Flash BIOS when UEFI Diagnostics Freeze

[tharkun]

Operating system wouldn't boot: Blue Screen of Death (BSOD): Bad System Config Info.

Hard Disk (HDD) OK (ran "chkdsk" from Command Prompt under Windows Recovery Console).

Tried to run "HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI" - this freezes on "Initializing Diagnostics".

While looking through the BIOS, I saw:

Makes me believe the BIOS is corrupt.

On the HP Support site, I downloaded the "PC BIOS SSID 8448 F.16 Rev.A".

However, it appears that "HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI" is used to update BIOS (which freezes!).

Tried using "HP PC Diagnostics USB Koy" to update BIOS.  This requires a CSO Number & Agent ID.  Attempts using "1234" and "" (i.e. NULL) don't work.

Any suggestions will be gratefully received.

[tharkun]

OK, I created the USB flash drive with the new BIOS (F.16 Rev.A).  From the HP Support site, I had tried:

Press and hold the Windows key and the B key at the same time, and then press and hold the Power button for 2 to 3 seconds

but nothing happened.  However, I just recently read this (on the HP Support site):

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NOTE: If the key presses do not work, press and release the Power button, and then immediately, press the Windows and B keys at the same time, repeatedly, until the computer beeps or opens the BIOS update screen.

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This actually worked!  Unfortunately, on rebooting, Windows 10 failed with the same failure code.

Looking at the BIOS again, I observed:

It's the new BIOS (F.16), but it still looks corrupted! ☹️  And the system is still exhibiting the same symptoms (the "HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI" still freezes on "Initializing Diagnostics").

Perhaps the EEPROM chip(s) is(are) faulty?  Perhaps the CMOS information is corrupt or the CMOS is faulty?

[tharkun · Accepted solution]

I "chatted" to an excellent service representative, & after some troubleshooting, the problem was determined to be a system board fault.