HP Z2 Mini G9 bricked by Windows Update

[Donautal]

Hi,

we currently have 5 HP Z2 Mini G9 desktops, which were purchased new by our customer (who has another 35 of them). When installing the first windows update, during the reboot process, the machine gives two long beeps (during the beeps the power led lights up red) and then switches itself off. After that it can't be rebooted (or so it seems), it will just beep once, and no signal is going to the monitor. The power LED will stay on, but the fan will turn itself off.

After trying a lot of things, I found out, that by hitting ESC at the right moment, it will actually boot (I tried to get into the BIOS, but that didn't happen, it just boots normally). This procedure is reproducible. Boot it normally, no image, nothing happens, hit ESC at the right moment, Windows boots as if nothing was wrong.

Then, when I was in Windows, I downloaded the latest BIOS upgrade (03.02.03 Rev.A, sp153011.exe). This claims that my bios is up to date, but something else is not. After upgrading that, everything went back to normal, and the computer starts normally again.

I then tried to first install sp153011 on the second PC. But it's not possible. When you execute sp153011.exe on a non-bricked Windows, nothing happens (i.e. no window opens that lets you install the update). I was then able to reproduce the entire procedure on the second PC. I.e. first brick it via Windows Update, then recover by hitting ESC, and repair with sp153011.exe.

However, I don't want to brick 40 PCs, hoping that I'll be able to recover by hitting ESC at just the right time. Is there some way to prevent all of this ordeal? Especially, is there a way to install sp153011.exe without first bricking the PC?

(Part of me writing this all down is in the hope of other people with the same problem at least finding out how to unbrick it.)

[arathraagain]

Exactly the same problem. When you say hit Esc at the right time, is there any more to go on? As the light comes on? After a few seconds? Repeatedly fro the word, go? I've been starting and stopping and hitting Esc at random moments for the past half hour with no luck.

Thanks

[gary_elliott]

I was able to get the display working by connecting to the mini-DisplayPort.  When mine came up, it was prompting for the BitLocker key. After entering the key, it seems to work OK now.  My normal DisplayPort connection works again as well.  Kinda weird.

[Donautal]

Unfortunately not. I was hitting ESC repeatedly, but if you hit it too often, it'll start beeping every time you hit the key (funnily, only on the ESC and the F12 key, no other keys make it beep in that situation).

I have now experimented some more on the other three PCs. The third one was bricked in the same manner, and again was able to revive it via the ESC key.

With the last two, we found out more about the situation:

- The Windows Update that bricks the PC is not a Microsoft Update, it is indeed the same BIOS upgrade that I was talking about in the original post, it's just being delivered by the Windows Update mechanism. It will actually pop up a message by the BIOS installer that tells you not to install anything further until you have restarted your PC (while Windows is busy installing loads of Windows updates that you can't stop).

- It is possible to start that upgrade manually before installing via Windows Update mechanism. Here is what I wrote about that process in our internal documentation:

• Download the latest BIOS upgrade from HP. https://support.hp.com/de-de/drivers/hp-z2-mini-g9-workstation-desktop-pc/2101025774 The file is under BIOS-System-Firmware version 03.02.03 Rev.A the filename should be sp153011.exe
• Executing sp153011.exe does only unpack, not install the update. Go to the folder you unpacked it to, and in a subdirectory in it called HPFWUPDREC, and in it execute HpFirmwareUpdRec64.exe.
• Nothing will happen. Track, whether the program is still running via Task Manager.
• Once the program has ended itself, start it again. Its's gui will appear.
• Use the GUI to update your system.
• The firmware update will fail at some point. Execute the desired restart.
• During the restart you will hear two long beeps and one short beep.
• Be patient and wait. If the computer seems to switch off, wait. Only if it has been switched off for a long time, use the power button to start it again. Be patient again.
• After this update process is finished and you are in Windows again, start HpFirmwareUpdRec64.exe again, and go through the entire update process a second time. Again, be patient.
• After the restart is finished, you should be able to install the Windows Updates. Again, be patient during those.
• Everything should work.

[arathraagain]

Thank you for that.

But In the end - despite my attempts and those of the local computer shop - nothing came up. We tried different cables, monitors, everything. Fortunately still under warranty so returned to Amazon for a refund and never buying an HP again!