Is there a newer BIOS Update I can find somewhere, for my great HP Desktop?-4years old going strong.

[jr800]

Hi I have been enjoying overall, my HP ENVY Phoenix Desktop - 850-065se CTO, which I have owned for 4 years.

Initially it was configured with Win7 Pro-64bit, and since have upgraded to Win10 Pro-64 bit. I also upgraded the ram to 32 gb. I have the original high-end Nvidia GeForce GTX980. Even today it seems to be great for my needs and uses....I do some video editing, graphics and general web surfing with multitasking thanks to the 32 gb RAM.

I have noticed that some USB 3.0 External HardDrives I use with the USB3 port, are not as fast as before, and that unzipping large files and transferring files from one drive to another, also take longer and that the speed has declined. Are the USB Controllers, or maybe WIndow 10 updates contributing to this too?

I would assume that keeping the PC updated through Windows Update, is that it does it accurately. But after 4 years (in my case) with the original BIOS, or shortly after the 1st BIOS update, is it possible that the drivers that are updated (i.e. Hard Drive Controllers, etc.) are still as effective and effieicnt with the "old" BIOS? I have a driver update program that updates the system drivers too. But maybe in these last 4 years, the Pc could use and benefit from a BIOS update now? But is there one available, that I can find, and would that help to keep this PC working many years longer at the best running speed and efficiency?

ANy comments or suggestions or solutions are greatly appreciated. Thanks very much.

HP ENVY Phoenix Desktop - 850-065se CTO

System SKU M0K57AV#ABA

Intel I7-5930K CPU @3.50GHz, 3501 Mhz, 4 Cores, 8 Logical processors

BIOS AMI A0.05, 09/30/2016

SMBIOS ver 2.8

Embedded Controller Version 255.255

BIOS Mode UEFI

BaseBoard Manufacturer Hewlett-Packard

BaseBoard Product 2B3A

BaseBoard Version 1.04

[Grzwacz]

Hi,

You are running BIOS version A0.05 from 2016. There is a W8.1 BIOS update (version A0.08 Rev. A released in 2018) (Link). I don't know if this will help since it only provides security updates. A Windows 8.1 BIOS update may not install when using W10. I don't think you have a BIOS problem.

You have a CTO HP PC. Slow file transfers from USB 3.0 to a slow platter HDD will take time. HP offered SATA SSD storage options at purchase; do you have a legacy HDD or a newer SATA SSD?

I can only suggest upgrading a platter HDD to a SATA SSD for faster performance if the bottleneck is the slow platter HDD.

HP does not support W10 on your PC so you are at the mercy of Microsoft to provide reliable USB 3.0 drivers if this is the problem.

Try a clean installation of W10 on a new SSD to see if the problem goes away. You can always reconnect the factory HDD to the system, no harm, no foul if a new operating system installation on a new faster SATA SSD yields the same results (slow USB 3.0 data transfer). Maybe the USB external drives are showing their age??

Regards

[jr800]

Thanks a lot for your advice....I will try the new SSD Win10 install soon and see if there is any difference...

If the bios update W8.1 BIOS update (version A0.08 Rev. A released in 2018), would install if I tried, as you stated, it likely only states the fixes are for security, with no mention of other benefits....so I will pass on that.

Some additional thoughts and questions: In general, for any PC including mine, might there be a possibility that up to date drivers... from Windows update or a driver update program...including such as USB Host Controllers, chipset, etc., may not be as efficient as older drivers? And may possibly cause issues and sluggishness?  Would rolling back any particular drivers an option to try, and might that ever help?

Thanks