Can't boot from M.2 Nvme after BIOS Update - HP Omen

[haftting]

Hey,

I decided to update my BIOS today to "839F vF .67" and everything seemed to go well. After completing the update with the upcoming restart I wasn't able to boot from that M.2 Nvme + I'm not able to enter BIOS when the Nvme is installed.

It freezes after POST on the "info-screen" where it says "Press esc for startup menu", trying to press anything on the keyboard doesn't do anything.

The SSD doesn't seem to be broken, cause it was recognised by "diskmanagement" on another PC. I installed Windows on a SATA SSD (connected via SATA cable) and it boots properly from there.

What I have done so far:

- cleared CMOS several times

- tried Win+B on startup to downgrade BIOS (I hear the beeping sounds but never get anything to display) 

- Did format the Nvme on another system

Any further help is much appreciated

[Bill_To]

Hi @haftting 

Have seen this happen on moderately priced HP PCs but your PC is top shelf; you do a BIOS update. The PC locks up and cannot POST with an installed NVME drive which had been working fine.

The only options I can think of is try a HP NVME drive.

Or download and install BIOS version F.65 Rev A. dated 5-5-2022 at this Site. Scroll down, open Revision history at this site to find the download.

You could try this update as is but I am pretty sure it will fail.  The BIOS update can be run inside of an OS or HP may provide a way to create a bootable USB BIOS Flash drive. But HP generally blocks older BIOS version rollbacks.

Now use the technique at this Forum Link to flash the BIOS to an earlier version outside of the operating system. You would want to back up data before installing the operating system. But you have formatted the NVME drive so I guess you have data backup.

The NVME drive cannot contain the previous OS because the faulty BIOS update is located in the EFI System Partition. The update will install again after you roll back the BIOS to a previous version if you run the OS with the F.67 BIOS update .bin and .sig files stored in the system partition.

Do the BIOS rollback. Now install Windows on the NVME drive.

Avoid the F.67 BIOS update in the future.

Regards

[haftting]

@Bill_To Thanks for the instructions.

I followed the steps from the post and was able to flash it back (at least I think so since the Firmware Utility didn't throw any error). But... when it was done flashing and tried to restart I now only get a random number of different beep sounds (I think same which to expect when trying to use the Win+B on startup to downgrade via HP) but that's it. 

Screen stays black and after the beep sounds simply nothing happens. Don't see any info-screen nor am I able to access BIOS anymore. 

Tried clearing CMOS again, nothing changed tho.

Any further suggestions? Thx in advance

[haftting]

So I've read through several posts stating that the beep sounds (on the last few starts it was random and at the end 2xlong + 2xshort beeps like 2-3 times) indicate a corrupted BIOS. Since I'm not able to access the system in any way  anymore I guess I should look around for new hardware?

[Bill_To]

Hi @haftting 

Very sorry to see this. Forum volunteers try to do no harm, it looks like my suggestions have caused more harm than good.

Your PC is the first one I have seen where the Aptio V AMI Firmware Update Utility and Hiren's boot media have broken the BIOS. Did you use the steps at this Site to flash your PC's BIOS to BIOS version F.65?

I download BIOS version F.65. Then used 7Zip to extract the contents of F.65 to a different folder. An image of the folder follows:

The 0839FF65.bin file is what is needed to do the BIOS flashback. Also look at SAFUWINx64.EXE. HP also uses the Aptio V AMI Firmware Update Utility in this packaged executable to flash the BIOS

Since the PC is no longer responsive I can only suggest finding a local Tech who can flash the BIOS, using a Serial BIOS programmer, to version F.65. Check this YouTube video for details.

Regards

[haftting]

@Bill_To don't worry I'm glad you helped, I'm more bothered about HP not even thinking about getting out a new BIOS version for that, especially when it's a known problem. And to be honest I trusted the process and didn't spend like 30 mins trying to read about what could potentially happen with that update, or if there are any problems, especially since there is nothing stated on the page.

Yes I did step by step what your linked post stated and as mentioned, the process itself seemed to work well. At least the flashing operation finished without any problems from what the cmd was showing. 

I also used the F.65 version you suggested from the "revision history": F.65 revision history 

Only got two files from there:

• 839F.bin
• 839F.sig

Following the guide, copied the Aptio V AMI Firmware Update Utility to Hiren's boot and copied the 839F.bin file only.

Booted into Hiren's executing the shown commands and waited for Aptio to get through the flashing steps. Showing all "Done" the PC tried to reboot and from then, as stated, only beep codes, black screen and nothing happens anylonger.

I'll check that video, thx for linking!

Regards

[Bill_To]

Hi @haftting 

Sounds good.

I guess there is a possibility the BIOS chip has failed.

A local tech should be able to replace this chip. Then reprogram the new chip using F.65.

Regards

[SenninMoodo]

Hey @Bill_To

wasn't able to login with my account anymore/ had to choose another display name and @haftting somehow vanished and not able to reset password cause "User doesn't exist"....

Anyways...

I watched the video you linked and was curious if you have experiences flashing the BIOS chip yourself?
To be honest I had to try it.

Desoldered the chip (at least I think it was the right one cause it's a "MX25L12875FM2I10G" near the CMOS), flashed a way older firmware F.11 Rev.A with the ISP programmer, soldered back in and tried if it would start. Unfortunately the CPU and GPU fans started spinning for like 1-2 sec and then turned off itself, repeating that cycle. 

Desoldered the chip again, flashed F.67 Rev.A again and same procedure. This time the fans kept spinning but I had the  "2xlong + 2xshort beeps" agains and I wasn't really expecting that at all.

I'm not quite sure if I had a short when soldering back the chip first time, but I'm curious why I still get the beeps. If I probably need to get a completely new BIOS IC? I just thought if the IC itself broke down, I wouldn't even be able to read and flash it with the programmer, so I'm quite left in the dark at this point.

Probably you have some thoughts about it.

Appreciated as always.

Regards

[tson1]

Having this exact same issue, wondering why this would have happened randomly? My OMEN 900-290XE was running perfectly fine before the BIOS update.

[Bill_To]

Hi @SenninMoodo 

Sorry to see this.

I have never had to use a Serial BIOS programmer as shown at the YouTube link (Adamant IT) since the PCs I was working on were able to POST.

I was using the Aptio V AMI Firmware Update Utility on a bootable USB stick to roll back the BIOS to the most recent BIOS update prior to the faulty BIOS update.

The 2:2 error code means the main area (DXE) of the BIOS has become corrupted and no recovery binary image is available.

I don't think I would have used the F.11 BIOS file. I have seen cases where you might need an intermediate BIOS update to jump back to the most current BIOS version. You would have to check the HP release notes for all BIOS updates to see if this is required.

I really can't say what happened other than you may have used a corrupted BIOS.bin file, or something went wrong during the BIOS update process, or the BIOS programmer used is faulty.

You might need a local PC tech to fix this.

Regards