I need to rollback my HP desktop BIOS to a previous version, what utility should I use?

[Fortran77]

I recently updated my ROM BIOS on my HP Slimline Desktop (290-a0046) from F33 to F34. Now when the system is idle for a random amount of time the entire system will freeze up. The only way to get it to respond is to perform a power recycle. HP support was not able to fix the problem. All the software and hardware tests pass okay. I even tried refreshing the Windows 10 OS, but that did not solve the problem.I know there is a utility to rollback the BIOS to a previous version, either F33 or F32. Can someone please tell me what the utility is and give me some step-by-step instructions? Thanks in advance.

[Rainbow23]

Hi @Fortran77,

Welcome to HP Support Community. 
Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

I see that you want to rollback the BIOS to the previous version.

Please follow the steps listed below for BIOS recovery:
1. Turn off the computer and keep the power adapter plugged in.
2. Press and hold the Windows key and the B key at the same time, and then press and hold the power button for 2 to 3 seconds.
3. Release the Power button but continue pressing the Windows and B keys. You might hear a series of beeps.
4. The HP BIOS Update screen displays and the recovery begins automatically. Follow any on-screen prompts to continue the startup to complete the recovery.
You may also check the link: https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c02693833 

I hope this helps.
Take care and have a good day.

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

[bb3927]

i have the same Model and I have the same PROBLEM. I updated My BIOS to F.34 and for the past two weeks my mouse and keyboard both FREEZE after they are idle for 3 minutes. The only way out is to apply a Hard Restart. I have tried everything, NOTHING WORKS...

Please let me know if you find a SOLUTION. HP is aware of the Problem, You would think they would email the Solution and yet they HAVE NOT!

I have an HP Slimline Desktop 290 a0046 Win 10 x64 22H2

I have tried to rollback to F.33 it does not work. Holding the Windows and B Key while pressing Power for 1 to 3 seconds does NOT work either. Please someone POST THE SOLUTION!!!!

[Fortran77]

Bb3927, I feel your pain. There is a workaround that will stop your PC from freezing. It took me weeks of experimentation to discover the root cause. The root cause is that BIOS F.34 has a bug in it that prevents software including Windows from updating the CMOS BIOS clock. If any process runs that attempts to synchronize your PC's clock with a time server, the PC will freeze. You can prove to yourself that this is the problem by exiting all applications and saving your work, then navigating to the Control Panel "Date & Time Settings" in Windows 10 and clicking on the Sync Now button. If your PC freezes then you have identified the problem. You can also reproduce this behavior by running the w32tm.exe program at the CMD prompt. I have also reproduced the behavior with a 3rd party application I downloaded from the internet that also synchronizes the clock. Reboot your PC after the freeze and again navigate to the Date & Time Settings Control Panel and change the "Set time automatically" setting from On to Off. 

Originally, I also believed that the problem was with the keyboard and mouse, but I was wrong. The PC is freezing when your PC is idle because you are not doing anything like watching a video or typing. There exists a Windows process called Automated Maintenance that runs when the PC is idle. It executes a number of scheduled tasks in the Task Scheduler including one task that synchronizes time. You can disable the Synchronize Time task in the Task Scheduler. 

Obviously, the ultimate solution is to rollback your BIOS from F34 to F.33 or a previous version. I have not done this yet. I am going to wait until late April after I have finished doing my taxes. I understand that the procedure where you reboot the PC with the Windows and B key depressed may not work. You will find an elaborate dialog where I and other people with similar problems try to solve this on this discussion forum. See:

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Desktop-Boot-and-Lockup/System-freezes-booting-windows/m-p/8633934#M76...

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Desktop-Operating-Systems-and-Recovery/Automated-Maintenance-freezes-m...

Please send me a message in this forum if the Time Sync workaround works for you or not. If not, I will try and help you work your way through it. 

Good luck and God Bless.

[Fortran77]

Also, see the thread Re: Automated Maintenance freezes my PC, how do I identify t... - HP Support Community - 8613484. 

[bb3927]

Fortran... First off, WOW, Thank You Very Much. After a month of Hard Starting My Computer over and over, YOU, Have been a Huge Help! I too thought it was a Keyboard and Mouse Problem all along, I would have never guessed it was a Clock Syncer, I did as you suggested and sure enough my computer froze right on cue as I hit the Sync Now Button. I turned off the "Set Time Automatically" setting and disabled it in Task Scheduler. FREEDOM is HERE My Brother... I tried to Rollback My Firmware to F.33 and Windows Update Pushed her right back to F.34 when I had my back Turned. At this point I think I will wait until HP releases a Fixer, I honestly can't imagine why they haven't yet, Not Good Business as I have been reading lots and lots of Computers are facing the same HASSLE. The Fixer should have been released a few days after they realized the Problem, Yo HP, that's how you keep your Clients Loyal. I have tried the Windows + B then Power 1-3 seconds (Some say Windows + V then Power 1-3 seconds)

Tried em all many times, it does not work. HP, the Solution is Soo SIMPLE, allow us to Rollback to F.33 and Hey, Problem Solved.  Currently I have Firmware AMI F.34 installed, but it shows No Driver installed in Device Manager, I have No Clue why. If you have any thoughts on this and on the Windows B or V /Power Button, remedy, I'm all Ears. Anyway Once again Thank You from Sunny San Diego, Bobby Bb3927

[Fortran77]

Bobby, you are welcome. Again, it took me many weeks of Googling possible solutions, experimentation, and many reboots to track down the root cause. The HP support team were not capable of helping me. I have not completed my research as to how to successfully and permanently rollback the firmware. I will not attempt this myself until I have all my ducks in a row.

What I can tell you is that your disk zero (0) has a partition number one (1) called EFI System Partition. You can see it if you run the Disk Management utility in Windows. You may be able to run the CMD command with Administrator privilege and execute the command:

    mountvol.exe X: /s

which will assign the drive letter X to the partition while the CMD window is running. You can use whatever unassigned drive letter you like. This will enable you to explore the partition. If you use the command:

    dir X:\efi\hp\bios\current\

you will see the .bin and .sig files for the current BIOS firmware. There are also the \New and \Previous subdirectories.

I believe the reason your system is automatically upgrading the BIOS from F.33 to F.34 is because the EFI partition is used at startup to reimplement the now current version of the BIOS F.34. A utility called UEFI is used to test and maintain your BIOS. I made the mistake of updating the version of the UEFI utility on my PC to the newest version which does not include the rollback feature. The old version did have this capability. HP does not want consumers doing this themselves. An old video on the HP web site describes this utility and mentions the rollback option. If you still have the previous version of UEFI, you may be able to use it to perform the rollback, but there are no guarantees. 

Again, I am not going to attempt this stuff myself until I and have all the steps well defined and I finish my taxes in April. The alternative is to continue to live with F.34, not synchronize the clock, and wait until AMI and HP rollout a new BIOS version F.35 that hopefully fixes the bug. That alternative maybe you best course of action for you, as well.

Good luck and God Bless.

[bb3927]

It Truly amazes me that HP was unable to HELP. I checked out the EFI Partition and I think you are absolutely right on as to why My system updated right back to F.34 after I rolled back successfully to F.33, I should have checked this prior. At any rate, Hey, I'm a Happy Man thanks to you, No Hard Restarts. since I stopped the Time Sync. I'm with you, I will wait for the New BIOS Fix. Hopefully HP will WAKE UP and get the FIXER out like NOW! I truly do not want to mess with this HP HASSLE any more than I have to.

Meantime I will focus on more productive things as we all wait on HP. If you get a few minutes of free time, I would like to know what the name of the Driver is for F.34 as My Device Manager is stating that No Driver is Installed and at the same time I'm lead to believe... "The Device is Working Properly." I will stay in touch with you if I catch a FIX. Thanks again, Bobby.

[Fortran77]

Bobby, there is no BIOS device driver in the Device Manager. If you run the Device Manager and navigate to the System Devices directory you will find a System CMOS real time clock device, but its device driver has not been updated since June of 2006.

If you reboot your PC while holding down the ESC key, you will get to the reboot menu. If you press the F2 button you will run the System Diagnostics UEFI program. My updated version 8.9.0.0 does not have a rollback option. The old version it had this feature, but it did not work for me. HP does not want consumers doing BIOS rollbacks. The stupidity is that HP deprived us of this option at the same time they distributed a buggy BIOS. HP and AMI should have done more testing. There is no reason why they could not have discovered the Time Sync bug before they released the new software.

Do not expect HP or AMI to deliver a fixer program and do not expect them to deliver a new version F.35 of the BIOS for a long time. HP is only just now learning that they have a problem and need to investigate a solution. The HP support staff who were unable to help me are just a tier 1 group which is the least knowledgeable. However, your decision to wait for a BIOS update is a good one. It's just too bad we may end up waiting a long time for it.

Best Regards for now.

[bb3927]

Fortran77...In My Device Manager just under My Display Adapters, I have a "Firmware" Listing Under that is "System Firmware" which is My UEFI/BIOS  F.34. In Properties it states "This Device is Working Properly" yet when I go to check the Driver the Message is..."No Driver Files are Required or have been Loaded for this Device." Additional Info: Driver Provider: HP... Driver Date: 11/04/2022... Driver Version: 15.34...

Digital Signer: Not Digitally Signed, (Why HP does NOT provide a Digital Signing is Beyond Me) I tried reinstalling after I Disabled Digital Driver Signing in System StartUP, Made No Difference, still would NOT Load a DRIVER. My Question is, Does UEFI/BIOS 15.34 require a Driver and if so, What is the Name of the Driver.  Back to HP, Fortran, One would THINK a Company as Huge as HP is would have No Problem getting the FIXER Out Immediately and yet I have been dealing with this Moronic Hassle for close to a Month Now... Am I Surprised, Not in the Least, I have been in the Service Industry for 5 Decades and I Get CUSTOMER SERVICE as I am Old School. Sadly in the Pathetic World we Live in these Days, Customer Service is Long Gone. This is Exactly what happens when these Corporations become Monopolies... Long Live the Mom and Pops... Here's a Perfect Example... In San Diego we had the "Ralphs" Supermarkets for years and they were Extremely Well Managed with Great Selections and Customer Service. A Year or so ago, "Kroger" the Monopolistic Huge Grocery Chain bought "Ralphs"

Now whenever I shop there, I kid YOU NOT, Just about EVERY TIME I go there I have to spend 10 Minutes searching for a Shopping Cart and every Time I get PISSED!  Shopping Carts are Customer Service 101, Any Fool Knows this, "Kroger" they could CARE LESS as they bought out the Competition.

They are Beyond STUPID! Anyway, thanks again for the rapid response, Please let me know if there is a Driver for 15.34...Bobby