Firmware updates required installed all in the series if skipped some

[lse123]

My two HP Workstations [Z440+ Z640] need BIOS/Firmware updates: see here>>>

I must do only the last update or must I do all prior skipped updates till the newest update?

https://support.hp.com/gb-en/drivers/selfservice/swdetails/hp-z640-workstation/6978835/swItemId/vc-3...

HP Z440 Workstation is now at:

BIOS Version/Date Hewlett-Packard M60 v02.57, 5/21/2021
SMBIOS Version 2.8

HP Z640 Workstation is now at:

BIOS Version/Date Hewlett-Packard M60 v02.56, 04/11/2020
SMBIOS Version 2.8

PRODUCT TYPE(S):
Workstations
HARDWARE PRODUCT MODEL(S):
HP Z640 Workstation // Microsoft Windows 11 version 21H2 (64-bit)
HP Z840 Workstation
HP Z440 Workstation // Microsoft Windows 10 version 22H2 (64-bit)

https://support.hp.com/gb-en/drivers/selfservice/swdetails/hp-z640-workstation/6978835/swItemId/vc-3... 

https://support.hp.com/soar-attachment/123/col83845-vc-309511-1-vc-309511-1_sp146166_releasedoc.html

Microsoft Windows 10 version 22H2 (64-bit)
Microsoft Windows 11 version 21H2 (64-bit)

[lse123]

TPM version can change if update firmware?

[lse123]

Can you reply now: skipped BIOS updates exist - also see the shots below, I must install ALL SKIPPED BIOS updates or only the last one...? TO BE BIOS/UEFI UPDATED

https://support.hp.com/gb-en/drivers/selfservice/swdetails/hp-z640-workstation/6978835/swItemId/vc-3...

HP Z440/Z640/Z840 Workstation System BIOS

By downloading, you agree to HP's terms and conditions. HP Software License Agreement.

Type:

BIOS

Version:

02.61 Rev.A

====

Version Release date File Size    

02.59 Rev.A	May 05, 2022	21.5 MB		Download
02.58 Rev.A	Jan 18, 2022	21.5 MB		Downloa

====

====

[SDH]

There have been some cases where a HP workstation needs to be updated from the very old initial version(s) of BIOS before it can then be upgraded to the very latest. The latest automatically includes all the valuable and necessary parts from the multiple prior BIOS versions.

From seeing what you already have as BIOS versions in your Z440 and Z640 I believe you are well beyond that "step up" phase of things. You'll simply be able to upgrade straight to the latest BIOS released April of 2023.

There can be some risk... the safest way is to upgrade BIOS from within BIOS. You need to have the latest BIOS .bin file and put it on a thumb drive, properly nesting it down at the bottom folder of a set of three specifically named folders so that BIOS knows where to look and find it. I've posted about this here in the forum, and in our enterprise we only upgrade BIOS that way. You'll need to find some older posts that give you the method. 

Many of us only run our HP workstations with BIOS set to legacy mode, and keep AMT turned off. We also use MBR partitioning rather than GPT for our fast SATA SSD or NVMe M.2 boot drives. We also can upgrade to W11 reliably, latest versions, and that works very well in hardware that is officially unsupported. We're currently running the latest W11 22H2 Moment 3 install. We don't try to upgrade TPM to 2.0... a waste of time and source of ulcers in my opinion.

[lse123]

What you mean “three specifically named folders…”????

You need to have the latest BIOS .bin file and put it on a thumb drive, properly nesting it down at the bottom folder of a set of three specifically named folders so that BIOS knows where to look and find it.

[SDH]

It appears you are asking me to do your searching for you. Happy to help you and others with this very clear HowTo:

The same process is used in HP workstations starting with the ZX40 and going forward. It even is used in some HP Business Class computers that are of the same era and newer. The newer BIOS in all these is quite a bit more complex than used in the ZX20 family of workstations. Those earlier ones needed a more primative approach, with the .bin file simply being placed on the top level of a FAT32 thumb drive that was of a smaller size, but otherwise the concepts are the same. The newer BIOS even can use the internet to go check for and harvest a newer .bin file from HP directly from within BIOS and install that without leaving BIOS. That is not something I advise doing, however, and it requires special BIOS settings for it to work.

1. You need to download the April 2023 ZX40 BIOS update SoftPaq for the most recent version of your BIOS from HP (SP146166). Run that as an administrator. That will automatically create a folder on the root level of your C drive, called SWSetup, and in there will be a folder called SP146166. Inside that will be multiple things including folders called Capsule and HPBIOSUPDREC. Inside both of those will be the same .bin file, called M60_0261.bin. Copy one of those out to have safe for use in #3 below.

2. Use a freshly formatted smaller USB drive and name it anything you wish. In there at the top level create the nest of three folders. These are, top to bottom, spelled exactly this way:

Hewlett-Packard\BIOS\New

3. Down in the bottom folder ("New"), put the .bin file you saved earlier.

4. Plug the thumb drive into your fully shut down Z440, Z640, or Z840 and cold boot the computer, go into BIOS and find the Update System Bios feature, and choose that. BIOS might want you to confirm. Proceed with that. Walk away for at least 10 minutes because there may be one or more auto-shutdowns and auto-restarts. You don't want to touch anything until the upgrade is fully done. It is better to wait too long than to touch anything too early.

Fully shut down the computer, remove the thumb drive. Cold boot up. You're done.

If this does not make sense then you are over your head and need to take these instructions to a competent computer shop and have them do it for you. No more answers coming from me, and good luck on your project.