Installing Microsoft Windows 10 on an HP ProBook or EliteBook Notebook PC

1 Executive Summary

This white paper provides instructions for installing the 64-bit versions of Microsoft® Windows® 10 operating systems (OSs) along with applicable HP drivers and applications on supported HP EliteBook and HP ProBook Notebook PC models. Windows 10 is the latest client operating system from Microsoft. It features a modern user interface while maintaining all of the compatibility, manageability, and security features for which Windows is known.

Target audience: This white paper is intended for IT staff.

2 System Requirements and Prerequisites

64-bit Windows 10 minimum hardware requirements are available at http://www.microsoft.com.

2.1 Preinstalled Models

• EliteBook Folio 1040 G2
• EliteBook Folio 1020 G1
• EliteBook 850 G2
• EliteBook 840 G2
• EliteBook 820 G2
• EliteBook 755 G2
• EliteBook 745 G2
• EliteBook 725 G2
• ProBook 655 G1
• ProBook 645 G1
• ProBook 650 G1
• ProBook 640 G1
• ProBook 470 G2
• ProBook 455 G2
• ProBook 450 G2
• ProBook 445 G2
• ProBook 440 G2
• ProBook 430 G2

WARNING: Before proceeding with the installation of Windows, you should back up all personal data, such as files, photos and videos. If not backed up, your personal data will be lost.

2.2 Requirements & Prerequisites

The following items are needed to install Windows 10:

• A supported HP business notebook PC model with DPK injected, Retail Key or KMS server with Volume License (VL)
• Windows OS recovery media provided by HP; if you are using media from an alternate source, consider the following:
  
  • A product ID (PID)¹ will be required
  • NOTE: The HP OS Media only contains the default key, so if DPK is not injected in the BIOS then that key will be required
• Booting to Window Preinstallation Environment (WinPE) for hard-drive formatting or other activities requires WinPE 4.0
• Access to Drivers/OS enhancements provided by HP
  
  • HP SoftPaq Download Manager (www.hp.com/go/sdm)
  • High speed Internet access (www.hp.com)

IMPORTANT: Make sure you have the latest compatible versions of drivers and enhancements (Tables 1-8). In addition, you must have a Microsoft operating system license for each system on which you install Windows 10 Pro. The Windows 10 Pro license allows you to use Windows 7 Professional, Windows 8.1 Pro, or Windows 10 Pro.

3 Installing the OS, Drivers, and Enhancements

This section provides guidelines for users performing a clean installation of Windows 10 on a supported HP business notebook PC.

For more information on installing Windows 10, refer to the Microsoft website at http://windows.microsoft.com/help.

3.1 Installation Steps

IMPORTANT: Follow the installation instructions in the order provided. Failure to complete these steps in the proper order can result in an unsuccessful or unstable installation. These instructions are independent of the operating system currently installed on the notebook PC.

1. Connect to AC power.
2. Depending on the particular Internet connection(s) being used, download the driver(s) for the network interface card and/or wireless LAN adapter driver. Save to a USB storage device or optical media. Contact your network administrator to properly set up the networking components of Windows 10.
3. Verify BIOS version per Appendix B. Update if necessary.
4. Verify the following in F10 Setup:
   
   • System Configuration>Boot Options>CD-ROM boot enabled
   • System Configuration>Boot Options>Boot Mode set to UEFI Native (without CSM)
   • Secure Boot should be set to On
5. Boot with the Windows OS recovery disk provided by HP; follow the on-screen instructions for installation.
   OS recovery media from HP does not require a product ID or key for installation on a supported HP business notebook PC.
6. It is best to have an Internet connection during the installation. This will allow connection to Windows Update (WU) to download the latest drivers.
7. Install HP Updates
   
   • Install the drivers and enhancements listed in Tables 1-8 as needed per platform using HP SoftPaq Download Manager (available from www.hp.com/go/sdm); alternatively, you can download individual SoftPaqs from the HP website.

For more information, refer to Appendix A: Using HP SoftPag Download Manager.

IMPORTANT: HP recommends you review your power management settings prior to using the notebook.

3.2 Drivers and Enhancements

The tables provided in this section list minimum recommended software versions for a range of HP EliteBook and ProBook models. The following priorities are specified:

• Name - Name of the supported deliverable
• Version - Recommended minimum version
• Softpaq - Recommended minimum Softpaq number

The Tables below list minimum recommended HP drivers and enhancements for Windows 10 Professional covering HP EliteBook and ProBook models listed below.

Table 1. Minimum recommended software versions for HP EliteBook 1040 G2

Table 2. Minimum recommended software versions for the HP EliteBook 820/840/850 G2

Table 3. Minimum recommended software versions for the HP EliteBook 725/745/755 G2

Table 4. Minimum recommended software versions for the HP EliteBook Folio 1020 G1

Table 5. Minimum recommended software versions for HP ProBook 430/440/450/470 G2

Table 6. Minimum recommended software versions for HP ProBook 445 / 455 G2

Table 7. Minimum recommended software versions for HP ProBook 645/655 G1

Table 8. Minimum recommended software versions for HP ProBook 640/650 G1

Appendix A: Using HP SoftPaq Download Manager

Using HP SoftPaq Download Manager to update the current platform

1. Boot the Windows OS.
2. Open Microsoft Internet Explorer.
3. Download and install HP SoftPaq Download Manager from www.hp.com/go/sdm. NOTE: .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 is required. Refer to Appendix D for details on installing .NET Framework.
4. Launch SoftPaq Download Manager.
5. When prompted, select Show software for this model only (Figure A-1).

NOTE: Use the Check software updates for this model option to automatically install the updates on the current system or to download SoftPaqs to install on systems similar to the current platform.

Figure A-1. SoftPaq Download Manager menu

HP SoftPaq Download Manager is an efficient way of obtaining software and drivers for HP business computer models.

Options include:

• Check software updates for this model.
• Show software for this model only.
• Show software for all supported models.
• Do not show this again

6. The current platform will automatically be displayed and selected in the Product Catalog window.

7. Select the desired SoftPaqs from the Available SoftPaqs list (Figure A-2).

Figure A-2. Available SoftPaqs list

Available SoftPaqs

8. After selecting the desired SoftPaqs, the following options are available in the Downloaded SoftPaqs window: Download Only, Download and Unpack or Download and Install (Figure A-3).

Figure A-3. Downloaded SoftPaqs window

Downloaded SoftPaqs

Options include:

• Download Only – this option will download all selected SoftPaqs to "C:\ProgramData\HP\HP SoftPaq Download Manager\SWDownload".
• Download and Unpack – this option will download all selected SoftPaqs to "C:\ProgramData\HP\HP SoftPaq Download Manager\SWDownload" and unpack each individual SoftPaq in a unique folder based on SP#: (i.e. \SPxxxxx).
• Download and Install - this option will download all selected SoftPaqs to "C:\ProgramData\HP\HP SoftPaq Download Manager\SWDownload" and then install each individual SoftPaq on the current system.

Using HP SoftPaq Download Manager to download SoftPaqs for multiple platforms

1. Download and install HP SoftPaq Download Manager from www.hp.com/go/sdm on any Windows based system.
2. Launch HP SoftPaq Download Manager
3. When prompted, select Show software for all supported models (Figure A-4).

Figure A-4. SoftPaq Download Manager menu

HP SDM is an efficient way of obtaining software and drivers for HP business computer models.

Options include:

• Check software updates for this model.
• Show software for this model only.
• Show software for all supported models.
• Do not show this again

4. Select the respective platforms in the Product Catalog window.

5. Select the appropriate Driver and Operating System Enhancement SoftPaqs from the Available SoftPaqs list (Figure A-5).

Figure A-5. Available SoftPaqs list

Available SoftPaqs

6. Prior to downloading the SoftPaqs, set your download preferences in the Configuration Options window (Figure A-6) accessed from the Tools menu (Tools Configuration Options).

Figure A-6. Download tab in Configuration Options window

Configuration Options

Download tab:

• Download Folder (SSM Filestore): C:\SoftPaq Download Directory
• Download Folder Options: Single Folder, Separate Folders by SoftPaq Names. (Note: Changing this setting does not affect the location of any previously downloaded SoftPaqs.)
• Preview: C:\SoftPaq Download Directory\spXXXXXX.exe

7. Additional customizations are available through the Unpack tab (Figure A-7).

Figure A-7. Unpack tab in Configuration Options window

Configuration Options

Unpack tab:

• Unpack Directory: C:\SoftPaq Download Directory
• Unpack Folder Options: Legacy Behavior (unpacks in Download Directory), Separate by SoftPaq IDs (unpacks in Unpack Directory), Separate Folders by SoftPaq Names (unpacks in Unpack Directory). (Note: Changing this setting does not affect the location of any previously unpacked SoftPaqs.)
• Unpack Preview: C:\SoftPaq Download Directory\<category>\<softpaq name>

Unpack Directory - this field allows the user to change the location where the SoftPaqs will be unpacked once they are downloaded.

Unpack Folder Options

• Legacy Behavior – this option will unpack all selected SoftPaqs in the Download Directory established on the Download tab (above). Unpack directory field will be locked.
• Separate by SoftPaq IDs - this option will unpack all selected SoftPaqs in the folder designated in the Unpack directory. Individual SoftPaqs will be unpacked in a unique folder based on SP# (i.e. \SPxxxxx) according to SoftPaq category (Driver – Video, Driver – Audio, etc.). Figure A-8 shows an example of this folder structure.

Figure A-8. Example of folder structure separated by SoftPaq IDs

Separate by SoftPaq Names – this option will unpack all selected SoftPaqs in the folder designated in the Unpack directory. Individual SoftPaqs will be unpacked in a unique folder based on SP Name (i.e. HP Universal Camera Driver) according to SoftPaq category (Driver – Video, Driver – Audio, etc.). Figure A-9 shows an example of this folder structure.

Figure A-9. Example of folder structure separated by SoftPaq Name

8. After selecting the desired SoftPaqs, the following options are available in the Downloaded SoftPaqs window: Download Only or Download and Unpack (Figure A-10).

Figure A-10. Downloaded SoftPaqs window

Downloaded SoftPaqs

Download Only – this option will download all selected SoftPaqs according to the settings established in the Download tab in the Configuration Options dialog. Default is Single Folder set to “C:\SoftPaqDownloadDirectory”.

Download and Unpack - this option will download all selected SoftPaqs according to the settings established in the Unpack tab in the Configuration Options dialog. Default is Legacy Behavior (unpack in Download directory) "C:\SoftPaqDownloadDirectory".

9. After downloading is complete, the SoftPaqs can either be installed directly or imported into your respective management solution.

For more technical information about using HP SoftPaq Download Manager, please refer to the User Guide at www.hp.com/go/sdm.

NOTE: Additional information is available via the SDM Support Forum (SDM -> Help -> Support Forum)

Appendix B: Minimum Required BIOS Versions

Checking BIOS Version

1. Shut down the PC.
2. Power up the PC.
3. Immediately after pressing the power button, press F1 when prompted to display System Information.
4. BIOS revision will be displayed in System Information list.

Updating BIOS

1. Connect to AC power and close all open applications.
2. Go to www.hp.com/go/support.
3. Click on Drivers & Software.
4. Enter your model number.
5. A list of models will be displayed. Click on your model.
6. Select the appropriate operating system.
7. Click on BIOS in the category list.
8. Click on the Download button.
9. Click on the run button and follow the onscreen instructions.

Appendix C: Windows 10 Product Guide

You can download a Windows 10 Product Guide from the Microsoft website using the following steps:

1. Go to www.microsoft.com/download.
2. Search on "Windows 10 Product Guide"

Appendix D: Installing .NET Framework 3.5 on Windows 10

Although .NET Framework 4.6 is included with Windows 10 and installed on your computer with the operating system, .NET Framework 3.5 is not automatically installed with Windows 10. Thus, to run applications that require .NET Framework 3.5 on a Windows 10 system, you must first enable this version using one of the following methods:

• Installing .NET Framework 3.5 on demand (that is, when an application that requires .NET Framework 3.5 finds that this version is not available).
• Using the Control Panel to enable .NET Framework 3.5.

These two options are outlined below; for more information, refer to: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh506443.aspx.

Important notes

• Use .NET Framework 3.5 for applications built for versions 3.5, 3.0, and 2.0.
• Installing a Windows language pack on Windows 10 before installing .NET Framework 3.5 causes the .NET Framework 3.5 installation to fail. Thus, you should install .NET Framework 3.5 before installing any Windows language packs.
• Windows CardSpace is not available with .NET Framework 3.5 on Windows 10.

Installing .NET Framework 3.5 on demand

If an application requires .NET Framework 3.5 but does not find this version enabled on your system, the message shown in Figure F-1 is displayed, either when you install the application or when you run it for the first time.

Figure F-1. Message box that allows you to install .NET Framework 3.5 on demand

Windows Features

An app on your PC needs the following Windows feature:

.NET Framework 3.5 (includes .NET 2.0 and 3.0)

Options:

• Install this feature
• Skip this installation

Your apps might not work correctly without this feature.

Tell me more about this feature

If you have an Internet connection, you can select Install this feature to enable .NET Framework 3.5.

Using the Control Panel to enable .NET Framework 3.5

You can also enable .NET Framework 3.5 yourself through the Control Panel. Select Control Panel > Programs and Features > Turn Windows features on or off, as shown in Figure F-2.

If you have an Internet connection, you can select the Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5.1 check box.

Figure F-2. Message box that allows you to turn on .NET Framework 3.5.1

Windows Features

Turn Windows features on or off

To turn a feature on, select its check box. To turn a feature off, clear its check box. A filled box means that only part of the feature is turned on.

List of features:

• Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services
• Hyper-V
• Internet Explorer 10
• Internet Information Services
• Internet Information Services Hostable Web Core
• Media Features
• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5.1
• Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5 Advanced Services
• Microsoft Message Queue (MSMQ) Server
• Network Projection
• Print and Document Services
• RAS Connection Manager Administration Kit (CMAK)

References

Microsoft .NET Framework

• http://www.microsoft.com/net/

Microsoft Windows 10 Compatibility Center

• http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/compatibility/en-us/CompatCenter/Home

HP Support & Drivers Page

• http://www.hp.com/go/support

HP & Windows 10 Page

• http://www8.hp.com/us/en/ads/windows10/business.html

For more information

To learn more about HP business notebooks, contact your local HP sales representative or visit www.hp.com/go/notebooks.

Sign up for updates: hp.com/go/getupdated

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Copyright 2015 HP Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.

Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.

4AA6-2538ENW, October 2015