Z420/Z620 BIOS Version Auto Downgrade 1.23 to 0.31 .....I need to find 0.31~1.00 SPxxxxxx

[RockingDonkey]

Hi All ,

is there any Z420/Z620 BIOS version range 00.31~01.00 like SPxxxxxxxx i can find out on HP public FTP site :ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/ . 

Sinced I tried all ways to upgrade my Z420 BIOS , still no way to upgrade my BIOS J61 00.31.... "BIOS Utility/DOS/WinXp / Win7 / Win10 /Suse / Fedora also BIOS 1.14/2.08 /3.18/3.50/3.69/3.85/3.91/3.96 and hpbiosupdrec64/HPQFlash" there's still no way to upgrade my Z420 00.31 version . there's only way I can try is find out BIOS Version range around J61 00.31~01.00 but hard to find out on HP Public FTP site about the software part-number like SPxxxxxxx .

as 

2020/12/19 00:46:36.858|000017D4|Information|HPBiosUpdate::CabFile::ParseUpdateName|Processing image filename 'D:\Z420\J61_0208.BIN'.
2020/12/19 00:46:36.859|000017D4|Information|CHPBiosUpdateApp::InitInstance|Update BIOS Family = J61, version = 02.08
2020/12/19 00:46:59.845|000017D4|Information|CHPBiosUpdateApp::PrepareEfiFlash|EFI BIOS update is not supported by BIOS.
2020/12/19 00:46:59.846|000017D4|Information|OptionsPage::OnWizardNext|EFI flash is not supported, will attempt WMI flash.
2020/12/19 00:52:25.867|000017D4|Information|HPBiosUpdate::WmiFlash::QueryFlashROM|Query Flash Rom succeeded
2020/12/19 00:52:25.869|000017D4|Information|HPBiosUpdate::OnlineFlash::FlashRom|***** Start FLASHING *****
2020/12/19 00:52:26.615|000017D4|Information|HPBiosUpdate::OnlineFlash::FlashRom|Start saving original BIOS Contents
2020/12/19 00:55:35.734|000017D4|Information|HPBiosUpdate::OnlineFlash::ReadRomImage|Read image successfully
2020/12/19 00:55:35.734|000017D4|Information|HPBiosUpdate::OnlineFlash::FlashRom|End saving original BIOS Contents
2020/12/19 00:55:35.735|000017D4|Information|HPBiosUpdate::OnlineFlash::FlashRom|Start flashing, attempt #1
2020/12/19 00:55:35.743|000017D4|Information|HPBiosUpdate::OnlineFlash::FlashRom|End flashing (Write) attempt #1
2020/12/19 00:55:35.744|000017D4|Error |HPBiosUpdate::OnlineFlash::FlashRom|Flash already in progress - Error code = 0x13
2020/12/19 00:56:28.873|000017D4|Information|CHPBiosUpdateApp::ExitInstance|HPBIOSUPDREC Return Code = 0
2020/12/19 00:56:28.874|000017D4|Information|CHPBiosUpdateApp::ExitInstance|****************** End of HPBIOSUPDREC session ******************

also

12/06/2020 14:51:48.364 Release Date = 10/28/2019
12/06/2020 14:51:49.185 Don't need to Backup BIOS files. Either system is not a laptop or BIOS does not support backup from USB device.
12/06/2020 14:51:50.197 ***** Start FLASHING *****
12/06/2020 14:51:50.249 Start Saving Original BIOS Contents
12/06/2020 14:56:00.186 End Saving Original BIOS Contents
12/06/2020 14:56:00.187 Start flashing (Write) Attempt #1
12/06/2020 14:56:00.187 Start Flash Rom Image (Write)
12/06/2020 14:57:30.104 End Flash Rom Image (Write), bStatus = 0
12/06/2020 14:57:30.105 End flashing (Write) Attempt #1
12/06/2020 14:57:30.106 ***** END FLASHING PROCESS *****
12/06/2020 14:57:41.023 Exit hpqFlash: Return Code = 0xd
12/06/2020 14:57:41.024 --- END HPQFLASH SESSION ---

[BambiBoomZ]

RockingDonkey,

According to HP Support:

https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/selfservice/hp-z420-workstation/5225033

> the latest BIOS for the z420/z620 is: 03.96 Rev.A, available as:

sp100699.exe

Elsewhere on this forum, see the recommended procedure for carefully flashing the BIOS, which includes extracting the BIOS *.bin, copying it to the root directory of a USB flash drive having only a partition of slightly less than 1GB and no other allocated volume, and starting the system using the the USB 2.0 port on the back panel I/0.  I hope others here will verify this sequence.  This is a critical procedure and problems are very time-consuming from which to recover.

BambiBoomZ

HP z620_2 (2017) (R7) > Xeon E5-1680 v2 (8C@ 4.3GHz) / z420 Liquid Cooling / 64GB (HP/Samsung 8X 8GB DDR3-1866 ECC registered) / Quadro P2000 5GB _ GTX 1070 Ti 8GB / HP Z Turbo Drive M.2 256GB AHCI + Samsung 970 EVO M.2 NVMe 500GB + HGST 7K6000 4TB + HP/HGST Enterprise 6TB / Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 sound interface + 2X Mackie MR824 / 825W PSU / Windows 7 Prof.’l 64-bit (HP OEM) > 2X Dell Ultrasharp U2715H (2560 X 1440)

[ Passmark Rating = 6280 / CPU rating = 17178 / 2D = 819 / 3D= 12629 / Mem = 3002 / Disk = 13751 / Single Thread Mark = 2368 [10.23.18]

HP z420_3: (2015) (R11) Xeon E5-1650 v2 (6C@ 4.3GHz) / z420 Liquid cooling / 64GB (HP/Samsung 8X 8GB DDR3-1866 ECC registered) / NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB/ Samsung 860 EVO 500GB + HGST 4TB / ASUS Essence STX + Logitech z2300 2.1 / 600W PSU > Windows 7 Professional 64-bit (HP OEM ) > Samsung 40" 4K

[Passmark System Rating: = 5644 / CPU = 15293 / 2D = 847 / 3D = 10953 / Mem = 2997 Disk = 4858 /Single Thread Mark = 2384 [6.27.19]

[SDH]

For newer forum members, this is all about the reality that if one has a "way old" BIOS on a Z420/Z620/Z820 you can't update to the latest BIOS version in one step.  You need to first "step up" to 1.23 in the case of the Z420/Z620 workstations (which run identical BIOS), and only thereafter can you upgrade to the latest.  There was a consumer communication, below, about this but the old links to old updaters no longer work.  There are newer ones that do, provided below:

The old links don't work anymore.  Here is a newer path that does:

Go to:  ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/

Go to the sp64501-65000 category

Go down to sp64701... there are 3 listings, one which will work to get the ReadMe with the .html link and another to get the SoftPaq via the .exe link.

Google c04037460 and you'll see the PDF I highlighted in the past.

Here is a LINK  that might work to see that, and I downloaded it and attached it below.

Here are two new links that should work for the ReadMe and the SoftPaq download:

ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp64501-65000/sp64701.html

ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp64501-65000/sp64701.exe

Look down at your taskbar and save or open in a new window.

You want to extract the .bin file as has been explained numerous times here, then step up to 1.23, and thereafter step up one last time the same way to the latest BIOS.  This is being done the safest way by updating BIOS from within BIOS, also explained numerous times here, using a thumb drive and booting into whatever BIOS you have on the box.

It is quite unsafe to update BIOS from within W10 using the BIOS updater program that was built for XP/W7.  Bricking of the motherboard is a significant risk if you do that.  Hence, learn how to update BIOS from within BIOS.

[RockingDonkey]

thanks a lot ! 

as I tried before  ... all the same ....

especially when I use BIOS utility to flash ..... the J61 V00.31 bios did nothing with *****.BIN what I plug on USB (512MB / 1G USB) ...that's why nothing I can do but looking for 00.31~1.00 BIOas version .

12/21/2020 17:42:04.029 ***** Start FLASHING *****
12/21/2020 17:42:04.074 Start Saving Original BIOS Contents
12/21/2020 17:46:41.567 End Saving Original BIOS Contents
12/21/2020 17:46:41.568 Start flashing (Write) Attempt #1
12/21/2020 17:46:41.568 Start Flash Rom Image (Write)
12/21/2020 17:48:41.981 End Flash Rom Image (Write), bStatus = 0
12/21/2020 17:48:41.982 End flashing (Write) Attempt #1
12/21/2020 17:48:41.983 ***** END FLASHING PROCESS *****
12/21/2020 17:48:48.781 Exit hpqFlash: Return Code = 0xd

[BambiBoomZ]

RockingDonkey,

Among the procedures tried, did you clear CMOS by removing the battery for ten minutes?

It seem possible that the Write Attempts are failing as there is either not a complete removal of all the previous BIOS update attempts and there is some functional conflict with remnants or fragments, or more likely, that there is not enough space remaining in the BIOS to contain the BIOS save and the new write. That may explain why the write process starts properly but reports that the write attempt fails.  Removing the battery should clear the space for the new BIOS.

Also, disconnect all other drives on the system, use a FAT 32 formatted installation drive on a rear panel USB 2.0 port.

BambiBoomZ

HP z620_2 (2017) (R7) > Xeon E5-1680 v2 (8C@ 4.3GHz) / z420 Liquid Cooling / 64GB (HP/Samsung 8X 8GB DDR3-1866 ECC registered) / Quadro P2000 5GB _ GTX 1070 Ti 8GB / HP Z Turbo Drive M.2 256GB AHCI + Samsung 970 EVO M.2 NVMe 500GB + HGST 7K6000 4TB + HP/HGST Enterprise 6TB / Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 sound interface + 2X Mackie MR824 / 825W PSU / Windows 7 Prof.’l 64-bit (HP OEM) > 2X Dell Ultrasharp U2715H (2560 X 1440)

[ Passmark Rating = 6280 / CPU rating = 17178 / 2D = 819 / 3D= 12629 / Mem = 3002 / Disk = 13751 / Single Thread Mark = 2368 [10.23.18]

[RockingDonkey]

BambiBoomZ ,

Thanks !!

I will try to remove bettery / Power Off again , 

1.14 1.23 2.08  3.xx~3.96 all fail even BIOS Flash Utility can not run the flash tools after I chooice xxxxx.bin file .

spec : Intel Xeon E5 2687W @ 3.10GHz Sandy Bridge-EP/EX 32nm Technology / 64.0GB DDR3 @ 797MHz (11-11-11-28) / Hewlett-Packard 1589 (CPU0) / LG ULTRAWIDE (2560x1080@60Hz) 1024MB ATI AMD Radeon HD 6670 (ATI AIB) --------"HD 6670" that's the main point ............ I want change my old RX 580 8G but no any POS when I plug on solt , that's why I need to upgrade but first time after I install new OS Windows 10 the bios from1.23 downgrade to 0.31 and then nightmare comes .

Regards

Jerry

[SDH]

I have never used that BIOS utility in my life, and I've flashed hundreds of Z workstations. successfully.  The one corruption that happened was due to flashing a Z620 within the OS... and that OS was W10.

I'm not sure that you are doing the update of BIOS within BIOS correctly so if our friend Bambi's good idea does not solve the issue we can go over how to do it again.  

Unplug everything from the computer, including the power cord and literally any other cord.  Remove the battery.  Press and hold the CMOS button for 20 seconds, release, press and hold the power-on button for 20 seconds, release, Get a cup of tea.  Come back and do those steps again.  You want to drain all capacitors fully.  A monitor can feed back power into the motherboard via its DVI cable for example.  That is why you must disconnect everything 100%.  I have cured some strange things this way.  It is possible to get a corruption that "sticks" but it is rare.  This method can finally unstick badness.

[BambiBoomZ]

RockingDonkey,

So many tries have been made that I think the situation needs to be approached in a new way from the fundamentals  point. Consider that the BIOS is the most fundamental process function; everything is built over it.  One does not build a 20-floor building with all the floors and windows, hold it up in the sky, and afterwards construct the foundation under it.***

Using the BIOS flash utility is possibly at fault. The only important failure I've had in a BIOS update occurred when using the .exe utility within Windows 7.  The recovery was made (after one month of trying):

1.  after the CMOS battery was out of the system for 24 hours, or, I like  our friend SDH's idea of also discharging the capacitors,

2.  with all drives disconnected.  *** Windows should not be running when the BIOS is affected. Notice that the problems with your system began when the system was being changed to Windows 10.

3.  and when run with the *.bin file in the root directory of a FAT32 partition of less  than 1GB on a USB drive in a USB 2.0.

 I believe our friend SDH will agree with the idea: simplify, simplify, simplify. .

BambiBoomZ 

[RockingDonkey]

Thanks a lot !

20 minutes fail , try 24 hours tomorrow !