BIOS on product support not even close to latest, latest updates hidden within Security updates

[cyrusfox]

If you go into driver updates the latest version shown is 2.30(6/2018), what I have though is version 2.47 I updated June of last year. Missing all of the version in between, I was able to find the latest available version 2.53 by going under in June 2021 security links, You can then go under affected products (its a drop down you need to click) then you can find the relevant system bios which for me is 2.53 as well as the history showing all the other prior version.

Why doesn't the product update page actually show the current up to date drivers and firmware? Annoying that one needs to hunt this down.

As of today the latest bios for my Elitedesk 800 G2 SFF is 2.53, although the November security update is being implemented and eventually I will find the next bios on this webpage

https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/ish_5031100-5031212-16/hpsbhf03756

[DGroves]

he page you link to is a HP webpage describing a notice HP received from intel regarding several bios security related issues intel found and has released code to fix them

keep in mind this is "raw" code not a finished bios...........................

HP has to take this code and integrate it into their Bios and then validate this code for proper operation and this takes time 

last the page(s) you link to has no download links to any newer bios such as the  2.47/2.53 you mention sff or tower models

it would appear that HP has either removed the later bios's or there is a error on the bios updates webpage for this  model system

[cyrusfox]

You can find firmware 2.53 on the first link, you will need to follow the instructions I laid out though -

Here are images to help you or others trying to navigate to it

After you click on Affected products you can then clearly see this applies to nearly every recent HP product, I reccommend ctrl+f and put in your HP model 

Hidden but there is an exact Bios update for my model that is much more recent and has a change file that shows me there are many other updates missing from the product support page. But it had to be found manually to obtain it, while the product page is worthless only showing a very old version of hp elitedesk 800 g2 twr/sff system bios (n01)

I expect the second link to eventually show another update (whether bios, or ME, or other driver to close loophole) as it is closing up Security risk revealed by Intel, HP has to provide patch or there is risk of liability.

I imagine the reason product page is no longer updated is due to all service contracts are likely long completed/finished. As such there is no contractual reason to keep it up to date, why bother and save resources. Its a pity that the product page is antiquated and not linked to HP's own latest releases. I post this here to share my findings and shortcut anyone else who may be wanting to ensure their computer is up to date with the latest security fixes.

[SDH]

I'm glad I don't have to keep HP driver download sites up to date...

EDID:  For a bunch of us:  There is no BIOS update related to this Intel security update shown for the ZX20 family.  There is for the ZX40 family, 2.57, which shows up properly also via the usual HP Drivers Update pathways... via SP114032.  So HP got it right for some and wrong for others it appears.

Cyrusfox is 100% correct... there is a new BIOS updater on that page that is partially hidden by the page mechanism, and that 2.53 BIOS update is nowhere to be found on the normal path to HP driver updates on the usual HP links.  HP needs to fix that for all these BIOS updates that are missing unless found by this arcane approach.  It is a big deal that these types of BIOS updates are not showing up properly in the normal Drivers Update HP pathways... by definition these BIOS updates are critical for security.  They are not incorrect for all the boxes on that massive list but some poor soul at HP needs to check.

MODERATOR>>> PLEASE ACT NOW>>>

A couple of tips:

After you click to expand "Affected products" note that the size of the page indicated by the right vertical slider bar becomes massivly larger.  Then just use the CTRL + F key combo to open the Find window and type in Elitedesk 800 G2.  That takes you to the link entry for the HP FTP server and save that SP113649 to your desktop.  You can choose to run that as an admin and it will unpack into a SWSetup folder on the root level of your C drive.  The N01_0253.bin file there is what you need to use to update BIOS from within BIOS, if you know how to do that (which is another story):

[cyrusfox]

Thanks SDH!

For updating BIOS there are a host of options but I went the lazy route and was able to update using HP's own windows app that gets unpacked in that same folder "HPBIOSUPDREC64"(folder it is in is C:/SWSETUP/SP###/HPBIOSUPDREC - just go to last modified to find the newest SP package in SWSETUP folder, both bios and windows update apps are in the same folder). For the windows bios update app, it ask to create a 5GB partition... bit excessive but I let it do it and it chose to do so to my secondary HDD. 

I am concerned that HP fails to show the relevant updated drivers and firmware for this computer and I think this is a recent phenomena as I said, last year I updated 2.47 and I believe I got that from the main driver page, why its reverted back to 2.30 and is missing all the rest is a mystery (history file shows there is a 2.51, 2.48, 2.47, 2.45, 2.44, 2.42, 2.38, 2.37, & 2.36 bios version). The bios update brings some bug fixes but mostly updates to address security vulnerabilities that have been discovered in the skylake architecture.

For any company, especially one the size of HP I would expect them to keep track of updates they released and actually have them tied to their own products, would be nice to see them fix this but I won't be holding my breath...

[DGroves]

as i stated when the "affected products" link on the web page the "OP" posted all the listed systems state PENDING there are no listed links to a bios

[cyrusfox]

DGroves, I posted image and details how to find the bios.... as well as posted 2 links, only one of those have the BIOS file...

June security updates which has the bios (2.53)

 -https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/ish_3982318-3982351-16

and November security updates which has no update yet...

-https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/ish_5031100-5031212-16

I don't see how to make this any plainer for you to understand, updates exist that are valid for my system that HP fails to link on the product support page, the 1st link has the most up to date Bios I am able to find.

HP themselves claim on the product page that 2.30 is the most up to date version which is false and a disappointment that one has to dig to find relevant firmware and software.

[DGroves]

hmmm, all the client browsers at this site are configured/locked down using custom settings the first link shows only pending the sec link is non functional for me and i suspect it's either a chrome FTP or firewall issue (or both)

i'll have to check this once we finish the new upgrades for the client, it does show on my phones browser