MS-7525 (Boston) motherboard - Bios update for Windows 10 Pro 64 bit - prior to updating CPU

[DavidB8]

Hello. I have recently upgraded the RAM on my PC - which has made a serious difference to performance. I have also bought a Core 2 Duo E7600 CPU to upgrade from the original Pentium E2220. My issue is that I cannot find any bios updates via the HP Support pages for my operating system. My current bios is - BIOS Version/Date Phoenix Technologies, LTD 5.16, 10/11/2008. Can anyone help, please.

[old_geekster]

@DavidB8, welcome to the forum.

There are not BIOS updates available for your computer.  HP does not provide any updates for computers released before 2013.  Your computer was released in 2009.

Please click the Thumbs up + button if I have helped you and click Accept as Solution if your problem is solved.

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

Hi, @DavidB8

There is a newer BIOS update for your PC than what you have now (5.22 -- Jul 10, 2009).

Fix and enhancements:

• Improves compatibility with Nvidia GeForce G210 graphics card.
• Resolves issue with system hanging at HP logo during startup.
• Improves BIOS security.
• Updates processor thermal policy.

However, the file was designed to only be run on the Windows Vista operating system.

If you want to update the BIOS, I strongly recommend you install Vista, update the BIOS, and then reinstall W10.

If you run the update in W10, there is no telling what will happen, and you have a strong chance of permanently wrecking your nicely upgraded PC.

You can find the BIOS update on your PC's support page under the Vista drivers section.

https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/selfservice/Compaq-Presario-SR5000-Desktop-PC-series/3823953/mo...

[DavidB8]

Thanks for that. There is a bios update for Vista 64 bit V.22) - but that doesn't download. I guess I should have downloaded that prior to installing Windows 10!? Should the processor upgrade work without an updated bios?

[Huffer]

E7600 is a supported processor:

https://support.hp.com/us-en/product/compaq-presario-sr5700-desktop-pc-series/3823953/model/3873200/...

The BIOS (any version) should work with any compatible processor. But you still want to upgrade to the latest BIOS. Do you have some way to install Vista on it?  

[DavidB8]

Thanks. There is a Windows old folder on the C Drive - which is probably Vista? I installed Windows 10 32 bit by error and then clean installed 64 bit. It's taken a while to reload all my apps etc, so I'll probably install the upgraded CPU on the current bios and see what happens. I've checked on the motherboard spec and the E7600 is supported.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

If there is only one Windows.old folder, it is most likely your W10 32 bit installation.

The only reason I would be tempted to install the BIOS update would be due to the 'Updates processor thermal policy' enhancement.

If you are not experiencing any issues with the PC hanging at the HP logo, and you don't have a Vista installation disk, then you will have to leave it be.

[DavidB8]

Thanks for that. There are 2 Windows.old folders so I assume the oldest is the original Vista OS. I take your point about if not curently experiencing issues. I'm not and reading I have done elsewhere leads me to a decision to install the new cpu and if that works ok to leave the bios as it is.

Many thanks to all who replied.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Anytime.

Glad to have been of assistance.

You are correct. 

If you have two windows.old folders there, one is the old Vista installation.

Unfortunately, you can't reinstall Vista from there.

Recommendation...delete both windows.old folders to free up disk space.

They are doing you no good. 

If you have copied any files you want from the Windows.old folder that was Vista, you can delete these folders by running the disk cleanup utility.

When the disk cleanup window opens, click on the Cleanup system files box on the bottom left side of the window.

The utility will run again, and when the windows comes back, check all of the boxes to delete the files.

You will recover many GB of space.

[DavidB8]

Thanks. I have deleted the oldest Windows.old folder but for the more recent (first install of Windows 10 I think) folder it's telling me I need permission from SYSTEM to delete. How do I do that?