hp z840 strange bios behavior after update.

[WoodenGlassware]

Hi, I recently updated the bios of two of my HP z840 workstations from a very old 2015 version to a 2022 bios, version M60 02.59 due to an issue I was having with a PCI express card, which turned out that the machine wasn't the issue.

However now I see that in these two workstations, I have a much more simplified version of the bios, and I can't change any settings now, every setting I try to change completely bricks the machine, and only a force shutdown will work.

Below are some pictures of the visuals of the bios.

I am still able to boot other devices in both legacy and UEFI and the O.S seems to be working just fine, but I can't change anything in BIOS anymore. Below I added some pictures of how the bios is looking right now, is there a reason for this? I tried to downgrade it to older versions but the "upgrade bios version" menu does not recognize anything below 02.59.bin file.

System information for example now is completely blank..

loading screen, normal

btw, this message on the OROM display about microsemi BIOS does not appear in my second z840 and that machine is facing the exact same issues.

simplified bios visuals, cant change any settingsSystem Description is empty nowsimplified bios visuals, cant change any settings

[DGroves]

first of all your vague description of what bios update you did is not helpful, we need to know the original bios revision and the vevision you updated to and the SPxxxx number of said bios update the current bios is 02.59 Rev.A/sp140182

we also need to know the bios update method, was it from within the bios itself windows or dos and was it via usb key/cdrom/floppy

did you receive the bios "successes" message at the completion of the update or a different message and did you test/check the bios on the first system before doing the next system or did you just flash both at the same time

the new bios's of the hp z840 requires a special folder structure on the update device for locating the bios update file when updating the bios from within the bios did you follow this? 

1. Create the following folder structure at the root of the USB key:

   Hewlett-Packard/BIOS/New/

2. Copy the BIOS BIN file on the USB key, in the folder created in previous step.

3. With the USB key connected to the workstation, boot the system.
4. When the HP logo is displayed, press F10 to enter the BIOS settings.
5. In the “Main” menu, select the option “Update System BIOS”.
6. Follow the onscreen instructions to flash the BIOS.

for dos/windows 10 updating you need to place the update program and the update bios file together on the usbkey/cdrom

[WoodenGlassware]

Thank you for your reply.

I believe both never had bios updates before, and were sitting on M60 v01.55, which is dated 23-04-2015

The bios update method was via USB. The machine is a Linux box so I used another machine to download the Windows executable and build a USB stick with the correct files for version 02.59. The update program from the HP z840 successfully recognized the update file.

The bios was updated successfully on both machines and a reboot was asked, after that, the boot menu was like on the screenshots.

[DGroves]

one one system only............................................ try reflashing the bios using the Bios update feature this requires you to place the updated bios file on a fat32 formatted  usb key using the correct folder structure (see my previous post)

also, if you have any add in pci-e cards besides video card, remove them before flashing

after the reflash, shutdown remove the power cord, press the pwr button for 20 sec or till pwr button light/beeps stop

then open case press cmos reset button for 3-5 sec

close case, power on enter bios and set time date, (change no other settings), save bios settings  and reboot again and enter bios, confirm correct date/time and see if other settings can be changed, but do not save any changes and  report back results here

[WoodenGlassware]

Hi, Thanks for the reply.

I again used a new USB formatted into fat32 in the correct folder structure, the same procedure I did before.

This time I took all PCI cards out, except GPU, updated the bios, and rebooted the machine. shut it down, cleared the CMOs battery, and a message of factory reset appeared, but everything was still the same. The clock did not change after the CMOS reset, it still shows the correct time, and the settings are greyed out as if I couldn't change it(see attached photo).



The problem of  trying to change any settings will completely brick the machine and only a forced shutdown to move to any other screen still remains.

[DGroves]

if the clock time/date  did not change then the cmos was not reset

[SDH]

Agree with DGroves.

Note that power can come into the motherboard from many attached devices. POE ethernet cable. Video cable. Attached keyboard/mouse if they have internal batteries. So, detach everything and try again. Obviously, leaving the motherboard's battery in place or power cable to the wall is not a great idea. I even bridge the rear PC power connector 3 prongs with my fingers to try to draw off any residual capacitor power.

[helloelan]

I'm experiencing the same issue under the exact circumstances. Refreshing 2.59 does not resolve the issue and even the system time itself cannot be changed in BIOS--further, resetting the CMOS (even with confirmation that CMOS was reset) did not change system time back to default. The only way I was able to reset even just the time was to pull the CMOS battery completely, which reset the time value to factory and, at that point, could only be updated once Windows loaded. 

My next guess would be to try the boot block jumper reset, though I'm not confident that would resolve the issue either. I can't get the system to load in UEFI (only BIOS) which I assume is why the interface looks so simplistic. The inability to make absolutely any changes in this environment means my Secure Boot tokens are now lost as well, which is fine, but should I need to make any meaningful/impactful changes to the BIOS/UEFI in the future, the system is essentially a brick.

[SDH]

That is not a "boot block jumper"... it is a "Crisis Recovery Jumper," and you are in a crisis. Take the time to read up on this little-documented method, HERE. Especially note my edits in the first page of that thread:

"EDIT:  HP has provided a more detailed procedure description for its newer Z440/Z640/Z840 workstations as a customer advisory, linked down this page.  Also, it appears that HP has configured the Z820 and Z840 workstations opposite to the others in jumper placement.  Shorting pins 2-3 is the default for normal running of the Z420/Z620/Z440/Z640 workstations, but for the Z820 and Z840 the shorting of pins 1-2 is the default for normal running.  Wonderful...... "

That is discussed in my 6/27/18 edit down at the bottom of the first post... 

[WoodenGlassware]

FYI, 

I left the machine for a few weeks as they had to go back into production use, the O.S boot via UEFI was working just fine and I wasn't encountering any unexpected software behavior. after a few weeks had passed I checked the BIOS again, and it was working just fine, in both machines that were presented with this issue. Other than the BIOS update, I don't know the solution for this problem or why it has occurred, and why did it come back by itself without any interaction.