HP Z6 Manual

Maintenance and Service Guide
SUMMARY
This guide provides information about spare parts, removal and replacement of parts, security, backing up, and
more.
© Copyright 2017, 2018, 2022 HP Product notice Software terms
Development Company, L.P.
This guide describes features that are By installing, copying, downloading, or
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are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the editions or versions of Windows. Systems do not accept these license terms, your
U.S. and other countries. Microsoft and may require upgraded and/or separately sole remedy is to return the entire unused
Windows are either registered trademarks purchased hardware, drivers, software product (hardware and software) within 14
or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in or BIOS update to take full advantage days for a full refund subject to the refund
the United States and/or other countries. of Windows functionality. Windows is policy of your seller.
Microsoft and Windows are either registered automatically updated, which is always
trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft enabled. High-speed internet and Microsoft For any further information or to request
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other countries. SD Logo is a trademark of additional requirements may apply over time please contact your seller.
its proprietor. for updates. See http://www.windows.com.
If your product ships with Windows in S Not all features are available in all editions
The information contained herein is subject Mode: Windows in S Mode works exclusively of Windows. This computer may require
to change without notice. The only with apps from the Microsoft Store within upgraded and/or separately purchased
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or omissions contained herein. vary, even if you switch out of S Mode. If you
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SmodeFAQ.
Third Edition: April 2018
To access the latest user guides, go to
Second Edition: November 2017 http://www.hp.com/support, and follow the
instructions to find your product. Then select
First Edition: October 2017 Manuals.
Document Part Number: 932089-004

Safety warning notice
Reduce the possibility of heat-related injuries or of overheating the computer by following the practices
described.
WARNING! To reduce the possibility of heat-related injuries or of overheating the computer, do not
place the computer directly on your lap or obstruct the computer air vents. Use the computer only on a
hard, flat surface. Do not allow another hard surface, such as an adjoining optional printer, or a soft
surface, such as pillows or rugs or clothing, to block airflow. Also, do not allow the AC adapter to come
into contact with the skin or a soft surface, such as pillows or rugs or clothing, during operation. The
computer and the AC adapter comply with the user-accessible surface temperature limits defined by
applicable safety standards.
iii
Table of contents
1 Computer features.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 1
Front components......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 1
Left components ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Rear components......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Serial number location ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 4
Product specifications.............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 5
2 Illustrated parts catalog................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 6

Computer major components............................................................................................................................................................................................. 6
3 Routine care, drive guidelines, and disassembly preparation........................................................................................................................... 8

Electrostatic discharge information............................................................................................................................................................................... 8
Generating static electricity...................................................................................................................................................................................... 8
Preventing electrostatic damage to equipment......................................................................................................................................... 9
Personal grounding methods and equipment.............................................................................................................................................. 9
Grounding the work area............................................................................................................................................................................................10
Recommended materials and equipment.....................................................................................................................................................10
Operating guidelines................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 11
Routine care..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 11
General cleaning safety precautions ................................................................................................................................................................ 11
Removing dirt and debris from your computer.......................................................................................................................................... 12
Cleaning your computer with a disinfectant................................................................................................................................................ 12
Cleaning the computer case................................................................................................................................................................................... 13
Cleaning the keyboard................................................................................................................................................................................................. 13
Cleaning the monitor .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 14
Cleaning the mouse....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 14
Service considerations.......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 14
Tools and software requirements........................................................................................................................................................................ 14
Screws..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 15
Cables and connectors............................................................................................................................................................................................... 15
Hard drives ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 15
Lithium coin cell battery.............................................................................................................................................................................................. 15
SATA hard drives.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................16
Cable management ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................16
4 Removal and replacement procedures............................................................................................................................................................................18

Preparation for disassembly..............................................................................................................................................................................................18
Front bezel........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................18
Dust filter ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................19
Access panel ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 20
iv
I/O assembly................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 21
Battery............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 22
Optical drive................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 23
Storage device..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................24
Memory fan duct ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 26
Front card guide and fan....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 26
Memory fan .....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................27
Rear fan............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 28
System board................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 29
Power supply .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................30
Heat sink............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 31
Processor ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 32
5 Troubleshooting without diagnostics................................................................................................................................................................................ 35

Before you call for technical support.......................................................................................................................................................................... 35
Helpful hints ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................36
Solving general problems....................................................................................................................................................................................................36
Cannot access the Computer Setup (F10) Utility when booting the computer.................................................................36
Computer appears locked up and will not turn off when the power button is pressed...............................................37
Computer will not respond to keyboard or mouse..................................................................................................................................37
Computer date and time display is incorrect .............................................................................................................................................37
There is no sound or sound volume is too low............................................................................................................................................37
Cannot remove computer cover or access panel .................................................................................................................................38
Poor performance..........................................................................................................................................................................................................38
Computer turned off automatically and the power light blinks red four times and then white two
times......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 39
System does not turn on and the lights on the front of the computer are not blinking............................................... 39
Solving power problems .......................................................................................................................................................................................................40
Power supply shuts down intermittently........................................................................................................................................................40
Computer turned off automatically, power light blinks red two times followed by a two-second
pause, and the computer beeps two times (beeps stop after fifth iteration but lights continue
blinking) ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................40
Power light blinks red four times followed by a two-second pause and the computer beeps four
times (beeps stop after fifth iteration but lights continue blinking)............................................................................................ 41
Solving hard drive problems............................................................................................................................................................................................... 41
Hard drive error occurs............................................................................................................................................................................................... 41
Disk drive transaction problem ............................................................................................................................................................................ 42
Drive not found (identified) ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 42
Nonsystem disk/NTLDR missing message ................................................................................................................................................. 42
Computer will not boot from hard drive.......................................................................................................................................................... 43
Computer seems to be locked up ...................................................................................................................................................................... 43
Solving audio problems......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 43
Sound cuts in and out.................................................................................................................................................................................................. 43
Sound does not come out of the speaker or headphones .............................................................................................................. 43
v
Computer appears to be locked up while recording audio.............................................................................................................. 44
Line-in jack is not functioning properly ........................................................................................................................................................... 44
Solving printer problems...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 44
Printer will not print........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 44
Printer will not turn on.................................................................................................................................................................................................. 45
Printer prints garbled information...................................................................................................................................................................... 45
Printer will not print........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 45
Solving keyboard and mouse problems.................................................................................................................................................................... 45
Keyboard commands and typing are not recognized by the computer ................................................................................. 45
Mouse does not respond to movement or is too slow.........................................................................................................................46
Solving hardware installation problems....................................................................................................................................................................46
A new device is not recognized as part of the system.........................................................................................................................47
Computer will not start................................................................................................................................................................................................47
Power light blinks red three times and then white two times...........................................................................................................47
Solving network problems...................................................................................................................................................................................................48
Network driver does not detect network controller..............................................................................................................................48
Network status link light never blinks...............................................................................................................................................................48
Diagnostics reports a failure.................................................................................................................................................................................. 49
Diagnostics passes, but the computer does not communicate with the network......................................................... 49
Network controller stopped working when an expansion board was added to the computer.............................. 49
Network controller stops working without apparent cause............................................................................................................ 49
Cannot connect to network server when attempting remote system installation.........................................................50
System setup utility reports unprogrammed EEPROM ......................................................................................................................50
Solving memory problems..................................................................................................................................................................................................50
System will not boot or does not function properly after installing additional memory modules.......................50
Out of memory error ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 51
Memory count during POST is wrong ............................................................................................................................................................... 51
Insufficient memory error during operation................................................................................................................................................ 51
Power light blinks red five times followed by a two-second pause and the computer beeps five times
(beeps stop after fifth iteration but lights continue blinking) .......................................................................................................... 51
Solving USB flash drive problems .................................................................................................................................................................................. 51
USB flash drive is not seen as a drive letter in Windows.................................................................................................................... 51
USB flash drive not found (identified) .............................................................................................................................................................. 52
System will not boot from USB flash drive ................................................................................................................................................... 52
The computer boots to DOS after making a bootable flash drive.............................................................................................. 52
Solving internet access problems ................................................................................................................................................................................ 52
Unable to connect to the internet....................................................................................................................................................................... 52
Cannot automatically launch internet programs.................................................................................................................................... 53
Solving software problems................................................................................................................................................................................................. 53
Computer will not start up and the HP logo does not appear........................................................................................................ 53
“Illegal Operation has Occurred” error message is displayed...................................................................................................... 53
6 Computer Setup (F10) Utility .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 55

Using Computer Setup (F10) Utilities ........................................................................................................................................................................... 55
Computer Setup Main............................................................................................................................................................................................................56
Computer Setup Security....................................................................................................................................................................................................60
vi
Computer Setup Advanced ...............................................................................................................................................................................................66
7 POST error messages ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................75

POST numeric codes and text messages ................................................................................................................................................................75
Interpreting system validation diagnostic front panel LEDs and audible codes..........................................................................81
8 Password security and resetting CMOS........................................................................................................................................................................84

Changing a setup or power-on password................................................................................................................................................................84
Deleting a setup or power-on password ...................................................................................................................................................................84
9 Using HP PC Hardware Diagnostics ..................................................................................................................................................................................86

Using HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows (select products only)................................................................................................86
Using an HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows hardware failure ID code.......................................................................86
Accessing HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows..............................................................................................................................86
Accessing HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows from the Start menu ................................................................86
Accessing HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows from Support Assistant ..........................................................87
Downloading HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows.........................................................................................................................87
Downloading the latest HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows version from HP..............................................87
Downloading the HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows from the Microsoft Store........................................87
Downloading HP Hardware Diagnostics Windows by product name or number (select products
only) ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................87
Installing HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows..................................................................................................................................88
Using HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI ................................................................................................................................................................88
Using an HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI hardware failure ID code..................................................................................88
Starting HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI ...............................................................................................................................................88
Downloading HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI to a USB flash drive...................................................................................89
Downloading the latest HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI version.............................................................................89
Downloading HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI by product name or number (select products
only) ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................89
Using Remote HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI settings (select products only)...................................................................90
Downloading Remote HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI ...............................................................................................................90
Downloading the latest Remote HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI version.........................................................90
Downloading Remote HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI by product name or number................................90
Customizing Remote HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI settings............................................................................................90
10 Backing up, restoring, and recovering............................................................................................................................................................................ 92

Backing up information and creating recovery media................................................................................................................................... 92
Using Windows tools for backing up................................................................................................................................................................. 92
Using the HP Cloud Recovery Download Tool to create recovery media (select products only)......................... 92
Restoring and recovering your system......................................................................................................................................................................93
Creating a system restore ......................................................................................................................................................................................93
Restoring and recovery methods .......................................................................................................................................................................93
Recovering using HP Recovery media............................................................................................................................................................93
Changing the computer boot order ..................................................................................................................................................................94
Using HP Sure Recover (select products only)..........................................................................................................................................94
11 Statement of memory volatility............................................................................................................................................................................................ 95

Current BIOS steps ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................95
vii
Nonvolatile memory usage .................................................................................................................................................................................................97
Questions and answers ........................................................................................................................................................................................................99
Using HP Sure Start (select products only)...........................................................................................................................................................100
12 Power cord set requirements.............................................................................................................................................................................................. 102

General requirements .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 102
Japanese power cord requirements......................................................................................................................................................................... 102
Country-specific requirements ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 102
13 Specifications................................................................................................................................................................................................................................104
14 Linux technical notes ................................................................................................................................................................................................................105

System RAM ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................105
Audio .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................105
Hyper-Threading Technology...........................................................................................................................................................................................106
NVIDIA graphics workstations .......................................................................................................................................................................................106
AMD graphics workstations..............................................................................................................................................................................................107
Index..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................108
viii
1 Computer features
This chapter provides you with an overview of your computer's features.
Front components
To identify the front panel components, use this illustration and table.
NOTE: Refer to the illustration that most closely matches your computer. The computer model in the
following image features the premium front input/output module.
Computer features 1
Table 1-1 Front tower components and their descriptions
Item Icon Component Item Icon Component
1 Power button 5 USB SuperSpeed port
2 Drive light 6 USB Type-C ports (2)
Audio-out (headphone)/Audio-in
3 7 Memory card reader
(microphone) combo jack
USB SuperSpeed port with HP Sleep

4
and Charge
NOTE: Refer to the illustration that most closely matches your computer. The computer model in the
following image features the standard front input/output module.
Table 1-2 Front tower components and their descriptions
1 Power button 4 USB SuperSpeed port with HP Sleep and

Charge
2 Drive light 5 USB SuperSpeed ports (3)
Audio-out (headphone)/Audio-in
3 6 Memory card reader
(microphone) combo jack
2 Chapter 1 Computer features

Left components
To identify the left components, use this illustration and table.
Table 1-3 Left components and their descriptions
Item Component
1 Access panel handle
2 Access panel lock (select products only)
Rear components
To identify the rear panel components, use this illustration and table.
Left components 3
Table 1-4 Rear components and their descriptions
1 Power button* 9 Power supply Built-In Self-Test (BIST) light
2 Audio-in (microphone) jack 10 Power connector
3 Audio-out (headphone) jack 11 Security lock loop
4 P/S keyboard jack 12 Ethernet ports (2; select products only)
5 USB SuperSpeed ports (6) 13 P/S mouse jack
6 RJ-45 (network) jack 14 PCIe card release latches
7 RJ-45 (network) jack (AMT enabled) 15 Security cable slot
8 PCIe slots (7)
* The power light status is as follows:
● Blinking white: The hard drive is being accessed.
● On: The computer is on.
Serial number location

Each computer has a unique serial number and a product ID number that are located on the exterior of
the computer. Keep these numbers available for use when contacting support for assistance.
4 Chapter 1 Computer features

Product specifications
Read this section to learn where to find the technical specifications about your computer.
To find the QuickSpecs for your product, go to http://www.hp.com/go/quickspecs, and then select the
Search all QuickSpecs link. Type your model name in the search box, and then select Go.
– or –
Go to http://www.hp.com/support, and follow the instructions to find your product. Select Product
Information, and then select your computer specifications.
Product specifications 5
2 Illustrated parts catalog
Use this information to determine the spare parts that are available for the computer.
NOTE: HP continually improves and changes product parts. For complete and current information
about supported parts for your computer, go to http://partsurfer.hp.com, select your country or region,
and then follow the on-screen instructions.
Computer major components

To identify the computer major components, use this illustration and table.
Table 2-1 Computer major components and their descriptions
Item Description
(1) Heat sink
(2) Processor
(3) Memory modules (4)
(4) Access panel
(5) PCIe card
(6) Rear fan
(7) Memory fan
(8) System board
(9) Front card guide and fan
(10) Memory fan duct
(11) Chassis
6 Chapter 2 Illustrated parts catalog

Table 2-1 Computer major components and their descriptions (continued)
Item Description
(12) Power supply
(13) Optical drive
(14) Hard drive (3.5 in)
(15) Drive carrier
(16) Front I/O assembly
(17) Hard drive (2.5 in)
(18) Solid-state drive
(19) Front bezel
NOTE: You can find system configuration specifications and differences in the HP Z6 G4 Workstation
Quickspecs, located at http://h20195.www2.hp.com/v2/GetDocument.aspx?docname=c05527761.
Computer major components 7

3 Routine care, drive guidelines, and
disassembly preparation
This information provides general service information for the computer. Adherence to the procedures
and precautions is essential for proper service.
IMPORTANT: When the computer is plugged into an AC power source, DC voltage is always applied to
the system board. You must disconnect the power cord from the power source before opening the
computer to prevent electric shock, system board, or component damage.
Electrostatic discharge information

A sudden discharge of static electricity from your finger or other conductor can destroy static-sensitive
devices or microcircuitry. Often the spark is neither felt nor heard, but damage occurs.
An electronic device exposed to electrostatic discharge (ESD) might not appear to be affected at all and
can work perfectly throughout a normal cycle. The device might function normally for a while, but it has
been degraded in the internal layers, reducing its life expectancy.
Networks built into many integrated circuits provide some protection, but in many cases, the discharge
contains enough power to alter device parameters or melt silicon junctions.
IMPORTANT: To prevent damage to the device when you are removing or installing internal
components, observe these precautions:
● Keep components in their electrostatic-safe containers until you are ready to install them.
● Before touching an electronic component, discharge static electricity by using the guidelines
described in this section.
● Avoid touching pins, leads, and circuitry. Handle electronic components as little as possible.
● If you remove a component, place it in an electrostatic-safe container.
Generating static electricity

This table shows how humidity affects the electrostatic voltage levels generated by different activities. A
product can be degraded by 700 V of static electricity.
● Different activities generate different amounts of static electricity.
● Static electricity increases as humidity decreases.
Table 3-1 Static electricity occurrence based on activity and humidity
Relative humidity
Event 55% 40% 10%
8 Chapter 3 Routine care, drive guidelines, and disassembly preparation

Table 3-1 Static electricity occurrence based on activity and humidity (continued)
Relative humidity
Walking across carpet 7,500 V 15,000 V 35,000 V
Walking across vinyl floor 3,000 V 5,000 V 12,000 V
Motions of bench worker 400 V 800 V 6,000 V
Removing DIPs (dual in-line packages) from plastic tube 400 V 700 V 2,000 V
Removing DIPs from vinyl tray 2,000 V 4,000 V 11,500 V
Removing DIPs from polystyrene foam 3,500 V 5,000 V 14,500 V
Removing bubble pack from PCB (printed circuit board) 7,000 V 20,000 V 26,500 V
Packing PCBs in foam-lined box 5,000 V 11,000 V 21,000 V
Multiple electric components can be packaged in plastic tubes, trays, or polystyrene foam.
Preventing electrostatic damage to equipment

Many electronic components are sensitive to ESD. Circuitry design and structure determine the degree
of sensitivity. The following packaging and grounding precautions are necessary to prevent static
electricity damage to electronic components.
● To avoid hand contact, transport products in static-safe containers such as tubes, bags, or boxes.
● Protect all electrostatic parts and assemblies with conductive or approved containers or packaging.
● Keep electrostatic-sensitive parts in their containers until they arrive at static-free stations.
● Place items on a grounded surface before removing them from their container.
● Always be properly grounded when touching a sensitive component or assembly.
● Avoid contact with pins, leads, or circuitry.
● Place reusable electrostatic-sensitive parts from assemblies in protective packaging or conductive

foam.
Personal grounding methods and equipment

Use this equipment to prevent static electricity damage to electronic components.
● Wrist straps are flexible straps with a maximum of 1 MΩ ±10% resistance in the ground cords. To
provide proper ground, a strap must be worn snug against bare skin. The ground cord must be
connected and fit snugly into the banana plug connector on the grounding mat or workstation.
● Heel straps/Toe straps/Boot straps can be used at standing workstations and are compatible with
most types of shoes or boots. On conductive floors or dissipative floor mats, use them on both feet
with a maximum of 1 MΩ ±10% resistance between the operator and ground.
Table 3-2 Static shielding protection levels
Static shielding protection levels
Method Voltage
Preventing electrostatic damage to equipment 9

Table 3-2 Static shielding protection levels (continued)
Static shielding protection levels
Antistatic plastic 1,500 V
Carbon-loaded plastic 7,500 V
Metallized laminate 15,000 V
Grounding the work area

To prevent static damage at the work area, use these precautions.
● Cover the work surface with approved static-dissipative material. Provide a wrist strap connected to
the work surface and properly grounded tools and equipment.
● Use static-dissipative mats, foot straps, or air ionizers to give added protection.
● Handle electrostatic sensitive components, parts, and assemblies by the case or PCB laminate.
Handle them only at static-free work areas.
● Turn off power and input signals before inserting and removing connectors or test equipment.
● Use fixtures made of static-safe materials when fixtures must directly contact dissipative surfaces.
● Keep work area free of nonconductive materials such as ordinary plastic assembly aids and
polystyrene foam.
● Use field service tools, such as cutters, screwdrivers, and vacuums, that are conductive.
Recommended materials and equipment

HP recommends these materials and equipment to prevent static electricity.
● Antistatic tape
● Antistatic smocks, aprons, or sleeve protectors
● Conductive bins and other assembly or soldering aids
● Conductive foam
● Conductive tabletop workstations with ground cord of 1 MΩ ±10% resistance
● Static-dissipative table or floor mats with hard tie to ground
● Field service kits
● Static awareness labels
● Wrist straps and footwear straps providing 1 MΩ ±10% resistance
● Material handling packages
● Conductive plastic bags
● Conductive plastic tubes
● Conductive tote boxes

● Opaque shielding bags
● Transparent metallized shielding bags
● Transparent shielding tubes
Operating guidelines
This information details how to prevent overheating and to help prolong the life of the computer.
● Keep the computer away from excessive moisture, direct sunlight, and extremes of heat and cold.
● Operate the computer on a sturdy, level surface. Leave a 10.2 cm (4 inch) clearance on all vented
sides of the computer and above the monitor to permit the required airflow.
● Never restrict the airflow into the computer by blocking any vents or air intakes. Do not place the
keyboard, with the keyboard feet down, directly against the front of the desktop unit as this also
restricts airflow.
● Occasionally clean the air vents on all vented sides of the computer. Lint, dust, and other foreign
matter can block the vents and limit the airflow. Be sure to unplug the computer before cleaning the
air vents.
● Never operate the computer with the cover or side panel removed.
● Do not stack computers on top of each other or place computers so near each other that they are
subject to each other’s recirculated or preheated air.
● If the computer is to be operated within a separate enclosure, intake and exhaust ventilation must
be provided on the enclosure, and the same operating guidelines listed previously still apply.
● Keep liquids away from the computer and keyboard.
● Never cover the ventilation slots on the monitor with any type of material.
● Install or enable power management functions of the operating system or other software, including
Sleep states.
Routine care
Use this information to properly care for your computer.
General cleaning safety precautions

Use this information to safely clean your computer.
CAUTION: To prevent electric shock or damage to components, never clean a product while it is
turned on or plugged in.
● Never use solvents or flammable solutions to clean the computer.
● Never immerse any parts in water or cleaning solutions; apply any liquids to a clean cloth and then
use the cloth on the component.
● Always unplug the computer when cleaning with liquids or damp cloths.
● Always unplug the computer before cleaning the keyboard, mouse, or air vents.
Operating guidelines 11
● Disconnect the keyboard before cleaning it.
● Wear safety glasses equipped with side shields when cleaning the keyboard.
Removing dirt and debris from your computer

Here are the recommended steps to clean dirt and debris from your computer.
1. Wear disposable gloves made of latex (or nitrile gloves, if you are latex-sensitive) when cleaning the
surfaces.
2. Turn off your device and unplug the power cord and other connected external devices. Remove any
installed batteries from items such as wireless keyboards.
3. Moisten a microfiber cloth with water. The cloth should be moist, but not dripping wet.
IMPORTANT: To avoid damaging the surface, avoid abrasive cloths, towels, and paper towels.
4. Wipe the exterior of the product gently with the moistened cloth.
IMPORTANT: Keep liquids away from the product. Avoid getting moisture in any openings. If liquid
makes its way inside your HP product, it can cause damage to the product. Do not spray liquids
directly on the product. Do not use aerosol sprays, solvents, abrasives, or cleaners containing
hydrogen peroxide or bleach that might damage the finish.
5. Start with the display (if applicable). Wipe carefully in one direction, and move from the top of the
display to the bottom. Finish with any flexible cables, like power cord, keyboard cable, and USB
cables.
6. Be sure that surfaces have completely air-dried before turning the device on after cleaning.
7. Discard the gloves after each cleaning. Clean your hands immediately after you remove the gloves.
See Cleaning your computer with a disinfectant on page 12 for recommended steps to clean the
high-touch, external surfaces on your computer to help prevent the spread of harmful bacteria and
viruses.
Cleaning your computer with a disinfectant

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends cleaning surfaces, followed by disinfection, as a
best practice for preventing the spread of viral respiratory illnesses and harmful bacteria.
After cleaning the external surfaces of your computer using the steps in Removing dirt and debris
from your computer on page 12, you might also choose to clean the surfaces with a disinfectant. A
disinfectant that is within HP’s cleaning guidelines is an alcohol solution consisting of 70% isopropyl
alcohol and 30% water. This solution is also known as rubbing alcohol and is sold in most stores.
Follow these steps when disinfecting high-touch, external surfaces on your computer:
1. Wear disposable gloves made of latex (or nitrile gloves, if you are latex-sensitive) when cleaning the
surfaces.

2. Turn off your device and unplug the power cord and other connected external devices. Remove any
installed batteries from items such as wireless keyboards.
3. Moisten a microfiber cloth with a mixture of 70% isopropyl alcohol and 30% water. The cloth should
be moist, but not dripping wet.
CAUTION: Do not use any of the following chemicals or any solutions that contain them, including
spray-based surface cleaners: bleach, peroxides (including hydrogen peroxide), acetone, ammonia,
ethyl alcohol, methylene chloride, or any petroleum-based materials, such as gasoline, paint thinner,
benzene, or toluene.
IMPORTANT: To avoid damaging the surface, avoid abrasive cloths, towels, and paper towels.
4. Wipe the exterior of the product gently with the moistened cloth.
IMPORTANT: Keep liquids away from the product. Avoid getting moisture in any openings. If liquid
makes its way inside your HP product, it can cause damage to the product. Do not spray liquids
directly on the product. Do not use aerosol sprays, solvents, abrasives, or cleaners containing
hydrogen peroxide or bleach that might damage the finish.
5. Start with the display (if applicable). Wipe carefully in one direction, and move from the top of the
display to the bottom. Finish with any flexible cables, like power cord, keyboard cable, and USB
cables.
6. Be sure that surfaces have completely air-dried before turning the device on after cleaning.
7. Discard the gloves after each cleaning. Clean your hands immediately after you remove the gloves.
Cleaning the computer case

Follow all safety precautions before cleaning the computer case.
To clean the computer case, follow these procedures:
● To remove light stains or dirt, use plain water with a clean, lint-free cloth or swab.
● For stronger stains, use a mild dishwashing liquid diluted with water. Rinse well by wiping it with a
cloth or swab dampened with clear water.
● For stubborn stains, use isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol. No rinsing is needed because the alcohol
evaporates quickly and does not leave a residue.
● After cleaning, always wipe the unit with a clean, lint-free cloth.
● Occasionally clean the air vents on the computer. Lint and other foreign matter can block the vents
and limit the airflow.
Cleaning the keyboard

Use this information to properly clean the keyboard. Follow all safety precautions before cleaning the
keyboard.
To clean the tops of the keys or the keyboard body, follow the procedures described in Cleaning the
computer case on page 13.
Cleaning the computer case 13

When cleaning debris from under the keys, review all rules in General cleaning safety precautions on
page 11 before following these procedures.
CAUTION: Use safety glasses equipped with side shields before attempting to clean debris from
under the keys.
● You can remove visible debris underneath or between the keys by vacuuming or shaking.
● You can use canned, pressurized air to clean debris from under the keys. Use caution because too
much air pressure can dislodge lubricants applied under the wide keys.
● If you remove a key, use a specially designed key puller to prevent damage to the keys. This tool is
available through many electronic supply outlets.
IMPORTANT: Never remove a wide leveled key (like the space bar) from the keyboard. If these
keys are improperly removed or installed, the keyboard might not function properly.
● You can clean under a key with a swab moistened with isopropyl alcohol and squeezed out. Be
careful not to wipe away lubricants necessary for proper key functions. Use tweezers to remove any
fibers or dirt in confined areas. Allow the parts to air dry before reassembly.
Cleaning the monitor

Follow all safety precautions before cleaning dirt and debris from your computer. Use this information to
properly clean the monitor.
● Wipe the monitor screen with a clean cloth moistened with water or with a towelette designed for
cleaning monitors. Do not use sprays or aerosols directly on the screen; the liquid can seep into the
housing and damage a component. Never use solvents or flammable liquids on the monitor.
● To clean the monitor body, follow the procedures in Cleaning the computer case on page 13.
Cleaning the mouse

Follow all safety precautions before cleaning dirt and debris from your computer. Use this information to
properly clean the mouse.
● Clean the mouse ball by first removing the retaining plate and the ball from the housing. Pull out any
debris from the ball socket and wipe the ball with a clean, dry cloth before reassembly.
● To clean the mouse body, follow the procedures in Cleaning the computer case on page 13.
Service considerations
Keep these considerations in mind during the disassembly and assembly of the computer.
Tools and software requirements

Servicing the computer requires these tools.
● Torx T-15 screwdriver
● Flat-bladed screwdriver (can sometimes be used in place of the Torx screwdriver)
● Phillips P1 screwdriver
● Nonconductive, nonmarking pry tool

● Diagnostics software
Screws
The screws used in the computer are not interchangeable. They could have standard or metric threads
and might be of different lengths.
If you use an incorrect screw during the reassembly process, it can damage the unit. HP strongly
recommends that you keep all screws that you remove during disassembly with the removed part and
then return them to their proper locations.
IMPORTANT: As you remove each subassembly from the computer, place it away from the work area
to prevent damage.
Cables and connectors

Use this information to properly handle cables.
Apply only the tension required to seat or unseat the cables during insertion or removal from the
connector. Handle cables by the connector whenever possible. In all cases, avoid bending or twisting
the cables, and route the cables so that they cannot be caught or snagged by parts being removed or
replaced.
IMPORTANT: When servicing this computer, be sure to place cables in their proper location during the
reassembly process. Improper cable placement can damage the computer.
Hard drives
Handle hard drives as delicate, precision components, and avoid all physical shock and vibration. This
advice applies to failed drives as well as replacement spares.
● If a drive must be mailed, place the drive in a bubble-pack mailer or other suitable protective
packaging and label the package “Fragile: Handle With Care.”
● Do not remove hard drives from the shipping package for storage. Keep hard drives in their
protective packaging until they are actually mounted in the computer.
● Avoid dropping drives from any height onto any surface.
● If you are inserting or removing a hard drive, turn off the computer. Do not remove a hard drive while
the computer is on or in standby mode.
● Before handling a drive, ensure that you are discharged of static electricity. While handling a drive,
avoid touching the connector.
● Do not use excessive force when inserting a drive.
● Avoid exposing a hard drive to liquids, temperature extremes, or products that have magnetic fields
such as monitors or speakers.
Lithium coin cell battery

The battery that comes with the computer provides power to the real-time clock and has a minimum
lifetime of approximately three years.
Screws 15
See the removal and replacement chapter for replacement instructions.
WARNING! This computer contains a lithium battery. There is a risk of fire and chemical burn if the
battery is handled improperly. Do not disassemble, crush, puncture, short external contacts, dispose of
in water or fire, or expose it to temperatures higher than 140°F (60°C). Do not attempt to recharge the
battery.
NOTE: Do not dispose of batteries, battery packs, and accumulators with general household waste.
To forward them to recycling centers or proper disposal, use the public collection system or return
them to HP, their authorized partners, or their agents.
SATA hard drives

The Self Monitoring Analysis and Recording Technology (SMART) ATA drives for the HP Personal
Computers have built-in drive failure prediction that warns the user or network administrator of an
impending failure or crash of the hard drive.
The SMART drive tracks fault prediction and failure indication parameters such as reallocated sector
count, spin retry count, and calibration retry count. If the drive determines that a failure is imminent, it
generates a fault alert.
Table 3-3 SATA hard drive characteristics
Serial ATA hard drive characteristics
Number of pins/conductors in data cable 7/7
Number of pins in power cable 15
Maximum data cable length 100 cm (39.37 in)
Data interface voltage differential 400 mV–700 mV
Drive voltages 3.3 V, 5 V, 12 V
Jumpers for configuring drive N/A
Data transfer rate 6.0 Gbps
Always use an HP-approved SATA 6.0 Gbps cable because it is fully backwards compatible with the
SATA 1.5 Gbps drives. Current HP desktop products ship with SATA 6.0 Gbps hard drives.
SATA data cables are susceptible to damage if overflexed. Never crease a SATA data cable and never
bend it tighter than a 30 mm (1.18 in) radius.
The SATA data cable is a thin, seven-pin cable designed to transmit data for only a single drive.
Cable management
Always follow good cable management practices when working inside the computer.
● Keep cables away from major heat sources like the heat sink.
● Keep cables clear of sliding or moveable parts to prevent them from being cut or crimped when the
parts are moved.
● When folding a flat ribbon cable, never fold to a sharp crease. Sharp creases can damage the wires.

● Do not bend any cable sharply. A sharp bend can break the internal wires.
● Never bend a SATA data cable tighter than a 30 mm (1.18 in) radius.
● Never crease a SATA data cable.
Cable management 17
4 Removal and replacement procedures
Adherence to these procedures and precautions is essential for proper service. After completing
all necessary removal and replacement procedures, run the Diagnostics utility to verify that all
components operate properly.
NOTE: Not all features listed in this guide are available on all computers.
NOTE: HP continually improves and changes product parts. For complete and current information
about supported parts for your computer, go to https://partsurfer.hp.com/partsurfer/, select your
country or region, and then follow the on-screen instructions.
Preparation for disassembly

Use this information to properly prepare to disassemble and reassemble the computer.
See Routine care, drive guidelines, and disassembly preparation on page 8 for initial safety procedures.
1. Turn off the computer. If you are unsure whether the computer is off or in Hibernation, turn the
computer on, and then shut it down through the operating system.
IMPORTANT: Turn off the computer before disconnecting any cables.
Regardless of the power state, voltage is always present on the system board as long as the
system is plugged into an active AC outlet. In some systems, the cooling fan is on even when
the computer is in the Standby or Suspend modes. Always disconnect the power cord before
servicing a unit.
2. Disconnect the power from the computer by unplugging the power cord from the computer.
3. Disconnect all external devices from the computer
CAUTION: Beware of sharp edges inside the chassis.
NOTE: During disassembly, label each cable as you remove it, and note its position and routing. Keep
all screws with the removed components.
Front bezel
To remove the front bezel, use these procedures.
Before removing the front bezel, follow these steps:
■ Prepare the computer for disassembly (see Preparation for disassembly on page 18).
Remove the front bezel:
1. Position the computer on its right side with the bottom toward you.
2. Release the two tabs (1) on the bottom of the front bezel from the computer.
3. Swing the bottom edge of the front bezel (2) away from the computer.
18 Chapter 4 Removal and replacement procedures

4. Remove the front bezel (3).
To install the front bezel, reverse the removal procedure.
Dust filter
To remove the dust filter, use these procedures.
Before removing the dust filter, follow these steps:
1. Prepare the computer for disassembly (see Preparation for disassembly on page 18).
2. Remove the front bezel (see Front bezel on page 18).
Remove the dust filter:
1. Lift the top and bottom dust filters by the blue touchpoints to remove them from the bezel.
Dust filter 19
2. Install the new dust filters in the same locations as the previous dust filters.
NOTE: The new dust filters attach magnetically.
Access panel
To remove the access panel, use these procedures.
Before removing the access panel, follow these steps:
■ Prepare the computer for disassembly (see Preparation for disassembly on page 18).
Remove the access panel:
1. Position the computer with the left side toward you.
2. Swing the access panel release latch up (1).
3. Use the access panel release latch to swing the top edge of the access panel (2) away from
the computer.

4. Remove the access panel (3) by lifting it straight up.
To install the access panel, reverse the removal procedure.
I/O assembly
To remove the I/O assembly, use these procedures.
Before removing the I/O assembly, follow these steps:
2. Remove the access panel (see Access panel on page 20).
Remove the I/O assembly:
1. Disconnect the I/O front audio cable (1) from the system board.
2. Disconnect the I/O assembly UI cable (2) from the I/O assembly.
3. Disconnect the I/O assembly USB cable (3) from the I/O assembly.
4. Disconnect the I/O assembly memory card reader cable (4) from the I/O assembly.
I/O assembly 21
5. Disconnect the I/O assembly FIOUI-Premium (OClink) cable (5) from the I/O assembly.
6. Release the I/O assembly by lifting up on the drive release bar (1).
7. Remove the I/O assembly (2).
To install the I/O assembly, reverse the removal procedure.
Battery
To remove the battery, use these procedures. The battery that comes with the computer provides power
to the real-time clock. When replacing the battery, use a battery equivalent to the battery originally
installed in the computer. The computer comes with a 3 V lithium coin cell battery.
WARNING! The computer contains an internal lithium manganese dioxide battery. There is a risk of
fire and burns if the battery is not handled properly. To reduce the risk of personal injury:
Do not attempt to recharge the battery.
Do not expose to temperatures higher than 60°C (149°F).

Do not disassemble, crush, puncture, short external contacts, or dispose of in fire or water.
Replace the battery only with the HP spare part that is designated for this product.
IMPORTANT: Before replacing the battery, back up the computer CMOS settings. When the battery is
removed or replaced, the CMOS settings are cleared.
Static electricity can damage the electronic components of the computer or optional equipment.
Before beginning these procedures, be sure that you are discharged of static electricity by briefly
touching a grounded metal object.
NOTE: You can extend the lifetime of the lithium battery by plugging the computer into an AC outlet.
The lithium battery is used only when the computer is not connected to AC power.
HP encourages customers to recycle used electronic hardware, HP original print cartridges,

and rechargeable batteries. For more information about recycling programs, go to
http://www.hp.com/recycle.
Before removing the battery, follow these steps:
Remove the battery:
1. If necessary, remove any PCIe cards that are blocking access to the battery.
2. To release the battery from the holder, insert a nonmetallic tool into the slot of the battery holder
near the retention clips (1), lift the tool to release the battery (2), and then remove the battery from
the holder (3).
NOTE: HP recommends using a nonmetallic tool that is approximately 2.5 cm (1 in) in length.
3. With the positive side of the replacement battery facing up, slide the battery under the lip on the
battery holder (1), and the push the battery downward into place in the holder (2).
Optical drive
To remove the optical drive, use these procedures.
Optical drive 23
Before removing the optical drive, follow these steps:
1. Prepare to disassemble the computer (see Preparation for disassembly on page 18).
Remove the optical drive:
1. Disconnect the optical drive cables from the optical drive rear panel (1).
2. Release the optical drive by lifting up on the drive release bar (2).
3. Press on the optical drive rear panel (3).
4. Remove the optical drive (4).
To install the optical drive, reverse the removal procedure.
Storage device
To remove the storage device, use these procedures.
IMPORTANT: To prevent loss of work and damage to the computer or drive:
If you are inserting or removing a drive, shut down the operating system properly, turn off the computer,
and unplug the power cord. Do not remove a drive while the computer is on or in standby mode.
Before handling a drive, be sure that you are discharged of static electricity. While handling a drive,
avoid touching the connector.
Handle a drive carefully; do not drop it.
Do not use excessive force when inserting a drive.
Avoid exposing a hard drive to liquids, temperature extremes, or products that have magnetic fields
such as monitors or speakers.
If a drive must be mailed, place the drive in a bubble-pack mailer or other protective packaging and
label the package “Fragile: Handle With Care.”

Before removing the storage device, follow these steps:
Remove the storage device:
1. Disconnect the storage device power cable (1) and SATA cable (2) from the storage device.
2. Squeeze and hold the drive cage release tabs (3).
3. Remove the drive cage (4) from the computer.
4. Separate the drive cage retention arms (1) from the storage device, making sure the retention pins
(2) fully release from the device.
5. Remove the storage device (3) from the drive cage.
To replace the storage device, reverse the removal procedures.
Storage device 25
Memory fan duct
To remove the memory fan duct, use these procedures.
Before removing the memory fan duct, follow these steps:
Remove the memory fan duct:
1. Release the memory fan duct by lifting the tabs (1).
2. Remove the memory fan duct (2).
To install the memory fan duct, reverse the removal procedure.
Front card guide and fan

To remove the front card guide and fan, use these procedures.
Before removing the front card guide and fan, follow these steps:
Remove the front card guide and fan:
1. If installed, disconnect the cables from the placeholder sockets (1) on the front card guide and fan
housing.
2. Release the two retention clips (2) that secure the front card guide and fan to the computer.
3. Tilt the front card guide and fan (3) away from the computer.

4. Lift the front card guide and fan (4) as far as the front card guide and fan cable allows.
5. Disconnect the front card guide and fan cable (5) from the system board.
6. Remove the front card guide and fan.
To install the front card guide and fan, reverse the removal procedure.
Memory fan
To remove the memory fan, use these procedures.
Before removing the memory fan, follow these steps:
Remove the memory fan:
1. Release the two retention clips (1) that secure the memory fan to the computer.
2. Tilt the memory fan (2) away from the computer.
3. Lift the memory fan (3) as far as the memory fan cable allows.
Memory fan 27
4. Disconnect the memory fan cable (4) from the system board.
5. Remove the memory fan.
To install the memory fan, reverse the removal procedure.
Rear fan
To remove the rear fan, use these procedures.
Before removing the rear fan, follow these steps:
Remove the rear fan:
1. Remove the four Phillips M5.0 × 12.0 screws (1) that secure the rear fan to the computer.
2. Lift the rear fan (2) as far as the rear fan cable allows.

3. Disconnect the rear fan cable (3) from the system board.
To install the rear fan, reverse the removal procedure.
System board
To remove the system board, use these procedures.
NOTE: All system board spare part kits include replacement thermal material.
Before removing the system board, follow these steps:
3. Remove the memory fan duct (Memory fan duct on page 26).
4. Remove the rear fan (see Rear fan on page 28).
5. Remove the memory fan (Memory fan on page 27).
6. When replacing the system board, be sure that the heat sink (see Heat sink on page 31) is removed
from the defective system board and installed on the replacement system board.
Remove the system board:
1. Disconnect the following cables from the system board:
(1) Power supply P2 cable

(2) Front audio cable
(3) Thermal cable
(4) Power supply P1 cable
(5) FUI cable
(6) USB cable
(7) OCUlink cable (used on FIOUI Premium models)
System board 29
(8) Drive SATA cables (up to 6 locations)
(9) Front card guide and fan cable
2. Remove the nine Torx15 M3.0 × 6.0 screws (1) that secure the system board to the computer.
3. Use the heat sink to slide the system board (2) away from the computer rear chassis, and then
remove the system board (3).
To install the system board, reverse the removal procedures.
Power supply
To remove the power supply, use these procedures.
Before removing the power supply, follow these steps:

3. Remove the memory fan duct (Memory fan duct on page 26).
4. Remove the front card guide and fan (see Front card guide and fan on page 26).
5. Remove the memory fan (Memory fan on page 27).
6. Remove the system board (see System board on page 29).
Remove the power supply:
1. Remove the four Torx15 M5.0 × 12.0 screws (1) that secure the power supply to the computer.
2. Lift the front edge of the power supply (2), and then slide it forward to disengage it from the bottom
of the computer chassis.
3. Slide the power supply (3) toward the middle of the computer chassis until it is clear of the
computer right edge, and then remove the power supply.
To install the power supply, reverse the removal procedures.
Heat sink
To remove the heat sink, use these procedures.
NOTE: The heat sink spare part kit includes replacement thermal material.
Before removing the heat sink, follow these steps:
NOTE: When replacing the heat sink, be sure that the processor (see Processor on page 32) is
removed from the defective heat sink and installed on the replacement heat sink.
Remove the heat sink:
1. Disconnect the heat sink fan cable from the system board (1).
Heat sink 31
2. In the sequence indicated on the label on the heat sink, loosen the four slotted Torx30 captive
screws (2) that secure the heat sink to the computer.
IMPORTANT: Remove heat sink retaining screws in diagonally opposite pairs (as in an X) to even
the downward forces on the processor. The pins on the socket are fragile, and damage to them
might require replacing the system board.
NOTE: The processor is attached to the bottom of the heat sink. When the heat sink is removed, it
is recommended that the heat sink be left resting upside down, with the processor resting on top of
the heat sink. Failure to follow this caution can result in damage to the processor.
3. Remove the heat sink from the computer (3).
To replace the heat sink, reverse the removal procedures.
Processor
To remove the processor, use these procedures.
Before removing the processor, follow these steps:
3. Remove the heat sink (see Heat sink on page 31).
Remove the processor:
1. Turn the heat sink upside down with the heat sink fan toward you.
2. Release the four clips (1) that secure the processor holder to the heat sink.
3. Remove the processor holder (2) from the heat sink by lifting it straight up.
4. Carefully release the processor holder clips (3).

5. Remove the processor (4) from the processor holder by lifting it straight up.
IMPORTANT: Do not handle the pins in the processor socket. These pins are fragile, and handling
them could cause irreparable damage. If pins are damaged, you might have to replace the system
board.
NOTE: The thermal material must be thoroughly cleaned from the surfaces of the processor (1)
and the heat sink (2) and reinstalled each time the processor is removed. Replacement thermal
material is included with the processor and heat sink spare part kits.
CAUTION: When installing the processor into the processor holder, make sure the corner of the
processor with the triangle icon (1) is aligned with the corner of the processor holder with the
triangle icon (2), and the notches (3) in the processor are aligned with the ribs (4) on the processor
holder clips. When installing the processor and processor holder onto the heat sink, make sure the
corner of the processor holder with the triangle icon (2) is aligned with the corner of the heat sink
with the triangle icon (5). Failure to follow this caution can result in damage to the processor and
system board and system failure.
Processor 33
5 Troubleshooting without diagnostics
Use these sections to identify and correct minor problems.
CAUTION: Misuse of the computer or failure to establish a safe and comfortable work environment
can result in discomfort or serious injury. See the Safety & Comfort Guide at http://www.hp.com/ergo for
more information about choosing a workspace and creating a safe and comfortable work environment.
For more information, see the Safety & Regulatory Information guide.
Before you call for technical support

If you are having problems with the computer, try these solutions to isolate the exact problem before
calling for technical support.
● Run the HP diagnostic tool.
● Run the hard drive self-test in Computer Setup.
● Check the power light on the front of the computer to see if it is blinking red. The blinking lights are
error codes that will help you diagnose the problem.
● If you are working on a network, plug another computer with a different cable into the network
connection. There might be a problem with the network plug or cable.
● If you recently added new hardware, remove the hardware and see if the computer functions
properly.
● If you recently installed new software, uninstall the software and see if the computer functions
properly.
● Boot the computer to the Safe Mode to see if it will boot without all of the drivers loaded. When
booting the operating system, use “Last Known Configuration.”
● See the comprehensive online technical support at http://www.hp.com/support.
Access HP Business Solutions at https://www.hp.com/us-en/solutions/business-solutions.html for the

latest online support information, software and drivers, proactive notification, and worldwide community
of peers and HP experts.
If it becomes necessary to call for technical assistance, be prepared to do the following tasks to ensure
that your service call is handled properly:
● Be in front of your computer when you call.
● Before you call, write down the computer serial number and product ID number.
● Spend time troubleshooting the problem with the service technician.
● Restore the system from the Recovery Disc Set that you created or restore the system to its original
factory condition in System Software Requirement Disks (SSRD).
IMPORTANT: Restoring the system will erase all data on the hard drive. Be sure to back up all data
files before running the restore process.
Troubleshooting without diagnostics 35

NOTE: For sales information and warranty upgrades (Care Packs), call your local authorized service
provider or dealer.
Helpful hints
If you encounter problems with the computer or software, see this list of general suggestions before
taking further action.
● Check that the computer is plugged into a working electrical outlet.
● Check that the computer is turned on and the white power light is on.
● Check the power light on the front of the computer to see if it is blinking red. The blinking lights are
error codes that help you diagnose the problem.
● Press and hold any key if the system beeps. Then the keyboard should be operating correctly.
● Check all cable connections for loose connections or incorrect connections.
● Wake the computer by pressing any key on the keyboard or pressing the power button. If the system
remains in suspend mode, shut down the computer by pressing and holding the power button for at
least four seconds, and then press the power button again to restart the computer. If the system will
not shut down, unplug the power cord, wait a few seconds, and then plug it in again. The computer
will restart if it is set to turn on automatically as soon as power is restored in Computer Setup. If it
does not restart, press the power button to start the computer.
● Be sure that all the needed device drivers have been installed. For example, if you are using a printer,
you need a driver for that model printer.
● Remove all bootable media (such as a USB device) from the system before turning it on.
● If you have installed an operating system other than the factory-installed operating system, check to
be sure that it is supported on the system.
NOTICE: When the computer is plugged into an AC power source, voltage is always being applied to
the system board. You must disconnect the power cord from the power source before opening the
computer to prevent system board or component damage.
Solving general problems

You might be able to easily resolve the general problems described in this section. If a problem persists
and you cannot resolve it yourself or if you feel uncomfortable about performing the operation, contact
an authorized dealer or reseller.
CAUTION: When the computer is plugged into an AC power source, voltage is always being applied to
the system board. To reduce the risk of personal injury from electrical shock, hot surfaces, or both, be
sure to disconnect the power cord from the AC outlet and allow the internal system components to
cool before touching.
Cannot access the Computer Setup (F10) Utility when booting the computer
Use this information to troubleshoot the computer.
36 Chapter 5 Troubleshooting without diagnostics

Cause Solution
The Computer Setup (F10) Utility is set to Before turning on the computer, press and hold f10. Turn on the computer
Fast Boot, causing the F10 access screen to and continue to hold F10 until the Computer Setup (F10) Utility is
display too briefly when booting the computer. displayed.
- or –
Follow the Windows® instructions for rebooting the computer into the
Computer Setup (F10) Utility.
Computer appears locked up and will not turn off when the power button is
pressed
Cause Solution
Software control of the power switch is not 1. Press and hold the power button for at least 4 s until the computer
functional. turns off.
2. Disconnect the power cord from the electrical outlet.
Computer will not respond to keyboard or mouse

Cause Solution
Computer is in Sleep state. To resume from Sleep state, press the power button.
IMPORTANT: When attempting to resume from Sleep state, do not
hold down the power button for more than 4 s. Otherwise, the computer
shuts down and you lose any unsaved data.
System has locked up. Restart computer.
USB cables may not be seated properly. Disconnect, and then reconnect USB cables to keyboard and mouse.
Computer date and time display is incorrect

Cause Solution
RTC (real-time clock) battery may need to be Reset the date and time under Control Panel. (Computer Setup can also
replaced. be used to update the RTC date and time.) If the problem persists,
replace the RTC battery. See the Removal and Replacement section
for instructions about installing a new battery, or contact an authorized
dealer or reseller for RTC battery replacement.
To access Control Panel in Windows, type control panel in the
taskbar search box, and then select Control Panel.
There is no sound or sound volume is too low

Computer appears locked up and will not turn off when the power button is pressed 37
Cause Solution
System volume might be set low or muted. 1. Check the front panel to see if an amber light indicates the system
has been muted. Tap the touch-sensitive button to toggle the mute
on and off.
2. Check the Computer Setup settings to be sure that the internal

system speaker is not muted. This setting does not affect the
external speakers.
3. Be sure that the external speakers are properly connected and

powered on and that the speakers' volume control is set correctly.
4. Use the system volume control available in the operating system to

be sure that the speakers are not muted or to increase the volume.
Cannot remove computer cover or access panel

Cause Solution
Smart Cover Lock, featured on some Unlock the Smart Cover Lock using Computer Setup.
computers, is locked. In case of forgotten password, power loss, or computer malfunction, you
must manually disable the Smart Cover lock. A key to unlock the Smart
Cover Lock is not available from HP. Keys are typically available from a
hardware store.
Poor performance
Cause Solution
Processor is too hot. 1. Be sure that airflow to the computer is not blocked. Leave a 10.2 cm
(4 inch) clearance on all vented sides of the computer to permit the
required airflow.
2. Be sure that fans are connected and working properly (some fans
only operate when needed).
3. Be sure that the processor heat sink is installed properly.
Hard drive is full. Transfer data from the hard drive to create more space on the hard drive.
Low on memory. Add more memory.
Hard drive fragmented. Defragment hard drive.
Program previously accessed did not release Restart the computer.

reserved memory back to the system.
Virus resident on the hard drive. Run virus protection program.
Too many applications running. 1. Close unnecessary applications to free memory.
2. Add more memory.
3. Some applications run in the background and can be closed by

right-clicking their corresponding icons in the task tray.

Some software applications, especially 1. Lower the display resolution for the current application or consult
games, are stressful on the graphics the documentation that came with the application for suggestions
subsystem. on how to improve performance by adjusting parameters in the
application.
2. Add more memory.
3. Upgrade the graphics solution.
Cause unknown. Restart the computer.
Computer turned off automatically and the power light blinks red four times and
then white two times
Cause Solution
Processor thermal protection activated. A fan 1. Be sure that the computer air vents are not blocked and the
might be blocked or not turning, or the heat processor cooling fan is running.
sink is not properly attached to the processor.
2. Open the access panel, press the power button, and see if the
processor fan (or other system fan) spins. If the fan does not spin, be
sure that the fan cable is plugged into the system board header.
3. If a fan is plugged in and not spinning, replace it.
System does not turn on and the lights on the front of the computer are not
blinking
Computer turned off automatically and the power light blinks red four times and then white two times 39
Cause Solution
System unable to power on. Press and hold the power button for fewer than 4 s. If the hard drive light
turns white:
1. If the computer has a voltage selector, check that the voltage

selector (located on the rear of the power supply) is set to the
appropriate voltage. The proper voltage setting depends on your
region.
2. Remove the expansion cards one at a time until the 5V_aux light on
the system board turns on.
3. Replace the system board.
OR
Press and hold the power button for less than 4 s. If the hard drive light
does not turn white:
1. Check whether the unit is plugged into a working AC outlet.
2. Open the access panel and check that the power button cable is
properly connected to the system board.
3. Check that the power supply cables are properly connected to the
system board.
4. Check to see if the 5V_aux light on the system board is turned on. If
it is turned on, replace the power button assembly.
5. If the 5V_aux light on the system board is off, replace the power
supply.
Solving power problems

These tables provide common causes and solutions for power problems.
Power supply shuts down intermittently

Cause Solution
If the computer has a voltage selector, the Select the proper AC voltage using the selector switch.
voltage selector switch on the rear of the
computer chassis (select products only) is not
switched to the correct line voltage (115 V or
230 V).
Power supply will not turn on because of Replace the power supply.
internal power supply fault.
Computer turned off automatically, power light blinks red two times followed by
a two-second pause, and the computer beeps two times (beeps stop after fifth
iteration but lights continue blinking)

Cause Solution
Processor thermal protection activated. A fan 1. Be sure that the computer air vents are not blocked and the
might be blocked or not turning, or the heat processor cooling fan is running.
sink is not properly attached to the processor.
2. Open the access panel, press the power button, and see if the
processor fan (or other system fan) spins. If the fan does not spin, be
sure that the fan cable is plugged onto the system board header.
3. If the fan is plugged in and not spinning, replace it.
Power light blinks red four times followed by a two-second pause and the
computer beeps four times (beeps stop after fifth iteration but lights continue
blinking)
Cause Solution
Power failure (power supply is overloaded). 1. If the computer has a voltage selector, check that the voltage
selector, located on the rear of the power supply (select products
only), is set to the appropriate voltage. Proper voltage setting
depends on your region.
2. Open the access panel, and be sure that the power supply cable is
seated into the connector on the system board.
3. Check whether a device is causing the problem by removing

all attached devices (such as hard drives or optical drives and
expansion cards). Turn on the system. If the system enters POST,
then power off and replace one device at a time and repeat this
procedure until failure occurs. Replace the device that is causing
the failure. Continue adding devices one at a time to ensure all
devices are functioning properly.
4. Replace the power supply.
Solving hard drive problems

These tables provide common causes and solutions for hard drive problems.
Hard drive error occurs

Cause Solution
Hard disk has bad sectors or has failed. 1. In Windows, type file in the taskbar search box, and then select
File Explorer from the list of applications. In the left column, expand
This PC, right-click a drive, select Properties, and then select the
Tools tab. Under Error checking, select Check.
2. Use a utility to locate and block usage of bad sectors. If necessary,

reformat the hard disk.
Power light blinks red four times followed by a two-second pause and the computer beeps four times (beeps stop
after fifth iteration but lights continue blinking) 41
Disk drive transaction problem
Cause Solution
Either the directory structure is bad or there is In Windows, type file in the taskbar search box, and then select File
a problem with a file. Explorer from the list of applications. In the left column, expand This PC,
right-click a drive, select Properties, and then select the Tools tab. Under
Error checking, select Check.
Drive not found (identified)

Cause Solution
Cable could be loose. Check cable connections.
The system might not have automatically See reconfiguration directions in the Solving hardware installation
recognized a newly installed device. problems on page 46 section. If the system still does not recognize
the new device, check to see if the device is listed in Computer Setup. If
it is listed, the probable cause is a driver problem. If it is not listed, the
probable cause is a hardware problem.
If this is a newly installed drive, run the Computer Setup utility, and add a
POST delay under Advanced > Boot Options.
The device is attached to a SATA port that has Run the Computer Setup utility and be sure that Device Available is
been hidden in Computer Setup. selected for the device's SATA port in Advanced > Port Options.
Drive responds slowly immediately after Run Computer Setup and increase the POST Delay in Advanced > Boot
startup. Options.
Nonsystem disk/NTLDR missing message

Cause Solution
The system is trying to start from the hard Perform Drive Protection System (DPS) testing in system ROM.
drive, but the hard drive might have been
damaged.
System files missing or not properly installed. 1. Insert bootable media and restart the computer.
2. Boot to the windows installation media, and select the recovery

option. If only a restore kit is available, then select the File Backup
Program option, and then restore the system.
3. Install system files for the appropriate operating system.
Hard drive boot has been disabled in Run the Computer Setup utility, and enable the hard drive entry in the
Computer Setup. Advanced > Boot Options list.
Bootable hard drive is not attached as first in If attempting to boot from a hard drive, be sure that it is attached to the
a multiple hard drive configuration. system board dark blue SATA connector.
Bootable hard drive is not listed first in the Run the Computer Setup utility, and select Advanced > Boot Options, and
Boot Order. be sure that the bootable hard drive is listed immediately under the Hard
Drive entry.

Computer will not boot from hard drive
Cause Solution
The device is attached to a SATA port that has 1. Check SATA cable connections.
been hidden in Computer Setup.
2. Run the Computer Setup utility, and be sure that Device Available is
selected for the device's SATA port in Advanced > Port Options.
Boot order is not correct. Run the Computer Setup utility, and change the boot sequence in
Advanced > Boot Options.
Hard drive is damaged. Observe whether the front panel power light is blinking red and whether
any beeps are heard.
See the Worldwide Limited Warranty for terms and conditions.
Computer seems to be locked up

Cause Solution
Program in use has stopped responding to 1. Use the task manager to close programs that do not respond.
commands.
2. Attempt the normal Windows shutdown procedure. If this fails, press
the power button for 4 or more seconds to turn off the power. To
restart the computer, press the power button again.
Solving audio problems

If the computer has audio features and you encounter audio problems, see the common causes and
solutions listed in these tables.
Sound cuts in and out

Cause Solution
Processor resources are being used by other Shut down all open processor-intensive applications.
open applications.
Sound does not come out of the speaker or headphones

Cause Solution
Software volume control is turned down or Double-click the Speaker icon on the taskbar, be sure that Mute is not
muted. selected, and use the volume slider to adjust the volume. You can perform
this action with the touch-sensitive buttons on the front of the computer.
Audio is hidden in Computer Setup. Enable the audio in Computer Setup: Advanced > Built-in Device Options.
The external speakers are not turned on. Turn on the external speakers.
Computer will not boot from hard drive 43

Headphones or devices connected to the line- Turn on and use headphones or external speakers, if connected, or
out connector mute the internal speaker. disconnect headphones or external speakers.
Computer is in the Sleep state. Press the power button to resume from the Sleep state.
IMPORTANT: When attempting to resume from the Sleep state, do not
hold down the power button for more than 4 seconds. Otherwise, the
computer will shut down, and you will lose any unsaved data.
Internal speaker is disabled in Computer Enable the internal speaker in Computer Setup. Select Advanced > Built-
Setup. in Device Options.
Some applications can select which audio Be sure that the application has selected the correct audio device.
output device is used.
The operating system controls might be set Set the operating system to use the correct audio device.
to use a different audio device as the default
output device than what is expected.
Computer appears to be locked up while recording audio

Cause Solution
The hard disk might be full. Before recording, be sure that there is enough free space on the hard
disk. You can also try recording the audio file in a compressed format.
Line-in jack is not functioning properly

Cause Solution
Jack has been reconfigured in the audio In the audio driver or application software, reconfigure the jack or set the
driver or application software. jack to its default value.
Solving printer problems

If you encounter printer problems, see the documentation that came with the printer and the common
causes and solutions listed in these tables.
Printer will not print

Cause Solution
Printer is not turned on and online. Turn the printer on and be sure that it is online.

The correct printer drivers for the application 1. Install the correct printer driver for the application.
are not installed.
2. Try printing using the MS-DOS command:
DIR C:\ > [printer port]
where [printer port] is the address of the printer being used. If

the printer works, reload the printer driver.
To run MS-DOS commands, press the Windows key + r, type cmd in

the Open box, and then select OK.
If you are on a network, you might not have Make the proper network connections to the printer.
made the connection to the printer.
Printer might have failed. Run printer self-test.
Printer will not turn on

Cause Solution
The cables might not be connected properly. Reconnect all cables, and check the power cord and electrical outlet.
Printer prints garbled information

Cause Solution
The correct printer driver for the application is Install the correct printer driver for the application.
not installed.
The cables might not be connected properly. Reconnect all cables.
Printer memory might be overloaded. Reset the printer by turning it off for 1 min, and then turn it back on.
Printer will not print

Cause Solution
The printer might be out of paper. Check the paper tray, and refill it if it is empty.
Solving keyboard and mouse problems

If you encounter keyboard or mouse problems, see the documentation that came with the equipment
and the common causes and solutions listed in these tables.
Keyboard commands and typing are not recognized by the computer

Printer will not turn on 45

Cause Solution
Keyboard connector is not properly Shut down the computer, reconnect the keyboard, and then restart the
connected. computer.
Program in use has stopped responding Shut down your computer using the mouse, and then restart the
to commands. computer.
Keyboard needs repairs. See the Worldwide Limited Warranty for terms and conditions.
IMPORTANT: When attempting to resume from the Sleep date, do not
Mouse does not respond to movement or is too slow

Cause Solution
Mouse connector is not properly plugged into Shut down the computer using the keyboard.
the back of the computer.
1. Press the ctrl and esc keys at the same time (or press the Windows
logo key) to display the Start menu.
2. Use the arrow keys to scroll to and select the power icon at the top
right on the menu, and then press enter.
3. Use the arrow keys to select Shut Down, and then press enter.
4. After the shutdown is complete, plug the mouse connector into the
back of the computer (or the keyboard) and restart.
Program in use has stopped responding Shut down the computer using the keyboard, and then restart the
to commands. computer.
Mouse might need repair. See the Worldwide Limited Warranty for terms and conditions.
IMPORTANT: When attempting to resume from the Sleep state, do not
If using a wireless mouse, you might need to Follow the instructions that came with the mouse.
resynchronize the mouse with the computer.
Solving hardware installation problems

You might need to reconfigure the computer when you add or remove hardware, such as an additional
drive or expansion card.
If you install a plug and play device, Windows automatically recognizes the device and configures the
computer. If you install a device that is not plug and play, you must reconfigure the computer after
completing installation of the new hardware. In Windows, use the Add Hardware Wizard, and follow the
instructions that appear on the screen.
To open the Add Hardware Wizard, open a command prompt and type .
WARNING! When the computer is plugged into an AC power source, voltage is always applied to the
system board. To reduce the risk of personal injury from electrical shock, hot surfaces, or both, be sure

to disconnect the power cord from the AC outlet and allow the internal system components to cool
before touching.
A new device is not recognized as part of the system

Cause Solution
Cables of new external device are loose or Be sure that all cables are properly and securely connected and that pins
power cables are unplugged. in the cable or connector are not bent down.
Power switch of new external device is not Turn off the computer, turn on the external device, and then turn on the
turned on. computer to integrate the device with the computer system.
When the system advised you of changes to Reboot the computer and follow the instructions for accepting the
the configuration, you did not accept them. changes.
A plug and play board might not automatically Use Windows Device Manager to clear the automatic settings for the
configure when added if the default board, and choose a basic configuration that does not cause a resource
configuration conflicts with other devices. conflict. You can also use Computer Setup to reconfigure or disable
devices to resolve the resource conflict.
To access Device Manager in Windows, type device manager in the
taskbar search box, and then select Device Manager from the list of
applications.
USB ports on the computer are disabled in Run the Computer Setup utility and ensure that Device available is
Computer Setup. selected for appropriate USB ports under Advanced > Port Options.
Computer will not start

Cause Solution
Incorrect memory modules were used in the 1. Review the documentation that came with the system to determine
upgrade, or memory modules were installed in if you are using the correct memory modules and to verify the
the wrong location. proper installation.
NOTE: DIMM1 or XMM1 must always be installed. DIMM1 must be

installed before DIMM3.
2. Observe the beeps and lights on the front of the computer. Beeps
and blinking lights are codes for specific problems.
3. If you still cannot resolve the issue, contact Customer Support.
Power light blinks red three times and then white two times
A new device is not recognized as part of the system 47

Cause Solution
Memory is installed incorrectly or is bad. IMPORTANT: To avoid damage to the DIMMs or the system board, you
must unplug the computer power cord before attempting to reseat,
install, or remove a DIMM module.
1. Reseat DIMMs. Turn on the system.
2. Replace DIMMs one at a time to isolate the faulty module.
NOTE: DIMM1 or XMM1 must always be installed. DIMM1 must be

installed before DIMM3.
3. Replace third-party memory with HP memory.
Solving network problems

Some common causes and solutions for network problems are listed in these tables. The guidelines do
not discuss the process of debugging the network cabling.
Network driver does not detect network controller

Cause Solution
Network controller is disabled. 1. Run Computer Setup and enable network controller.
2. Enable the network controller in the operating system using Device

Manager.
To access Device Manager in Windows, type device manager in

the taskbar search box, and then select Device Manager from the
list of applications.
Incorrect network driver. Check the network controller documentation for the correct driver or
obtain the latest driver from the manufacturer’s website.
Network status link light never blinks

NOTE: The network status light is supposed to blink when there is network activity.
Cause Solution
No active network is detected. Check cabling and network equipment for proper connection.
Network controller is not set up properly. Check for the device status within Windows, such as Device Manager for
driver load and the Network Connections applet within Windows for link
status.
To access Device Manager in Windows, type device manager in the
taskbar search box, and then select Device Manager from the list of
applications.

Network controller is disabled. 1. Run Computer Setup and enable network controller.
2. Enable the network controller in the operating system using Device

Manager.
To access Device Manager in Windows, type device manager in

the taskbar search box, and then select Device Manager from the
list of applications.
Network driver is not properly loaded. Reinstall network drivers.
System cannot autosense the network. Disable autosensing capabilities, and force the system into the correct
operating mode.
Diagnostics reports a failure

Cause Solution
The cable is not securely connected. Be sure that the cable is securely attached to the network connector and
that the other end of the cable is securely attached to the correct device.
The cable is attached to the incorrect Be sure that the cable is attached to the correct connector.
connector.
There is a problem with the cable or a device Be sure that the cable and device at the other end are operating
at the other end of the cable. correctly.
The network controller is defective. Contact an authorized service provider.
Diagnostics passes, but the computer does not communicate with the network
Cause Solution
Network drivers are not loaded, or Be sure that the network drivers are loaded and that the driver
driver parameters do not match current parameters match the configuration of the network controller.
configuration. Be sure that the correct network client and protocol are installed.
The network controller is not configured for Select the Network and Sharing Center icon in the Control Panel, and
this computer. configure the network controller.
To access Control Panel in Windows, type control panel in the
taskbar search box, and then select Control Panel from the list of
applications.
Network controller stopped working when an expansion board was added to the
computer
Cause Solution
The network controller requires drivers. Verify that the drivers were not accidentally deleted when the drivers for
a new expansion board were installed.
Network controller stops working without apparent cause

Diagnostics reports a failure 49

Cause Solution
The cable is not securely connected. Be sure that the cable is securely attached to the network connector, and
that the other end of the cable is securely attached to the correct device.
The network controller is defective. Contact an authorized service provider.
Cannot connect to network server when attempting remote system installation

Cause Solution
The network controller is not configured Verify that network connectivity exists, a DHCP Server is present, and the
properly. Remote System Installation Server contains the network interface card
(NIC) drivers for your NIC.
System setup utility reports unprogrammed EEPROM

Cause Solution
Unprogrammed EEPROM. Contact an authorized service provider.
Solving memory problems

If you encounter memory problems, some common causes and solutions are listed in these tables.
IMPORTANT: Depending on the Management Engine (ME) settings, power can still be supplied to the
DIMMs when the computer is turned off. To avoid damage to the DIMMs or the system board, you must
unplug the computer power cord before attempting to reseat, install, or remove a memory module.
For those systems that support error correction code (ECC) memory, HP does not support mixing ECC
and non-ECC memory. Otherwise, the computer will not boot the operating system.
NOTE: The memory count will be affected by configurations with the ME enabled. The ME uses 8 MB
of system memory in single-channel mode or 16 MB of memory in dual-channel mode to download,
decompress, and execute the ME firmware for Out-of-Band (OOB), third-party data storage, and other
management functions.
System will not boot or does not function properly after installing additional
memory modules
Cause Solution
A memory module is not installed in the Verify that a memory module is installed in the DIMM1 or XMM1 socket on
DIMM1 or XMM1 socket. the system board. This socket must be populated with a memory module.
Memory module is not the correct type or Replace module with the correct industry-standard device for the
speed grade for the system, or the new computer. On some models, ECC and non-ECC memory modules cannot
memory module is not seated properly. be mixed.

Out of memory error
Cause Solution
You have run out of memory to run the Check the application documentation to determine the memory
application. requirements.
Memory count during POST is wrong

Cause Solution
The memory modules might not be installed Check that the memory modules have been installed correctly and that
correctly. proper modules are used.
Integrated graphics might use system No action required.

memory.
Insufficient memory error during operation.

Cause Solution
Too many Terminate and Stay Resident Delete any TSRs that you do not need.
programs (TSRs) are installed.
You have run out of memory for the Check the memory requirements for the application or add more memory
application. to the computer.
Power light blinks red five times followed by a two-second pause and the
computer beeps five times (beeps stop after fifth iteration but lights continue
blinking)
Cause Solution
Memory is installed incorrectly or is bad. 1. Reseat DIMMs. Turn on the system.
2. Replace DIMMs one at a time to isolate the faulty module.
3. Replace third-party memory with HP memory.
Solving USB flash drive problems

If you encounter USB flash drive problems, common causes and solutions are listed in these tables.
USB flash drive is not seen as a drive letter in Windows

Out of memory error 51

Cause Solution
The drive letter after the last physical drive is Change the default drive letter for the flash drive in Windows.
not available.
USB flash drive not found (identified)

Cause Solution
The device is attached to a USB port that has Run the Computer Setup utility and enable the USB ports in Advanced >
been hidden in Computer Setup. Port Options.
The device was not properly seated before Be sure that the device is fully inserted into the USB port before applying
startup. power to the system
System will not boot from USB flash drive

Cause Solution
Boot order is not correct. Run the Computer Setup utility, and change the boot sequence in
Advanced > Boot Options.
Removable Media Boot is disabled in the Run the Computer Setup utility, and enable booting to removable media in
Computer Setup utility. Advanced > Boot Options. Be sure that USB is enabled in Storage > Boot
Order.
The computer boots to DOS after making a bootable flash drive

Cause Solution
Flash drive is bootable. Install the flash drive only after the operating system boots.
Flash drive is defective. Try a different flash drive.
Solving internet access problems

If you encounter internet access problems, consult your internet service provider (ISP), or see the
common causes and solutions listed in these tables.
Unable to connect to the internet

Cause Solution
Internet Service Provider (ISP) account is not Verify Internet settings, or contact your ISP for assistance.
set up properly.
Web browser is not set up properly. Verify that the web browser is installed and set up to work with your ISP.
Cable/DSL modem is not plugged in. Plug in the cable/DSL modem. You should see a power light on the front of
the cable/DSL modem.

Cable/DSL service is not available or has Try connecting to the internet at a later time or contact your ISP. If
been interrupted due to bad weather. the cable/DSL service is connected, the cable light on the front of the
cable/DSL modem will be on.
The CAT5 UTP cable is disconnected. Connect the CAT5 UTP cable between the cable modem and the
computer’s RJ-45 connector. If the connection is good, the PC light on
the front of the cable/DSL modem will be on.
IP address is not configured properly. Contact your ISP for the correct IP address.
Cookies are corrupted. A “cookie” is a small 1. Type control panel in the taskbar search box, and then select
piece of information that a web server Control Panel from the list of applications.
can store temporarily with the web browser.
Cookies are useful because the enable the 2. Select Internet Options.
browser remember some specific information
that the Web server can later retrieve. 3. In the Browsing history section, select the Delete button.
4. Select the Cookies and website data check box, and select the
Delete button.
Cannot automatically launch internet programs

Cause Solution
You must log on to your ISP before some Log on to your ISP and launch the program.
programs will start.
Solving software problems

Most software problems occur as a result of these situations:
● The application was not installed or configured correctly.
● Insufficient memory is available to run the application.
● A conflict exists between applications.
● All the necessary device drivers might not have been installed.
● If you have installed an operating system other than the factory-installed operating system, it might
not be supported on the system.
If you encounter software problems, see the applicable solutions listed in the following table.
Computer will not start up and the HP logo does not appear
Cause Solution
ROM issue - POST error has occurred. Observe the beeps and lights on the front of the computer.
See the Worldwide Limited Warranty for terms and conditions.
“Illegal Operation has Occurred” error message is displayed

Cannot automatically launch internet programs 53

Cause Solution
Software being used is not Microsoft-certified Verify that the software is certified by Microsoft® for your version of
for your version of Windows. Windows (see program packaging for this information).
Configuration files are corrupt. If possible, save all data, close all programs, and restart the computer.

6 Computer Setup (F10) Utility
This information provides details of the Computer Setup Utility.
● Change settings from the defaults or restore the settings to default values.
● View the system configuration, including settings for processor, graphics, memory, audio, storage,
communications, and input devices.
● Modify the boot order of bootable devices such as hard drives or USB flash media devices.
● Enter the Asset Tag or property identification number assigned by the company to this computer.
● Enable the power-on password prompt during system restarts (warm boots) as well as during
startup.
● Establish an administrator password that controls access to the Computer Setup (F10) Utility and
the settings described in this section.
● Establish minimum requirements for valid passwords, including length and required types of
characters.
● Secure integrated I/O functionality, including the serial, USB, or audio, or embedded NIC, so that they
cannot be used until they are unsecured.
● Enable or disable different types of boot sources.
● Configure features such as Secure Boot, power management, virtualization support, and language
and keyboard type used in Setup and POST.
● Replicate the system setup by saving system configuration information about a USB device and
restoring it on one or more computers.
● Enable or disable DriveLock security or securely erase a hard drive.
Using Computer Setup (F10) Utilities

You can access Computer Setup only by turning the computer on or restarting the system.
To access the Computer Setup Utilities menu, complete these steps:
1. Turn on or restart the computer.
2. Repeatedly press f10 when the power button light turns white to access the utility.
You can also press esc to see a menu that allows you to access different options available at
startup, including the Computer Setup utility.
A choice of four headings appears in the Computer Setup Utilities menu: Main, Security, Advanced,
and UEFI Drivers.
NOTE: If you do not press f10 at the appropriate time, you must restart the computer and again
repeatedly press f10 when the power button light turns white to access the utility.
Computer Setup (F10) Utility 55

NOTE: Selecting UEFI Drivers restarts the computer into the third-party option ROM management
application. You can access this application directly by pressing f3 during startup.
3. Use the arrow (left and right) keys to select the appropriate heading. Use the arrow (up and down)
keys to select the option you want, and then press enter. To return to the Computer Setup Utilities
menu, press esc.
4. To apply and save changes, select Main > Save Changes and Exit.
● If you have made changes that you do not want applied, select Ignore Changes and Exit.
● To restore settings from the Advanced and Main menus to original values, select Apply Factory
Defaults and Exit.
● To restore settings from the Advanced and Main menus to those previously saved by Save
Custom Defaults, select Apply Custom Defaults and Exit. If no custom defaults have been
saved, factory defaults are used.
NOTE: You cannot modify settings in the Security menu by selecting Apply Defaults. You reset
those values by selecting Restore Security Settings to Factory Defaults at the bottom of the
Security menu.
NOTE: Not all settings shown in the following sections are available for all models.
IMPORTANT: Do not turn computer power off while the BIOS is saving the Computer Setup (F10)
changes because the settings could become corrupted. It is safe to turn off the computer only after
exiting the F10 Setup screen.
Computer Setup Main

This table provides information about the Computer Setup Main menu.
NOTE: Support for specific Computer Setup options can vary, depending on the hardware
configuration.
56 Chapter 6 Computer Setup (F10) Utility

Table 6-1 Computer Setup Main
Option Description
System Information Lists all information in following list if Advanced System Information is selected. Lists smaller subset
if Basic System Information is selected.
● Product name
● Installed memory size
● Processor type
● Processor cache size (L1/L2/L3)
● Processor speed
● MicroCode revision
● Processor stepping
● Memory speed
● DIMM size (for each installed module)
● System BIOS version
● ME Firmware version (Intel only)
● Video BIOS version
● Reference code revision
● Super I/O firmware version
● USB Type-C® controller firmware version
● Serial number
● SKU number
● UUID (Universally Unique Identifier)
● Asset tracking number
● Feature byte
● Build ID
● Product family
● System board ID
● System board CT number
● Integrated MAC Address
System Diagnostics If the hard drive has the HP Advanced Diagnostics installed, the application launches. If HP
Advanced Diagnostics is not installed, then a basic version that is built into the BIOS provides the
capability to perform the following functions:
● Memory Test
● Hard Drive Check
● Language
Computer Setup Main 57

Table 6-1 Computer Setup Main (continued)
Option Description
BIOS Event Log View BIOS Event Log
Displays a list of events, alerts, or warnings that have been logged since the log was last cleared.
Export to USB Key
Saves a file named BiosEventLog.txt containing the log entries to an inserted USB storage device.
Clear BIOS Event Log on Next Boot
When selected, the BIOS clears the event log when the user saves and exits. Default is disabled.

Option Description
Update System BIOS Lets you update the system BIOS from www.hp.com or another network server, from a removable
USB drive, or from a file located on the hard drive.
Check [current selection] for BIOS Updates
The string that appears here depends on the setting in BIOS Update Preferences.
Lock BIOS Version
If this option is selected, the system is locked to the current BIOS version, and updates are not
allowed.
Native OS Firmware Update Service
Allows the operating system to drive firmware updates (for example, Windows Update).
BIOS Rollback Policy
■ Unrestricted Rollback to older BIOS: Lets you roll back to any previous version of BIOS.
■ Restricted Rollback to older BIOS: If selected, Minimum BIOS Version becomes active, which
lets you manually enter the minimum BIOS version that you can roll back to.
Minimum BIOS Version
Defaults to current version. Read-only unless restricted rollback is selected.
Allow BIOS Updates Using a Network
Lets you configure scheduled, automatic BIOS updates through the network.
BIOS Update Preferences
■ Check for Update on Next Reboot: Default is disabled.
■ BIOS Source: Lets you select either HP.com or a custom URL. If Custom URL is selected, Edit
Custom URL becomes active. HP recommends using a custom URL only for a managed IT
environment.
Automatic BIOS Update Setting
Allows configuration of a periodic check for updates:
NOTE: If Microsoft® Windows® BitLocker Drive Encryption (BDE) is enabled, it must be temporarily
suspended before the BIOS is flashed.
■ Do not update
■ Checking for updates and prompt the user to accept or reject the update at that time
■ Checking for updates and install all new versions
■ Checking for updates and install only new versions marked important
BIOS Update Frequency
■ Daily
■ Weekly
■ Monthly (default)
Network Configuration Settings
Lets you configure the network connection to the server that is the host for system firmware
updates.
Update BIOS Using Local Media
Lets you access files on either USB storage or the hard drive. The HP BIOS Update and Recovery
application included in BIOS Softpaqs at www.hp.com copies the BIOS Computer Setuplocation
file to the correct Main on 59
the hard drive or USB device.
Option Description
Change date and time Lets you update system date and time.
System IDs Lets you set the following values:
● Asset Tracking Number
● Ownership Tag
Replicated Setup Backup current settings to USB device
Saves system configuration to a formatted USB flash media device.
Restore current settings from USB device
Restores system configuration from a USB flash media device.
Save Custom Defaults Saves the current system configuration settings as the custom default set.
Apply Custom Defaults Applies the custom default settings to the computer after rebooting. Does not apply to options in the
and Exit Security menu.
Apply Factory Defaults Restores the factory system configuration settings to the computer after rebooting. Does not apply
and Exit to options in the Security menu.
Ignore Changes and Exit Exits Computer Setup without applying or saving any changes.
Save Changes and Exit Saves changes to current system configuration, exits Computer Setup, and reboots.
Computer Setup Security

This table provides information about the Computer Setup Security menu.
configuration.
Table 6-2 Computer Setup Security
Option Description
Create BIOS Lets you set and enable a BIOS administrator password, which controls access to the following
Administrator Password features:
● Setup Menu (F10)
● Third Party Option ROM Management (F3)
● Update system ROM
● WMI commands that change system settings
● BIOS Configuration Utility (BCU)
● Alternative power-on password
NOTE: Creating a BIOS user disables the Fast Boot option.
Change BIOS Lets you change the BIOS administrator password.

Administrator Password
(This selection is You must know the current password to be able to change it.
active only if a BIOS
administrator password
is set.)

Table 6-2 Computer Setup Security (continued)
Option Description
Create POST Power-On Lets you change or delete power-on password. The power-on password prompt appears after a
Password power cycle or reboot. If the user does not enter the correct power-on password, the unit will not
boot.
Change POST Power-On Lets you change the POST power-on password.
Password (This selection
is active only if a BIOS You must know the current password to be able to change it.
administrator password
is set.)
Password Policies Let you set the guidelines for a valid password. Options include:
● Password minimum length
● Requires at least one symbol
● Requires at least one number
● Requires at least one uppercase character
● Requires at least one lowercase character
● Allow spaces
Administrator Lets you set limitations on some boot features restricting them to admin only, including:
Authentication Policies
● Prompt for administrator authorization to access:
– Boot menu in POST
– System Recovery
– Network boot
– BIOS update
● Allow the use of administrator credentials to modify the power-on password.
Computer Setup Security 61

Option Description
Security Configuration TPM Embedded Security
● TPM Specification Version
Displays the current TPM version.
● TPM Device
Lets you set the Trusted Platform Module as available or hidden. Default is available.
● TPM State
Select to enable the TPM. Default is disabled.
● Clear TPM
Select to reset the TPM to an unowned state. After the TPM is cleared, it is also turned off. To
temporarily suspend TPM operations, turn the TPM off instead of clearing it. Default is no.
IMPORTANT: Clearing the TPM resets it to factory defaults and turns it off. You will lose all
created keys and data protected by those keys.
● TPM Activation Policy
○ F1 to boot
○ Allow user to reject (default)
○ No prompts
BIOS SureStart
● Verify Boot Block on every boot: Select to enable HP SureStart. Default is disabled.
● Network Controller Configuration Restore: Select to restore the network controller parameters
to the factory state saved in the HP Sure Start Private nonvolatile (flash) memory. This setting is
available only on computers with built-in NIC.
NOTE: This process can take up to 30 seconds. You need to restore this only when the
Network Controller Configuration mismatch warning is set.
● Dynamic Runtime Scanning of Boot Block: Verifies the integrity of the BIOS boot block region
several times each hour while the computer is running. Default is enabled.
● Sure Start BIOS Settings Protection: When enabled, HP Sure Start locks all critical BIOS
settings and provides enhanced protection for these settings using nonvolatile (flash) memory.
Default is off.
NOTE: An administrator password must be set to activate this setting.
● Sure Start Secure Boot Keys Protection: Saves a backup copy of Secure Boot Keys so that they
can be recovered if someone attempts to alter them in an unauthorized manner.
● Enhanced HP Firmware Runtime Intrusion Prevention and Detection: Enables monitoring of HP

system firmware executing out of main memory while the operating system is running. Any
anomalies detected in HP system firmware that is active while the operating system is running
will result in a Sure Start security event being generated.

Option Description
Security Configuration ● Sure Start Security Event Policy. Controls HP Sure Start behavior upon identifying a critical
(continued) security event (any modification to HP firmware) while the operating system is running.
– Log Event Only: HP Sure Start will log all critical security events in the HP Sure Start audio
log within the HP Sure Start nonvolatile (flash) memory.
– Log Event and notify user: In addition to logging all critical security events, HP Sure Start
will notify the user within the operating system that a critical event has occurred.
– Log Event and power off system: In addition to logging all critical security events, HP Sure
Start turns of the computer upon detecting a HP Sure Start Security Event. Because of
the potential for data loss, HP recommends this setting only in situations where security
integrity of the system is a higher priority than the risk of potential data loss.
● Sure Start Security Event Boot Notification: Lets you enable a warning message on the startup
screen if there is a Sure Start event (BIOS recovery, Memory intrusion, etc.)
● Virtualization Based BIOS Protection: Uses virtualization hardware to protect HP BIOS from
UEFI Expansion Driver and PCI Expansion ROM driver module. Default is enabled.
● Virtualization Based BIOS Protection Manual Recovery: Default is disabled.
Secure Boot Configuration.
Lets you be sure that an operating system is legitimate before booting to it, making Windows
resistant to malicious modification from preboot to full operating system booting, preventing
firmware attacks. UEFI and Windows Secure Boot only allow code signed by preapproved digital
certificates to run during the firmware and OS boot process.
NOTE: An administrator password must be set to activate this setting. Secure Boot must also be
enabled.
● Secure Boot: Default is disabled.
● Secure Boot Key Management: Lets you manage the custom key settings.
NOTE: Access to these settings requires Sure Start Secure Boot Keys Protection to be
disabled.
Import Custom Secure Boot Keys: Default is disabled.
Clear Secure Boot keys: Lets you delete any previously loaded custom boot keys. Clearing keys
will disable secure boot. Default is disabled.
Reset Secure Boot keys to factory defaults: Default is disabled.
Enable MS UEFI CA key: Disabling this setting alters the Secure Boot key list to further restrict
the allowed software components. Set this option to disable to support Device Guard. Default is
enabled.
● Ready BIOS for Device Guard Use: Requires BIOS Administrator password to be configured and
Secure Boot to be enabled.

Option Description
Security Configuration Secure Platform Management (SPM)

(continued)
● SPM Current State: Displays the current state. Also lets you change the state.
● Unprovision SPM: Deprovisions SPM, which causes HP Sure Run to revert to the inactive state
and return HP Sure Recover to default settings.
● HP Sure Run Current State: Displays the current state. Also lets you change the state.
Deactivate HP Sure Run: Deactivates HP Sure Run without deprovisioning SPM.
● EBAM Current State: Displays the current state. Also lets you change the state.
Disable EBAM: Disables Enhanced BIOS Authentication Mode (EBAM).
● Deactivate HP Sure Run: Requires BIOS Administrator password to be configured.
● Local Access Key: Indicates is the key is present. Also lets you clear the keys and reboot.
Clear EBAM Local Access Key(s) and Reboot. Deletes all currently established local access
keys created for Enhanced BIOS Authentication Mode (EBAM).
Physical Presence Interface: When set to enabled, the user is notified at system power up when
changes are made to system security policy. The user must manually agree to those changes before
the change is confirmed. Default is enabled.
Smart Cover: The Smart Cover Lock is a software-controllable solenoid lock that restricts
unauthorized access to the system’s internal components. (select products only)
● Cover Lock: Default is unlock.
● Cover Removal Sensor: Lets you disable the cover sensor or configure what action is taken if
the computer cover is removed. Default is disabled.
NOTE: Notify user alerts the user with a POST error on the first boot after the sensor detects
removal of the cover. If the password is set, Administrator Password requires that the password
be entered to boot the computer if the sensor detects that the cover has been removed.
Trusted Execution Technology (TXT)
Enables Trusted Execution Technology on select Intel-based systems. Default is disabled.
NOTE: Enabling this feature disables OS management of TPM (Embedded Security Device),
prevents a reset of the TPM, and constrains the configuration of VTx, VTd, and TPM.

Option Description
Utilities Hard Drive Utilities
● Save/Restore GPT of System Hard Drive
Enabling this feature saves the GUID Partition Table (GPT) of the system hard drive. If the GPT
is subsequently changed, the user is prompted to choose whether to restore GPT. Default is
disabled.
● Boot Sector (GPT) Recovery Policy
Allows selection of the default action when a GPT event occurs.
● DriveLock/Automatic DriveLock
Allows you to assign or modify a master or user password for hard drives. When this feature
is enabled, the user is prompted to provide one of the DriveLock passwords during POST. If
neither is successfully entered, the hard drive remains inaccessible until one of the passwords
is successfully provided during a subsequent cold-boot sequence.
NOTE: This selection appears only when at least one drive that supports the DriveLock
feature is attached to the system.
IMPORTANT: Be aware that these settings take place immediately. It is not necessary to save.
IMPORTANT: Be sure to document the DriveLock password. Losing a DriveLock password will
render a drive permanently locked.
NOTE: Disable DriveLock on NVMe drives before using applications for hardware-based
encryption.
After you select a drive, the following options are available:
- Set DriveLock Master Password. Sets the drive’s master password but does not enable
DriveLock.
- Enable DriveLock. Sets the drive’s user password and enables DriveLock.
● Secure Erase
Lets you select a hard drive to completely erase.
After you erase a hard drive with a program that uses Secure Erase firmware commands, no
file recovery program, partition recovery program, or other data recovery method can extract
data from the drive.
● Allow OPAL Hard Drive SID Authentication
BIOS supports drive encryption using the DriveLock feature by creating the storage device’s
ownership key. If BIOS creates the key, any 3rd party applications (including other encryption
software) are not allowed to perform certain drive operations such as establishing their
own key using SID. Encryption software applications may or may not be limited by SID
authentication lockout depending on how they are designed. Default is disabled.
Absolute Persistence Shows the current state of the Absolute Persistence module.
Module Current State
Yes: Disabled
No: Available
System Management Allows authorized personnel to reset security settings during a service event. Default is enabled.
Command
Restore Security This action resets security devices, clears BIOS passwords (not including DriveLock), and restores
Settings to Factory settings in the Security menu to factory defaults.
Default

Computer Setup Advanced
This table provides information about the Computer Setup Advanced menu.
configuration.
Table 6-3 Computer Setup Advanced (for advanced users)
Option Heading
Display Language Lets you select the language of the menus in F10 Setup and the keyboard layout.
Scheduled Power-On This feature wakes the system when it is off at a specified date and time.
Boot Options Select the devices that the computer can boot from, as well as other options, including:
● Startup Delay (sec): Enabling this feature adds a user-specified delay to the POST process.
One purpose for the delay is to provide additional time to activate hotkeys such as esc for the
Startup Menu or f10 for Computer Setup.
● Fast Boot: Default is enabled.
● CD-ROM Boot (select products only): Default is enabled.
● USB Storage Boot: Default is enabled.
● Network (PXE) Boot: Default is enabled.
● After Power Loss: Default is Power Off.
■ Power off: Causes the computer to remain off when power is restored.
■ Power on: Causes the computer to turn on automatically as soon as power is restored.
■ Previous state: Causes the computer to turn on automatically as soon as power is

restored, if it was on when power was lost.
NOTE: If the system is configured to Power On from Keyboard Ports (see Power Management
Options), then this setting is forced to Power On.
● Prompt on Memory Size Change: Default is enabled.
● Prompt on Fixed Storage Change: Default is disabled.
● After Boot Device Not Found: Default is Stop.
■ Stop: Show boot failed message only if no boot devices are found.
■ UEFI Diagnostics: Start the HP UEFI Diagnostics Tool to check if device issues found.
■ Restart: Restart the computer to if boot device is not found.
● Audio Alerts During Boot: Default is enabled. When disabled, most audible beeps from errors,
warnings, and password prompts during boot up are suppressed.
● Numlock on at boot: Default is disabled.

Table 6-3 Computer Setup Advanced (for advanced users) (continued)
Option Heading
Boot Options (continued) ● UEFI Boot Order: Specify the order in which UEFI boot sources are checked for a bootable
operating system image. The default boot order is:
1. USB
2. SATA DVD
3. SATA hard drives
4. M.2 devices
5. Network boot
NOTE: Use the UP and DOWN arrows to highlight an item. Press enter to select. Use the UP and
DOWN arrows to move a selected item. Press f5 to enable or disable. Press esc to exit.
Shortcut to Temporarily Override Boot Order
To boot one time from a device other than the default device specified in Boot Order, restart the
computer and press esc (to access the Startup menu) and then f9 (Boot Menu), or only f9 (skipping
the Startup menu) when the power button light turns white. After POST is completed, a list of
bootable devices is displayed. Use the arrow keys to select the preferred bootable device and press
enter. The computer then boots from the selected non-default device for this one time.
HP Sure Recover HP Sure Recover
If enabled and HP Sure Recover is launched, the system firmware honors local and remote requests
to reinstall the operating system. If it is disabled, all requests to reinstall the operating system are
ignored. Default is enabled.
Recover from Network
Allows system firmware to retrieve the recovery agent from the network. If disabled, system
firmware retrieves the recovery agent from a local drive. Default is enabled.
Recover after Boot Failure
If enabled and no bootable UEFI operating system is found, system firmware launches HP Sure
Recover. Default is disabled.
Recover before Boot Failure Recovery
If enabled and HP Sure Recover is launched because of a boot failure, the user is notified of the boot
failure and asked to choose whether to start or cancel HP Sure Recover. This setting is displayed
only if Recover after Boot Failure is selected.
Recovery Agent
Displays recovery agent information. This information is displayed only if Recover from Network is
selected.
Recovery Image
Displays recovery image information. This information is displayed only if Recover from Network is
selected.
OS Recovery Image Version.
Display the version of the recovery image stored in the embedded secure storage device. This
information is displayed only if an embedded secure storage device is installed.
OS Recovery Driver Version
Display the version of the recovery driver stored in the embedded secure storage device. This
information is displayed only if an embedded secure storage device is installed.
Computer Setup Advanced 67

Option Heading
System Options Configure Storage Controller for VMD
Enables VMD RAID Controller. Default is enabled.
Turbo-boost (Intel products only)
Allows Intel Turbo Boost Technology to improve performance when operation conditions allow.
Default is enabled.
Hyperthreading (Intel products only)
Lets you control processor capability. Default is enabled.
Virtualization Technology (VTx) (Intel only)
Controls the virtualization features of the processor. Changing this setting requires turning the
computer off and then back on. Default is disabled.
Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VTd) (Intel only)
Controls virtualization DMA remapping features of the chipset. Changing this setting requires
turning the computer off and then back on. Default is disabled.
Allows for secure logon using the Windows Hello feature.
DMA Protection
Enables DMA redirection using IOMMU for enhanced security. Default is enabled.
NOTE: Requires that VTd is enabled.
Pre-boot DMA protection
Secures memory access through DMA to allowed regions prior to operating system startup.
Early PCIe Delay
Enables a configurable delay to add-in PCIe cards prior to PCIe training. Default is disabled.
Accelerate USB Enumeration
Lets you reduce the time of USB enumeration on specific USB devices. Default is disabled.
NVMe Write Endurance Masking
Causes the computer to not report errors during boot if NVMe write endurance is exceeded. Default
is disabled.
Reset Factory Defaults on Battery Loss
Lets you return settings to default values in the case of battery power loss. Default is Apply Default
Settings.
Power Button Override (disable/4 sec/15 sec/30 sec)
Lets you enable and select the number of seconds you have to hold down the power button for it to
force the system to turn off. Default is 4 sec.
USB Type-C Connector System Software Interface (UCSI) (select products only)
Allows UCSI to be exposed to the operating system (ACPI table).

Option Heading
System Options HP Application Driver

(continued)
Provides ACPI structure to enable HP common software application framework. The driver is
provided in the latest HP support software that you can download from the web.
NOTE: Device Manager shows an alert if this setting is enabled without the HP application driver
installed.
Performance Control (High Performance Mode/Performance Mode/Quiet Mode)
Lets you prioritize variations of acoustics over performance or performance over acoustics. Each
mode contains its own cooling and performance algorithms based on the temperature sensors,
wattage available to the CPU, and acoustic range targets for each mode range. The benefits of each
mode vary based on the following types of additional variables:
● Processor, memory and graphics card configurations
● The environment the machine is running in
● The workload
● The length of time the workload at maximum capacity is sustained
When you use High Performance Mode with reasonable acoustic ramifications, you can achieve
performance improvements of up to 34%* on multithreaded workloads. These gains are equivalen to
two generations of processor upgrades.
*Compared to Performance Mode. Performance increase based on Z2 Tower G9 with 64 GB of memory, 1 TB

NVMe, Windows 11 22H2 OS, RTX A4000, i9-13900 CPU using SPECworkstation 3.1.
The following modes are available:
● High Performance Mode significantly increases performance and acoustic noise for some
configurations and workloads. The highest performance gain is with high core-count CPUs
running demanding multithreaded workloads.
● Performance Mode balances performance and acoustic noise for most configurations and
workloads.
● Quiet Mode prioritizes acoustics by limiting noise emissions, but might result in slightly lower
performance on demanding workloads. It is not recommended at ambient temperatures
above 30° C/86° F.
The computer restarts in the selected mode.

Option Heading
Built-In Device Options Embedded LAN Controller (select products only)
Select to show the device in the operating system. Default is enabled.
Wake On LAN
Lets you either disable the Wake On LAN feature or configure where the computer boots, including
the network or hard drive. Default is boot to network.
Dust Filter (select products only)
Default is disabled.
Dust Filter Reminder (Days) (select products only)
Default is 60.
Integrated Video (models with discrete graphics)
Disables the integrated video device. When not using integrated video, disabling the integrated video
will free some system memory.
VGA Boot Device (models with discrete graphics)
Selects the graphics controller to use as the primary VGA device during boot-up when there are
multiple graphics devices. The firmware can use only one graphics device when booting up.
Video Memory Size
Lets you manage graphics memory allocation. The value you choose is allocated permanently to
graphics and is unavailable to the operating system.
Audio Device
Select to show audio devices in the operating system, including integrated microphone, internal
speakers, and headphone out. When selected, operating system visibility of each audio device
is controlled independently. When this setting is cleared, all audio devices are hidden from the
operating system. Individual audio device settings are also disabled. Default is enabled.
Microphone
Clear to disable the integrated microphone. This does not affect devices plugged into audio jacks.
The disable and lock setting prevents other audio ports from being remapped to the microphone
function in the operating system. Default is enabled.
Internal Speakers (does not affect external speakers)
Clear to disable the chassis speaker or speakers. This function is applicable to normal audio
playback in the operating system and does not affect the error or warning beeps during
POST. Default is enabled.
LAN/WLAN auto switching
Select to enable auto switching between a wired and wireless connection. Default is disabled.
Wake on WLAN
Select to enable wake on WLAN. Default is disabled.
M.2 USB/Bluetooth
Select to enable the M.2 controller. Default is enabled.
Increase Idle Fan Speed (%)
Increases the minimum fan speeds over the normal settings while still enabling normal control using
the internal thermal sensors.

Option Heading
Port Options USB ports (varies by model)
Lets you enable specific USB ports. Default is enabled.
USB Legacy Port Charging
Lets you enable USB charging port capability when the computer is in hibernate or shutdown mode.
Default is enabled.
USB Type-C Downstream Charging
Lets you enable USB charging port capability when the computer is in hibernate on or off. Default is
enabled.
Media Card Reader/SD_RDR USB
Enables the media card reader connector (labeled SD_RDR) on a desktop. Default is enabled.
SATA (varies by model)
Lets you hide SATA ports from the operating system. Default is enabled (not hidden).
Serial Port (varies by model)
Lets you enable specific serial ports. Default is enabled.
Serial Port Voltage (Retail Point-of-Sale models only; ports vary by model)
Lets you configure powered serial port voltage selection on RPOS units that include this feature.
Default is 0 Volts.
● 0 Volts
● 5 Volts
● 12 Volts
Restrict USB Devices
Specify the following categories of USB devices to enable:
● Allow all USB devices (default)
● Allow only keyboard and mouse
● Allow all but storage devices and hubs.
When some devices are restricted, the system will disable USB ports that do not meet the allowed
criteria. This feature is usually combined with similar policies within the operating system because
USB devices can be moved to different ports. The ports disabled by the BIOS remain disabled until
the system is restarted.

Option Heading
Power Management Runtime Power Management

Options
Allows certain operating systems to reduce processor voltage and frequency when the current
software load does not require the full capabilities of the processor. Default is enabled.
Extended Idle Power States
Allows certain operating systems to decrease the processors power consumption when the
processor is idle. Default is enabled.
S4/S5 Maximum Power Savings
Enabling this feature reduces the power of the system as much as possible in the S4 or S5 state.
Power is removed from the wake up circuitry, the expansion slots, and any management features
while in S4 or S5. Default is disabled.
SATA Power Management
Enables or disables SATA bus, device power management, or both. Default is enabled.
PCI Express Power Management
Enabling this option permits the PCI Express links to use Active Power State Management (ASPM) to
enter lower power states while not in use. Default is enabled.
Power On from Keyboard Ports
When enabled, this feature allows a key press to turn on the system when it is off (S5 state). If using
a USB keyboard, you must plug it into one of the rear ports labeled with the keyboard icon. Default is
disabled.
Unique Sleep State Blink Rates
This feature is designed to provide a visual indication of what Sleep state the system is in. Each
Sleep state has a unique blink pattern. Default is disabled.
NOTE: A normal shutdown goes to the S4 state for Windows 8 or later.
S0 (On) = solid white light.
S3 (Stand By) = 3 blinks at 1 Hz (50% duty cycle) followed by a pause of 2 seconds (white light),
repeated cycles of 3 blinks and a pause.
S4 (Hibernation) = 4 blinks at 1 Hz (50% duty cycle) followed by a pause of 2 seconds (white light),
repeated cycles of 4 blinks and a pause.
S5 (Soft Off) = Light is off.

Option Heading
Remote Management Intel Management Engine(ME)

Options (Intel only)
Lets you enable the Intel Management Engine. Default is enabled.
Intel Active Management Technology (AMT)
Allows you to discover, repair, and protect networked computing devices. Default is disabled.
USB Key Provisioning Support
Enables AMT provisioning using a USB storage device. Default is disabled.
USB Redirection Support
USB redirection allows USB devices plugged into a client computer to be transparently redirected to
the guest operating system. Default is enabled.
Unconfigure AMT on next boot. Resets AMT configuration options on next boot. Default is Do Not
Apply.
SOL Terminal Emulation Mode
SOL (serial-over-LAN) terminal emulation mode is only activated during remote AMT (Active
Management Technology) redirection operations. The emulation options allow administrators to
select which mode works best with their console. Default is ANSI.
Show Unconfigure ME Confirmation Prompt
Requires user confirmation when unconfiguring the Intel Management Engine. Default is enabled.
Verbose Boot Messages
Verbose boot shows additional logging information during startup, which is mainly for debugging if
something goes wrong during bootup. Default is enabled.
Watchdog Timer
Allows you to set amount of time for a operating system and BIOS watchdog alert to be sent if the
timers are not deactivated. BIOS watchdog is deactivated by BIOS and would indicate that a halt
occurred during execution if the alert is sent to the management console. An operating system alert
is deactivated by the operating system image and would indicate that a hang occurred during its
initialization. Default is enabled.
● OS Watchdog Timer (min.). Default is 5 min.
● BIOS Watchdog Timer (min.). Default is 5 min.
CIRA Timeout (min.)
CIRA is Customer Initiated Remote Assistance, an Intel service to help users employing Active
Management Technology (AMT). Default is 1.

Option Heading
Slot Settings PCI Express (x16/x4/x1) slots
Lets you enable or disable PCIe slots. Default is enabled.
M.2 SSDs
Lets you enable or disable M.2 solid-state drive slots. Default is enabled.
M.2 WLAN/BT
Lets you enable or disable WLAN/BT slots. Default is enabled.
Option ROM Download
Lets you enable whether option ROM can run on the device installed in this slot.
Limit PCIe Speed (workstation models only)
Lets you restrict the maximum speed of the PCI Express devices to previous generations. The
following settings are possible:
- Auto
- Gen 1 (2.5 Gbps)
- Gen 2 (5 Gbps)
- Gen 3 (8 Gbps)
- Gen 4 (16 Gbps)
Remote HP PC Hardware Settings

Diagnostics
Sets the configuration for Remote HP PC Hardware Diagnostics, including the URLs used for
download and upload and scheduled execution frequency.
Execute Remote HP PC Hardware Diagnostics
Select to immediately execute Remote HP PC Hardware Diagnostics based on the how settings are
configured. Any unsaved BIOS settings will be lost.

7 POST error messages
This section lists the error codes, error messages, and the various indicator light and audible sequences
that you may encounter during Power-On Self-Test (POST) or computer restart, the probable source of
the problem, and steps you can take to resolve the error condition.
POST Message Disabled suppresses most system messages during POST, such as memory count and
non-error text messages. If a POST error occurs, the screen will display the error message. To manually
switch to the POST Messages Enabled mode during POST, press any key except f10, f11, or f12. The
default mode is POST Message Disabled.
The POST mode selection determines the speed at which the computer loads the operating system and
the extent to which it is tested.
Quick Boot is a fast startup process that does not run all of the system level tests, such as the memory
test. Full Boot runs all of the ROM-based system tests and takes longer to complete.
You can enable Full Boot to run every 1 to 30 days on a regularly scheduled basis. To establish the
schedule, reconfigure the computer to the Full Boot Every x Days mode, using Computer Setup.
NOTE: For more information about Computer Setup, see Computer Setup (F10) Utility on page 55.
POST numeric codes and text messages

This section identifies those POST errors that have numeric codes associated with them. The section
also includes some text messages that you might encounter during POST.
NOTE: The computer beeps once after a POST text message is displayed on the screen.
Table 7-1 POST numeric codes and text messages
Control panel message Description Recommended action
002-Option ROM Checksum Error System ROM or expansion board option 1. Verify the correct ROM.
ROM checksum.
2. Flash the ROM if needed.
3. If an expansion board was recently

added, remove it to see if the
problem remains.
4. Clear CMOS.
5. If the message disappears, there

might be a problem with the
expansion card.
003-System Board Failure DMA or timers. 1. Clear CMOS.
POST error messages 75

Table 7-1 POST numeric codes and text messages (continued)
005-Real-Time Clock Power Loss Invalid time or date in configuration Reset the date and time under Control
memory. RTC (real-time clock) battery Panel (Computer Setup can also be
may need to be replaced. used). If the problem persists, replace
the RTC battery. See the Removal and
Replacement section for instructions on
installing a new battery.
008–Microcode Patch Error Processor is not supported by the BIOS. 1. Upgrade BIOS to proper version.
2. Change the processor.
009–PMM Allocation Error during MEBx Memory error during POST execution 1. Reboot the computer.
Download of the Management Engine (ME) BIOS
Extensions option ROM. 2. Unplug the power cord, reseat the
memory modules, and reboot the
computer.
3. If the memory configuration was

recently changed, unplug the power
cord, restore the original memory
configuration, and reboot the
computer.
4. If the error persists, replace the

system board.
00A-Product Information Not Valid The product information programmed Use Computer Setup to update this
into the system board is missing or information.
invalid.
00B-MEBx Module did not checksum Memory error during POST execution 1. Reboot the computer.
correctly of the Management Engine (ME) BIOS
computer.

computer.

system board.
00C-PMM Deallocation Error during Memory error during POST execution 1. Reboot the computer.
MEBx Cleanup of the Management Engine (ME) BIOS
computer.

computer.

system board.
76 Chapter 7 POST error messages

00D-Setup Error during MEBx Execution MEBx selection or exit resulted in a setup 1. Reboot the computer.
failure.
2. Unplug the power cord, reseat the
computer.

computer.

system board.
00E-Inventory Error during MEBx BIOS information passed to the MEBx 1. Reboot the computer.
Execution resulted in a failure.
2. If the error persists, update to the
latest BIOS version.
3. If the error still persists, replace the

system board.
00F-Interface Error during MEBx MEBx operation experienced a hardware 1. Reboot the computer.
Execution error during communication with the ME.
2. If the error persists, update to the
latest BIOS version.
3. If the error still persists, replace the

system board.
100-Front Audio Not Connected Front audio cable has been detached or Reconnect or replace front audio cable.
unseated from system board.
2E1-MemorySize Error Memory amount has changed since the The system memory size is different
last boot (memory added or removed). from the last startup. The most common
reason is the removal of memory from
the system board. Press the f1 key to
save the memory changes.
2E2-Memory Error Memory module configuration failed 1. Be sure that memory modules are
during boot up. correctly installed.
2. Verify proper memory module type.
3. Remove and replace the identified

faulty memory modules.
4. If the error persists after replacing

memory modules, replace the
system board.
2E3-Incompatible Memory Module in A memory module in memory socket 1. Verify proper memory module type.
Memory Socket(s) X, X, ... identified in the error message is
missing critical SPD information, or is 2. Try another memory socket.
incompatible with the chipset.
3. Replace with a supported module.
2E4-DIMM Configuration Warning Populated DIMM Configuration is not Rearrange the DIMMs so that each
optimized. channel has the same amount of
memory.
POST numeric codes and text messages 77

2E5-ECC Memory Module Detected on Recently added memory modules 1. If additional memory was recently
Unsupported Platform support ECC memory error correction. added, remove it to see if the
problem remains.
2. Check product documentation for

memory support information.
2E6–Memory Not Configured Correctly DIMM1 is not installed. Make sure there is a memory module in
for Proper MEBx Execution the DIMM1 socket and that it is properly
seated.
300–Configuration Change Warning A change in storage configuration If no changes have been made prior
has been detected (see Boot Options to this warning, check that the drives
menu in BIOS Setup to enable this are connected properly to power cables
feature). Either the installed hardware and system board. User Diagnostics (f2
has changed, storage or firmware mode during boot-up) may help identify any
may have been changed, or a storage problem with specific devices.
device may have failed to respond.
301-Hard Disk 1: SMART Hard Drive Hard drive is about to fail. (Some hard 1. Determine if hard drive is giving
Detects Imminent Failure drives have a hard drive firmware patch correct error message. Run the
that will fix an erroneous error message.) Drive Protection System test under
using F2 Diagnostics when booting
the computer.
2. Apply hard drive firmware

patch if applicable. (Available at
http://www.hp.com/support.)
3. Back up contents and replace hard

drive.
302-Hard Disk 2: SMART Hard Drive Hard drive is about to fail. (Some hard 1. Determine if hard drive is giving
Detects Imminent Failure drives have a hard drive firmware patch correct error message. Run the
the computer.


drive.
309 – 30C: Hard Disk 3–6: SMART Hard Hard drive is about to fail. (Some hard 1. Determine if hard drive is giving
Drive Detects Imminent Failure drives have a hard drive firmware patch correct error message. Run the
the computer.


drive.
3F0–Boot Device Not Found Boot device not found. Insert boot device or load operating
system.

3F1–Hard Disk 1 Error Hard disk 1 error. 1. Check and/or replace cables.
2. Clear CMOS.
3. Replace the hard disk drive.
3F2–Hard Disk 2 Error Hard disk 2 error. 1. Check and/or replace cables.
2. Clear CMOS.
3. Replace the hard disk drive.
400-Serial Port A Address Conflict Both external and internal serial ports 1. Remove any serial port expansion
Detected are assigned to the same resources. cards.
2. Clear CMOS.
3. Reconfigure card resources and/or

run Computer Setup or Windows
utilities.
401-Serial Port B Address Conflict Both external and internal serial ports 1. Remove any serial port expansion
2. Clear CMOS.

utilities.
402-Serial Port C Address Conflict Both external and internal serial ports 1. Remove any serial port expansion
2. Clear CMOS.

utilities.
403-Serial Port D Address Conflict Both external and internal serial ports 1. Remove any serial port expansion
2. Clear CMOS.

utilities.
419-Out of Memory Space for Option Recently added PCI expansion card If a PCI expansion card was recently
ROMs contains an option ROM too large to added, remove it to see if the problem
download during POST. remains.
41A-Front USB1/USB2 Not Connected Front USB cable has been detached or Reconnect or replace front USB cable.
unseated from system board.
41B-Device in PCI Express Slot Failed To There is an incompatibility or problem Try rebooting the system. If the error
Initialize with a PCIe device and the system or reoccurs, the device may not work with
PCIe link could not be configured to a this system
valid bus width or speed.
43A-USB Type-C I2C Not Connected Cable is required between I2C on card Install cable between I2C on card and
and USB-C on the system board. USB-C on the system board.
43B-More Than One USB type-C Cards More than one USB type-C card is Remove USB type-C card so only one is
Are Installed installed. installed.
POST numeric codes and text messages 79

500–BIOS Recovery A system BIOS recovery has occurred. Not applicable.
70x-Wireless Mode Not Supported The system has detected a wireless Replace with a supported module.
module installed in the system that is not
supported and has been disabled.
800-Keyboard Error Keyboard failure. 1. Reconnect keyboard with computer

turned off.
2. Check connector for bent or

missing pins.
3. Be sure that none of the keys are

depressed.
4. Replace keyboard.
801-Keyboard or System Unit Error Keyboard failure. 1. Reconnect the keyboard with
computer turned off.
2. Be sure that none of the keys are

depressed.
3. Replace the keyboard.
900-CPU Fan Not Detected CPU fan is not connected or may have 1. Reseat fan.
malfunctioned.
2. Reseat fan cable.
3. Replace fan.
901-Chassis, Rear Chassis, Front Fan is not connected or might have 1. Reseat fan.
Chassis, or PCIe blower Fan not malfunctioned.
Detected 2. Reseat fan cable.
3. Replace fan.
904-SATA Cabling Error One or more SATA devices are Ensure SATA connectors are used in
improperly attached. For optimal ascending order. For one device, use
performance, the SATA 0 and SATA 1 SATA 0. For two devices, use SATA 0 and
ports should be used for hard drives SATA 1. For three devices, use SATA 0,
before other ports. SATA 1, and SATA 2.
90B-Fan Failure The system has detected that a cooling 1. Reseat fan.
fan is not operating correctly.
2. Reseat fan.cable.
3. Replace fan.
90D-System Temperature Thermal shutdown occurred. The system Make sure system has proper airflow.
BIOS has detected your machine
was previously shut down to avoid
overheating. Overheating may occur
if the cooling vents are blocked or
the operating temperature exceeds the
system specifications. The machine
should return to normal operation once
the situation is resolved.
90E-Power Supply Fan Not detected Power supply fan is not connected or 1. Reseat power supply fan.
may have malfunctioned.
3. Replace power supply fan.

910–Filter Warning Airflow filter is dirty. Replace the airflow filter.
911–Graphics Module Fan Not Detected Graphics card fan is not connected or 1. Reseat graphics card fan.
might have malfunctioned.
3. Replace graphics card fan.
912–Incorrect CPU cooler installed for The processor cooler/heat sink does not Replace the cooler/heat sink to match
this configuration match processor power requirement. the processor power requirement.
Interpreting system validation diagnostic front panel LEDs and

audible codes
This section identifies the front panel light codes as well as the audible codes that can occur before or
during POST that might not have an error code or text message associated with them.
CAUTION: When the computer is plugged into an AC power source, voltage is always applied to the
system board. To reduce the risk of personal injury from electrical shock and/or hot surfaces, be sure
to disconnect the power cord from the AC outlet and allow the internal system components to cool
before touching.
During the system validation phase that occurs at system startup, the BIOS validates the functionality of
the following subsystems and conditions:
● AC adapter
● System board power
● Processor failure
● BIOS corruption
● Memory failure
● Graphics failure
● System board failure
● BIOS authentication failure
If an error is detected, specific patterns of long and short blinks, accompanied by long and short beeps
(where applicable) are used to identify the error. These patterns will make up a two part code:
● Major – the category of the error
● Minor – the specific error within the category
NOTE: Single beep/blink codes are not used.
Interpreting system validation diagnostic front panel LEDs and audible codes 81
Table 7-2 Beep pattern error identification
Number of long beeps/blinks Error category
1 Not used
2 BIOS
3 Hardware
4 Thermal
5 System board
Patterns of blink/beep codes are determined by using the following parameters:
● 1 second pause occurs after the last major blink.
● 2 second pause occurs after the last minor blink.
● Beep error code sequences occur for the first 5 iterations of the pattern and then stop.
● Blink error code sequences continue until the computer is unplugged or the power button is
pressed.
NOTE: Not all diagnostic lights and audible codes are available on all models.
The red LED blinks to represent the major error category (long blinks). The white LED blinks to represent
the minor error category (short blinks). For example, ‘3.5’ indicates 3 long red blinks and 5 short white
blinks to communicate the processor is not detected.
Table 7-3 Interpreting POST diagnostic front panel lights and audible codes
Category Major/minor code Description
BIOS 2.2 The main area (DXE) of BIOS has become corrupted and there is
no recovery binary image available.
2.3 The embedded controller policy requires the user to enter a key
sequence.
2.4 The embedded controller is checking or recovering the boot

block.
Hardware 3.2 The embedded controller has timed out waiting for BIOS to return
from memory initialization.
3.3 The embedded controller has timed out waiting for BIOS to return
from graphics initialization.
3.4 The system board displays a power failure (crowbar).*
3.5 The processor is not detected.*
3.6 The processor does not support an enabled feature.
3.7 The access panel/top cover has been opened since last boot.
Thermal 4.2 A processor over temperature condition has been detected.*
4.3 An ambient temperature over temperature condition has been

detected.
4.4 An MXM over temperature condition has been detected.

Table 7-3 Interpreting POST diagnostic front panel lights and audible codes (continued)
Category Major/minor code Description
System board 5.2 The embedded controller cannot find valid firmware.
5.3 The embedded controller has timed out waiting for the BIOS.
5.4 The embedded controller has timed out waiting for BIOS to return
from system board initialization.
5.5 The embedded controller rebooted the system after a possible

lockup condition had been detected through the use of a
System Health Timer, Automated System Recovery Timer, or
other mechanism.
* Indicates hardware triggered event; all other events are controlled by the BIOS.
Interpreting system validation diagnostic front panel LEDs and audible codes 83
8 Password security and resetting CMOS
This computer supports two security password features that you can establish through the Computer
Setup Utilities menu: administrator password and power-on password.
When you establish only an administrator password, any user can access all the information on
the computer except Computer Setup. When you establish only a power-on password, the power-on
password is required to access Computer Setup and any other information on the computer. When you
establish both passwords, only the administrator password will give you access to Computer Setup.
When both passwords are set, you can use the administrator password in place of the power-on
password as an override to log in to the computer. This feature is useful for a network administrator.
IMPORTANT: Back up the BIOS settings or save them as custom defaults in case you need them later.
You can back up in Computer Setup or with the BiosConfigUtility tool available from www.hp.com. See
Computer Setup (F10) Utility on page 55 for information about backing up the BIOS settings.
Changing a setup or power-on password

Use this procedure to change a password.
To change the power-on or setup password, complete the following steps:
To change the setup password, go to step 2.

To change the power-on password, go to step 3.
2. To change the setup password, as soon as the computer turns on:
- Press esc while the “Press the ESC key for Startup Menu” message is displayed.
- Press f10 to enter Computer Setup.
3. When the key icon appears, type your current password, a slash (/) or alternate delimiter character,
your new password, another slash (/) or alternate delimiter character, and your new password again
as shown:
current password/new password/new password
NOTE: Type the new password carefully because the characters do not appear on the screen.
4. Press enter.
The new password will take effect the next time the computer is restarted.
Deleting a setup or power-on password

Use this procedure to delete a password.
To delete the power-on or setup password, complete the following steps:
84 Chapter 8 Password security and resetting CMOS

To delete the Setup password, go to step 2.

To delete the Power-on password, go to step 3.
2. To delete the Setup password, as soon as the computer turns on:
- Press esc while the “Press the ESC key for Startup Menu” message is displayed.
- Press f10 to enter Computer Setup.
3. When the key icon appears, type your current password, a slash (/) or alternate delimiter character,
your new password, another slash (/) or alternate delimiter character, and your new password again
as shown:
current password/new password/new password
4. Press enter.
Deleting a setup or power-on password 85

9 Using HP PC Hardware Diagnostics
You can use the HP PC Hardware Diagnostics utility to determine whether your computer hardware
is running properly. The three versions are HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows, HP PC Hardware
Diagnostics UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface), and (for select products only) Remote HP PC
Hardware Diagnostics UEFI, a firmware feature.
Using HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows (select products

only)
HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows is a Windows-based utility that allows you to run diagnostic tests
to determine whether the computer hardware is functioning properly. The tool runs within the Windows
operating system to diagnose hardware failures.
If HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows is not installed on your computer, you must download and
install it. To download HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows, see Downloading HP PC Hardware
Diagnostics Windows on page 87.
Using an HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows hardware failure ID code

When HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows detects a failure that requires hardware replacement, a
24-digit failure ID code is generated for select component tests. For interactive tests, such as keyboard,
mouse, or audio and video palette, you must perform troubleshooting steps before you can receive a
failure ID.
■ You have several options after you receive a failure ID:
● Select Next to open the Event Automation Service (EAS) page, where you can log the case.
● Scan the QR code with your mobile device, which takes you to the EAS page, where you can log
the case.
● Select the box next to the 24-digit failure ID to copy your failure code and send it to support.
Accessing HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows

After HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows is installed, you can access it from the Start menu or HP
Support Assistant.
Accessing HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows from the Start menu

After HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows is installed, follow these steps to access it.
1. Select the Start button.
2. Right-click HP PC Hardware Diagnostics for Windows, select More, and then select Run as
administrator.
3. When the tool opens, select the type of diagnostic test that you want to run, and then follow the
on-screen instructions.
86 Chapter 9 Using HP PC Hardware Diagnostics

NOTE: To stop a diagnostic test, select Cancel.
Accessing HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows from Support Assistant

After HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows is installed, follow these steps to access it from HP Support
Assistant.
1. Type support in the taskbar search box, and then select the HP Support Assistant app.
– or –
Select the question mark icon in the taskbar.
2. Select Troubleshooting and fixes.
3. Select Diagnostics, and then select HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows.
4. When the tool opens, select the type of diagnostic test that you want to run, and then follow the
NOTE: To stop a diagnostic test, select Cancel.
Downloading HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows

The HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows downloading instructions are provided in English only. You
must use a Windows computer to download this tool because only .exe files are provided.
Downloading the latest HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows version from HP

To download HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows from HP, follow these steps:
1. Go to http://www.hp.com/go/techcenter/pcdiags. The HP PC Diagnostics home page is displayed.
2. Select Download HP Diagnostics Windows, and then select the specific Windows diagnostics
version to download to your computer or a USB flash drive.
The tool downloads to the selected location.
Downloading the HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows from the Microsoft Store

You can download the HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows from the Microsoft Store.
1. Select the Microsoft Store app on your desktop or enter Microsoft Store in the taskbar search
box.
2. Enter HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows in the Microsoft Store search box.
3. Follow the on-screen directions.
Downloading HP Hardware Diagnostics Windows by product name or number (select products

only)
You can download HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows by product name or number.
NOTE: For some products, you might have to download the software to a USB flash drive by using the
product name or number.
Accessing HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows from Support Assistant 87

1. Go to http://www.hp.com/support.
2. Select Software and Drivers, select your type of product, and then enter the product name or
number in the search box that is displayed.
3. In the Diagnostics section, select Download, and then follow the on-screen instructions to select
the specific Windows diagnostics version to be downloaded to your computer or USB flash drive.
Installing HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows

To install HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows, navigate to the folder on your computer or the USB
flash drive where the .exe file downloaded, double-click the .exe file, and then follow the on-screen
instructions.
Using HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI

HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) allows you to run diagnostic
tests to determine whether the computer hardware is functioning properly. The tool runs outside the
operating system so that it can isolate hardware failures from issues that are caused by the operating
system or other software components.
NOTE: For Windows 10 S computers, you must use a Windows computer and a USB flash drive to
download and create the HP UEFI support environment because only .exe files are provided. For more
information, see Downloading HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI to a USB flash drive on page 89.
If your PC does not start in Windows, you can use HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI to diagnose
hardware issues.
Using an HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI hardware failure ID code

When HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI detects a failure that requires hardware replacement, a 24-digit
failure ID code is generated.
For assistance in solving the problem:
■ Select Contact HP, accept the HP privacy disclaimer, and then use a mobile device to scan the failure
ID code that appears on the next screen. The HP Customer Support - Service Center page appears
with your failure ID and product number automatically filled in. Follow the on-screen instructions.
– or –
Contact support, and provide the failure ID code.
NOTE: To start diagnostics on a convertible computer, your computer must be in notebook mode, and
you must use the attached keyboard.
NOTE: If you need to stop a diagnostic test, press esc.
Starting HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI

To start HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI, follow this procedure.
1. Turn on or restart the computer, and quickly press esc.

2. Press f2.
The BIOS searches three places for the diagnostic tools, in the following order:
a. Connected USB flash drive
NOTE: To download the HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI tool to a USB flash drive, see
Downloading the latest HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI version on page 89.
b. Hard drive
c. BIOS
3. When the diagnostic tool opens, select a language, select the type of diagnostic test you want to
run, and then follow the on-screen instructions.
Downloading HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI to a USB flash drive

Downloading HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI to a USB flash drive can be useful in some situations.
● HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI is not included in the preinstallation image.
● HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI is not included in the HP Tool partition.
● The hard drive is damaged.
NOTE: The HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI downloading instructions are provided in English only,
and you must use a Windows computer to download and create the HP UEFI support environment
because only .exe files are provided.
Downloading the latest HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI version

To download the latest HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI version to a USB flash drive, follow this
procedure:
2. Select Download HP Diagnostics UEFI, and then select Run.
Downloading HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI by product name or number (select products

only)
You can download HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI by product name or number (select products only)
to a USB flash drive.
NOTE: For some products, you might have to download the software to a USB flash drive by using the
product name or number.
2. Enter the product name or number, select your computer, and then select your operating system.
3. In the Diagnostics section, follow the on-screen instructions to select and download the specific
UEFI Diagnostics version for your computer.
Downloading HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI to a USB flash drive 89

Using Remote HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI settings
(select products only)
Remote HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI is a firmware (BIOS) feature that downloads HP PC Hardware
Diagnostics UEFI to your computer. It can then run the diagnostics on your computer, and it might upload
results to a preconfigured server.
For more information about Remote HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI, go to

http://www.hp.com/go/techcenter/pcdiags, and then select Find out more.
Downloading Remote HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI

HP Remote PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI is also available as a SoftPaq that you can download to a
server.
Downloading the latest Remote HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI version

You can download the latest HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI version to a USB flash drive.
2. Select Download Remote Diagnostics, and then select Run.
Downloading Remote HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI by product name or number

You can download HP Remote PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI by product name or number.
NOTE: For some products, you might have to download the software by using the product name or
number.
2. Select Software and Drivers, select your type of product, enter the product name or number in the
search box that is displayed, select your computer, and then select your operating system.
3. In the Diagnostics section, follow the on-screen instructions to select and download the Remote
UEFI version for the product.
Customizing Remote HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI settings

Using the Remote HP PC Hardware Diagnostics setting in Computer Setup (BIOS), you can perform
several customizations.
● Set a schedule for running diagnostics unattended. You can also start diagnostics immediately in
interactive mode by selecting Execute Remote HP PC Hardware Diagnostics.
● Set the location for downloading the diagnostic tools. This feature provides access to the tools
from the HP website or from a server that has been preconfigured for use. Your computer does
not require the traditional local storage (such as a hard drive or USB flash drive) to run remote
diagnostics.
● Set a location for storing the test results. You can also set the user name and password that you use
for uploads.
● Display status information about the diagnostics run previously.
To customize Remote HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI settings, follow these steps:

1. Turn on or restart the computer, and when the HP logo appears, press f10 to enter Computer Setup.
2. Select Advanced, and then select Settings.
3. Make your customization selections.
4. Select Main, and then Save Changes and Exit to save your settings.
Your changes take effect when the computer restarts.
Customizing Remote HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI settings 91

10 Backing up, restoring, and recovering
You can use Windows tools or HP software to back up your information, create a restore point, reset
your computer, create recovery media, or restore your computer to its factory state. Performing these
standard procedures can return your computer to a working state faster.
IMPORTANT: If you are performing recovery procedures on a tablet, the tablet battery must be at
least 70% charged before you start the recovery process.
IMPORTANT: For a tablet with a detachable keyboard, connect the tablet to the keyboard base before
beginning any recovery process.
Backing up information and creating recovery media

These methods of creating recovery media and backups are available on select products only.
Using Windows tools for backing up

HP recommends that you back up your information immediately after initial setup. You can do this task
either using Windows Backup locally with an external USB drive or using online tools.
IMPORTANT: Windows is the only option that allows you to back up your personal information.
Schedule regular backups to avoid information loss.
NOTE: If computer storage is 32 GB or less, Microsoft® System Restore is disabled by default.
Using the HP Cloud Recovery Download Tool to create recovery media (select
products only)
You can use the HP Cloud Recovery Download Tool to create HP Recovery media on a bootable USB
flash drive.
For details:
■ Go to http://www.hp.com/support, search for HP Cloud Recovery, and then select the result that
matches the type of computer that you have.
NOTE: If you cannot create recovery media yourself, contact support to obtain recovery discs. Go to
http://www.hp.com/support, select your country or region, and then follow the on-screen instructions.
IMPORTANT: HP recommends that you follow the Restoring and recovery methods on page 93 to
restore your computer before you obtain and use the HP recovery discs. Using a recent backup can
return your machine to a working state sooner than using the HP recovery discs. After the system is
restored, reinstalling all the operating system software released since your initial purchase can be a
lengthy process.
92 Chapter 10 Backing up, restoring, and recovering

Restoring and recovering your system
You have several tools available to recover your system both within and outside of Windows if the
desktop cannot load.
HP recommends that you attempt to restore your system using the Restoring and recovery methods on
page 93.
Creating a system restore

System Restore is available in Windows. The System Restore software can automatically or manually
create restore points, or snapshots, of the system files and settings on the computer at a particular
point.
When you use System Restore, it returns your computer to its state at the time you made the restore
point. Your personal files and documents should not be affected.
Restoring and recovery methods

After you run the first method, test to see whether the issue still exists before you proceed to the next
method, which might now be unnecessary.
1. Run a Microsoft System Restore.
2. Run Reset this PC.
NOTE: The options Remove everything and then Fully clean the drive can take several hours to
complete and leave no information on your computer. It is the safest way to reset your computer
before you recycle it.
3. Recover using HP Recovery media. For more information, see Recovering using HP Recovery media
on page 93.
For more information about the first two methods, see the Get Help app:
Select the Start button, select the Get Help app, and then enter the task you want to perform.
NOTE: You must be connected to the internet to access the Get Help app.
Recovering using HP Recovery media

You can use HP Recovery media to recover the original operating system and software programs that
were installed at the factory. On select products, it can be created on a bootable USB flash drive using
the HP Cloud Recovery Download Tool.
For details, see Using the HP Cloud Recovery Download Tool to create recovery media (select products
only) on page 92.
NOTE: If you cannot create recovery media yourself, contact support to obtain recovery discs. Go to
http://www.hp.com/support, select your country or region, and then follow the on-screen instructions.
To recover your system:
■ Insert the HP Recovery media, and then restart the computer.
NOTE: HP recommends that you follow the Restoring and recovery methods on page 93 to restore
your computer before you obtain and use the HP recovery discs. Using a recent backup can return your
Restoring and recovering your system 93

machine to a working state sooner than using the HP recovery discs. After the system is restored,
reinstalling all the operating system software released since your initial purchase can be a lengthy
process.
Changing the computer boot order

If your computer does not restart using the HP Recovery media, you can change the computer boot
order, which is the order of devices listed in BIOS for startup information. You can select an optical drive
or a USB flash drive, depending on the location of your HP Recovery media.
IMPORTANT: For a tablet with a detachable keyboard, connect the tablet to the keyboard base before
beginning these steps.
To change the boot order:
1. Insert the HP Recovery media.
2. Access the system Startup menu.
● For computers or tablets with keyboards attached, turn on or restart the computer or tablet,
quickly press esc, and then press f9 for boot options.
● For tablets without keyboards, turn on or restart the tablet, quickly press and hold the volume
up button, and then select f9.
‒ or –
Turn on or restart the tablet, quickly press and hold the volume down button, and then select f9.
3. Select the optical drive or USB flash drive from which you want to boot, and then follow the
Using HP Sure Recover (select products only)

Select computer models are configured with HP Sure Recover, a PC operating system (OS) recovery
solution built into the hardware and software. HP Sure Recover can fully restore the HP OS image
without installed recovery software.
Using HP Sure Recover, an administrator or user can restore the system and install:
● Latest version of the operating system
● Platform-specific device drivers
● Software applications, in the case of a custom image
To access the latest documentation for HP Sure Recover, go to http://www.hp.com/support. Follow the
on-screen instructions to find your product and locate your documentation.
94 Chapter 10 Backing up, restoring, and recovering

11 Statement of memory volatility
For general information regarding nonvolatile memory in HP business computers, and to restore
nonvolatile memory that can contain personal data after the system has been turned off and the hard
drive has been removed, use these instructions.
HP business computer products that use Intel®-based or AMD®-based system boards contain volatile
DDR memory. The amount of nonvolatile memory present in the system depends upon the system
configuration. Intel-based and AMD-based system boards contain nonvolatile memory subcomponents
as originally shipped from HP, with the following assumptions:
● No subsequent modifications were made to the system.
● No applications, features, or functionality were added to or installed on the system.
Following system shutdown and removal of all power sources from an HP business computer system,
personal data can remain on volatile system memory (DIMMs) for a finite period of time and also
remains in nonvolatile memory. Use the following steps to remove personal data from the computer,
including the nonvolatile memory found in Intel-based and AMD-based system boards.
NOTE: If your tablet has a keyboard base, connect to the keyboard base before beginning steps in this
chapter.
Current BIOS steps

Use these instructions to restore nonvolatile memory.
1. Follow these steps to restore the nonvolatile memory that can contain personal data. Restoring
or reprogramming nonvolatile memory that does not store personal data is neither necessary nor
recommended.
a. Turn on or restart the computer, and then quickly press esc.
NOTE: If the system has a BIOS administrator password, type the password at the prompt.
b. Select Main, select Apply Factory Defaults and Exit, and then select Yes to load defaults. The
computer restarts.
c. During the restart, press esc while the "Press the ESC key for Startup Menu" message is
displayed at the bottom of the screen.
d. Select the Security menu, select Restore Security Settings to Factory Defaults, and then
select Yes to restore security level defaults. The computer reboots.
e. During the reboot, press esc while the "Press the ESC key for Startup Menu" message is
Statement of memory volatility 95

f. If an asset or ownership tag is set, select the Security menu and scroll down to the Utilities
menu. Select System IDs, and then select Asset Tracking Number. Clear the tag, and then
make the selection to return to the prior menu.
g. If a DriveLock password is set, select the Security menu, and scroll down to Hard Drive Utilities
under the Utilities menu. Select Hard Drive Utilities, select DriveLock, and then clear the check
box for DriveLock password on restart. Select OK to proceed.
h. Select the Main menu, and then select Reset BIOS Security to factory default. Select Yes at
the warning message. The computer reboots.
i. During the reboot, press esc while the "Press the ESC key for Startup Menu" message is
j. Select the Main menu, select Apply Factory Defaults and Exit, select Yes to save changes and
exit, and then select Shutdown.
k. Reboot the system. If the system has a Trusted Platform Module (TPM), fingerprint reader, or
both, one or two prompts will appear—one to clear the TPM and the other to Reset Fingerprint
Sensor. Press or tap f1 to accept or f2 to reject.
l. Remove all power and system batteries for at least 24 hours.
2. Complete one of the following:
● Remove and retain the storage drive.
– or –
● Clear the drive contents by using a third-party utility designed to erase data from an SSD.
– or –
● Clear the contents of the drive by using the following BIOS Setup Secure Erase command
option steps:
NOTE: If you clear data using Secure Erase, you cannot recover it.
b. Select the Security menu and scroll down to the esc menu.
c. Select Hard Drive Utilities.
d. Under Utilities, select Secure Erase, select the hard drive storing the data you want to clear,
and then follow the on-screen instructions to continue.
– or –
Clear the contents of the drive using the following Disk Sanitizer commands steps:
i. Turn on or restart the computer, and then quickly press esc.
ii. Select the Security menu and scroll down to the Utilities menu.
iii. Select Hard Drive Utilities.
96 Chapter 11 Statement of memory volatility

iv. Under Utilities, select Disk Sanitizer, select the hard drive with the data that you want to
clear, and then follow the on-screen instructions to continue.
NOTE: The amount of time it takes for Disk Sanitizer to run can take several hours. Plug the
computer into an AC outlet before starting.
Nonvolatile memory usage

Use this table to troubleshooting nonvolatile memory usage.
Table 11-1 Troubleshooting steps for nonvolatile memory usage
Nonvolatile Amount (Size) Does this Does this What is the How is data entered into How is this memory
memory type memory memory purpose of this memory? write-protected?
store retain data this
customer when memory?
data? power is
removed?
HP Sure Start 32 MB No Yes Provides Data cannot be written This memory is

flash (select protected to this device via the protected by the HP
models only) backup of host processor. The Sure Start Embedded
critical content is managed Controller.
System BIOS solely by the HP
code, EC Sure Start Embedded
firmware, Controller.
and critical
computer
configuration
data for
select
platforms
that support
HP Sure
Start.
For more
information,
see Using HP
Sure Start
(select
products
only) on page
100.
Real Time 256 bytes No Yes Stores RTC battery backed-up This memory is not
Clock (RTC) system date CMOS is programmed write protected.
battery backed- and time and using Computer Setup
up CMOS noncritical (BIOS), or by changing
configuration data. the Windows date and
memory time.
Controller (NIC) 64 KB (not No Yes Stores NIC NIC EEPROM is A utility must be
EEPROM customer configuration programmed using a used to write data
accessible) and NIC utility from the NIC to this memory and
firmware. vendor that can be run is available from the
from DOS. NIC vendor. Writing
data to this ROM in an
inappropriate manner
will render the NIC
non-functional.
Nonvolatile memory usage 97

Table 11-1 Troubleshooting steps for nonvolatile memory usage (continued)
data? power is
removed?
DIMM Serial 256 bytes per No Yes Stores DIMM SPD is Data cannot be
Presence memory memory programmed by the written to this
Detect (SPD) module, 128 module memory vendor. memory when the
configuration bytes information. module is installed
data programm- in a computer.
able (not The specific write-
customer protection method
accessible) varies by memory
vendor.
System BIOS 32 MB Yes Yes Stores System BIOS code is NOTE: Writing data
system BIOS programmed at the to this ROM in an
code and factory. Code is updated inappropriate manner
computer when the system BIOS can render the
configuration is updated. Configuration computer non-
data. data and settings functional.
are entered using the
Computer Setup (BIOS) A utility must be
or a custom utility. used for writing
data to this memory
and is available on
the HP website; go
to http://www.hp.com/
support. Select Find
your product, and
then follow the on-
screen instructions.
Intel 1.5 MB or 7 Yes Yes Stores Management Engine The Intel chipset is
Management MB Management Code is programmed configured to enforce
Engine Engine Code, at the factory. Code is hardware protection
Firmware Settings, updated via Intel secure to block all direct
(present only in Provisioning firmware update utility. read-write access
select Elite or Z Data and Unique Provisioning Data to this area. An
models. For iAMT third- can be entered at Intel utility must be
more party data the factory or by used for updating
information, go store. an administrator using the firmware. Only
to HP Support. the Management Engine firmware updates
Select Identify (MEBx) setup utility. digitally signed by
your product The third-party data Intel can be applied
for manuals store contents can be using this utility.
and specific populated by a remote
product management console or
information, local applications that
and then follow have been registered by
the on-screen an administrator to have
instructions.) access to the space.
Bluetooth® 2 megabits No Yes Stores Bluetooth flash is A utility must be used

flash (select Bluetooth programmed at the for writing data to this
products only) configuration factory. Tools for writing memory and is made
and data to this memory are available through
firmware. not publicly available but newer versions of
can be obtained from the the driver whenever
silicon vendor. the flash requires an
upgrade.

Table 11-1 Troubleshooting steps for nonvolatile memory usage (continued)
data? power is
removed?
802.11 WLAN 4 kilobits to 8 No Yes Stores 802.11 WLAN EEPROM A utility must be used
EEPROM kilobits configuration is programmed at the for writing data to
and factory. Tools for writing this memory and is
calibration data to this memory are typically not made
data. not made public. available to the public
unless a firmware
upgrade is necessary
to address a unique
issue.
Questions and answers

Use this section to answer your questions about nonvolatile memory.
1. How can the BIOS settings be restored (returned to factory settings)?
IMPORTANT: The restore defaults feature does not securely erase any information on your hard
drive. See question and answer 6 for steps to securely erase information.
The restore defaults feature does not reset the Custom Secure Boot keys. See question and
answer 7 for information about resetting the keys.
b. Select Main, and then select Apply Factory Defaults and Exit.
c. Follow the on-screen instructions.
d. Select Main, select Save Changes and Exit, and then follow the on-screen instructions.
2. What is a UEFI BIOS, and how is it different from a legacy BIOS?
The Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) BIOS is an industry-standard software interface
between the platform firmware and an operating system (OS). It replaces the older BIOS
architecture but supports much of the legacy BIOS functionality.
Like the legacy BIOS, the UEFI BIOS provides an interface to display the system information and
configuration settings and to change the configuration of your computer before an OS is loaded.
BIOS provides a secure runtime environment that supports a Graphic User Interface (GUI). In this
environment, you can use either a pointing device (touch screen, touchpad, pointing stick, or USB
mouse) or the keyboard to navigate and make menu and configuration selections. The UEFI BIOS
also contains basic system diagnostics.
The UEFI BIOS provides functionality beyond that of the legacy BIOS. In addition, the UEFI BIOS
works to initialize the computer’s hardware before loading and executing the OS; the runtime
environment allows the loading and execution of software programs from storage devices to
provide more functionality, such as advanced hardware diagnostics (with the ability to display more
detailed system information) and advanced firmware management and recovery software.
3. Where is the UEFI BIOS located?
Questions and answers 99

The UEFI BIOS is located on a flash memory chip. You must use a utility to write to the chip.
4. What kind of configuration data is stored on the DIMM Serial Presence Detect (SPD) memory
module? How would this data be written?
The DIMM SPD memory contains information about the memory module, such as size, serial
number, data width, speed and timing, voltage, and thermal information. This information is written
by the module manufacturer and stored on an EEPROM. You cannot write to this EEPROM when the
memory module is installed in a computer. Third-party tools do exist that can write to the EEPROM
when the memory module is not installed in a computer. Various third-party tools are available to
read SPD memory.
5. What is meant by “Restore the nonvolatile memory found in Intel-based system boards”?
This message relates to clearing the Real Time Clock (RTC) CMOS memory that contains computer
configuration data.
6. How can the BIOS security be reset to factory defaults and erase the data?
IMPORTANT: Resetting results in the loss of information.
These steps do not reset Custom Secure Boot Keys. See question and answer 7 for information
about resetting the keys.
b. Select Main, and then select Reset Security to Factory Defaults.
c. Follow the on-screen instructions.
d. Select Main, select Save Changes and Exit, and then follow the on-screen instructions.
7. How can the Custom Secure Boot Keys be reset?
Secure Boot is a feature to ensure that only authenticated code can start on a platform. If you
enabled Secure Boot and created Custom Secure Boot Keys, disabling Secure Boot does not clear
the keys. You must also select to clear the Custom Secure Boot Keys. Use the same Secure Boot
access procedure that you used to create the Custom Secure Boot Keys, but select to clear or
delete all Secure Boot Keys.
b. Select the Security menu, select Secure Boot Configuration, and then follow the on-screen
instructions.
c. At the Secure Boot Configuration window, select Secure Boot, select Clear Secure Boot Keys,
and then follow the on-screen instructions to continue.
Using HP Sure Start (select products only)

Select computer models are configured with HP Sure Start, a technology that continuously monitors
your computer's BIOS for attacks or corruption.
If the BIOS becomes corrupted or is attacked, HP Sure Start restores the BIOS to its previously safe
state, without user intervention. Those select computer models ship with HP Sure Start configured and
enabled. HP Sure Start is configured and already enabled so that most users can use the HP Sure Start
default configuration. Advanced users can customize the default configuration.

To access the latest documentation on HP Sure Start, go to http://www.hp.com/support.
Using HP Sure Start (select products only) 101

12 Power cord set requirements
The power supplies on some computers have external power switches.
The voltage select switch feature on the computer permits it to operate from any line voltage of 100 V ac
to 120 V ac or 220 V ac to 240 V ac. Power supplies on those computers that do not have external power
switches are equipped with internal switches that sense the incoming voltage and automatically switch
to the proper voltage.
The power cord set received with the computer meets the requirements for use in the country where
you purchased the equipment.
Power cord sets for use in other countries must meet the requirements of the country where you use the
computer.
General requirements
These requirements are applicable to all countries.
1. The power cord must be approved by an acceptable accredited agency responsible for evaluation in
the country where the power cord set will be installed.
2. The power cord set must have a minimum current capacity of 10A (7A Japan only) and a nominal
voltage rating of 125 V ac or 250 V ac, as required by each country’s power system.
3. The diameter of the wire must be a minimum of 0.75 mm2 or 18AWG, and the length of the cord must
be between 1.8 m (6 ft) and 3.6 m (12 ft).
The power cord should be routed so that it is not likely to be walked on or pinched by items placed upon
it or against it. Particular attention should be paid to the plug, electrical outlet, and the point where the
cord exits from the product.
WARNING! Do not operate this product with a damaged power cord set. If the power cord set is
damaged in any manner, replace it immediately.
Japanese power cord requirements

For use in Japan, use only the power cord received with this product.
IMPORTANT: Do not use the power cord received with this product on any other products.
Country-specific requirements
This information provides additional requirements specific to a country.
102 Chapter 12 Power cord set requirements

Table 12-1 Power cord country-specific requirements
Country Accrediting Agency Country Accrediting Agency
Australia (1) EANSW Italy (1) IMQ
Austria (1) OVE Japan (3) METI
Belgium (1) CEBC Norway (1) NEMKO
Canada (2) CSA Sweden (1) SEMKO
Denmark (1) DEMKO Switzerland (1) SEV
Finland (1) SETI United Kingdom (1) BSI
France (1) UTE United States (2) UL
Germany (1) VDE
1. The flexible cord must be Type HO5VV-F, 3-conductor, 0.75mm2 conductor size. Power cord set fittings (appliance coupler
and plug) must bear the certification mark of the agency responsible for evaluation in the country where it will be used.
2. The flexible cord must be Type SVT or equivalent, No. 18 AWG, 3 conductor. The plug must be a 2-pole grounding type with a
NEMA 5-15P (15 A, 125 V) or NEMA 6-15P (15 A, 250 V) configuration.
3. Appliance coupler, flexible cord, and plug must bear a T mark and registration number in accordance with the Japanese
Dentori Law. Flexible cord must be Type VCT or VCTF, 3-conductor, 0.75 mm2 conductor size. Plug must be a 2-pole
grounding type with a Japanese Industrial Standard C8303 (7 A, 125 V) configuration.
Country-specific requirements 103

13 Specifications
This section provides specifications for your computer.
Table 13-1 Specifications
Metric U.S.
Dimensions
Height 216 mm 8.5 in
Width 551 mm 21.7 in
Depth 445 mm 17.5 in
Approximate weight 31.7 kg maximum, 22.4 kg 70.0 lbs maximum,

minimum, 23.7 kg typical 49.4 lbs minimum,
(exact weights depend 52.2 lbs typical (exact
on configuration) weights depend on
configuration)
Temperature range
Operating 5°C to 35°C 40°C to 95°F
Nonoperating –40°F to 60°C –40°F to 140°F
NOTE: Operating temperature is derated 1.0°C per 300 m (1000 ft) to 3000 m (10,000 ft) above sea level; no direct sustained
sunlight. Maximum rate of change is 10° C/Hr. The upper limit might be limited by the type and number of options installed.
Maximum altitude (unpressurized)
Operating (with solid-state drives) 5,000 m 16,404 ft
Operating (with hard drives) 3,048 m 10,000 ft
Nonoperating 15,240 m 50,000 ft
Relative humidity (noncondensing)
Operating 10% to 90% 10% to 90%
Nonoperating (38.7°C max wet bulb) 5% to 95% 5% to 95%
Power supply
Operating voltage range 90 V ac to 269 V ac
Rated voltage frequency range 100-127 V ac @ 50-60 Hz, 200-240 V ac @ 50-60 Hz,
118 V ac @ 400 Hz
Operating line frequency range 100-127 V ac @ 47-66 Hz, 200-240 V ac @ 47-66 Hz,
118 V ac @ 393-407 Hz
Rated input current 12A @ 100-127 V ac, 10A @ 200-240 V ac, 12A @ 118 V
ac
Efficiency 87/90/87% efficient at 20/50/100% load (@ 115 V)
104 Chapter 13 Specifications

14 Linux technical notes
HP offers a variety of Linux® solutions for HP workstation customers:
● HP supports Ubuntu on some HP workstations.
● HP supports Red Hat® Enterprise Linux (RHEL) on HP workstations.
● HP certifies and supports SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop (SLED) on HP workstations.
For Linux setup and restore procedures, see the user guide for your workstation.
NOTE: After you set up the operating system, make sure that the latest BIOS, drivers, and software
updates are installed.
CAUTION: Do not add optional hardware or third-party devices to the workstation until the operating
system is successfully installed. Adding hardware might cause errors and prevent the operating
system from installing correctly.
System RAM
HP supports different amounts of total RAM in various HP workstations, based on the number of
hardware DIMM slots and the capabilities of the system.
The total memory supported for each configuration is listed in the Hardware Support Matrix for HP Linux
Workstations at http://www.hp.com/support/%20linux_hardware_matrix.
Audio
All HP workstations come with built-in audio hardware. The audio hardware is supported by the
Advanced Linux Sound Architecture (ALSA) drivers included with all modern Linux distributions.
The audio hardware provides basic playback and recording features. The ability to simultaneously play
audio from multiple sources, such as applications and CDs, is provided in the ALSA driver that provides
audio mixing. The performance of software audio mixing and playback is greatly improved in ALSA
version 1.0.13 and later.
After the driver is installed, the optional NVIDIA and AMD graphics cards that are supported in
HP workstations also provide audio functionality over HDMI. The signal can be passed through the
DisplayPort™ connector to a monitor with audio capabilities. The vendor driver must be installed. Such a
configuration might present two audio hardware choices. If you do not hear sound through the speakers,
one possible reason is that the graphics card (default) is selected for audio output instead of the
DisplayPort. Check the audio settings (for example, Sound in gnome-control-center).
In some systems, embedded Intel HD graphics may also present a similar HDMI audio device that can be
used through the DisplayPort interface. No proprietary driver is needed for this device, just a sufficiently
recent kernel.
Linux technical notes 105

Hyper-Threading Technology
The Z Series Workstations support Hyper-Threading Technology (HTT), an Intel technology that improves
processor performance by enabling the processor to simultaneously perform multiple tasks.
The operating system treats an HTT-enabled processor as two virtual processors and shares the
workload between them when possible. This feature can be used only if the operating system support
multiple processors and is specifically optimized for HTT.
To enable HTT:
1. During startup, press F10 to enter Computer Setup (F10) Utility.
2. Select Advanced > Performance Options.
3. Set Intel Hyperthreading to Enable, and then press F10 to exit the menu.
4. Select Main > Save Changes and Exit.
5. Restart the system to enable HTT.
NOTE: On most recent Linux distributions, the kernel automatically detects that HTT is enabled and
works correctly.
NVIDIA graphics workstations

Some workstation configurations come with NVIDIA Quadro graphics hardware. HP recommends the
use of NVIDIA drivers for best results on Linux systems.
HP provides recommended versions of the drivers with RPM-compatible installers for RHEL and SLED
distributions. These are available from the HP Installer Kit for Linux and from workstation driver
repositories on hp.com. When HP installers are used, their contents and documentation links are located
in the /opt/hp/nvidia folder.
When installing Linux on a workstation that contains an NVIDIA card, administrators should select a
VESA-compatible driver to avoid the instability that is experienced with some open-source versions of
the Nouveau and DRM drivers.
Open-source versions of Nouveau drivers and NVIDIA drivers cannot coexist in the same runtime
environment because they use the same hardware resources. If administrators create their own Linux
environments using NVIDIA drivers but choose not to use HP-packaged versions, HP recommends that
they manually append the following boot loader parameters to properly suppress the Nouveau driver at
runtime (grub example below):
kernel /vmlinuz ... rdblacklist=nouveau nouveau.modeset=0
This action is applied by HP installers but must be applied and restored under other circumstances.
To customize display characteristics and resolutions when the computer is using an NVIDIA driver, run
the following command:
/usr/bin/nvidia-settings
To create and manipulate the /etc/X11/xorg.conf file, run:
/usr/bin/nvidia-xconfig
106 Chapter 14 Linux technical notes

AMD graphics workstations
Some workstation configurations include AMD graphics hardware. All of the supported Linux
distributions should have an “in-box” driver that supports the hardware well enough for the X server
to run.
Xorg drivers that might be loaded as the server starts are as follows:
● The Radeon in-box X driver will associate with some older GPUs.
● The fbdev or vesa X driver might activate for certain other cards.
● The newer amdgpu driver might be present in some distributions but it does not support all AMD
GPUs.
● There is also a generic modesetting driver in some distributions.
You might see a kernel DRM module activated for AMD graphics. The Radeon kernel module is loaded
in many distributions. The older proprietary module name is fglrx and is only present after installing the
AMD vendor driver. The newer module is amdgpu and might be present in newer kernels even without the
vendor driver because it is an open-source modesetting module.
To achieve the best hardware acceleration for OpenGL and other APIs, the AMD advanced vendor driver
(usually named amdgpu-pro) is recommended. AMD packages this driver for specific Linux releases and
posts them on their website. For enterprise Linux distributions that require subscriptions, the installation
process requires that either you have the installation media on hand or have registered to access online
repositories. The access to repositories allows the installer to satisfy dependencies, including the basic
build environment (compilers and linkers) needed to build the amdgpu-pro version of the kernel driver.
HP might at some time post a particular tested version of the amdgpu-pro driver on support pages at
hp.com.
The amdgpu-pro driver lacks a settings application similar to the Catalyst Control Center that was
associated with the fglrx driver.
AMD graphics workstations 107

Index
A removing dirt and debris 12 front card guide and fan

CMOS illustrated 6
access panel
clearing and resetting 84 removal and replacement 26
illustrated 6
components front I/O assembly
locked 36
front 1 illustrated 7
removal and replacement 20
left 3
access panel handle, identifying 3
rear 3 G
access panel lock, identifying 3
computer cleaning 8, 11, 13 general problems 36
Advanced menu, Computer
computer features 1 grounding methods 8, 9
Setup 66
computer major components
audible codes 81
illustrated 6 H
audio in (microphone) jack,
Computer Setup
identifying 4 hard drive
access problem 36
audio out (headphone) jack, illustrated 7
Advanced menu 66
identifying 4 proper handling 8, 14, 15
Main menu 56
audio problems 43 SATA characteristics 16
Security menu 60
audio-out (headphone)/audio-in hard drive activity light,
(microphone) combo jack, Computer Setup Utility 55
connectors identifying 2
identifying 2 hard drive problems 41
power 4
country power cord set hardware installation problems 46
B
requirements 102 heat sink
backup, creating 92 Customer Support 35 illustrated 6
backups 92 removal and replacement 31
battery D helpful hints 36
disposal 8, 14, 15 High Performance Mode 69
battery replacement 22 deleting a Power-On password 84 HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI
beep codes 81 deleting a Setup password 84 downloading 89
drive carrier failure ID code 88
blinking lights 81
illustrated 7 starting 88
boot order, changing 94
dust filter
booting options using 88
Full Boot 75 HP PC Hardware Diagnostics
Quick Boot 75 Windows
E
accessing 86, 87
C electrostatic discharge (ESD) 8 downloading 87
preventing damage 8, 9 failure ID code 86
cable management 8, 16
error installing 88
cable pinouts, SATA data 16
codes 75, 81 using 86
changing a Power-On password 84
error messages 75 HP Recovery media
changing a Setup password 84
Ethernet ports, identifying 4 recovery 93
chassis
HP Sure Recover 94
illustrated 6
F HP Sure Start 95, 100
cleaning
computer 8, 11, 13 F10 Setup 55
I
mouse 8, 11, 14 access problem 36
safety precautions 8, 11 flash drive problems 51 I/O assembly
cleaning your computer front bezel removal and replacement 21
disinfecting 12 illustrated 7 illustrated parts catalog 6
108 Index
installing removal 23 Q
battery 22 overheating, prevention 8, 11
Quiet Mode 69
internet access problems 52
P
R
J
password
rear fan
jacks Power-On 84
illustrated 6
audio-out (headphone)/audio-in security 84
(microphone) 2 Setup 84
recovery 92, 93
network 4 PCIe card
discs 93
RJ-45 (network) 4 illustrated 6
media 93
RJ-45 (network)(AMT PCIe slots, identifying 4
USB flash drive 93
enabled) 4 Performance Control 69
recovery media 92
Performance Mode 69
K creating using HP Cloud Recovery
ports
Download Tool 92
keyboard Ethernet ports 4
creating using Windows
cleaning 8, 11, 13 USB SuperSpeed 2, 4
tools 92
keyboard problems 45 USB SuperSpeed port with HP Remote HP PC Hardware
Sleep and Charge 2 Diagnostics UEFI settings
L USB Type-C 2 customizing 90
POST error messages 75 using 90
lights
power button, identifying 2, 4 removal and replacement
blinking PS/2 keyboard 81
power connector dust filter 19
Linux technical notes 105
identifying 4 front bezel 18, 20
power cord set requirements
M front card guide and fan 26
country specific 102
heat sink 31
Main menu, Computer Setup 56 power problems 40
I/O assembly 21
memory power supply
memory fan 27
nonvolatile 95 illustrated 7
memory fan duct 26
problems 50 operating voltage range 104
power supply 30
volatile 95 removal and replacement 30
memory fan processor 32
Power-On password 84
illustrated 6 rear fan 28
printer problems 44
removal and replacement 27 system board 29
problems
memory fan duct removing
audio 43
illustrated 6 battery 22
Computer Setup 36
removal and replacement 26 optical drive 23
F10 Setup 36
memory module storage device 24
flash drive 51
illustrated 6 removing personal data from
general 36
mouse volatile system memory 95
hard drive 41
cleaning 8, 11, 14 restoring 92
hardware installation 46
problems 45 RJ-45 (network) jack (AMT enabled),
internet access 52 identifying 4
keyboard 45 RJ-45 (network) jack, identifying 4
N
memory 50
network jack, identifying 4 mouse 45 S
network problems 48 network 48
safety precautions
nonvolatile memory 95 power 40
cleaning 8, 11
numeric error codes 75 printer 44
SATA
software 53
O connectors on system board 16
processor
data cable pinouts 16
operating guidelines 8, 11 illustrated 6
hard drive characteristics 16
optical drive removal and replacement 32
screws, correct size 8, 14, 15
illustrated 7
Index 109
Security menu, Computer Setup 60
serial number location 4
service considerations 8, 14
Setup password 84
slots
memory card reader 2
microSD memory card reader 2
software
problems 53
servicing computer 8, 14
solid-state drive
illustrated 7
specifications
computer 104
specifications, product 5
static electricity 8
storage device
removal 24
system board
illustrated 6
SATA connectors 16
system memory, removing personal
data from volatile 95
system restore 93
system restore point, creating 92
T
temperature control 8, 11
tools, servicing 8, 14
Torx T15 screwdriver 8, 14
troubleshooting without
diagnostics 35
U
USB SuperSpeed port with HP Sleep
and Charge, identifying 2
USB SuperSpeed port,
identifying 2, 4
USB Type-C ports, identifying 2
using Computer Setup Utilities 55
V
ventilation, proper 8, 11
W
Windows
backup 92
recovery media 92
system restore point 92
Windows tools, using 92
110 Index

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Maintenance and Service Guide

Document Part Number: 932089-004

2 Illustrated parts catalog................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 6

3 Routine care, drive guidelines, and disassembly preparation........................................................................................................................... 8

4 Removal and replacement procedures............................................................................................................................................................................18

5 Troubleshooting without diagnostics................................................................................................................................................................................ 35

6 Computer Setup (F10) Utility .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 55

7 POST error messages ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................75

8 Password security and resetting CMOS........................................................................................................................................................................84

9 Using HP PC Hardware Diagnostics ..................................................................................................................................................................................86

10 Backing up, restoring, and recovering............................................................................................................................................................................ 92

11 Statement of memory volatility............................................................................................................................................................................................ 95

12 Power cord set requirements.............................................................................................................................................................................................. 102

14 Linux technical notes ................................................................................................................................................................................................................105

This chapter provides you with an overview of your computer's features.

Item Icon Component Item Icon Component

1 Power button 5 USB SuperSpeed port

2 Drive light 6 USB Type-C ports (2)

USB SuperSpeed port with HP Sleep

Table 1-2 Front tower components and their descriptions

Item Icon Component Item Icon Component

1 Power button 4 USB SuperSpeed port with HP Sleep and

2 Drive light 5 USB SuperSpeed ports (3)

2 Chapter 1 Computer features

Table 1-3 Left components and their descriptions

1 Access panel handle

2 Access panel lock (select products only)

Item Icon Component Item Icon Component

1 Power button* 9 Power supply Built-In Self-Test (BIST) light

2 Audio-in (microphone) jack 10 Power connector

3 Audio-out (headphone) jack 11 Security lock loop

4 P/S keyboard jack 12 Ethernet ports (2; select products only)

5 USB SuperSpeed ports (6) 13 P/S mouse jack

6 RJ-45 (network) jack 14 PCIe card release latches

7 RJ-45 (network) jack (AMT enabled) 15 Security cable slot

8 PCIe slots (7)

* The power light status is as follows:

● Blinking white: The hard drive is being accessed.

● On: The computer is on.

Serial number location

4 Chapter 1 Computer features

Computer major components

Table 2-1 Computer major components and their descriptions

(1) Heat sink

(3) Memory modules (4)

(4) Access panel

(5) PCIe card

(6) Rear fan

(7) Memory fan

(8) System board

(9) Front card guide and fan

(10) Memory fan duct

6 Chapter 2 Illustrated parts catalog

(12) Power supply

(13) Optical drive

(14) Hard drive (3.5 in)

(15) Drive carrier

(16) Front I/O assembly

(17) Hard drive (2.5 in)

(18) Solid-state drive