Need help with that infamous 3F0 code

[Madmichael41]

Howdy all!

I purchased my computer back in October of 2021 and now I have no computer due to the famed error code 3F0.  I have attempted all the recommendations that I could find on here, excepting the return thing, because I was only given a 30-day warranty by HP - why is anyone's idea because I don't have one and I can't find a way to actually talk to anyone at HP except by paying money first.  And the seller only gave a 60-day warranty (that I was not informed of, I might add) so that is out.

Anyone know of a way to contact HP that I don't have to pay for first so I can fix this dang code/computer?  Any help is appreciated.

Oh, and please, no "recommendations", I've tried all the ones I could find on this site already, so there is that.

Thanks!

[BeemerBiker]

Need some clue here as to what happened

code 3F0  supposedly shows up due to

• Wrong boot order in BIOS

• Hard disk connection problem

• Outdated or misconfigured BIOS

• Corrupted or died bootable disk

• Damaged system files

When did your first see this?  After a power glitch?  After "feature" update from Microsoft?  After anything suspicious?  After adding some new device or software?

Can you get into the bios?  If so, does one or both disk drives show up?

The boot drive, if I read the tp01-1070 specs, is a 256gb M.2 and you also have a 1tb hard drive. with 10 gen CPU.  Look like a good system, 

Lets  assume you can get into the bios and both drives show up. 

- disable TPM

- set legacy boot

- select the 256gb 

reboot.

Not working?  If so, you need to go to the cloud and get a copy of what HP put on the system when you bought it and do a full re-install on the 256gb -or- run the diagnostic or recovery tool that is on the cloud software.

https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/ish_4374279-4216685-16

Assuming you used a flash drive to download the cloud stuff do  the following

put the flash in the USB, boot into bios and

- disable TPM

- set legacy boot

- select the USB/CD/DVD

See if the USB boots.

Report back here if it does not or any other problem

If boots then try the repair (to the 256) else you can install win10 but it MAY erase your 256gb drive.  There may be an option to leave old files.  Not sure because all my HP system are to old to use the cloud recovery  It only works for system built after 2016

[Madmichael41]

Howdy and thanks for the response!

Okay, first I have nothing in my BIOS that has the word "legacy" anywhere.  I did, however, have a place to clear the TPM and I did so - no joy.

I went to the site you recommended, but the system there only wanted to download and install drivers onto the computer I am using to write this, nowhere was I able to get to any "cloud" resources.

The computer will boot using a Linux program (Ubuntu), but even then I was unable to access either hard drive in the computer.  No joy there, either.

My next step is to disconnect the additional hard drive to see if that does anything.  If no joy there, I just guess HP has royally screwed me over and no doubt about it.

Thanks for your help, though!

[BeemerBiker]

What file did you download from the cloud matrix?  Should have more than just drivers.

https://ftp.ext.hp.com/pub/caps-softpaq/CloudRecovery/crsupportedplatform.html

Is the something like the following in your bios?

Enable legacy and disable secure boot

[Madmichael41]

Howdy and thanks!

Nope, the BIOS is most definitely  not set up that way.  I have some of the items, in various locations, but I do *NOT* have anything that refers to "legacy", not even so much as the word is found anywhere!

No keys for "Platform Key" or "Pending Action" are found anywhere in my BIOS, as well.

When I use the download key at the site you provided all I get is a file named "sp139291.exe" and when I run that I  send it to a 128Gb USB drive and it sets up something dealing with "installcmdwrapper" and I am not certain as to what I should do with this.  There is a folder "src" which has "hpcloudrecovery.msi" but when I click on that it only gives a black screen and some very quickly gone entries that seem to be mostly error codes of some type - I can't slow it down enough see much, sorry.

Still at a loss, sadly, but I appreciate your help!

[BeemerBiker]

Not clear to me what you did or what went wrong.

When you ran the .exe did you check the [x] for installing on a different computer and put in the serial number of your system?

Once the 128gb flash is written did you attempt to boot the usb?

[Madmichael41]

Howdy LeemerBiker!

When I "installed" it, it did not ask for anything like a serial number, just where I wanted to install it - hard drive or USB drive.

When I attempted to boot from the USB (as it is) I first got some flickers and I think I saw something, but I'm not sure.  It just sat there and did nothing for 15 minutes with a black screen at which time I switched off the computer, removed the USB drive and turned it back on.  Still got the 3F0 error.

I even tried to download the "newest" of the UEFI diagnostics programs but it failed because it was not programmed correctly by HP!

I know for a fact that something *VERY* funny is going on, as I cannot even get Ubuntu to access *either* of the drives no matter which one of them is is connected to the motherboard!   I think I will remove the drive and see if this computer can access the files, at least.  Ya know, it's really funny how I have 5 other HP desktops that are over 10 years old and still run like a bat outta Hades (With Windows 10!), but this "new" computer is a dog that HP is so very proud of.

Thanks!

[BeemerBiker]

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@Madmichael41

When I "installed" it, it did not ask for anything like a serial number, just where I wanted to install it - hard drive or USB drive.

---

What happened at or before step 4 of the instructions where the serial number must be supplied.  That is needed by the app to download the correct recover software.

[Madmichael41]

Never mind.  Sorry.

Seems that I won't win this one.  HP won't help with this computer.  It's a Pavilion and I was only given a 30 day warranty by HP and the ran out at 6 months, so I guess I'm just screwed at this point.

Well, at least I did manage to get into the hard drive by putting it into this computer and using Ubuntu.  Funny, since a non-installed disc run version of Ubuntu would not access either disk whatsoever.  This computer, at boot, also shows it as a RAID drive and not a "regular" drive like the other two.

If you have any further ideas, I'd love to hear them, though!  And I really do appreciate all your help!

Thanks!

[BeemerBiker]

RAID enables AHCI for system that only offer IDE or RAID as options. in bios.  If you want AHCI and that is not a listed bios option, then one enables RAID.

PCIe add in cards such as USB3 and Wi-Fi generally required AHCI to work.