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    *Compaq CQ41 Owners Lounge*

    Discussion in 'HP' started by User Retired 2, Sep 25, 2010.

  1. User Retired 2

    User Retired 2 Notebook Nobel Laureate NBR Reviewer

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    Welcome to the CQ41 Owner's Lounge! A place to liase with other owners and share useful tips/tricks/mods to get the most satisfying user experience. Examples below: [​IMG] [​IMG]
    OS, drivers and disassembly BIOS/DMI modifications
    • BIOS emergency recovery process: in case you have a flash gone bad.
    • modded F.0C bios: 750/900 HD4350/HD4550 gpu overclock, fastboot enabled, decreased IGP from 256MB to 128MB (works on CQ41 and DV4).

    Tools​
    • HP DMIFIT 2C10 Utility: change the red Compaq bios bootup logo to the stylish HP logo by deleting Presario in the model string, ie: Compaq <strike>Presario</strike> CQ41 Notebook PC. Use 'hpbc280 /wz' to unlock the Advanced menu where can do many DMI changes, eg: enable SLIC2.1 by changing OS from non-Vista to Win7.
    • ezh2o 2.1.0.13: change hidden Insyde bios parameters like fan speed/trip points.
    • PhoenixTool: modify bios internals. eg: swap the 450Mhz HD4350 vbios with the 550Mhz HD4550 vbios.
    Overclocking Improve battery life: the 2hr battery life is due to the CCFL-backlit LCD, HD4350 and 7200rpm HDD and low-capacity 48Whr 6-cell battery.
    • disable LAN and modem in Device Manager. Use power saver profile with HDD spundown after 1min. Turn down LCD brightness to lowest+3 notches.
    • KS526AA 12-cell 96Whr will double battery life. Aftermarket 112Whr unit extending that further.
    • SSD+HDD: swap the optical drive with a US$20 Fenvi 12.7mm sata caddy to host a SSD or additional HDD.
    • LED backlit LCD: improves battery life and increases brightness. Would require a DV3 LCD cable, LED inverter and LED-backlit LCD. LED-backlit LCDs tend to be thinner so would need padding to provide a gapless bezel fit.
    Other hardware mods/upgrades
    • bluetooth: just attach an ebay CQ45/DV4 BT module to the connector labelled BT.
    • DIY ViDock: x2 1.0 GTX470/HD5750 equipped CQ41 via mPCIe slots for much faster gaming graphics.
    • backlit keyboard: mod a DV3 backlit keyboard to fit by moving screw posts OR fit the top part of the DV3 keyboard onto a CQ41 keyboard base. Solder connector to KB BKLT pads and connect backlight ribbon cable.
    Switchable graphics? - cannot be enabled via a bios mod, as the multiplexer chip has not been added to the board.

    CQ41 i3/i5+HD4350 systemboard details

    Physical inspection finding the other connectors below are missing, with just solderable pads to add them on the CQ41 590329-001 systemboard. Appears the connectors are on the DV4-2000 590349-001 systemboard.
    • keyboard backlight (pads only)
    • SIM card slot (pads only)
    • second mPCIe slot (pads only)
    • power on/off (pads only)
    • expresscard slot (pads only)
    • docking connector (pads only)
    • multibay sata port(pads only)
    		 [​IMG]
    CQ41 uses a Compal LA-4107P systemboard. OPP@=CQ41, PA@=DV4. Schematic supplied by laptopdesktopschematic.
    Mix and match: using CQ45 and/or DV4 parts

    Appearance: glam up a CQ41 with a DV4 blue or white LCD rear cover and DV4 glossy bezel.

    Expresscard functionality: If prepared to solder an expresscard cage onto the empty pads then the CQ45 base could provide the chassis cutout needed to access it. Or could use a coping saw or boxcutter to make a warranty-voiding small cutout.

    CQ45 volume/power touchpanel: physically it would fit, just need to check if the CQ41 and CQ45 share the same pinouts. The CQ41 would need another socket soldered on for the the power on/off if it was possible.

    Using DV4-2000 systemboard: note docking connector require bottom chassis cutouts to accomodate them OR those parts could be soldered off to fit into a CQ41 bottom chassis. If swapping out for the Intel HD graphics (UMA) model then a different heatsink assembly, pn 591957-001, is required. Also need a multibay adapter for the optical drive. Expresscard cage looks like would fit within the chassis, though couldn't use any devices cabled externally without creating a cutout for access.

    Systemboards pics: dv4-2000 (HD4550: 590349-001), CQ41-100 (UMA: 590330-001)

    Related schematics

    CQ41-200 or DV4-2000 (Discrete), CQ40, DV4-1000 (UMA), DV4-1000 (Discrete), CQ45 (Discrete).
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    Last edited by a moderator: May 7, 2015
    User Retired 2, Sep 25, 2010
    #1