*HP ProBook 4430s & 4530s Owners Lounge!*

Welcome to the 4430s and 4530s Owner's Lounge! This is a place to congregate with other owners and share useful tips/tricks/modifications for these laptop models.

 

In case your 4430s laptop is like mine and the USB 3.0 port is not labeled/differentiated on the laptop itself, it is the USB port on the left side of the laptop closest to the HDMI port. I couldn't find any documentation on this in the laptop help files or the sparse "documentation" that came with my laptop but I did find it in the downloadable service manual you can get off the HP support site.

 

Which one do you have? Can you post some pics? The color of the laptop looks a little bronzeish or pinkish, is it a normal grey color or is like the older pavilions with the argento finish? I was on the fence about about a 4430s or a edge 14, but now am inbtween the 4430s and the pavilion dm4. The reason I dropped the edge from consideration was hands on with it at office depot. It looked great online and has roots from the thinkpad line that would lead me to believe it was a tank, but in person it looked cheap and even felt cheap. I'm hoping the 4430s is sturdy.

 

I have the 4430s. The color isn't as gold as the dm4. It is kind like a gunmetal with a hint of bronze. It is brushed aluminum or something over a plastic frame. I looked at the dm4 but bagged it 1) because the OfficeMax people had three in the back but wouldn't put one on display so I couldn't go hands and eyes on for an evaluation (but they would let me take it home to open it up and then charge 15% to return it if I didn't like what I saw when I opened it!) and 2) because the dm4 I was looking at didn't have USB 3.0, bluetooth, spill resistant keyboard, etc.

The build is more solid than the last dm4 I saw/touched a few weeks ago (last generation model with the first generation Sandy Bridge) but it isn't built like a T series ThinkPad. More like one of the Thinkpad lines below that. The 4430s also doesn't cost what a T series costs either. I think it is a good value compromise. Time will tell.

 

>>2) because the dm4 I was looking at didn't have USB 3.0, bluetooth, spill resistant keyboard, etc.<<

Also, the ProBook has a 7200 rpm drive.

 

Does the 4430s look and fell thin or thick and clunky? It looks thin to me in online pics. Compare it to the dm4, I just got some hands on with it at bestbuy yesterday.

 

It is about the same as the dm4. Look at the side pictures on the HP site. Both of these laptops are a bit deceiving with the beveled sides that angle down to second level of base/chassis. I wouldn't call it thick and chunky like some of the lower level Dell and Lenovos but it isn't super svelte like the super expensive business class machines.

 

Well, either way I go it will be lighter and thinner than the g73sw I'm toting around. My wrist is beginning to hurt by picking it up with one hand and I'm 6'3" 280 lbs. lol

 

Oh! One more question and possibly the most important for me. The touchpad! I just got back from bestbuy after playing with the dm4 and noticed that the touchpad was pretty small. Is the touchpad on the 4430s bigger than the dm4? It looks big in pics, but so did the dm4's touchpad.

 

What's the battery life like on the 4430s?

 

I'm looking at this laptop for college in the fall and have a couple of questions for you owners. How is the portability of this laptop, how do you think it will handle being carried throughout campus all the time?

 

Just ordered a 4430s from tigerdirect. With 2 day shipping it came out to $535. I'll post pics and unboxing pics/vid when it comes and a review in a week or so. I'll probably wipe and reload the os too. Here's what I ordered:

HP ProBook 4430s XU012UT Notebook PC - Intel Core i3-2310M 2.10GHz, 4GB DDR3, 320GB HDD, DVDRW, 14 Display, Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit at TigerDirect.com

 

You get a bonus since you don't live in a state for which Tigerdirect collects sales tax. I am not a big fan of tigerdirect, and since the addition of tax would make it the about the same price as buy.com which has a great return policy, I just ordered through buy.com. At $535, I think that is about the best "value" in a 14" laptop right now. Keep your fingers crossed that your laptop doesn't get abused by the shipper!

 

Yea, this will be my first experience with tiger. I usually go the egg route, but theirs was 570 and I have to pay tax in Tennessee since they have a facility in Memphis. Fingers crossed.

 

We've just taken delivery of a batch of 4330s laptops, not strictly part of this thread but it is the 13.3" version of the same laptop. I have taken one as an upgrade of my 6730b. Initial impressions:

Build quality isn't as good.

Keyboard has a raised part on the left and a dip on the right - I've seen this on the old Dell XPS M1530, on that model it was caused by the cables not being in their runners and pushing the keyboard upwards.

The right-hand hinge on the screen isn't fitted straight, it's sort of on the skew.

Keyboard feels a bit cheap and tinny.

Exterior 'brushed aluminium' looks and feels more like painted plastic and I can see it getting scratched quite easily.

I would have considered these defects a one-off, but considering the entire batch is the same (albeit with raised bits of keyboard in different areas, and the hinge skewed at different angles and on differing sides) it just looks like shoddy workmanship.

In fairness to HP the 's' is the budget brand and their p and w range are most likely better built, as is the Elitebook. That said, these cost £600 a go and if I'd bought it myself, it would have gone straight back to them.

No wonder Apple are doing so well. Over-priced and elitist they might be, but at least they know how to screw their kit together properly.

 

So, jcannon1018, what do you think of your 4430s now that you have had it for a few days? I have not used mine all that much so far but for_the_money I think it is a pretty good unit. When they start dropping in price after they have been on the market for a while, they will be an even better deal.

I looked at my keyboard and it isn't like the 4330 described. It may have about a 1 mm variation from one side to the other and so far it feels as solid as a typical decent laptop. The hinges seem straight.

The screen is fine but probably the weakest link in my opinion. It is not bad but it is not great either. Just OK although comparable to most of the other non-glare screens I have seen in this class and size. Since it is the non-glare type, it doesn't have the pop/color depth/sharpness of the Tru Brite screens (or whatever they are called). The no-glare is an advantage for most of my uses but after coming from the Tru Brite you kind of miss the saturated colors that pop and better contrast. I wish it was capable of a bit more brightness too. It is a tradeoff. Some people want a higher resolution screen. Not me. Any higher resolution would just make things too small for my eyes. I also wish that the wireless card was a multi stream MIMO type for better range.

I saw a 14" Sony at Fry's for $899 with an i5 and all the bells and whistles that was really nice and MacBook-like (including a back lit keyboard which I really would like). For my use, and considering how fast laptop technology gets outdated, I can't justify 50% more in price though.

 

I like it. Its a satisfying laptop. I wasn't amazed by anything, but I am a very picky person when it comes to laptops. I haven't found any of the flaws mentioned for the 4330s. The build quality is good, not great. Its above par when compared to similarly priced laptops. The palmrest has zero flex to it. I would even go as far to say as it is as strong as my wife's macbook pro 13. Pushing down on the palmrest shows zero flex. The lid is quite strong and sturdy as well are the hinges. The duracoat finish truly does hold up to fingerprints and smudges.

Weaknesses I found were the area above the dvd drive, which is a weakness to all but a handful of laptops. The area does give quite a bit. Picking the laptop up while open on this side causes creaking and movement of the plastic surrounding the area. The screen isn't very bright, I find myself setting the brightness to full, unless in a dark room. The keyboard fells solid and is very nice to type on. Its only weakness is near the dvd drive where it will flex a little under slight pressure.

Things I love about it are how cool that laptop runs. This laptop is never hot and only gets luke warm under stress. Its also very quiet. Even under full load I cant hear the fans. After calibrating the battery and letting the HP power assistant perform its data gathering after a fresh install I get around 5-6 hours of battery life while browsing the internet at 50% brightness. Currently as I'm typing this I'm at 2 hours and 58 minutes with 50% charge. The maintenance panel is very nice, but the plastic on the bottom feels cheap and thin.

Things I hate about it. There's no option to have the laptop to wake from sleep via keyboard or mouse or simply by opening the lid of the laptop. Its constrained to the power button. When I open the laptop I must press the power button to wake it from sleep. The touchpad itself is great, but the buttons are very stiff and a complaint I've had with HP laptops for years.

Overall, I'm quite happy with my purchase and its well worth the $530 I paid for it and I'm confident I could not have found a better deal in a 14 inch model. The overall design is great. You can look at it and tell there was a lot of thought that went into designing the layout of this laptop. I'll be writing up a thorough review in a week or so with plenty of pictures.

Anyone know of a replacement for the finger print software. HP security manager requires a password to be made to log into the laptop which isn't necessary for me and is quite an annoyance. I just want to use the fingerprint reader for storing web based passwords for firefox.

 

>> after a fresh install<<

I wish I had researched enough to learn about the limited recovery or whatever it is called that installs Win7 and the drivers but not the cr@pware. I just read about that a few days ago but now I have spent hours installing all of my software and trying to manually clean the cr@pware so I don't want to start all over again.

>> while browsing the internet at 50% brightness. <<

Heh... you must be working in a dark cave at 50%

>> The maintenance panel is very nice, but the plastic on the bottom feels cheap and thin.<<

Agreed on both accounts. That panel is very thin and I am worried I am going to break something trying to get it to pop open each time but it sure does provide fast access to the internals and cleaning the dust bunnies will be much easier on this laptop compared to my old HP dv series.

>>There's no option to have the laptop to wake from sleep via keyboard or mouse or simply by opening the lid of the laptop.<<

I was looking for a way to do this too.

>>Anyone know of a replacement for the finger print software.<<

Please post if you find one!

>> HP security manager requires a password to be made to log into the laptop<<

This annoys me too.

Have you investigated the included encryption software? I am curious how efficient it is compared to TrueCrypt which doesn't slow a laptop down much at all. I have used TrueCrypt (freeware) with great results for years and am trying to decide if I want to go with it on this machine. I also need to investigate the lojack software.

 

Lol, yea at 50% brightness its barely tolerable. I haven't messed around with any of the hp security software, do I know nothing about the drive encryption software. I have had experiences with lojack. Its quite useful if you don't mind paying for the service and are worried that your laptop may get stolen. I had it on my studio xps 16 and setup lojack to rack ts whereabouts and was able to track online its location.

Ive tried using hp simplepass, but it wont work right. Ive also tried hp's consumer grade digital persona software, but I believe they use different finger print readers in there consumer laptops as the software couldn't find a valid driver for the finger print reader.

Where you as impressed with how cool and quiet the laptop runs as I was?

 

It certainly runs cooler than my old dv6xxx series that fried its own video chip! So far, I haven't had any times where I thought it was overly hot during normal use. It was pretty warm during all the installs and updates but that heat was probably the hard drive as much as anything. Since this is kind of my backup PC and thus doesn't get used much, I really haven't used it enough in varying conditions to make a good judgement about heat performance. I haven't seen any reference to HP's CoolSense technology when it comes to the ProBooks, so I guess they don't have it. Then again, CoolSense sounded like common sense turned into a selling point by the marketing people.

I see that the computer uses a Validity Sensor VFS471 for a fingerprint reader. It sounds like they rely on manufacturer's to develop their own apps. Did you see this at the Validity site:

"Validity Sensor's Windows 7 Biometric Framework (WBF) software includes a version of DigitalPersona Windows 7 Fingerprint Management application. Installing this software on a system with a supported Validity USB fingerprint sensor will only enable Windows 7 logon functionality. This application does not support web and application passwords."

In other words, they wrote this one basic software app and the rest is up to the manufacturer. Unfortunately, it doesn't sound like that app is going to meet your needs.

 

Do these laptops actually support Lightscribe? I don't see any lightscribe software installed. I did find a lightscribe function in the AcrSoft shovelware but it doesn't seem to work. According to the buy.com site and the HP .pdf for these computers, these laptops should do lightscribe (FWIW, the drive is an HP GT31L):

Buy.com - HP ProBook 4430s XU012UT 14" LED Notebook - Core i3 i3-2310M 2.1GHz - 1366 x 768 WXGA Display - 4 GB RAM - 320 GB HDD - DVD-Writer LightScribe - Intel GMA HD 3000 - Bluetooth - Webcam - Windows 7 Home Premium - 6 Hour Battery - HDMI

http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/pscm...ProBook_4430s_4530s_Notebook_PC_Datasheet.pdf

 

For some reason, HP does not install or provide the drivers/software for Lightscribe. You have to download and install it yourself:
LightScribe - Downloads - Windows

You can then use the Arcsoft Total Media Suite label maker already on your laptop to burn the label onto the DVD surface or this software from Lightscribe to create the labels:
LightScribe - Downloads - Windows

 

In regard to my previous enquiry about the included encryption software, the following .pdf is helpful. It is a few years old but I think it is still pretty applicable and a good overview:
http://www.mcafee.com/us/resources/misc/ds-hp-protect-tools.pdf

A wiki that compares many encryption packages. The McAfee/HP solution and Truecrypt are disscussed along with many others:
Comparison of disk encryption software - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

If you want a good discussion/manual for the many different HP Protection features, look for 638391-001a.pdf on your hard drive. On my PC, it was located at:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Hewlett-Packard\Documentation\HP ProtectTools - 638391-xx1a\638391-001a.pdf

 

I backed up the swsetup folder and wiped the c: drive, so I don't have that anymore. The factory install was terrible, it wouldn't go into sleep, 60% of memory was being used, over 90 processes and the touchpad wasn't working right. After a fresh install, 2 seconds to sleep mode upon closing the lid, 30% of memory is being used, 60 processes and touchpads fine. The computer is also one of the quicker laptops in terms of waking from sleep that Ive owned.

 

>>>> HP security manager requires a password to be made to log into the laptop<<

A word of warning for anyone looking to explore the HP Protect Tools wizard - one of the first things it does is tell you that you need to set up a windows user account password. You can't proceed until you do this. I thought, ok, no big deal because I can always go cancel the user account password later. WRONG. Not with the primary administer account. You will get an error when you try. There are a couple of workarounds on the net to negate this but they don't work on any version of Win 7 version of Home Premium or below because the necessary modules are not made available.

I hate being required to log on to Windows every time, especially if there is already a boot login required at startup due to encryption software. The only workaround I have found so far is to use netplwiz and turn off/uncheck the general requirement that users must login each time. Here is a bit more information: Log On Automatically at Startup - Windows 7 Forums

 

So will that bypass the requirement of a password at login entirely? Ill be able to use protectsmart tools without interference? If so, that solves my problem. I want to be able to use the protect smart tools, but without the need to pass through the login screen every time I use my machine.

 

I can't confirm you can do that because I haven't gone any farther with the protect tools set up. After you go through that initial setup of the windows password, then you set up the spare key (or skip it), then you come to another screen that has the choice for Windows log on security, drive encryption and then boot up authentication. I didn't have time to fully read up about whatever the Windows log on security. After the recent password hassle I am hesitant to implement anything until I have a bit of background if possible. The pdf is 117 pages and I have not had time to read that much of it. It should be pretty easy to reverse the automatic log on procedure I referenced in my last email if that causes problems with the HP Protect but then you would be back to the hassle of the log on each time too.

 

Unless I am missing something, it seems the Lo Jack/Computrace (basically the same company in regard to laptop recovery software) offered in the security panel is just a link to buy an annual subscription. There isn't even a stripped down free option. The cheapest plan is very stripped down and costs $28.89 for one year. The reviews on Amazon.com for Lo Jack/Computrace are something you might want to read before you buy.

FWIW, this article has links to some interesting free laptop tracking software but it seems each has its own drawbacks:
Laptop Theft Protection : Software List

 

I'll be buying a 4530s very soon so can any of you say something that will change my mind? Like it's overheating etc? Thanks

 

Screen brightness isn't as good as it could be. Runs cool as a cucumber.

 

If you are going for a 4530s, set up a folder of bookmarks to check each day at the major HP sellers's sites. There have recently been some really good deals on that model. Newegg had it for $450 a few weeks ago.

 

I see you can get the Probook 4530 with a 9 cell battery. Does this battery stick out the rear or bottom?

 

I'm not sure, I haven't seen this series with the 9 cell. I would assume it does since almost every manufacturer designs then that way now. I miss the days when the battery was extended from the rear and not the bottom. My experience with 9 cell battery's that protrude from the bottom is that they don't fit comfortably into a backpack or sleeve.

 

From the HP page for the 4430s:

"The HP ProBook 4430s and 4530s offer a choice of a 6-cell battery with HP Fast Charge or a longer-life 9-cell battery, and the HP ProBook 4730 features an 8-cell battery—all designed to meet the needs of mobile professionals."

Battery type
9-cell (93 WHr) Li-Ion
6-cell (47 WHr) Li-Ion
Battery life
9-cell: up to 12 hours and 15 minutes
6-cell: up to 6 hours

When you navigate the accessory page, it takes you to the standard battery size but not the higher capacity one. I tried looking at the specification comparison chart but could not find one that listed 93WHr so maybe it is not available yet?

 

I just looked at the .pdf specification sheet for the 4430s and 4530s and it says:

"Power 9-cell (93-WHr) Lithium-Ion battery (4530s only), 6-cell (47-WHr) Lithium-Ion battery; 65W HP Smart AC Adapter; HP Fast Charge"

Then I tried an online configuration and it offered the 9 cell as an option and didn't give me an error when I added a 4430s laptop with that configuration to the online cart.

Go figure...

 

Newegg has the HP ProBook 4530s for $459 and free shipping.

I just ordered one as its the best specifications for the money that I could find and most here say it runs cool. . .

 

It says something when (at least as of today) the newegg ratings for both the 4430s and the 4530s are 5 stars considering Newegg customers are a pretty skeptical group overall.

I see the 4430s dropped $30 on newegg compared to a few days ago. Still not as cheap as some of the other online places IF you live in a state where they don't have to collect your sales tax.

 

The HP ProBook 4530s i3-2310 7200 rpm 320gb HDD 4gb memory is a bargain in a basic laptop.

I like that HP installed a single 4gb memory module which makes upgrading to 8gb cost efficient.

No tools are needed to access the back panel, just remove the battery and slide the panel off for access to everything ; )

The usb 3.0 port is on the left side next to the HDMI port ; )

I spent the evening updating windows 7 and configuring windows 7 to my liking.

First I installed ccleaner and edited and disabled unwanted startup programs. Then used w7 programs and features to uninstall norton and msoffice. Then I installed Malwarebyes and Avira anti-virus, open office, imgburn, ifranview, vlc media player, autoruns, cpuid ; )

This laptop runs cool and efficient. I only wish for a lighted keyboard.

 

>>The HP ProBook 4530s i3-2310 7200 rpm 320gb HDD 4gb memory is a bargain in a basic laptop.<<

Yeah, $449 seems to be the going price right now and that is quite the deal.

>>I like that HP installed a single 4gb memory module which makes upgrading to 8gb cost efficient.<<

Make sure to get a matched type of memory. I have had problems when memory modules are not matched. Mine has a Micron module but unfortunately I don't see any good prices on that right now.

 

I added a 2gb leftover from my dell xps 17 upgrade running 6gb now no problems. I ordered a 4gb gskill 13333 10600 $26.99 to take it 8 gb ; )

 

I am glad to hear mixing and matching has worked well for you.

I wish I had pulled the trigger on the GSkill 8 gb deal a week or two ago but earlier this morning was looking at the 8 gb deal for $55 with free shipping. The GSkill memory gets good ratings. Have you used it previously and had good luck?

To minimize the chance of problems, I may just go with the 8 GB and sell my 4GB to someone who wants a matched module to upgrade to 8GB.

 

I've used GSkill memory in several PCs and Laptops now without a problem. Also mixed different brands without a problem. Mixing different brand memory isn't a problem these days as under service contract I have no control over what the vendor uses to replace memory or other hardware. Backup often ; )

 

I used to work on a computer repair store and gskill was the memory of choice for customer upgrades. It was cheap and I never had any duds or problems out of them.

 

Yea, Ive seen in allot of the laptops that Ive owned/worked on recently with 6Gb configs that the manufacturer almost always had a mixed pair from different manufactures. A couple I saw even had a 4 gig stick at 1333Mhz and a a 2 gig stick at 1066Mhz. I assume they had a deal on the 4 gig sticks and are trying to kill off the leftover 2 gig sticks lol.

 

When I worked in a computer "store" we had to install the individual ic's (36) (640k) in the motherboard : ) If a pin was missed or bent it was pia to find the ic : ( At one point the ic's were $11 each! I actually go back farther but anyway it was a while ago ; )

I am amazed by the size and price of computers these days.

 

Lol, old school...

 

Ok, you two have convinced me to go with just a 4GB G.Skill module for the upgrade Off to the newegg site to order...

 

I,m going with the 8gig kit myself and Im throwing the 4 gig stick from the 4430s into my wifes macbook pro. She only has 2 gigs in it.

 

I wonder what HP is going to do for software to run the fingerprint reader now that digitalpersona is abandoning support for the product installed on our laptops. Apparently, DP stopped development before Firefox 4 was released so that is a while ago. I am surprised HP still includes the DP software. I hope whatever HP decides to use for the future that they make it backward compatible and available for our laptops. I just saw some statistics indicating about 42% of web users use Firefox (more than any other browser listed) so it is really lame that HP isn't providing a compatible software. Signing on to your websites with a single finger swipe is pretty cool. Being forced to use IE as a browser is not...