BIOS update fail

[Haroon92]

I was updating a HP 15, but before the the update was completed the computer blanked out and the capslock and F12 led keeps flashing.

Any solution to recover the bios? Thanks

 

[Porthos]

I cant help you but ........#1 rule about bios updates is not to do them unless absolutely needed.

You will be spending lots of unbillable time and money to correct this all the way to replacement of the laptop considering your location.

Others will chime in soon, Good luck.

 

[Markverhyden]

Service manuals can sometimes help.

 

[sapphirescales]

Newer HP's have a BIOS recovery option. I think you have to write the actual BIOS image to a Fat32 formatted flash drive and boot it up while holding down the Windows key + B or something. I rarely have to do this as I rarely update the BIOS on computers anymore. Check out the service manual for the individual model to see what recovery options are available and what you have to do in order to write the flash drive properly.

 

[Diggs]

Unfortunately (fortunately?) it's one of the only ways to "brick" a computer.

 

[Larry Sabo]

Why were you updating the BIOS? Was the laptop having intermittent motherboard problems?

 

[GTP]

Have you tried the simple trick of removing the CMOS battery for a couple of hours?
Hold down the power switch for 30 sec after removing it.
Make sure the battery and PSU are disconnected first.

 

[frase]

Or a CMOS jumper short

 

[fencepost]

I do tend to update BIOS, particularly on business-class machines where I'd really like any available patches to the Intel Management Engine applied.

 

[JoeTech]

I know that you can download the bios update from HP's website on a different pc and when you run it, it will give you to option to make a recovery device to recover the bios. I haven't had to do it, but I have had to update the bios on several HP probook laptops and seen that option when doing it. I usually only update the bios if it is required to upgrade to the latest build of windows 10. Otherwise I don't like to risk it.

 

[Your PCMD]

@sapphirescales gave you the answer. Dammit....

 

[Haroon92]

Why were you updating the BIOS? Was the laptop having intermittent motherboard problems?

No. I wasn't updating by choice. I was using windows update to update it, but before the update was finished it went black and capslock and f12 keys started flashing, but my guess was that it was updating the bios automatically, but failed, and after that it's just stuck like that.

 

[Haroon92]

Have you tried the simple trick of removing the CMOS battery for a couple of hours?
Hold down the power switch for 30 sec after removing it.
Make sure the battery and PSU are disconnected first.

I didn't, but I will.

 

[Porthos]

I was using windows update to update it

I have never seen windows update offer to update a BIOS.

 

[Haroon92]

I have never seen windows update offer to update a BIOS.

I have never it either, but what else could have put it in such a state that the bios is gone after an update?

 

[JustMe]

I have never seen windows update offer to update a BIOS.

Windows Update will update the firmware for the Microsoft Surface Pro and Microsoft Surface Book. While this is not a BIOS update, it is a system firmware update.

 

[NJW]

it went black and capslock and f12 keys started flashing

Almost certainly a hardware (motherboard) failure. If you didn't check the fan and cooling system (clean, dust-free; good thermal paste), it has probably cooked itself with the extra load of doing the updates.

Check the actual flashing light codes: HP flashing light & beep codes.

... but what else could have put it in such a state that the bios is gone after an update?

The BIOS hasn't gone – the laptop is failing POST.

 

[Markverhyden]

I have never seen windows update offer to update a BIOS.

I have never it either, but what else could have put it in such a state that the bios is gone after an update?

I've seen it happen with W10 and HP and Dell. But it was not within the actual Windows update if I remember correctly. It was within the OEM software update package and also did show the M$ updates. So it may leverage WSUS as part of it's own OEM software update.

 

[HFultzjr]

I have never seen windows update offer to update a BIOS.

Ditto........................

 

[Haroon92]

I've seen it happen with W10 and HP and Dell. But it was not within the actual Windows update if I remember correctly. It was within the OEM software update package and also did show the M$ updates. So it may leverage WSUS as part of it's own OEM software update.

Ok, maybe. But did you resolved it?