Cannot update bios

[pmiles123]

Trying to manually update my system bios as the HP Support Assistant won't do it (says there is not enough room on EFI partition as it always does).

HP Consumer Desktop PC BIOS Update (ROM Family SSID 8928)

Softpaq number: sp161538

Version: F.23

Size:14.26MB

Per instructions I created a USB restore disk with the update.  Problem is, when I go into system bios, there is no option to update the bios.  I swear I did this in the past (I'm currently at F.21) but have since lost the instructions on how to do so.  

I have my USB disk inserted then restart the computer. Hit esc, main menu appears, choose F2, like it says but that is only system diagnostics.  Start over and choose F10, no option to update the bios.  The process on the HP website is not what happens when I am booting into the bios.  I know I have done this before a while back.  I got instructions that actually worked.  I don't have them now and the instructions on the website doesn't get me there.

What is it that I am not doing that I should be doing to get it to update the bios?  

[Bill_To]

Greetings @pmiles123 

Welcome to the HP Forum. 

A BIOS update is not always necessary if your PC is doing well. 

A HP BIOS update performed within an active Windows session does its magic using the Windows EFI System partition.

Your Windows EFI system partition is probably close to full. This is why you see the "not enough free disk space" error.

Possible BIOS Update Options:

You could expand the Windows EFI system partition using partitioning software or try doing the BIOS update using a bootable HP USB BIOS Recovery flash drive.

Use a HP USB BIOS Recovery Drive:

Scroll down to "Recover the BIOS using a USB recovery drive" at this HP Site for BIOS update details.

You might be able to bypass the EFI System partition roadblock doing the BIOS update outside of the operating system.

I'm stumped if you can't update the BIOS using the instructions at the above HP site link.

Free Partitioning Software:

Using partitioning software is somewhat more involved. It requires creating unallocated space immediately after the EFI system partition by shrinking the Windows partition.

You can then merge the free space created after shrinking the Windows partition into the EFI system partition to increase the size of the EFI system partition.

I have done this using Macrorit free available at this Site.

I suggest checking the "Support" link at the Macrorit download site to review tutorials and tips.

An Ounce of Prevention is Better than a  Pound of Cure:

There is a chance of breaking Windows if the partitioning software is used incorrectly. So you would have to accept the risk involved.

It's good to have system image backups or at least back up data before modifying Windows.

I do routine Windows system drive backups which provide a quick system image recovery if things go south. I also routinely do data backups.

Regards