HP Omen Laptop BIOS corrupted - Recovery USB Unsuccessful

[ReynaInstalock]

I own a computer repair and custom gaming computer builds store but this problem is with my own personal laptop.

I have a HP Omen 17 Gaming Laptop, model 17-cb1523na (Product number: 17G22EA)

Windows 10 Update wanted to “update HP firmware”, never realised this was even a thing as I’m only used to using custom PCs where you put a BIOS update on a FAT32 USB and either use a BIOS Flashback button or just use the current BIOS to select the new update.

It seems that it had trouble reading its own BIOS update that it installed from Windows Update and ended up breaking even the current BIOS on the motherboard as soon as the BIOS update started.

There was no power loss or turned off power, it just failed and ended up breaking the motherboard similarly to what would happen with sudden power loss in a normal PC during a BIOS update (which is why UPSs are great to prevent that).

I thought it was GG and a dead motherboard but found that I can manually download the BIOS onto a FAT32 USB (which should have been the only way to do this anyway but I think they do this Windows Update method for ‘pc noobs’, which turned out to actually be even worse as even I can’t manage to repair what it’s caused). Using the 2nd working PC I successfully installed the recovery BIOS for my exact model which is F.44 Rev.A (15/08/2024) for 17-cb1523na.

I had to hold Windows + B during power on to start the update while the USB was plugged in. Unlike another post I saw, this laptop actually starts the update like normal. I see the following pages in order;

“HP BIOS Update

The System BIOS is being recovered. The recovery will take several minutes to complete.

Do not shut down or remove external power from your computer during the process.

Writing new BIOS Image

Block 2245 / 4096”

“HP BIOS Update

The System BIOS recovery is complete.

Upon restarting, the screen may be blank for a few minutes and various LED lights may flash. Please do not attempt to interrupt or power down during this time.

Continue Startup”

“The System BIOS EC firmuare is being updated.

Do not shutdown or remove power from your computer during the update.

The update will take a few minutes to complete.

For more information, please visit: www.hp.com/go/techcenter/startup

Writing new BIOS Image

Block 19/ 40

Progress

47%”

“The System BIOS Pending Image is being cleared.

Do not shutdown or remove power from your computer during the clear.

The clear will take a few minutes to complete.

For more information, please visit: www.hp.com/go/techcenter/startup

Clearing Pending Image”

“A System BIOS Recovery has occurred.

BIOS Recovery (500)

Continue (ENTER)”

After this, it’s just a black screen and the laptop never boots. I did wait an hour and nothing, then turned it off and back on again, nothing. Did Windows + V while it was off and then held power for a few seconds before letting go, this showed that it was going to reset CMOS and I continued, didn’t work.

For 17-cb1523na, it only shows the latest F.44 Rev.A (15/08/2024) and they delete all previous ones for only my laptop which is very annoying as e.g. MSI, Gigabyte, AsRock don’t do this stuff.

To try other versions. I found that “OMEN by HP 17-cb0000 Laptop” actually keeps the previous versions unlike my exact laptop (for some reason) so I tried every single one and would always end with the same black screen at the end of the successful BIOS update.

I believe I also tried;

F.53 Rev.A (10/05/2024)

F.36 Rev.A (13/09/2024)

F.73 Rev.A (03/09/2024)

F.37 Rev.A (23/08/2024)

F.48 Rev.A (07/05/2024)

F.21 Rev.A (11/08/2021)

For another one of the same laptop with similar model numbers, there was another “F.44 Rev.A” but 4 years older than my “F.44 Rev.A”, thought that was weird and these whole BIOS lists are messed up.

I tried different USBs as FAT32 rather than just the one, yes for each single version that I tried including the only one available for my true model number. Some versions of BIOS updates do the whole reformatting and installing of the BIOS update onto the USB automatically, these didn’t work either.

I tried reinstalling each version with different USBs multiple times from the website, just to make sure the past 40 times I did it wasn’t corruption during internet download :). That wasn’t the case.

I think the motherboard may be dead but maybe someone has a magic code before I give up.

It’s really annoying that HP provided a BIOS update to Windows Update which then broke my laptop which was working fine. A £2000+ laptop aswell :(. I really don’t want the only option to be “we know it’s our fault that we put a BIOS update on Windows Update which broke your laptop but you’re gonna have to pay us money now for a new motherboard”, like this really shouldn’t be up to me to pay for if it needs a new motherboard. But if there’s somehow anything else I can try first, please let me know.

Thanks

Forgot to add, I also tried removing the battery for five minutes or so before I knew about the Windows + V way to do it. I also tried with the SSD removed. None of these helped.

[A_Gayathri]

Hi @ReynaInstalock ,

Welcome to The HP Support Community.  

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

I understand you've tried a thorough set of recovery and troubleshooting steps, especially given the complexity of the problem and your level of expertise. The fact that the BIOS recovery sequence completes successfully but still results in a black screen suggests the possibility of either a persistent issue with the BIOS or potentially a hardware problem triggered by the update.

Here are a few additional approaches to try before considering more costly repairs:

Hard Reset with Battery and CMOS Reset:

• Given that you already removed the battery, try performing an extended hard reset to discharge all power:
  • Disconnect the AC adapter and remove the battery (if possible).
  • Hold the power button for at least 30 seconds to fully discharge any remaining power.
  • Reinstall the battery, reconnect the AC adapter, and try booting again.

BIOS Recovery with HP's Hardware Diagnostics UEFI:

• If you haven't tried using HP’s Diagnostics UEFI, this might offer another recovery route.
  • Download the HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI tool on a second PC, if available. Install it onto a USB drive and plug it into your OMEN laptop.
  • Reboot the laptop and press F2 repeatedly at startup to enter the diagnostics interface.
  • In some cases, this tool can identify firmware-related issues or help initiate a different recovery process.

Use of Older BIOS Versions (Manual Downgrade):

• If the BIOS allows for a manual downgrade, it might be possible to bypass the recent corrupted update.
  • To attempt this, try installing an older, compatible BIOS version by copying the bin or sig files directly into a specific HP_TOOLS partition, if present on the laptop’s drive, or to a USB drive.
  • HP systems may allow BIOS downgrades in recovery mode if certain flags are present on the USB drive.

Refer to this document: OMEN Laptop - 17-cb1523na User manual

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. 

[ReynaInstalock]

I haven’t tried the HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI tool, hopefully this will work. I think this is the one you’re talking about.

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp155001-155500/sp155054.exe

I will try to do it tomorrow and get back to you.

Thanks!

[A_Gayathri]

HI @ReynaInstalock,

Thank you for your response. Sure please try and let us know If you need further assistance feel free to reach out to us. 

If the information I've provided was helpful, give us some reinforcement by clicking the Accept as Solution and on the public post, that'll help us and others see that we've got the answers!

Have a great day ahead!

[BeemerBiker]

According to Google AI quote: " most, if not all, HP Omen motherboards will have a BIOS recovery mechanism, often implemented as a dedicated jumper or button on the board, allowing users to recover the BIOS even if it becomes corrupted; however, to confirm the exact location and functionality, you should always consult the specific motherboard manual for your particular Omen model. "

On my omen shire motherboard the jumper is numbered 5 and 6, identified as "BBR", and is adjacent to the M.2 Wi-Fi.  Shorting it while powering up will flash the bios.

I do not know if the "AI" looked into your omen laptop model.  If there are any Omen manuals that explain this process, I have not seen them.

[ReynaInstalock]

Thanks for that I will have a look at the motherboard again when I get the chance.

Currently I've tried flashing back from the oldest BIOSes to the latest one in hopes that something would happen. I previously said that the other omen support page on HP's website had many BIOS versions however the one for mine only had one. Now I know that it's actually just laid out differently.

On the other one it will e.g. say "BIOS-System Firmware (8)" and have a drop down. Mine only said "BIOS-System Firmware (1)" but I found out its actually hidden but can be found if you click the + icon on the only available BIOS version to see the description, this then also shows an option for "+ Previous version". I don't know why some models are shown in the normal list and some are hidden but now I can see that there are 16 total BIOS versions for my model.

I tried 4 out of the 16 verisons from oldest to newest and none have worked so far. I will probably finish doing every single one just in case one of them miraculously works as well as checking for jumpers and let you guys know.

Had to have a break as I'm currently quite busy and downloading the 16 versions and sorting them into a checklist to test one by one alone took me ages so that wasted a chunk of time lol.

Also, the HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI tool previously linked didn't fix the laptop. I then tried one made for my exact model and that didn't work either, which is why I then started to just try all the flashbacks.

[BeemerBiker]

I looked at the F.45 bios sp155581 and there are 3 bios there

Unless there is a code on the motherboard indicating which of the 3 is correct, you would have to download from the ROM on your motherboard and look at l(or somewhat around) location 00ffa000 to see what ROM family bios you currently have.

The tools to flash are discussed below

You can replace the bios, replace the motherboard or possibly program the chip using a 341 programming tool.
 (this tutorial might be useful). 
An HP bios flash is discussed here

good luck!

My bios programming experience dates to when all motherboard had socketed ROM bios.

===other resources for what they are worth===

https://jensd.be/980/linux/bios-or-spi-programming-on-windows-or-linux-using-a-ch341a

walkthrough https://www.tachytelic.net/2021/06/repair-dell-alienware-area-51-r2-corrupt-bios/
more walkthrough https://www.reddit.com/r/Alienware/comments/q14e3b/guide_tools_to_unlock_your_cpu_oc/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qX2zihB6UE

https://www.tachytelic.net/2022/01/hp-compaq-8300-nvme/

https://elmorlabs.com/forum/topic/spi-header-pinouts

https://github.com/mostav02/me_cleaner_wiki/blob/master/me_cleaner-on-a-MSI-H110M-ECO.md

hp programming header
https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ALiCzsY-WIpW1dow-go2KIsSJ-gNx9LmSA:1664391196102&source=univ&tbm...

https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ALiCzsYOicjk2JhBCTfYrSlJsu3t4zQZ4g:1662648132571&source=univ&tbm...

[ReynaInstalock]

Hi @Gaya1239

Hard Reset with Battery and CMOS Reset

Did not work.

It reset the CMOS same way as the Windows + V method but still ends up on the black screen.

BIOS Recovery with HP's Hardware Diagnostics UEFI

Did not work.

When I run the actual one for my laptop "sp138803.exe 1.8.1.0 Rev.A HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows" it opens a CMD for a split second which says "2025/01/12 21:57:00.383|Info|Attempt to provision C:\SWSetup\SP138803\c8e790cdef194d998e81777140a08b96.appx..."

I tried the other random HP's Hardware Diagnostics UEFI "sp155054.exe" and this one actually allows me to install the tool onto a USB which it renames to "HP_TOOLS". After the download completed, it restarted the second non-HP PC as if I'm going to use the tool on that. I then took out the USB and put it into the laptop but that didn't load anything. I tried with no keys, F2 repeatedly, and the Windows + B method. None of these loaded it.

BIOS Manual Downgrade

Did not work.

After finding all correct 16 BIOS versions for my specific laptop "17-cb1523na", I tried all of the following;

01 | F.05 Rev.A | May 12, 2020

02 | F.10 Rev.A | Jun 18, 2020

03 | F.12 Rev.A | Jul 14, 2020

04 | F.14 Rev.A | Aug 31, 2020

05 | F.15 Rev.A | Sep 21, 2020

06 | F.20 Rev.A | Nov 20, 2020

07 | F.31 Rev.A | Aug 31, 2021

08 | F.36 Rev.A | May 09, 2022

09 | F.37 Rev.A | Aug 10, 2022

10 | F.38 Rev.A | Nov 09, 2022

11 | F.39 Rev.A | Apr 21, 2023

12 | F.40 Rev.A | Aug 04, 2023

13 | F.41 Rev.A | Oct 27, 2023

14 | F.43 Rev.A | May 10, 2024

15 | F.44 Rev.A | Aug 15, 2024

16 | F.45 Rev.A | Nov 12, 2024

The first 15 showed nothing at all, I tried both using no keys and also using the Windows + B method. I did this for all 3 USB Ports for a minimum of 60 seconds each (Took a while!).

The 16th one finally showed using Windows + B and did all the same steps as the first time I mentioned. Since the other ones didn't work at all, I'm guessing this means manual downgrades aren't possible with this laptop.

I noticed every time at the very end it says;

"The System BIOS Pending Image is being cleared."

"Clearing pending image"

"A System BIOS Recovery has occurred."

"BIOS Recovery (500)"

"Continue (ENTER)"

Not sure if "Clearing pending image" is normal or if it means it's clearing it because it failed, even though before this point it will say "The System BIOS recovery is complete.".

Is there anything else you recommend?

[ReynaInstalock]

BIOS Flash Header

I didn't find any headers/jumpers when I opened it up so I'm sure my laptop doesn't have one. Double checked with GPT 4o and confirmed this.

Folder Structure

I can see what you mean for the latest "F.45 Rev.A" BIOS there is;

1. 08746.bin
2. 08747.bin
3. 08748.bin

In the root of the HP_TOOLS drive it creates the folders;

1. EFI
2. Hewlett-Packard
3. HP

I assume this part is just to ensure compatibility for multiple devices as not all BIOSes will specifically look for only "EFI", "HP" etc.

Everything inside each folder is pretty much the same.

I'm thinking maybe if I reorganise the structure of this folder, I could try doing each BIOS updates one at a time to see if any work, rather than the way the BIOS Update software has created. Would you have an idea of how I could structure this in a simple layout ready for me to replace the ROMs? If I have the right structure I could possibly try previous versions too and be much faster at it rather than waiting for the software to keep making it.

Could just be as simple as removing all other ROMs and SIGs apart from the specific one I'm trying to update each time?

Also other BIOSes need renaming to .rom / .bin etc, so maybe same for this.

Replace BIOS / Reprogram BIOS Chip / Replace Motherboard

I don't think this will be necessary just yet as the fact it goes through the entire BIOS Update process makes it seem like it shouldn't need any physical changes to fix it.

After all it was a Windows Update with an included BIOS Update that caused it, and it never had problems before.

It just seems to be in a sort of limbo state because I can do CMOS resets, BIOS Updates but it's after all this where the screen turns and stays black.

I did also have a look for the BIOS Chip and couldn't find it on my laptop so I think it's under the copper heatsink. Didn't want to remove that as I only repasted the CPU and GPU a few months ago.

Found a photo of a cb0000 and there are so many chips, I wouldn't even know which one is the BIOS. 😨

[BeemerBiker]

Try copy those bin and sig files into the "previous" folder.  Possibly the win-b procedure looks into that folder to restore the bios.

This is what the bios chip looks like

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p4432023.m570.l1313&_nkw=hp+17-cb1000+motherboard&...

possible location (I looked at one of the cb-1000 motherboards shown above)

let me know if you are thinking of replacing the BIOS chip before you do it.