Problems that we registered so far, but not seem to be able to solve by simple configuration.
HP Spectre x360 G2
HP latest drivers:
Graphic card:
Wireless network card:
Version: 20.19.15.4444 Rev.A
Date: Jun 7, 2016
Version: 18.32.1.2 Rev.P
Date: Jan 11, 2016
*Network drops when PC is moving in the office location (Roaming).
We noticed that this specific HP model could not handle roaming as well as Lenovo (all Orkla models) or Dell (all Orkla models). So we needed to do some troubleshooting and found out that the following combination is the best we can get out of this PC model (and it is still not as stable as Dell or Lenovo).
-Updated the WIFI network driver to a NON-HP digitally signed driver.
Intel dual band wireless AC 8260
Driver: 19.10.6.2 (updated driver)
Date: 2017.05.04 (updated driver)
-Decrease the value for Roaming aggressiveness to 2 low, instead of 3 that is default.
This gave us the result that the users can move around without the major drops that where present before. Still some drops, but not as many as before. We also notice that the signal is bouncing a bit, and it affects the performance a lot.
*Screen is flickering and blinking, sometimes “dead fields” occurs and icons cannot be clicked, the screen looks “demolished” since icons and texts disappears, or is completely gone (see provided screenshots that is taken today. (screen1 and screen2).
This occurs as soon as you connect the PC to some sort of external screen-device (projector, monitor, tv, etc.)
In our “mma02” location we have Lenovo USB 3.0 docking stations, since the information given at the time they were bought was that they should fit any PC with USB 3.0 interface.
HP spectre cannot handle this docking station at all, so we began to troubleshoot this.
- We tested with provided HP dockingstation from HP:
HP 3001 PR USB 3.0, this gave the exact samt behavior as the Lenovo dock.
HP 3005pr USB 3.0 Port Replicator, this gave the exact samt behavior as the Lenovo dock. - I have tested to download NON-HP digitally signed drivers from Intel (since there are a lot of newer releases on their website), but I am not allowed to install them, since the HP digital signature is missing. (dead end).
- Updated to latest BIOS version, did not solve anything.
- Yesterday I got the very same phenomenon just by connecting my monitor with HDMI cable, and bypassing the docking station entirely. So my conclusion is that HP spectre will not be able to process a stable screen to an external screen-device.
During my troubleshooting in all this, I´ve read kilometers of forums to be able to find a solution to this, but none solution what so ever. And there are MANY users and companys with the exact same issues with this PC model. I have also posted a thread on HP support forum and asked for help with finding new drivers, and perhaps an version update. This was over a month ago, and still no reply.
HP Zbook 15 G3 (mobile workstation).
HP latest drivers:
Graphic card:
Wireless network card:
Intel graphic:
Version: 15.40.4483 Rev.F
Date: Nov 1, 2016
Nvidia graphic:
Version: 373.06 Rev.F
Date: Oct 26, 2016
-
Cool feature to have 2 graphic cards in one PC, but why?
Default in BIOS, the option “Hybrid graphics” is default.
which means that the PC is using a crappy Intel HD graphic card with no performance. Video memory is set to 32 MB (which is the lowest value of 3. 64 and 128 is choose able).
After some googling and forum reads, I could figure out that Hybrid graphics could be changed to “Discrete graphic” option in BIOS, also a BIOS upgrade was to recommend.
Updated BIOS from version: HP N81 ver. 01.12 (date: 2016.11.01)
to version: 1.17 Rev. A (date: 2017.10.16)
And while I was in there, I pumped the video memory to 64 MB instead of 32.
Couldn’t hurt with some extra video memory as well.
After I logged in to the newly configured PC, the graphics looks amazing, the performance as well.
Then I connected the PC to a HP docking station “HP Elite Thunderbolt 3 Dock 65W”.
5-10 minutes, the screen looked ok on the internal and external screen in DUPLICATE mode, but when I changed to EXTENDED mode, the problems occur.
Screen is flickering and blinking, sometimes “dead fields” occurs and icons cannot be clicked, the screen looks “demolished” since icons and texts disappears, or is completely gone.
The exact same behavior as the above-mentioned model “Spectre”.
The day ended with an end-user that preferred a Lenovo T440 over this SPEC MONSTER from HP.
