Winflash bios download causing fan to run constantly at high speed

[garoc]

I began the HP recommended Winflash Bios download which has caused the fan to run at high speed constantly, before the download completed the Pavilion dv8 shut down and re started with a warning the computer overheated and the fan running at high speed. I disabled the fan in the bios but it made no difference. What I have noticed is when the computer restarts after hibernation the fan works correctly, also the computer continues to try to install the Winflash program which caused the problem in the first place but fails each time which I presume is caused by the first download also failed and is causing the problem. 

[Joe76000]

Hello Garoc and All DV8 owners,

Same issue is running here in Europe. Unfortunately you are not alone. I am now owning my 2nd DV8 a DV8-1190ef delivered 2 weeks ago with Bios F.13 and hopefuly still alive with same Bios version. I kept my 1st DV8-1090ef (Bios F.04 updated to F.12) for less than 2 weeks and back to HP due DV8 total freeze under W7.

So back to the Bios update and fan running all time full speed issue. This is very well known by HP and Quanta (ODM and OEM for at least DV7 and DV8 series) but HP doesn't want to communicate on that. So we their customers are left on the side of the road like poor idiots. No thanks at all to HP! How HP can put known bugged Bios on its web sites for customers donwload and update?!

1- After a successful Bios update if the CPU+ fan is running all time full speed you have to:

- Reset the Bios to factory defaults, save and reboot.

- If necessary go again into Bios to tailor it to your taste, save and reboot.

- Now logging into W7 the fan should behave correctly as when you got your DV8.

It's like miracle but what a **bleep**ty and not documented Bios update procedure (InsydeFlash) from HP!

2- Since almost 10 days all DV8-xxxx Bios have just disapeared from the Web Support pages of HP all across the world and with no explanation at all!

What is happening? Googling the Web you can discover (at least NA and EUR) that a lot of DV8 owners have just bricked their DV8 (not able even to go further than the 1st step of the Bios's load with blank screen and no response from the keyboard) after having tried to update their Bios to the latest in line i.e. the F.15E!

When you contact the bloody HP's (so called) Hotline (outsourced for NA awa for EUR in exotic countries and not really talking your local language but much more not being able to handle your culture so communication is almost impossible) you are just loosing your time and your money because you know much more about your DV8 thant the supposed HP's specialits!

3- For limiting DV8 thermal shock and stress, I would strongly recommand to let into the Bios FAN ALWAYS ON = YES. Even best add also an USB support with integrated fans under the DV8. Little bit more noisy but the reliability of your DV8 will improve a lot of... with the time life of your PC...

Cheers.

[Joe76000]

Hello,

 New BIOS F.17 as of 03/05/2010 for all HP Pavilion DV8-1xxx put online today 03/26/2010 !

But no information about its content from HP ! ?

=> SO: reality or intox ? !

After further investigations (don't ask me from where) I have found the following clear information from HP:

TITLE: WinFlash for HP Notebook System BIOS - Microsoft Windows-Based
VERSION: F.17
PURPOSE: Routine
SoftPaq NUMBER: sp47691
SUPERSEDES: sp46954
EFFECTIVE DATE: March 05, 2010
CATEGORY: BIOS
SSM SUPPORTED: YES
PRODUCT TYPE(S): Notebooks
HARDWARE PRODUCT MODEL(S): HP Pavilion dv8 Notebook PC Series
=> FIXES: - Fixes an intermittent issue where the system displays the error “IHISI:flash read error in SMI!” while upgrading the BIOS from F.12 to F.15.
PREREQUISITES: None

=> SO HP confirms (internally) that its F.15 was bugged but still doesn't want to communicate about this hot very subject ! ! !

Who will have the courage for updating his/her Bios ? And for which result ? Suicide or not suicide ?

Cheers.