OMEN 45L won't boot up / TPM 2.0 /bitlocker

[TopSecretDT]

Been having boot problems since the day I got this last month having to restart it several times before windows would work. A few times it did the boot and turn off in 5 second cycle for as long as I would let it run. This weekend I got a thumbdrive and left it in the computer when I turned it off. When I later started it the next day the computer went into repair mode and started requiring that I enter the bitlocker recovery key every time I started the computer this week. 

Today in windows I tried to disable and re-enable bitlocker to avoid entering the huge key every time and the de-encryption failed, and bitlocker options disappeared from windows 11 and TPM 2.0 module is now not visible in windows 11 even though the bios is saying its active and safe boot is on. 

I did a system restore that also failed. I did a full factory reset and reinstall windows 11 and no change. In the bios I clicked reset TPM to yes twice and it was not turning off or offering to turn to off on the next boot.  While doing this the computer now refuses to go through booting like it did last week.

Yes I updated the bios. I also installed HP assistant which did not do anything. Currently stuck at the never ending boot up and shutdown cycle. 

[TopSecretDT]

Update:  I reset the bios but that did nothing.  I tried a different hard drive and graphic card but no change. While I had taken off the left case I noticed I can hear something. During the bootup a couple of electrical noises are coming from around the CPU which appears to be some failure. Its a tiny faint buzz buzz noise right before it cycles off and tries to bootup again. 

Looks like the motherboard failed.  Since under warranty giving up and just having it repaired/replaced. 

[martynhare]

I'm in a similar boat to you.

PC wouldn't fire up again today with just a split second fan spin.  Managed to get it to boot after draining the power out of it for quite a while, however, the TPM is now completely non-functional and requires a BitLocker Recovery Key on every bootup (Device Manager shows it as not connected).

Given Windows Update now supplies UEFI Firmware updates, I wonder if something has been distributed recently which has wrecked our units?  I'm inclined to get a warranty repair on mine as well

[TopSecretDT]

Yeah, I was there and I reset the CMOS and it only let it boot a few seconds more before cycling off. I think the buzzing was some controller on the motherboard that was waiting for a signal and the bios is just saying nothing so it tries it again. Looking into it further it seems the secure boot is looking for keys and the TPM is not shaking hands and causing it reboot endlessly.

Most likely an update corrupted the TPM controller (W25Q128JV - Serial NOR Flash - Code Storage Flash Memory - Winbond) as this problem is appearing a lot recently online. The TPM chip has to be dumped and reprogrammed from what I understand and then the bios flashed. 

Several help discussions mention rolling back the BIOS as an easier fix but I don't know if that will work or how.  The CPU does have TTP built in it that can substitute the motherboard TPM controller but HP skimped on the bios to be as basic as possible, so they disabled it by default. Therefore windows will not see the CPU TTP instead as there is no advanced BIOS option for that.  

Bottom line the security features have likely locked us out of the motherboard after an update and only a new motherboard will work.... Good luck. 

[martynhare]

Good luck to you too TopSecretDT!

Interestingly the BIOS revision history (Driver - OMEN by HP 45L Gaming Desktop PC GT22-0000i (393C5AV) | HP® Customer Support) has a note for "Fixes issue where device encryption function item would be lost in system." in one of the previous updates, meaning this is an ongoing, known problem.  I would hazard a guess that this isn't a random fault with our motherboards, but instead a known flaw affecting every 45L motherboard with that SKU.

I took a peek at Event Viewer just on the off chance it would give me any further clues.  Back when the TPM was functioning, every time Windows would do a TPM status check, it would issue Event 519 "The TPM has been cleared. Reason: SRK has changed or is not present"  implying the TPM key storage was regularly being cleared and re-provisioned.

I spoke to HP Support via WhatsApp which tried to conclude that since a Fan Speed Test and Fan Thermal Test both came back as PASS then the CPU and motherboard must be fine (I wish I was joking). The support representative also refused to give me a case reference number but thankfully the automated system had already emailed me one.  I guess support for OMEN units is not to the same standard as ProDesk, Z Workstations and the like....

As this PC is less than 30 days old, I'm going to ask for a full refund instead of wasting 2 weeks waiting for a repair only to risk things going awry again shortly thereafter, since they've clearly known about this problem for a while. I've used the automatically-generated case ref to request the refund and hopefully HP will honour it without quibbling.

[tnerb321]

I want to point out this isnt just happening with the 45L  It is happening with my 40L.

The winning sounds you hear are the sounds of the video card fans spinning up.  To get past the shutdown issue after a few seconds, unplug the computer for about 10 minutes then plug it back in.  It should give enough time for the power to discharge and seems to resolve the issue but still requires the bitlocker key to be hand typed in every reboot.

Wondering if fully removing drive encryption and running without bitlocker fixes it?  But then again that leaves us open to bios hacking.

[TopSecretDT]

It's not the video card. I tried to isolate the noise before sending in the computer for a repair. I had removed the video card and booted it up without it and the little electrical buzzing sound (which immediately comes before the computer restarting) was coming from the motherboard. 

Initially I thought it was from around the CPU but on later testing it sounded like the chip labeled BIOS (which is the built in TPM 2.0 module built in Taiwan by WinBond) was making the noise. Likely it had failed and need replaced or dumped and/or re-flashed. 

Windows can't see the TPM 2.0 module anymore so trying to remove bitlocker just messed everything up as I couldn't enter the key anymore to boot into windows.  

Suffice to say Windows 11 TPM 2.0 is a pain. 

HP support is out of motherboards so it will take >2 months to get fixed so I might have them send it back and will replace it with a comparable Z690.