ProBook 645 M.2 SSD compatibility

[IceTeaGX]

I wanted to upgrade my probook 645 with an M.2 SSD, but it is not working.

On boot I get a bios error 703, unknown WWAN card.

As far as I can see, the probook 645 has a factory M.2 SSD option, however it's unknown if it uses the same M.2 slot as the WWAN card:

http://www8.hp.com/h20195/v2/getpdf.aspx/c04126034.pdf?ver=20

Maybe M.2 SSD suffer from whitelisting issue, but I found statements that HDD/SDD would never use whitelisting. It might not apply to M.2 versions.

Can anyone confirm or deny M.2 SSD compatibility on this laptop?

Thanks.

[Huffer]

Here is the Manual:

Service Manual

See Page 78. From what I can make out, they are showing the mSSD as being inserted in the same slot as the WWAN module.  What concerns me a bit more is that the picture of the mSSD is not an m.2 form factor but we have seen on some other models that the pictures are not quite accurate. You obviously found an m.2 slot on the board. If you look at Page 4 you see that a "flash cache" is not available if there is a WWAN card which implies they would use the same slot. The Manual also says that if an mSSD hard drive is installed it will become the primary boot drive. Do you see any settings in BIOS that will allow you to disable WWAN or enable an mSSD or include it in the boot order?

[IceTeaGX]

Indeed, the device shown, as well as the types listed are mSATA based. I cannot find an mSATA slot on the board however.

There is a mPCIe slot (same physical formfactor as mSATA, but not compatible) , but that houses the WLAN card.

The M.2 slot on the laptop (above the mPCIe slot) is a type B connector, that should be compatible with PCIe, SATA, USB, ... if properly configured. But HP might have limited it to USB (WWAN) only. But, unless they use a 2.5" adapter, they would not be able to fit an M.2 SSD in there. And there would not be a problem with simultaneous use of WWAN and SSD.

The latop does detect something in that slot, the 703 error states:"a  wireless  module installed in the system is not supported" Does it mean that the slot does not support a SATA interface, or that the card itself is not supported (aka whitelisting issue) I don't know.

The bios contains no reference to a WWAN or M.2 SSD, and has been updated to the lastest version (1.21) 

So there are several references suggesting that an M.2 SATA SSD should work. but it does not.

I would like to eliminate a whitelisting or other issue. I have another M.2 SSD, but if it won't work, I would prefer it's packaging to remain intact for return/resale.

[Huffer]

Since your laptop is not a consumer, but a business model you might try posting this over on the Enterprise Forum. I have never had my hands on a Probook 645 and the Manual is decidedly unhelpful so I am afraid that is all the help I have to give and it is not enough. 

[IceTeaGX]

For the record, should anyone be looking for this info:

Just received a message from HP support: The M.2 slot of a ProBook 645 does NOT support a SATA interface. Contrary to what some of the manuals might suggest. The only supported SSD option is a 2.5" drive.

The M.2 slot only accepts HP whitelisted WWAN cards. So even an M.2 SSD with PCIe interface probably wouldn't work, but I don't have one on hand to test.