Upgrading HP Probook 6470b - CPU, modem, Wifi, keyboard, display.

[Vatharian]

Hello!

I've just bought used (but mostly disassembled) 6470B. It's in very good shape (after cleaning... yuck!) and I see it becoming my main machine.

However it's lacking essential components. I want to be it as modern as possible, since it's going to be in use as long as possible.

Problem is HP documentation is wildly confusing and often contradicting itself.

Will it work with:

 - Core i7-3632QM 35W Quad core CPU? I've found it's officially compatible with I7-3820QM (which is surprisingly 45W part, but extremely hard to come by in my area). I'd really love quad core CPU, it speeds up my work so much.

 - HP LT2523 LTE mPCIe modem (it's listed as a spare part for this laptop, despite only hs2350 and un2430 being listed on modem support)?

 - Intel 7260-AC WiFi/BT card? Previous model I had had WIFI whitelisting, this model probably doesn't, but I'd like to check.

 - Keyboard with a trackpoint? This requires some explaining: Originally it came with really badly dirty keyboard (not spilled, just unsavagably greased, like doritos mixed with butter massaged into it), and it lacked the trackpoint. Only spares I can find cheaply come with it - will it work (does it have the connector), or if not, will the keyboard still work?

 - FHD or HD+ IPS display, if there are compatible spares (with correct cable, of course)?

I understand that half of it isn't officially  supported, but I'll take the risk, as long as it works.

Thanks in advance!

EDIT: I decided to edit the main post body.

Here are my findings so far:

I bought two distinct 6470B laptops.

 - One with Core i5, one with Core i3.

 - The one with Core i5 has TPM 1.2 module (plus), and 1600x900 screen. It has single channel LVDS cable!!! I have no idea how does this work.

Both came with HM76 chipset, so no vPro. Shame.

So after testing:

 - WiFi: There is no WiFi whitelisting: I tried about 25 different cards, including some exotic Attansic and Widcomm AB cards, I found even WiFi/WiMax adapter, and it booted up (of course no antenna, so I didn't check signal). Still waiting for 7260-AC, but there should be nothing stopping these from working.

 - WWAN: There is WWAN whitelisting, sadly, and it is very unfortunate, because much to my disappointment the LTE modem that is allowed by HP supports only LTE bands 4 and 17, exclusive in USA, so it's useless in anywhere else in the world. In Europe, that means heavily congested HSPA bands of original card. GPS works, but the lock is pretty slow. NMEA tracker works, but I couldn't force Google Maps or Earth (Pro) to read location, but may be some OS/software setting - I didn't have time to investigate.

 - mPCIe: When pulled out, the outside mPCIe slot perfectly supports mSATA disks, but only on SATA-2 speeds. Still, Samsung mSATA 850EVO, at 1 TB capacity worked fine, which gives perspective of outfitting this laptop with total 5TB of flash storage - 1TB in mSATA format, and two 2.5" disks in HDD slot and ODD tray with adapter. mPCIe TV tuner card works (it's lacking antenna and other cables, but OS asked for drivers and it was recognised!), and eGPU adapter works too, but in very limited form - I couldn't get anything faster than PCIe x1 gen1 to work. I have found reports that ExpressCard slot works better for that purpose (wihout the need to disassemble the laptop every time).

 - CPU: Perhaps, most important finding, both Core i7-3820QM and 3612QM work! I couldn't get my hands on 3840QM or Extreme i7 parts, they are far too expensive and rare to buy or borrow even for testing. I strongly suggest staying with 35W part, since the 45W tends to throttle - the cooling system is more than enough for 35W but just under comfortable spot for 45W CPU.

 - ODD: I verified that two Liteon and NEC BD-RW and BD-RAM drives work flawlessly. Of course I didn't expect anything else, but for the record's sake I checked.

 - display: I've managed to connect FHD 1920x1080 and 1920x1200 15" displays, without mounting of course, so given availability of dual-channel cable it should be perfectly doable to upgrade screen to those resolutions: and as soon as I source one (I'm hell-bent on glossy IPS or VA panel) I'm going to post update here.

 - RAM: It supports both DDR3 and DDR3L on higher voltage, and automatically loads first XMP profile: I was able to use 1866 MHz memory on one set (and dropped to 1333MHz on another), and it even supports 16GB modules. So yay, it's perfectly possible to have 32 GB of DDR3(L) RAM - as long as the owner has bottomless pockets, that is. I recommend checking before buying.

 - Battery life: I'm in the middle of sourcing second battery. So far biggest available on the market are 9-cell 6600 mAh wide batteries (aftermarket), and HP HSTNN-OB59, sometimes (incorrectly) called HP-TV08 (only used ones I could find - HP sadly stopped manufacturing them as it seems). Stock genuine HP 4400 mAh battery provides around 3.5h of what I am doing (with considerable CPU load). With both aftermarket and external battery I expect at least 6h of runtime - as soon as I get my hands on them I'll report runtimes.

 - storage: somewhat repeating, but any SATA SSD works correctly in normal HDD caddy. The ODD slot accepts adapter and also allows me to use SSD, but only on SATA2 speeds. The second mPCIe slot accepts any mSATA SSD, again, only on SATA2 speeds. The right-hand eSATA is in fact pSATA (powered-eSATA), and accepts appropiate cables, allowing use of any 5V-powered disk, again, only on SATA2 speeds only. The Expresscard slot accepts NGFF/M.2 disks in PCIe/NVMe mode, but it's limited to around 900MB/s (in BIOS set to Gen2 - tested on Samsung 950 Pro), and of course it's not possible to boot from it - OS drivers are required to see the disk. The advanced docking station accepts another two SATA devices, using eSATA and ODD slot, and they work on SATA2 speeds, but... all work simultaneously! It's perfectly possible to attach 5 SATA HDD/SSDs, one mSATA and one M.2. Impressive!

 - keyboard: It's very standard, and it seems that every laptop is equipped with trackpoint connector even if originally it came with keyboard lacking the stick, so it's safe to buy any layout you want. I had to swap layout becouse I am incapable of using keyboard with vertical Enter key - the labels don't matter to me much, since I can write without looking.

Costs:

I think this is interesing too! These are prices I encountered, from central Europe, at November/December of 2016:

 - I got two laptops in 150-190 euro range, used of course, and I opted to buy them without RAM and hard disks - it knocks down considerable cost, and seller offered only mechanical drives and 4GB sticks. They were absolutely perfect, and bore absolutely no signs of wear, except microscopic scrathes on underside from slamming on docking station. The metal ProBook/Elitebook body is absolute boon to longevity of these laptops!

 - RAM: proces are rising rapidly, but I managed to grab 8GB DDR3-1600 sticks for 35 euro, new cost tiwce as that, apparently.

 - CPU: Core i7-3612QM can be bought for around 80-100 Euros.

 - WiFi: Intel 7260-AC retails for 85 euros new, second hand. HDSPA+ modem comes with it, but second-hand is ~25-40 Euros.

 - ODD to disk adapter: can be bought for 10 Euros with S&H easily.

 - docking station: HP docking station litters auction sites for 5 Euros or less. The USB3.0 one is around 15, the Advanced docking station (long one with ODD slot and 2x Display port) retails for 200 Euro, I managed to buy one second-hand for 55 Euro including original HP lock.

 - keyboards are like 25 Euro each, no problem with these.

 - Battery: Genuine HP 6-cell battery is 80 Euro on average, aftermarket 6600 9-cell one can be bought for half of that. The extended/external battery can be bough used for ~30-40 Euro.

 - display: I haven't found what I'm looking for yet, but it seems, that it may be 150+ Euros for matchiung FHD display.

 - storage: 240-256GB SSD can be found used for 40 Euros. People are massively upgrading to 512 and larger, so these are very common on auction sites.

Other thoughts: I'd like to know if there is a way of enabling/attaching TPM module to the laptop that lacks it, and if there is way to mount fingerptint readers - they both came wihtout them, I'd be thrilled to have this device.

And... WOOOOOW this is beast of machine! Portable, at 14" it's much more handy to carry around than normal 15-inchers. It's almost infinitely expandable, and only the WWAN whitelisting is holding me back. Of course it has been manufactured when M.2 wasn't a thing yet (I have some Haswell engineering sample ultrabook that features NGFF disk - it wasn't even called M.2 then yet), NVMe wasn't around and everything is SATA2... but there is simply no other laptop with that much value for price paid. They are popping used in hundreds, so now, when I have verified they can be modified as one pleases, I'm going to rain them down on my family and friends.

Really, one and only drawback of this laptop is it weight - if one is accustomed to ultralight ultrabook that will be big step back. But I see it as a workhorse, not a pretty decoration, despite the metal shell being actually pretty.

[Huffer]

Here is the Service Manual:

Manual

There are two Intel motherboards. One with the QM77 chipset and one with the HM76 chipset. The top listed processor is the i7-3540M. It is listed as a Quad Core but I think in reality it has 2 cores. The smart answer is that you cannot use the i7-3632QM but it may work, particularly if you have the model with the QM77 chipset. 

The WWAN modem you ask about is listed in the parts list so will work. 

You can only use the WLAN cards listed on p. 38 and it has to be one with an HP Part number. 

There are keyboard options with and without the trackpoint so the motherboard is made to accept either one. See the picture on p. 92. There should be a zif connector for the pointer stick right next to the bigger zif for the main keyboard cable. 

Looks like the best screen is a 1600 x 900 (HD+). 

14.0-in, LED, FLT, HD+, AntiGlare display panel 686047-001

http://www.ebay.com/itm/14-0-1600x900-LED-Screen-for-HP-ELITEBOOK-FOLIO-9470M-LCD-LAPTOP-686047-001-...

It's a 40-pin LED screen and likely a FHD version in the same form factor, even an IPS, would work but never sure. 

Post back if you have any more questions. 

If this is "the Answer" please click "Accept as Solution" to help others find it. 

[Vatharian]

Thank you for your reply!

That's mostly bunch of encouraging news.

So let's start with cleaning confusing and conflicting information, I mentioned.

On CPU:

While in the service manual you provided link to, there is an error (3540M is dual core SKU), I've found this document (seems to be an earlier edition of same document), which directly lists quad-core CPUs, namely Core i7-3820QM, i7 3720QM and i7-3610QM:

http://content.etilize.com/User-Manual/1024109619.pdf

While I'm perfectly sure that both HM76 and QM77 support quad-core CPUs up to XM SKUs it boils down to BIOS/microcode support (and, if the first edition was correct, to higher than 35W TDP support).

The second issue of the service manual you linked not only is very different in its contents as it seems to me as I skimmed both documents, but it's curious that HP removed the first edition from the site, and only cached copies remains.

There is a possibility that first edition was carelessly copied from another document and carried wrong information with it.

Another conflicting piece of information is WiFi compatibility. There are multiple claims that this model (6470B at least, AMD-based 6475B possibly still has this... cough... 'feature') doesn't have WiFi whitelisting, for example:

https://www.techinferno.com/index.php?/forums/topic/6786-hp-probook-6470b-performance-upgrades-and-s...

https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/hp-probook-6470b.83076/

https://www.bios-mods.com/forum/Thread-REQUEST-HP-Probook-6470b-bios-sp76006-whitelist-removal

So it seems that either support wasn't limited from the start, or some BIOS update removed it (since I don't have CPU yet, I can't check BIOS version, and I'd like to be careful, since F.64 Bios blocks downgrading for unspecified 'security reasons').

Probably the best information comes from the fact that while my laptop came with 1366x768 display, it had 1600x900 screen option (thank you for pointing this!), which requires double channel LVDS connection, and can support FHD screen out-of-the-box. I'll be disassembling the display frame soon, so I'll try to find matching one. From my exprience as long as backlight power doesn't exceed original's current draw it should be fine.

Do you have any means of verifying any of this information, especially CPU and WiFi compatibility?

For the community's benefit I'll update this thread as I continue working with this machine, but it will take weeks before all the hardware arrives.

[Huffer]

I can't explain the different manuals but I suspect that in fact the Quad Cores are set up to work on the QM77 board and the dual cores on the HM76. HP has done something like that on several models that I can speak for. There otherwise does not seem to be any reason the 2 different chipsets are used. 

I have not come across an HP laptop that predates 4th gen Intel Core and has no whitelist but HP has never published a definitive list. The link you gave me seems to be saying there is no WLAN whitelist but is a WWAN whitelist?? Seems far-fetched to me, but if you have any wi-fi card laying around that is the right form factor and not listed in the manual that can be tested really easily. I have also never seen HP remove whitelist by means of a BIOS update. 

There is a different screen cable for the 1366 x 768 vs. 1600 x 900 screen. You obviously have to get the high-res cable and I think you are right it would also drive a FHD res panel. 

(6) Display panel cable:

For use only on computer models equipped with an HD+ display assembly 693064-001

For use only on computer models equipped with an HD display assembly 693063-001

Unfortunately, there is just no means to verify anything beyond the text of the Manual. You have to read and analyze and infer, I am afraid. HP Engineers are too busy with the here and now and the near-term future to provide historical data to us. 

Good luck on your project. 

[Vatharian]

If all the markings are true (HSTNN-I07C) it came with QM77 chipset. It originally had an i5-3520M CPU, which supports vPro. This may be luck... or not. Imagine my surprise to find the same board in 8470 Elitebook, which sadly IS locked down. I managed to track down a tray of old Ivy Bridge ES quad cores at work, if microcode matches I may be able to check compatibility this way.

So there are 3 versions of this computer: Intel with HM76 chipset, Intel with QM77 chipset, and AMD-based machine, sold as 6475B. They may be locked or not, none of these threads I linked investigated this.

At this point I really, really hope that this machine has no whitelist on WiFi, since where I live 2.4 GHz band is absolutely trashed, I own state-of-the-art AC Wave2 router, and Intel WiDi will be huge boost to my productivity. I won't cry that much about the modem (I'd love LTE, since HSPA is very crowded here too), at very least I could push hotspot from my cellphone on the road, and aparently second mPCIe slot is wired as mSata too. But WIFI must work, if not, I WILL pull out my SPI work bench and try to hack the BIOS, dammit.

I know about the LVDS cables - and that's why I was thrilled to find that it was actually offered with HD+ screen. My previous machine, the 4330s, which is basically one generation older model couldn't handle bigger than 13x7 screen, only because HP didn't ever manufacture appropiate ribbon cable, not for lack of panels.

Thank you very much, again, and I'll update the thread with my findings.

[VassilevB]

Dear Vatharian,

Kudos for sharing all of the information! I'm a proud owner of the 6470b (I loved it since I was employed by HP some years ago and I bought my own after that). I'm planning for an upgrade and my question is the following. Can you confirm if the HM76 (my chipset) will be compatible with the 3612QM processor (you mention something "boiling down to BIOS/microcode support" in your posts). If the answer is positive, then I also assume that it must be the Socket G2 version (part number AV8063801130504) and not the BGA-1224 (doesn't this stand for "ball grid array"?) (part number AV8063801130704).

In addition to your post, I've checked these links:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_Core_i3_microprocessors#.22Ivy_Bridge.22_.2822_nm.29_2

(My current processor is 3120M ; CPU-Z lists it as "Socket 988B rPGA" (screenshot).)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_Core_i7_microprocessors#.22Ivy_Bridge_.28quad-core.29.22_.2822_nm.29

http://www.cpu-upgrade.com/mb-Intel_(chipsets)/HM76_Express.html

Thank you for your time.

Cheers!

[luca1979]

Hi Vatharian, I recently bought a 6470B with the 54 bios, then I went to 66 and now to 70
I installed a 250GB 850EVO in the WWAN slot but it is not recognized.
First question: what version of bios did you use? Have you configured something in particular?
Second question: the vertical enter key is actually inconvenient, what keyboard did you take? unfortunately I did not find compatible backlit, it would be the top.
Third question: did you replace the 1366x768 panel with an HD +? If so, which one?
Thank you.