BUG Report in BIOS HP Sure Start - Laptop stuck in a loop or bricked

[TzortzisG]

This is indeed very strange! Just changing bios settings should under NO circumstances BRICK your laptop.

On a side note, the combination Win+B+POWER (with or without a usb stick attached) is actually quite difficult to achieve. I usually have to try 2-3 times to get it right, some forum members actually thought it didn't work but after a dozen of efforts found out it does.

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Hardware-and-Upgrade-Questions/15-d017-Updated-BIOS-black-scr...

[cmiguel]

Thank you TzortzisG I will try again to use the BIOS recovery function.

I have created the USB drive, using the HP program, and I think it is created correctly. It placed a file under

G:\HP\DEVFW\firmware.bin

I have also created this path, and copied the file, to the SSD EFI partion.

[cmiguel]

I tried again using the USB bios recovery.

I didn't succeed, it just boots to the same message.

I notice sometimes it takes a couple of seconds longer, but I am not sure if it is because I am pressing Win+B or Win+V. Not sure what if it is V or B, a HP article lists both.

Do elitebooks or the 830 G5 support this feature?

[Alijahjreed]

it’s 100% a bug i have this same issue

[TzortzisG]

Probooks/Elitebooks generally have the emergency BIOS recovery option, usually Win+B.

The other user got it to work with an "older" key combination: 4arrow keys+power. This was also used in probook/elitebooks up to 10 years ago, and mentioned in manuals. Worth trying. But whatever you try, you have to persist to get it to work...

[IT_WinSec]

Hi @cmiguel 

Thank you for the details and extensive troubleshooting.

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[cmiguel]

Holding down the 4 arrow keys, and pressing the power button did not work.

Or I am doing something wrong.

[TzortzisG]

Cmiguel I'll post a detailed explanation:

From page  http://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c01732674 (use wayback machine year 2015 to see it) involving the BIOS authentication error:

If a BIOS authentication failure occurs, the computer automatically performs a BIOS recovery. If the computer does not automatically recover the BIOS, perform a BIOS recovery manually by pressing all four arrow keys at the same time to cause the BIOS to go to the EFI partition to find and recover the current BIOS. If a manual BIOS recovery is not successful, contact HP for assistance.

HOW TO USE KEYS for BIOS emergency recovery:

Remove the battery from the laptop, and unplug the AC power cord. Then with the AC still UNPLUGGED, press and hold the Windows and B keys (or Fn+B or Windows+V or Fn+V or 4 Arrows -whichever works). While STILL holding them, plug the AC power in, then press the power button. Once the system has booted into the BIOS recovery mode, you can then release the Win+B or Fn+B or Win+V, or Fn+V or 4Arrow keys. Leave the computer on for five minutes, or more if you want to be sure, and if the system does not reboot itself (many do not), unplug the AC power. Replug the AC power back into the laptop and press power button. Repeat key combination if necessary one more time.

[cmiguel]

I unplugged the battery, the inner battery.

I tried all the key combinations listed, but none of them worked.

I could sometimes see a prompt cursor on the left corner, but then the same message popped up.

I moved to the EFI partition on the SSD the .bin file that is in the softpaq of the BIOS update. I wasn't sure were to place it, or what to name it so I moved it into multiple places.

EFI\HP\BIOS\Current\Firmware.bin

EFI\HP\BIOS\Current\Q78.01.19.20.bin (I think that is the name)

EFI\HP\Firmware\Firmware.bin

[TzortzisG]

Hi Cmiguel.

Replace CMOS battery (main battery always out).

Remove storage (SSD/HDD) from laptop.

Create Bios recovery USB using older Bios Softpaq.

Try key combinations as suggested above with Usb connected from the very beginning (when power adapter is disconnected).

Sometimes the emergency bios recovery fails as it tries to perform it from the SSD/HDD and for whatever reason can't. Solution FORCE forced Bios recovery to use USB. Try it!