Lock Slot Compatibilty

[David_J_W]

So far as I am aware, there are only three standards for lock slots.

Most lock slots are Kensington Slot and my experience is that all the HP devices I have tried to lock have a Kensington Slot. There is also a Kensington Nano Slot, which appears on a few very slim devices - it is considerably smaller than the standard Kensington Slot and uses a wedge style lock. These slots are detailed on the Kensington web page (click). The picture of the device with a Nano Slot on that site looks like a Lenovo laptop.

The only other lock slot standard I am aware of is the Noble lock. which is also a wedge style lock but with dimensions that are incompatible with a Kensington Nano Slot. Modern Dell equipment with a lock slot uses Noble locks. I am not aware of any other brands using Noble locks, but perhaps there are others out there.

It doesn't help that Kensington have made such a huge variety of locks over the years, most of which are variants on the same theme though with the lock body getting smaller over time, also some variants having a disc detainer lock rather than a tubular lock. I believe some older Kensington locks do not fit that well into some recent slots. The lock bodyiesof many older Kensington locks are too large for modern devices to sit flat on the desk when locked; such locks should not be used because of the risk of damaging the device's case.

Unless the device has a very small slot that you cannot insert the T-bar of a standard Kensington lock into, I'd persevere with the Kensington locks available to you to see if you can find one that will fit. Judging by the pictures, the HP locks are simply current Kensington products with HP branding applied, in which case there is no functional difference between the Kensington and HP products.

If you cannot insert the T-bar of a standard Kensington lock, the device probably needs a Kensington Nano lock.

It is a shame that HP cannot give you a straight answer.

[Fast_Eddie1]

David, dude you rock. 

I've become quite familiar with the Kensington lock slot, but had never heard of a Kensington nanosaver.  And its not exactly gotten much publicity or awareness out there as another lock standard.  Anyways, thanks to one day ship from Amazon, I got it and the Kensington nanosaver indeed fits this laptop. 

Quite curious because the website for this laptop only said "Kensington slot" and the HP sales rep had an exact lock model number which was their own branded HP version of a standard Kensington lock.  Shame on HP for their lousy information. 

What's the old saying, the fifth times a charm!?  (This is the fifth lock I've bought for this computer, trying to find a compatible lock...)  Anyways, this mystery is solved!

Thanks

[David_J_W]

I am so glad the mystery is solved!

If the standard symbols are used, a Kensington Nano slot is marked with a K lock logo where the shape around the K is hexagonal (rather than the square of the K lock symbol for the standard Kensington lock). If you look at the Kensington Nanosaver picture (below - and larger version online), you can see the Nano symbol on the body of the silver lock that goes into the computer, but the standard symbol on the key and on the loop end of the lock cable. It is perhaps clearer still in the image of the Nano slot on the web page linked in my previous reply (also below).

Kensington Nanosaver

Kensington Nano slot

However, what threw me in this case was that the high resolution pictures of the laptop online do not appear to have any logo alongside the locking slot.

It is certainly an unusual use of the Kensington Nano slot, as normally the Nano slot appears on ultra slim devices, not chunky gaming laptops! HP sell a Nano lock - 1AJ39AA - which merely seems to be a HP branded version of the Kensington Nanosaver, but the product page only lists compatibility with two x2 detachable 2-in-1 devices, not your laptop.

It was a combination of my knowledge and your elimination that solved this. If it wasn't a Kensington slot (you tried several unsuccessfully) and it wasn't a Noble slot (which I have only ever heard of being used on Dell hardware), then it could only be a Kensington Nano slot. You must have been relieved to get the Nanosaver out of the Amazon packaging and for it to fit snugly and securely!

[CherylG]

@Marsman13 @Fast_Eddie1

If you're still debating-Page 4 of your Maintenance and Service Manual states Nano security cable slot.

https://support.hp.com/us-en/product/hp-pavilion-15-cs0000-laptop-pc/20284004/model/22488642/manuals

[David_J_W]

Well spotted, @CherylG. Sometimes the answer is hiding in plain sight.

[Fast_Eddie1]

David, thanks.  Yes there is no logo or any other marking on the security slot on the computer.  Curious indeed.

Cheryl, thanks for spotting that in the maintenance guide, so I guess there was "some" info out there on this.  I had reviewed the website for this model and it clearly said "Kensington slot", which is misleading; the actual user guide only says "security cable slot" without specifying anything further, and which is incomplete and as I mentioned HP support gave me numerous amounts of incorrect info, which resulted in purchasing multiple incorrect locks.  HP still needs to get their act together on this.

Anyways, the matter is put to rest for me, and perhaps others might benefit from this thread.

[JRed_1]

I recently purchased an HP Omen gaming laptop from HP.  I've spent the last 3 weeks trying to figure out which type of slot I have on my Omen.  Frustratred beyond beleif and after reading through all of this I'm shocked that someone from HP hasn't tried to jump in and clarify things for folks.  

Here's what the HP user guide states:

Using an optional security cable (select products only) A security cable (purchased separately) is designed to act as a deterrent, but it may not prevent the computer from being mishandled or stolen. To connect a security cable to your computer, follow the device manufacturer's instructions.

Thank you HP.  That was so not helpful.

So I went to the technical specs from the HP shopping link where I bought my Omen:

SECURITY MANAGEMENT                Kensington MiniSaver™ security lock support

So I went out to Kensington's website to see if I could find a "MiniSaver" sercurity lock

As you can see there is nothing for a MiniSaver.  I called Kensington and they have no knowledge of a MiniSaver size lock.  So do I go with a MicroSaver, MicroSaver 2.0, or NanoSaver (N17 seems to be used with Dell laptops)?  Sure seems like HP doesn't seem to care about helping customers and providing appropriate details for their products.  The result of workforce reductions? 

[David_J_W]

A laptop compatible with a Kensington MiniSaver (which is a model of lock) has a regular Kensington Lock slot. That means any Kensington lock other than a NanoSaver (which uses the Nano slot) or N17 variant (which uses the Noble slot found on modern Dells) should fit the slot. However, the mention of a MiniSaver might mean that the surroundings of the slot limit the space available for a lock body.

You could order a Kensington MiniSaver - it does still seem to be a current product. If you can't get a MiniSaver or you think the design is rather awkward, a Kensington MicroSaver 2.0 (or MicroSaver DS, which seems to be very similar) may well work.

The whole area of lock slots and physical compatibility of locks with systems has, as you indicate, become a frustrating nightmare.

A secondary issue to my mind is that the prices that Kensington and those reselling OEM Kensington product (including HP) charge for these locks is something of a disgrace considering that they provide a modest level of security at best. They will prevent an unsophisticated snatch theft and perhaps encourage a thief to go for an unlocked device instead of your locked one, but the physical security of these locks is minimal. The cables are easily cut with even fairly modest cutters, the lock housings are made of easily melted or cut zinc alloy and the lock mechanisms are not especially secure. Perhaps the biggest issues with Kensington locks and similar is the lack of suitable anchor points in many situations; if a thief can just lift the table and slide the lock down the leg or unscrew whatever the lock cable is looped around, it's trivial to take the device despite the lock.

I have always had a Kensington lock suitable for my device in my bag up until my latest laptop change a few weeks ago, when I realised that my new ZBook has a lock slot that is incompatible with my Kensington Microsaver DS (which goes into the slot but will not turn no matter what). I'm trying to summon up the enthusiasm to pay around £60 for the Kensington NanoSaver or the HP equivalent that I appear to need, which is much more than I paid for any of my previous Kensington locks.

[don564]

I have the same problem.  The regular Klocks do not fit my laptop

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Hardware-and-Upgrade-Questions/Kensington-long-slot-does-not-...

I was pointed here and t

he suggestion of the Kensington nano does not work for my laptop

Ordered from Amazon, pictures show it in locked and unlocked positions and video shows it sliding in and out while in locked position.

[don564]

These are my old locks.  Hard to tell with the 1 with the yellow ring but obvious with the red ring 1 that once I insert, I can only turn it 45 deg.  It has to go 90 deg to be able to lock.  

So regular locks don't fit and can't turn 90 deg and the Nano is too small for the slot.