Great new (old) laptop

[Dave Rice]

The only thing added was Eset Nod32 Av and not a trial either, it has a 400 day licence. If I didn’t have a Kaspersky licence going spare I’d have left it on there, it’s good.

I got an Office licence off E-Bay and the usual free stuff from Ninite. Once she’d signed into Chrome all her internet life was sorted. My network printers were picked up but the Samsung laser really needed their driver.

BTW I’ve tried the Kaspersky free AV now and it’s probably all anyone really needs. It does appear in my “My Kaspersky” console but the only thing it tells me is the databases are up to date and when it last logged in. Again that’s probably all a home user needs.

[blacklion1725]

Thanks Dave – mine has turned up and is a lovely looking thing. Have a slight concern as the fan seems to spin up a lot – even after all the updates have been done. Flipping the back off, the interior was clean but not spotless (notably fan) so will give it a day or so before I decide to keep it and load it up. If it goes back I’ll probably get another from a different seller as it really is a lovely laptop – footprint not that much bigger than the 11.6″ it will replace. I’m hoping it is just really busy in set up mode and the fan will calm down.

[Dave Rice]

Check the fan settings in the BIOS.

[blacklion1725]

Will do ta

[blacklion1725]

Right – checked and only fan option I could see is “always on when connected to ac power” – wasn’t selected. Running through the HP update utility it found a BIOS update so trying that. Fan seems to kick in even when you just clisk the start button.

[Ed P]

Don’t forget that Windows loves to trawl through all your files. Even worse if the Photo CPU hog cuts in as well. [edit] this is especially noticeable with a fresh install and loading of personal files, music,pics.

[blacklion1725]

Thanks Ed – not added anything at all so far aside from log on details (no pics, files, nowt). Running the HP update app now – has found a lot – will let that complete then re-assess. Hope it sorts it.

[Dave Rice]

I’ve just upgraded a 3 yo Lenovo laptop to an SSD installing everything from scratch and that’s very true.

One thought about the 840, it could be NOD32 doing initial scans. Kaspersky took 20 – 25 minutes to do it’s first full scan (37GB worth on a 240GB SSD). My installation media is at the same version as the 840’s i.e. the last major upgrade (I forget which one that is now). Only 3 updates but all seemed to need a reboot.

Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool x64 – August 2018 (KB890830) Windows 10,Windows 10 LTSB
2018-08 Security Update for Adobe Flash Player for Windows 10 Version 1803 for x64-based Systems (KB4343902) Windows 10 Critical
2018-08 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1803 for x64-based Systems (KB4346783)

 

[blacklion1725]

Thanks Dave – will try and get all the HP updates done today and then take stock tomorrow – got a month to return it if it turns out I have got a dud. Hopefully will settle down. Am always inclined to do a clean install but don’t want to bugger about till I’m happy with it. By the way the BIOS update hasn’t changed the BIOS menu options for the fan as far as I can tell – it is recent (July 2018) and the only option is for “fan always on with ac power” or similar.

[Dave Rice]

I couldn’t remember what options there were, I see far too many machines to even remember my own! I know some of the higher end ones have more options.

I hope it works out, these are lovely bits of kit. I’m going to keep an eye out for an i7 1600 x 900.

[blacklion1725]

Hope so too – its playing a youtube in full screen now (has been for a while) and all is quiet – so will definitely let it settle down for a couple of days – had to do the 1803 update, and the sticker on the front still says Window 7 – so possible it only had the most basic of W10 updates before they sold it. It is lovely to use and type on and the display is excellent for the res.  BTW no NOD32 on mine – Dave (not at all urgent) was that link you put up (£273 on Amazon) the seller you used? If so and it doesn’t pan out with this one I’ll return it and go to your seller. Cheers.

[Dave Rice]

Ah, yes you’re right the Amazon link wasn’t the Micro Dream store.

MD’s are wiped and a new W10 installer put on the drive. With their Lenovos they add the hardware drivers (can’t vouch for every model) but I can’t remember what they did with the HP. I vaguely remember going to the HP website and getting a BIOS update but not sure if I needed anything else.

[blacklion1725]

Understood – if this one goes back to Amazon I’ll re-order from Microdream. Ta.

[blacklion1725]

Decided to send it back. No improvement on the fan – horrible hising sound even when idle – coming and going at ramdom. Have re-ordered from Microdream. One other slight niggle for me is the power connector is on the right, and the laptop will live on a little table left of my armchair – means the cable will have to do a 180 to get back to the plug socket. Proper first world problem that!

[blacklion1725]

The new one (from Microdream) came today – and this one is whisper quiet. As luck would have it, I found an Intel AC7260 WiFi card spare (think I bought it for a Lenovo that wouldn’t accepts it). Even better luck it works fine. Have to thank Dave for the recommendation, this really is a lot of laptop for the money – a real premium feel to it. I think I will chuck my Samsung 500GB drive in – and I notice there is also an M2 SSD slot if I can find a compatible one might look at that as a backup/recovery device. Only gripe for me was couldn’t get Nod32 activated – maybe their server is down but tried 3 different emails anc never got a validation email link. Not a big deal. If the Samsung SSD goes in I’ll backup the drivers and clean install anyway. If anyone is looking these are great machines – my advice would be get it from Microdream – worth the few extra quid to Amazon as I have found out!

[Dave Rice]

I may get an AC7260, but for what the missus uses it for t’s probably not worth it.

I believe the M2 slot can only take the shorter cards. The Transcend SATA III 6Gb/s M.2 SS MTS400 256GB has been shown to work, so I can’t see why any 2242 shouldn’t. Amazon have a KingDian 240GB for £39  Not a well know name but I’ve bought their 2.5″ SSDs without issue.

[blacklion1725]

Cheers Dave – I wouldn’t have bothered with the AC card if I didn’t keep shifing big media files around (having one in the spares box helped too!). Since I posted I ordered an similar unknown make M2 (42mm) off ebay (link) – only a 120GB but will be enough to back up windows and programs (if it works!). Absolute pleasure to work on this thing – the way the back/bottom just clips off. The 500GB Samsung Evo has gone in without a hitch and a clean install from an MCT USB completed very fast (as did the updates) – all drivers found without help and running like a dream. Found a right angle power cable adapter for £7 on Amazon which should make it a better fit in its final destination left of my armchair. Thanks again for posting this Dave – pain the same for my little Asus 11.6″ 2nd Gen i3 a good few years back (nowt wrong with it still – but the touchscreen was a waste).

[Dave Rice]

Yes I’m feeling a bit tired of my Lenovos now ? Nothing wrong with them, they are good workhorses, but I know the Elitebooks are built to the same military toughness standards as my T420 so even that advantage is gone. The Elitebook looks so damn good, as does the screen and the trackpads are the best. It’s what an Ultrabook should be IMO.

The one thing that will keep me using the T420 as my “chuck it in the bag” machine is the 1600 x 900 screen and the keyboard, however it’s like a big old lump in comparison. Highly tempted to flog my “everyday” V110 though.

[blacklion1725]

Just to finish this off, when fitting an M2 SSD card (£27 for a 120GB) I noticed there’s a WWLAN port next to it. Googling I found that the slim slot is accessible when you flip the battery out. Took a punt on a seond hand WWAN card of ebay for a tenner – works lovely. Only 3G but tested with my 3 and vodafone SIMs AOK. I’ll almost certainly never need it – if I take this anywhere I’ll tether off my phone if there’s no WiFi – but for a tenner why not!

[Dave Rice]

Dammit, I really want one now ? My Three £27 12GB 12 month sim would be fine for my off WiFi usage.

Can you boot from the M2?

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