Computer is freezing after Bios Update

[p1ldob04]

I never got it resolved they had me try to do the emergency bias recovery by using the windows plus the b key and that never helped So because my computer expired the warranty over a year ago when I purchase the extended I am going through the process to mail it in where they shipped me the packaging material to get the system board replaced. It cost me $350 but I don't want to get rid of this computer yet or look at getting a new one.. I've read a lot of messages that it's difficult to downgrade the bias on a consumer PC But windows update should not have this version is an optional update.

[TomFoolery808]

An HP agent reached out to me via PM. The agent referred me to a technical support line. I called but despite this clearly being an error caused by HP, they could not  provided any support outside of paying for technical support. My PC is out of warranty, but I have trouble with concept of paying for help on an issue that HP created. No components of the PC are broken or require repair/replacement due to use or age. It's simply been fed a faulty HP bios which is causing the PC to hard freeze multiple times a day. Is there another avenue for help? Otherwise I have a computer that I cannot use. I've always felt good about the HP brand and have had a long history with its' products. Disappointing

[Wildsoldier]

At this point we are at the mercy of HP if they decide to release a new bios to fix their mess.

If they don’t release a solution for this…this will be my last HP product in my life.

I can’t believe I paid a lot of my hard earned money on a computer and after the warranty expired in most of these systems HP screw us all and in order to get support we have to pay them. Screw them…I am not happy! That’s not a good way to do business.

[Bill_To]

Hi

I would avoid BIOS updates offered by Windows Update. I hope this update was optional.

Someone in this thread, out of warranty, should have a local PC tech check the BIOS chip on the motherboard.

The PC tech should be able to reprogram the existing BIOS chip or replace the BIOS chip, as a last resort, and program the replacement BIOS chip using an older HP BIOS version for the MB. 

But the BIOS chip has to be soldered on the MB. The other variable is: can the tech find a replacement BIOS chip for the MB?

Have never worked with the affected MB(s). The BIOS chip could be embedded in the motherboard's substrate during the fabrication process. In the past I have seen HP replace the MB when the BIOS has been corrupted. Maybe it is not possible to reprogram or replace the BIOS chip on some HP consumer MBs.

[Bill_To]

Hi

Anyone interested should take a look at this thread https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Business-PCs-Workstations-and-Point-of-Sale-Systems/Firmware-Rollback-... 

It looks like there is a solution without having to reprogram the BIOS per my previous suggestion. It is a complex procedure. 

Editing the EFI System Partition using bootable Linux USB stick may required. It seems the author of the solution may have used an AMI Firmware Update Utility. Then reinstalling Windows seems to be the solution.

I am a little fuzzy with the solution? I am not sure when and where the command line parameters AFUWINx64.exe <biosfilename> /P /B /N /REBOOT are used. I think an AMI Firmware Update Utility was used.  

The BIOS chip option should also work if the BIOS chip is soldered to the MB. You would have to cleanly install Windows to clear the EFI System Partition. It seems the errant BIOS update is persistent in the Windows EFI System Partition. The unwanted update will install again.

Very interesting! I suggest carefully reading all responses to develop a full picture. I have read all posts in this thread a couple of times to get a handle on what is happening.

[p1ldob04]

I tried that also. I got a program to access uefi partition and upload the bios file but made no change for me. I'll read thread and see what happens.

[TomFoolery808]

CROSS POST

I did contact support a few days ago. It was definitely a cold handoff to support because the team has no idea what is happening, or will not acknowledge it. Despite this clearly being an error caused by HP, they will not provide any support outside of paying for technical support. My PC is out of warranty, but I have trouble with this concept of paying for help on an issue that HP created. No components of the PC are broken or require repair/replacement due to use or age. It's simply been fed a faulty HP bios which is causing the PC to hard freeze multiple times a day. Is there another avenue for help? Otherwise I have a computer that I cannot use. I've always felt good about the HP brand and have had a long history with its products. Disappointing.

I replied to my DM from support with the following.

This seems to be a very widespread issue impacting enterprise, commercial, and personal users. This issue must be impacting hundreds if not thousands of customers' machines. At this point I would ask you to please escalate this issue that must be impacting hundreds if not thousands of customers' machines. There are already 6 threads that I could find in the community speaking to this exact issue. I'm sure that there are considerably more posts from less technical customers/users. Not to mention the customers in the wild that have no idea what is happening or think to check HP's community forum for help.

Here are the 6 so far:

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Desktop-Boot-and-Lockup/Computer-is-freezing-after-Bios-Update/m-p/860...

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Desktop-Operating-Systems-and-Recovery/bios-downgrade/m-p/8612008

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Desktop-Operating-Systems-and-Recovery/Random-freezes/m-p/8608222

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Desktop-Boot-and-Lockup/System-freezes-booting-windows/m-p/8609552/thr...

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Desktop-Boot-and-Lockup/System-freezes-booting-windows/m-p/8611591/hig...

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Business-PCs-Workstations-and-Point-of-Sale-Systems/Firmware-Rollback-...

[Bill_To]

Hi

It seems you must reprogram the BIOS to an older version using a BIOS serial programmer (the BIOS chip is soldered to the MB) or the AMI Firmware Update Utility referenced in the Workstation thread.

Then either: edit the EFI System Partition using Bootable Linux USB or install Windows clean. It appears the HP BIOS firmware update will run again if you don't edit the EFI System Partition or wipe the disk and apply a clean Windows installation. I would think a system image made prior to the bad BIOS update would also do the job.

It has been suggested in the Workstation thread you can edit the EFI partition using Powershell. You have to dump the .bin and .sig files in the EFI System Partition.

[Wildsoldier]

I have the great news that I was able to rollback the faulty F.57 bios to F.55 bios version.

This is what I did: (NOTE:The persons who came with this trick is the one who the deserve the credit not me)

Download the AMI Bios Flash utility at ami bios website

Download the Aptio V Ami Firmware Update utility...it will be a zip file. Inside the zip file there is another zip file inside the zip. The program you need is inside the zip at afu/afuwin/64/ here you will find AFUWIN64.ZIP.... extract the content of that file to a pendrive in a directory or at the root of the pendrive. You can use the hard drive if you want.

After you have all those files. Download the old bios  .bin file and the .sig file from HP website Version F.55 and install on the same directory were the Ami Bios flash program is located.

On windows search bar type cmd right click on the cmd program icon and run as administrator.

now you need to run the program

make sure you are on the directory folder and run the following command lets say that you are inside the D drive and the program is in afuwin64 directory. You need to type the following command

D:\afuwin64>afuwinx64 08433.bin /P /B /N /REBOOT

It will start the process of downgrading the bios. The process takes like 5 min or so.

Then at the end it will reboot the machine....WHEN IT REBOOTS IT TAKES A LITTLE LONGER TO LOAD WINDOWS SCREEN AGAIN....GIVE IT SOMETIME. EVENTUALLY IT APPEARS. DO NOT HIT ESCAPE BUTTON TO SEE IF IT DOWNGRADED THE BIOS JUST YET BECAUSE DURING THAT BLACK OUT PERIOD IT MAY BE DOING SOME BIOS PROGRAMING PROCESS JUST WAIT FOR WINDOWS TO LOAD FIRST THEN REBOOT AND CHECK YOUR VERSION.

I  hope this helps.

[nbaynews]

Good Morning,

Your note says "download the AMI Bois Flash utility at the ami bios website."

Is this a different program than the Aptivo V AMI Firmware Updated Utility? 

Are there two programs or just the Aptivo V?

Pendrive? Is this the same as USB flash drive? 

Thank you in advance!