HP Z1 BIOS upgrde will not install

[graemec1]

Hi Guys

My Z1 has BIOS J52v2.71 installed on 19-11-2014.

Today I tried to upgrade it to the current BIOS  2.75RevA; download seemed OK but when I tried to install exe file sp84164 it aborted and I got an error message - Windows cannot find ‘iexplore’.  Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again. 

Obviously I had not typed anything.  I use Firefox as my browser, not Internet Explorer.

What should I do now?

Cheers

Graeme

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi, Graeme:

This is what I would do...(I just did it, so I know it will work).

Download and save sp84164, but do not run it.

Download and install this free file utility.  The 2nd file at the top of the page is for 64 bit.

http://www.7-zip.org/

After you install 7-zip, right click on the BIOS file you saved.

Have 7-Zip Extract to: and let it extract the exe file into its folder name (sp84164).

Now, here is the method I always use to update the BIOS in my HP business desktop PC's and you can do the same for your workstation.

Open the file folder you unzipped and click on the BIOS Flash HTML file.

That is the instruction file for updating the BIOS.

I always use the Startup Menu/Computer Setup BIOS Flashing (F10) method to flash the BIOS, because it is safe and easy to do.  So read the instructions under that heading.

I will summarize what I do...

Get a USB flash drive and format it with the FAT32 file system.

Copy the file contents of the DOS flash folder to your FAT 32-formatted USB flash drive.

Restart the PC, and tap the ESC key to get the menu of options.

Select the F10 system setup option to get access to the BIOS.

Select the File tab>Flash system ROM command, and then select the USB flash drive.

The PC should now 'see' the BIOS update files.

Follow the onscreen instructions to update the BIOS.

[graemec1]

Thnaks, Paul.

I tried what you suggested, faithfully, but unfortunately it did not work.

When I tried to run the unzipped exe file in safe mode from the USB I got an error message - file is missing or damaged.

When I tried to run the unzipped exe file in normal or "unsafe" mode from the USB it seemed to start OK but on about the third or fourth screen I got the original error message - Windows cannot find ‘iexplore’.  Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again. 

My computer does not have a file called "iexplore"  - And I do not have Internet Explorer installed.  I bought the computer as a demonstrator and it had Firefox installed;  as far as I know IE has never been installed.  Recently Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge have been gratuously installed although I have never activated or used either.  [I am guessing that "iexplore"  is somehow related to IE??]

I am confused !

Cheers

Graeme

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

You're very welcome.

There are no executables to run.

Please re-read the instructions, and my recap.

If the file unzipped to its folder, and you can open the unzipped folder, you will see a bunch of files and folders in there.

All you need to do is open the DOS Flash folder, and copy the file contents of that folder to your FAT32-formatted USB flash drive.  Copy just the file contents of the DOS flash folder, not the folder itself to the flash drive.

Then follow the rest of my instructions.

Once again...no need to run any exe files whatsoever.

[graemec1]

Thanks so much, Paul.

My bad.  I did copy the entire unzipped folder to the flashdrive........

Then .... followed your instructions precisely .... and it worked !

Thanks a million

Cheers

Graeme

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Anytime, Graeme.

Glad to have been of assistance.

Cheers,

Paul