nando4 HP ZBook 15/17 G2 has non-functional expresscard slot

[Omar-E]

http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Hardware/HP-ZBook-15-17-G2-has-non-functional-expresscard-slot...

Product Name: ZBOOK 15 and 17 G2

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 (64-bit)

As disclosed at WARNING: HP ZBook 15/17 G2 has non-functional expresscard slot (Tech|Infero DIY eGPU area)

The ZBOOK 15/17 G2 series looked to be the perfect candidate for me to do EC and TB2 testing of DIY eGPUs with. Unfortunately it looks like the G2 series has a non-functional expresscard slot. Both my own testing with a 17G2 and that of @hishamkali  with a 15 G2 here where he says "I have noticed that the express card slot on my unit seems to not work confirming this to be the case.

My analysis below points to the introduction of the Z Turbo Drive (x2 2.0 PCIe SSD) in the G1->G2 revision as being the cause of the lost expresscard slot functionality. The ZBook 15 G1 has a working expresscard slot as can be seen at

http://www.tinhte.vn/threads/hoi-egpu-external-desktop-gpu-for-laptops-mo-rong-card-do-hoa-gan-ngoai...

Wonder how HP will fix this since they are advertising the G2 systems with an expresscard slot? Will they install revised boards for affected users? Otherwise they could transplate a TB2 chip onto the TB1 systemboard. Though the use of a G1 systemboard means no Z Turbo drive functionalilty. Or else affected users could seek a refund and acquire a 15" Lenovo W541 instead which does have a EC2 slot and a TB2 port.

Analysis details below:

ZBook 17 G2 QM87 Southbridge port layout (max = 8 ports)

port1 (0:1c.0) @ x4 2.0 - Thunderbolt2 port. Running 4 lanes means cannot use port2/3/4.
port7 (0:1c.6) @ x1 2.0 - PCIe bridge hosting the wifi card and cardreader.

Suspect the missing ports are:

port5 (0:1c.4) @ x2 2.0 - When enabled port5 in Setup 1.30, it defaulted to x2 2.0. A HP Z Turbo Drive is a x2 2.0 device. . Running 2 lanes means cannot use port 6 since it's the second lane.

port8 (0:1c.7) @ x1 2.0 - expresscard slot. The only remaining port it could be!

That is the only way it could be since the HP Z Turbo Drive is a x2 2.0 PCIe link. REF: pg 16 of ZBook 17 G2 Mobile Workstation technical whitepaper at http://h20195.www2.hp.com/V2/GetPDF.aspx/4AA5-4884ENW.pdf . The BIOS probably only enabling port5 when a Z Turbo Drive is detected.

And that then only leaves port8 that could be the expresscard slot. However, it's not enabled by the bios on bootup. I enabled that port and configuring it with DIY eGPU Setup 1.30 software yet still didn't see my video card attached to my expresscard-to-PCIe device being visible!! Though admittedly, there may be more configuration necessary to enable the port8 for functionality.

ZBook 15 G1 QM87 Southbridge port layout (max = 8 ports)

Now let's compare against the HP ZBook 15 G1's lspci output at http://lists.launchpad.net/kernel-packages/msg39581.html tells me:

port1 (0:1c.0) @ x4 2.0 - Thunderbolt1 port. Running 4 lanes means cannot use port2/3/4
port5 (0:1c.4) Probably @ x1 2.0 - no device listed. Suspect this is the expresscard slot.
port7 (0:1c.6) @ x1 2.0 - wifi card
port8 (0:1c.7) @ x1 2.0 - cardreader

How HP could make a revised ZBook G2 systemboard to provide a functional expresscard slot

If it so happens HP discover that the expresscard slot has mistakenly not been wired through when the G1->G2 architecture changes were made, then I recommend HP implement the 2014 15" Macbook Pro PCIe architecture in a revised board.

There the Thunderbolt2 port is attached to the Northbridge along with the GT750M dGPU rather than on the Southbridge. That frees up four x1 Southbridge ports. Then can move say the Z Turbo Drive to say port1 (as a full x4 port) in place of using those ports for the TB2 chip. The rest of the port layout can then be like the ZBook 15 G1, ie: port5 = expresscard, port7=wifi port8=card reader. That eliminates the need for the PCIe bridge introduced in the G2 series to deal with insufficient ports.

A short term solution of the missing expresscard slot would be to take a HP ZBook G1 systemboard and replace the TB1 chip with a TB2 chip; assuming they are pin compatible. There would gain the expresscard slot functionality but lose the Z Turbo drive functionality.

Another quick fix would be to wire the expresscard slot to the Northbridge port. That would even better the Southbridge port since it would be PCIe 3.0 (8Gbps) rather than PCIe 2.0 (5Gbps).


2014 15" Macbook Pro with GT750M port layout

Northbridge

0:1.0 @X16 3.0 -> NVidia GT750M dGPU
0:1.1 @ x4 2.0 -> Thunderbolt2 controller

Southbridge

port1 (0:1c.0) @x1 2.0 -> nothing listed. It's the root port. Must be enabled for all others to work.
port3 (0:1c.2) @x1 2.0 -> wifi
port4 (0:1c.3) @x1 2.0 -> PCIe webcam
port5 (0:1c.4) @x2 2.0 -> PCIe SSD

[Omar-E]

As disclosed at WARNING: HP ZBook 15/17 G2 has non-functional expresscard slot (Tech|Infero DIY eGPU area)

The ZBOOK 15/17 G2 series looked to be the perfect candidate for me to do EC and TB2 testing of DIY eGPUs with. Unfortunately it looks like the G2 series has a non-functional expresscard slot. Both my own testing with a 17G2 and that of @hishamkali  with a 15 G2 here where he says "I have noticed that the express card slot on my unit seems to not work confirming this to be the case.

My analysis below points to the introduction of the Z Turbo Drive (x2 2.0 PCIe SSD) in the G1->G2 revision as being the cause of the lost expresscard slot functionality. The ZBook 15 G1 has a working expresscard slot as can be seen at

http://www.tinhte.vn/threads/hoi-egpu-external-desktop-gpu-for-laptops-mo-rong-card-do-hoa-gan-ngoai...

Wonder how HP will fix this since they are advertising the G2 systems with an expresscard slot? Will they install revised boards for affected users? Otherwise they could transplate a TB2 chip onto the TB1 systemboard. Though the use of a G1 systemboard means no Z Turbo drive functionalilty. Or else affected users could seek a refund and acquire a 15" Lenovo W541 instead which does have a EC2 slot and a TB2 port.

Analysis details below:

ZBook 17 G2 QM87 Southbridge port layout (max = 8 ports)

port1 (0:1c.0) @ x4 2.0 - Thunderbolt2 port. Running 4 lanes means cannot use port2/3/4.
port7 (0:1c.6) @ x1 2.0 - PCIe bridge hosting the wifi card and cardreader.

Suspect the missing ports are:

port5 (0:1c.4) @ x2 2.0 - When enabled port5 in Setup 1.30, it defaulted to x2 2.0. A HP Z Turbo Drive is a x2 2.0 device. . Running 2 lanes means cannot use port 6 since it's the second lane.

port8 (0:1c.7) @ x1 2.0 - expresscard slot. The only remaining port it could be!

That is the only way it could be since the HP Z Turbo Drive is a x2 2.0 PCIe link. REF: pg 16 of ZBook 17 G2 Mobile Workstation technical whitepaper at http://h20195.www2.hp.com/V2/GetPDF.aspx/4AA5-4884ENW.pdf . The BIOS probably only enabling port5 when a Z Turbo Drive is detected.

And that then only leaves port8 that could be the expresscard slot. However, it's not enabled by the bios on bootup. I enabled that port and configuring it with DIY eGPU Setup 1.30 software yet still didn't see my video card attached to my expresscard-to-PCIe device being visible!! Though admittedly, there may be more configuration necessary to enable the port8 for functionality.

ZBook 15 G1 QM87 Southbridge port layout (max = 8 ports)

Now let's compare against the HP ZBook 15 G1's lspci output at http://lists.launchpad.net/kernel-packages/msg39581.html tells me:

port1 (0:1c.0) @ x4 2.0 - Thunderbolt1 port. Running 4 lanes means cannot use port2/3/4
port5 (0:1c.4) Probably @ x1 2.0 - no device listed. Suspect this is the expresscard slot.
port7 (0:1c.6) @ x1 2.0 - wifi card
port8 (0:1c.7) @ x1 2.0 - cardreader

How HP could make a revised ZBook G2 systemboard to provide a functional expresscard slot

If it so happens HP discover that the expresscard slot has mistakenly not been wired through when the G1->G2 architecture changes were made, then I recommend HP implement the 2014 15" Macbook Pro PCIe architecture in a revised board.

There the Thunderbolt2 port is attached to the Northbridge along with the GT750M dGPU rather than on the Southbridge. That frees up four x1 Southbridge ports. Then can move say the Z Turbo Drive to say port1 (as a full x4 port) in place of using those ports for the TB2 chip. The rest of the port layout can then be like the ZBook 15 G1, ie: port5 = expresscard, port7=wifi port8=card reader. That eliminates the need for the PCIe bridge introduced in the G2 series to deal with insufficient ports.

A short term solution of the missing expresscard slot would be to take a HP ZBook G1 systemboard and replace the TB1 chip with a TB2 chip; assuming they are pin compatible. There would gain the expresscard slot functionality but lose the Z Turbo drive functionality.

Another quick fix would be to wire the expresscard slot to the Northbridge port. That would even better the Southbridge port since it would be PCIe 3.0 (8Gbps) rather than PCIe 2.0 (5Gbps).


2014 15" Macbook Pro with GT750M port layout

Northbridge

0:1.0 @X16 3.0 -> NVidia GT750M dGPU
0:1.1 @ x4 2.0 -> Thunderbolt2 controller

Southbridge

port1 (0:1c.0) @x1 2.0 -> nothing listed. It's the root port. Must be enabled for all others to work.
port3 (0:1c.2) @x1 2.0 -> wifi
port4 (0:1c.3) @x1 2.0 -> PCIe webcam
port5 (0:1c.4) @x2 2.0 -> PCIe SSD

[JeffHelp]

04/08/15- Jeff reached out to customer