Upgrading the bios of Compaq 8300 CMT

[Jaguaar]

Brain Trust,

Please advise me how to proceed with this situation:

I have a Compaq elite 8300 CMT running Windows 10. The BIOS, however are very old - 2.05

I read on this forum that I need to first upgrade to 2.99 and then to 3.08. Fine.

But I also read and noticed that HP did not release any Win 10 drivers for this machine, the last one was 8.1

So am I correct in my assumption that I won't be able to upgrade the BIOS unless I install win 9.1 or 7 on this machine, flash the bios and then revert back to Windows 10?
Please advise.

Thanks, in advance, for any suggestions or clarifications.

[TheOldMan]

From what I read in this thread with comments and guidance by @Erico and @Paul_Tikkanen 

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Desktop-Hardware-and-Upgrade-Questions/Purchased-HP-Elite-8300-MiniTow...

You can update the BIOS using the F10 method and doing so it is outside of Windows.  Therefore not worry about which version is installed.

[Jaguaar]

Ah great, that helps a lot. At least the option to upgrade is there.

By the way, how much and what is it that we miss out on if the BIOS are not upgraded to latest and greatest? 

Does any one want to chime in?

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

Hi, @Jaguaar 

You can read the release notes that are available, and decide for yourself whether or not to update the BIOS.

Unfortunately, there aren't any that are previous to v02.98.

I do not know of any issues with the 8300 Elite model series and W10 when running the latest BIOS version 03.08.

Just use the F10 setup flash method to update the BIOS.  You don't even need to have a hard drive installed if you do it that way. 

Version: 00.03.08 Rev.A

Fix and enhancements:

- Provides latest Intel Microcode versions 0x21 for Ivy Bridge processors and 0x2F for Sandy Bridge processors.

NOTE: Due to security changes, after loading this BIOS, older versions cannot be installed.

Version: 00.03.07 Rev.A

Fixed in this release: NOTE: Due to security changes, after loading this BIOS, older versions cannot be installed. - Provides latest Intel Microcode versions 0x20 for Ivy Bridge processors and 0x2E for Sandy Bridge processors.

Version: 00.03.06 Rev.A

Fixed in this release: - Provides the latest Intel Microcode versions 0x1F for Ivy Bridge processors and 0x2D for Sandy Bridge processors.
- Adds a new BIOS Setup policy to allow the Power On Password prompt when Wake On LAN is enabled. NOTE: This new setting will be enable by default, and will prompt for Power On Password during a Wake on LAN event.

NOTE: Due to security changes, after loading this BIOS, older versions cannot be installed.

Version: 03.04 Rev.A

Fixed in this release: - Added Security Update.

Version: 03.03 Rev.A

Fixed in this release: - Fixed F10 "BIOS Power On" issue where TIME was not getting saved unless cursor (focus) remained on TIME setting in F10 menu. *** ALERT *** ALERT *** ALERT ***

If upgrading from a v02.xx to this version, v03.00, the user MUST FIRST FLASH TO v02.99.
If not, upgrading to v03.xx will be rejected.

Version: 03.02 Rev.A

Fixed in this release: - Fixed issue where TPM was enabled without Setup Password enabled.
– Fixed issue where AMT Enable was getting grayed in F10 when not properly provisioned.
- Fixed Wake On LAN (usually wake by magic packet) to Disable (BIOS) Fast Boot so Remote Wakeup Boot Source will execute.
- Fixed BiosConfigUtility in setting Legacy and UEFI Boot Sources.
- Fixed the Master Boot Record Security in F10 Menu and to allow MBRBackup to be updated.
- Updated the BIOS Power On support.
- Updated USB support. *** ALERT *** ALERT *** ALERT ***

If upgrading from a v02.xx to this version, v03.00, the user MUST FIRST FLASH TO v02.99.
If not, upgrading to v03.00 will be rejected.

- Implemented Roll Back prevention.
- Added improved Security Updates.

*** ALERT ***

This release improved Security Updates implementation. HP strongly recommends promptly
transitioning to this BIOS version. Due to security changes, after this BIOS
update has been installed, previous BIOS versions cannot be reinstalled.

Version: v02.99 Rev.A

Fixed in this release: - Customers MUST flash this BIOS first, before flashing to the v03.xx versions.
- Added enhancement to allow for flashing forward to v03.xx.
- This is the same version as v02.98.

Version: v02.98 Rev.A

Fixed in this release: - Fixed for AMT Watchdog Timers when disabled in F-10 the timers are no longer active.
- Fixed the Boot Order status and sequence listed in CPQSetup.txt to be the same as in F10 Menu, Setup.
- Fixed the possible TXT/TPM issue in F10 Menu where both TXT and TPM options could be greyed-out in the F10 Setup.
- Fixed intermittent S3 hang during the resume cycle.
- Fixed the Boot Order displaying incorrectly in F10=Setup when the Network Controller is Disabled.
- Fixed the TPM1.2 device not being accessible in Device Manager and TPM.MSC after resetting the TPM. - Flash Back Restrictions to previous BIOS versions.

ALERT: This BIOS includes critical updates. Once the system is updated to this
version, rollback to previous versions is restricted. This restriction
also applies to BIOS recovery files.

- Added UEFI and UEFI Variables Security Updates.

[Jaguaar]

Paul - Thank you so much for posting such a detailed and helpful reply. Appreciate you spending your time on this. 

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.