Arggghh BIOS Hardware Lock-ins!

[Dos_Box]

I'm currently trialling a rather nice HP Probook 5310m curtesy of ICT Direct as a replacement for my rather cumbersome and very short battery lifed Lenovo SL500. I'm very impressed so far, right up until this evening when I tried to transplant the Ericsson WWAN module over to it. All of the connetors fitted fine, it's just nothing was detected by Windows, and on closer insection teh BIOS too. It turns out you have to use HP's 'approved' devices (it's almost like owning a Mac this) which in this case is a Qualcomm Gobi 24xx series card. My questions are these:

 

1. Can I fit any Gobi 24xx card or will it have to be a HP 'chipped' type?

 

2. Would they also lock out non approved ISPs such as Vodaphone?

 

3. Where could I buy a Gobi 2400 or 2420 (apart from HP) in the UK (on eBay they are all from Chinese resellers..no thanks)?

[EduTech]

Sweet! you jammy person I have the HP Probok 4510s i know yours is the higher model but i can say these are very good machines! and i have been very impressed with mine

 

As for the card, bit of a bugger that to be honest i have never heard of a "Gobi 2400" no wonder they can only be brought from china! why have they made it that limited?

 

James.

[FN-GM]

it's almost like owning a Mac this

 

FYI the only thing apple will lock you on is the motherboard.

 

Other devices such as a WIFI device will work providing the manufacturer provides drivers.