HP has just released a firmware 1.9.0.0 update that will kill your battery!

[cahgagah11]

sorry, how do you install the previous firmware? 

[mdgdb]

I downloaded from the Drivers page at hp.com. There is "BIOS and System Firmware" showing current version 01.09.00, but if you expand "Previous version", it will show previous versions. I downloaded version 01.08.00 and installed, but it will not stay because as soon as the laptop is back from that update and I log in, it immediately displays "you must restart" message. And even if I don't restart, it will install the **bleep**e upgrade anyway the next time I start the laptop.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

What if you uninstall the HPSA with the latest 1.9.0.0 update installed, restart the PC and then roll back the BIOS to 1.8.0.0?

Have you tried that?

[mdgdb]

Well, not exactly. Too late now as I had already uninstalled HPSA, right after rolling back to old BIOS.

But in the meantime, I tried it again, installed the old BIOS, and at that stage there was no HPSA on my laptop. Then I tried to shut down and start again, so that I can hit Esc and enter set up menu so that I can lock the version in the BIOS setup, but could not do it. It would not enter the set up menu and it started updating again, and it updated to new BIOS. I practically sat on the Esc button, but nothing could stop the update!

It is quite beyond belief that this is happening! I am unable to stop it. What is wrong with this picture???

I thought that HP support would contact me as they have opened the case, but so far nothing. My last resort would be to restore the system to an earlier date.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

That is just mind-boggling.

[mdgdb]

Would you suggest using the System Restore, i.e. restoring the system to an earlier date? I have done it before but not on this machine and not in Windows 11.

[bipsen]

Have the same issue.

Uninstalled HP Support agent, ran downgrade to 1.8.0.0 BIOS - but as soon as I log on to the PC after the downgrade, I get a prompt that the PC needs a reboot to apply an update ("HP firmware v97" or something like that is written in the dialogue). If I reboot, then BIOS 1.9.0.0 is re-applied.

I guess the 1.9.0.0 BIOS is forced from GPO, and has already been downloaded to the Windows 11 OS - and will automatically re-apply when the PC runs with an older version of the BIOS.

The question is whether it is possible somehow to remove that update, that is cached on the PC - so it no longer will be applied ?

[mdgdb]

Hey Bipsen,

I will tell you what I did to fix it, after fiddling with it and attempting various things for days, so this is a really a cut down version of events; if you have any questions in between, I’ll be happy to help further, if I can.

First, make sure HP Assistant is uninstalled, coz that’s the culprit actually – it will try and force that update on you no matter what you do! Then, I paused Windows update, left it overnight, just for the heck of it. At some stage I think I also unticked the box for automatic BIOS updates in the settings.

Next, I rolled back System BIOS to 1.08. When the Windows loaded, there was NO message to restart, battery was restored to normal level.

Then, enter BIOS to lock version: Settings/System/Recovery/Advanced startup/Restart now, this will bring the blue window, click on Troubleshoot, Advanced options, UEFI Firmware Settings. Restart. On the Main menu, you will see the box to tick to Lock BIOS Version.

That done, after a week or so, I enabled Windows updates, and so far it has not attempted to download and install that rotten BIOS 1.09. That’s basically it in a nutshell. I have photos of the process, haven’t downloaded them from my phone yet, but if you get stuck, let me know. Hope this works for you.

[bipsen]

I found out, that the "auto-update" BIOS was done from c:\windows\firmware

HP Assistant has been uninstalled.

I identified two subfolders there, which were related to the BIOS update - and moved those folders to a c:\temp  directory,.

Re-applying the 1.8.0.0 BIOS and then rebooting the laptop - and then no more auto-update to 1.9.0.0 on reboot ...

[mdgdb]

Great!