EliteDesk 800 G2 BIOS update

[SDH]

Things have changed in BIOS updating over the years.  For HP workstations or higher end business class PCs you used to be able to update BIOS from within BIOS by simply harvesting the .bin file for the update from the installer .exe and then throw that onto a USB drive and have BIOS pick that up when using the Update System ROM option on a F10 boot into BIOS.  This was the case up to and including the ZX20 workstations.  With the Zx40 family and beyond things changed:

HP then added the need to use a sequential nesting of several folders and finally you need to place the harvested .bin file into the bottom-most folder.  The newer BIOS generations of BIOS are programmed to find it there during a BIOS update from within BIOS.  This is the safest way, especially given the complexities W10 has added if trying to update BIOS from within an OS.  Here is a quote from HP for this BIOS and this workstation, from SP110675, inside C drive, in the folder termed SWSetup:

"Either method requires that the BIOS binary file is present on USB media in a specific folder - either "Hewlett-Packard\BIOS\new" or "EFI\HP\BIOS\new"."  I only use the first of the two and have found that BIOS is also programmed to look into the root level of your C drive or the root level of an inserted USB drive for this nest of folders... don't know if that will work for this computer but it does for the ZX40 family and Z4 G4.

You harvest the .bin file (N01_0251.bin) by running SP110675, accepting the license, canceling when the next step launches, going into c/ SWSetup/ SP110675 (now unpacked)/ going into HPBIOSUPDREC, and copying out the .bin file noted.  Then make a nest of folders starting with Hewlett-Packard, then a folder in that named BIOS, then a folder in that named new, and then paste in the .bin file into that "new" folder.  The newer BIOS is programmed to look exactly for this cascade of folders.  Anything else won't work for this method.

You can put that nest of folders into the root level of your C drive, or onto the top level of a thumb drive.  F10 into BIOS and from the first tab click on the option to update system ROM.  Walk away for about 10 minutes.... several auto shutdowns and cold boots/restarts will happen, and don't mess with it until it truly is done.  It will finally boot into Windows automatically.  Using old methods that used to work won't work with the new BIOS update demands.  And trying to update BIOS from within W10 is asking for trouble.

I personally stay updated on this... both for the security improvements now added to BIOS and Intel/HP fixes.

[stevecomputer]

Trying to update bios from within windows is indeed a potential disaster, especially coupled with a caustic overbearing antivirus etc installed.  The nesting of folders thing is excessive complexity indeed.  To my mind, security fixes always equals slow down and I've been fortunate to never work in the corporate world where it mattered.  Unless there was some strong advise to update I left working alone, no point adding work or risking issues.  I just popped on the forum while on lockdown to look for and offer some advice back and I'm under no commercial pressure any more.  I wouldn't fancy running a few thousand windows 10 machines on an everyday basis.  Every new engineer wants to add something to make themselves look busy and useful and it just adds layers or disjointed design and complexity.  There seems to be some decent build quality still left in the enterprise class pcs from HP though. Thanks and good luck with the work.