3. then I made a 'sudo apt-get install linux-backports-modules-wwan' (my actual kernel is: 2.6.32-25-generic) according to https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/554099 (there's a problem with the usbserial-module in lucid)
4. then un2400-WWAN worked via network-manager (well, I disabled the PIN of my SIM-card), even after awaking from Suspend To RAM (STR).
5. what I like is the functionality of rfkill (sudo apt-get install rfkill)

1. gobi_loader: It's now in the repositories: sudo apt-get install gobi_loader

1. firmware: Copy it from you Windows installation. Copy both files from C:\QUALCOMM\QDLService\Packages\0 to /lib/firmware/gobi (or /etc/firmware/gobi, I copied it to both and don't know which one is right). If you're not in Germany, you may need to copy the files from another folder than “0”! I don't know how you find out, I'm in Germany and followed a german blog (see above).

1. Now is a good time to reboot. Gobi should load the firmware driver at boot time.

1. Install rfkill: 'sudo apt-get install rfkill'. If you 'rfkill list', you should see your wwan device. Note that lsusb may not show it! Rfkill reveals that wwan is “soft blocked”. Do 'rfkill unblock wwan' to unblock it. Now lsusb shows the device!

1. Network Connection Manager should now offer an option to connect via wwan. May take a few (like, 5) seconds till it shows up.

Virtual must be at least 1280×1280 for rotation to work.

In this case it is: 1920×1280 (external screen) + 1280×1280 (internal), arranged horizontally.

Section "Files"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier      "Generic Keyboard"
Driver          "kbd"
Option          "CoreKeyboard"
Option          "XkbRules"      "xorg"
Option          "XkbModel"      "pc105"
Option          "XkbLayout"     "de"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier      "Configured Mouse"
Driver          "mouse"
Option          "CorePointer"
Option          "Device"                "/dev/input/mice"
Option          "Protocol"              "ImPS/2"
Option          "ZAxisMapping"          "4 5"
Option          "Emulate3Buttons"       "true"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier      "Synaptics Touchpad"
Driver          "synaptics"
Option          "SendCoreEvents"        "true"
Option          "Device"                "/dev/psaux"
Option          "Protocol"              "auto-dev"
Option          "HorizEdgeScroll"       "0"
Option          "SHMConfig"             "on"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Driver          "wacom"
Identifier      "stylus"
Option          "Device"        "/dev/input/wacom"
Option          "Type"          "stylus"
Option          "ForceDevice"   "ISDV4"         # Tablet PC ONLY
Option          "Mode"          "absolute"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Driver          "wacom"
Identifier      "eraser"

Option          "Device"        "/dev/input/wacom"
Option          "Type"          "eraser"
Option          "ForceDevice"   "ISDV4"         # Tablet PC ONLY
Option          "Mode"          "absolute"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Driver          "wacom"
Identifier      "cursor"
Option          "Device"        "/dev/input/wacom"
Option          "Type"          "cursor"
Option          "ForceDevice"   "ISDV4"         # Tablet PC ONLY
Option          "Mode"          "absolute"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier      "GMA X4500MHD"
Driver          "intel"
BusID           "PCI:0:2:0"
Option "ForceEnablePipeA" "true"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier      "CRT"
Option          "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier      "LFP"
Option          "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier      "Virtualscreen"
Device          "GMA X4500MHD"
Monitor         "LFP"
Option          "monitor-LVDS"  "LFP"
Option          "monitor-VGA"   "CRT"
Option          "MonitorLayout"  "LFP,CRT"
DefaultDepth    24
SubSection "Display"
Modes "1280x800"
Virtual 3200 1280
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier      "Default Layout"
Screen          "Virtualscreen"
InputDevice     "Generic Keyboard"
InputDevice     "Configured Mouse"
InputDevice     "stylus"        "SendCoreEvents"
InputDevice     "cursor"        "SendCoreEvents"
InputDevice     "eraser"        "SendCoreEvents"
InputDevice     "Synaptics Touchpad"
EndSection

At least on real Debian systems

  Option        "Device"        "/dev/ttyS0"

instead of

  Option          "Device"        "/dev/input/wacom" 

For screen rotation the following script can be used. Make sure to have the right wacom-tools for your wacom driver installed otherwise the xsetwacom commands will silently fail.

#!/bin/bash
xrandr --verbose | grep "LVDS" | grep ") normal ("
test=$?
echo $test
if [[ "$test" != 0  ]]; then
xrandr -o normal
xsetwacom set "stylus" Rotate none
xsetwacom set "cursor" Rotate none
xsetwacom set "eraser" Rotate none
else
xrandr -o right
xsetwacom set "stylus" Rotate CW
xsetwacom set "cursor" Rotate CW
xsetwacom set "eraser" Rotate CW
fi

On Lucid 10.04: for 'xsetwacon set' you can take the device names in ”” from 'xinput list' for stylus and erazor.

The right kernel with the right options is required. Installation requires a lot of patience for fine tuning.