BIOS not detecting HDD and RAM after update

[gbenguze]

I updated the BIOS of my PC yesterday and I have been unable to boot into windows since. I was able to get into the BIOS and noticed that the Hard Drive and RAM were not detected. I have been in contact with HP support and was asked to do BIOS recovery which didn't work. I have reset the CMOS, taken out the CMOS Battery without luck.

I am able to start the PC using a LINUX live USB. The RAM is detected in LINUX but not the HDD. I have spent the last 12 hours trying to resolve this without luck and will appreciate any suggestion .

Many Thanks

[WAWood]

@gbenguze 

I'm afraid that there is very little you can do to fix this on your own.

The situation, as you describe it, is confusing because -- as you probably know -- the BIOS comes into play long before either Windows or Linux boots and is independent of both.  So, it makes no sense that the LinuxOS would see the RAM but the BIOS would not.  If the RAM were absent or faulty, you would get a black screen and beeping sounds -- and nothing would display, nor would any OS boot.

Additionally, removing the CMOS battery in laptops does not accomplish anything.

About all you can really do at this point is to take the laptop to a local service facility and see if they have a means to restore the BIOS through equipment they have.

Good Luck

[gbenguze]

Thanks for your reply.

Like I said I was able to get into BIOS when the PC did not boot. It was then that I discovered that no HDD or RAM was detected.

Since I have a LINUX live USB drive I decided to try if the BIOS will detect it, which it did and the PC booted into LINUX.

I then checked the memory from terminal terminal ( free -m) and it displayed the correct memory installed , however No HDD was detected when I check it (sudo parted -l)

The system is not a laptop but a mini desktop (HP 260 G1) and has a CMOS reset button on the motherboard, unfortunately this did not resolve the problem. Once again many thanks for your help.

[WAWood]

@gbenguze 

I'm not questioning what you are saying -- just finding it confusing that Linux OS will see the memory that the BIOS natively will not.

I think your only recourse would be to get the BIOS code reverted back to the old version, and you will probably need outside help to do that.

If you can find the old BIOS version on the HP product page for your PC, then download the softpoq, download and install 7-zip, and extract the HP files into its components.  With the BIN file, a PC repair facility might be able to reflash the BIOS for you.

Good Luck