Dilemma as to HP Z820 Workstation System BIOS version 3.88 Update

[joselso]

On HP Drivers & software Support page, URL: http://h20566.www2.hp.com/hpsc/swd/public/detail?sp4ts.oid=5225043&swItemId=wk_149650_1&swEnvOid=405... it is stated that the latest v. 3.88 BIOS update for Z820 will display an error message and fail to boot if Management Engine firmware is not the right version for the processor. This statement poses a real dilemma in my case: My Z820 is one of the first of its kind, dating back to mid 2012. It incorporates the original version of Intel Xeon processors E5-2670. It arrived originally installed with Intel ME firmware version 7.1.21.1134 and Boot Block Date 12/28/2011. After 2 years of relatively safe operation, the Z820 failed, and HP On-Site support replaced its motherboard with a brand new one: Its Boot Block Date is 03/06/2013 with Intel ME firmware version 8.1.52.1496. However, the same original pair of Intel Xeon processors E5-2670 remained and are still running safely in position on the new motherboard. They did not fail so they were not replaced. So now, if I update BIOS to v. 3.88, it may detect the "unsupported combination of processor and Management Engine firmware" and prevent system boot... Should I update BIOS? At present it is v.3.87. Please advise.

[SDH · Accepted solution]

You had an original type motherboard and original type processors. The newer (HP calles them Revision 1) type motherboards with the later boot block date did not lose their ability to run the original type processors, as you have experienced. Those can run all the older approved processors and also the newer listed processors in the QuickSpecs. The "unsupported configuration" is running the newer type processors with the older type IME firmware in place. I have updated all of our Z620s to the 3.88 version of BIOS, and we have both original and revision 1 type motherboards (with both the original and newer type of processors in our revision 1 type motherboards) with zero problems. Update of the IME firmware, if you wish, requires fiddling, but has never failed me either. That, of course, is different from updating the IME software. I always update BIOS from within BIOS now... unpack the 3.88 SP for the BIOS updater and harvest the .bin file from the DOS folder that gets placed on the root level of C drive along with the other parts. You only need that .bin file. Place that on a thumb drive, top level, and boot into F10 with that inserted ahead of power up... then you can navigate to the USB stick for the BIOS update. It is safer to do these BIOS updates when not booted into Windows, in my opinion.

[joselso]

OK, I made the brave step forward and updated Z820 BIOS to version 3.88 as you suggested. Worked all right without issues. I, too, always update BIOS with .bin file on disk-on-key after pressing F10 , and not while Windows is on.

[SDH]

Good to hear all went well.  I just updated another set of Z620s this way last Friday.... no problems with 3.88 at all.

There is one that I had to update by launching the SP in Windows 7 rather than updating from within BIOS..... it takes much longer to do the BIOS update that way, and I had forgotten that.  So, I'm sticking with updating BIOS from within BIOS for that reason also.