HP X2 Tablet PC and Ubuntu

[zeref63]

I am volunteering for an organization that helps refugee families, and have been tasked with installing Ubuntu on some donated laptops so that the clients can use them. Among the hardware given to me is a HP X2 tablet PC with no keyboard. How feasible is to to put Ubuntu on this thing and still have it work as intended? I can plug in a USB keyboard for install and such without issue, but I'm concerned that it will lose much of its functionality without the Windows-powered drivers for the touchscreen keyboard, rotating, etc.

Has anyone tried this before? I found a 4 year old thread on the same subject but am hoping things are a little improved since then.

[VikramTheGreat]

Hi @zeref63,

Welcome to the HP Support Community!

We noticed that this thread hasn't had any updates since your original post. While this is rare, we didn't want this post to remain unanswered, so here's the solution to your query. We hope it helps you and everyone viewing this post 😊

Thank you for volunteering your time to help refugee families. It is great that you are trying to make these donated systems useful for people who need them.

Regarding the HP X2 tablet, Ubuntu can potentially be installed, but there is an important limitation from HP's side: HP's device drivers and system software are developed and validated for the operating systems listed for the specific product. If Linux/Ubuntu is not listed on the HP driver page for the particular X2 model, HP does not provide Linux drivers for that system. For example, HP's current driver pages for several Elite x2 models list Windows versions but not Ubuntu/Linux, and HP notes that driver support may not be provided when an operating system is not listed.

This is particularly important with an X2 because some of its functionality depends on more than the basic display and USB hardware, including:

• Touchscreen input
• Automatic screen rotation/orientation sensors
• Detachable keyboard detection
• Function keys and tablet controls
• Audio and wireless devices
• Power management and sleep/wake behavior

With Ubuntu, some of these components may work through Linux's own drivers, while others may require additional community-developed support or configuration. HP cannot guarantee that the complete Windows functionality will be available under Ubuntu.

What I recommend before replacing Windows
Since you have the USB keyboard available, I would test Ubuntu from a Live USB first rather than installing it immediately. This allows you to check the important functionality without modifying the donated system.

In the Ubuntu Live environment, test:

1. Touchscreen
2. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
3. Audio
4. Screen brightness
5. Automatic/manual rotation
6. Sleep and wake
7. Detachable keyboard detection, if applicable
8. USB-C and other ports
9. Camera

If those functions work satisfactorily, you can then decide whether Ubuntu is suitable for the recipient.

Please also identify the exact HP X2 model (for example, Elite x2 1012 G2, Elite x2 1013 G3, Elite x2 G8, etc.). This is important because the hardware differs considerably between X2 generations. HP's support pages should be checked against that exact model before making any operating-system change.

From HP's support perspective, we can assist with the HP hardware, BIOS/firmware, and operating systems that HP officially supports for that particular model. For Ubuntu-specific driver compatibility or configuration, the appropriate source would be the Ubuntu/Linux community.