Downgrade HP 655 BIOS from F.29 TO F.27

discgolfdc · ‎03-05-2015

I would like to know if it is possible to downgrade the BIOS on my HP 655 laptop from the most recent update (F.29) to the most recent previous revision (F.27). I am experiencing a lack of sound on my laptop despite having uninstalled/reinstalled/re-reinstalled the appropriate HP and Realtek drivers as advised elsewhere in the HP help forums, but I am not able to achieve a lasting resolution. Someone apparently downgraded their BIOS from F.29 to F.27 and seems to have resolved the issue thus.

I have the SoftPaq files for both the BIOSs (sp66770 for F.29 and sp64675 for F.27), and I am unable to bring about an effective downgrade. No matter what I try, the BIOS still appears to be F.29 when checked in BIOS.

I would appreciate either an update to sp66770 which addresses the inherent issue with the sound card or the ability to effectively downgrade back to F.27 so that I can hear music through my speakers without having to uninstall/reinstall drivers, etc., every time I turn my laptop on or off.

Thank you.

erico · ‎03-06-2015

Where did you download the sp66770 from? It is not available in the download section of the support portal for the HP 655 notebook.

I downloaded the two available BIOS softpaqs from the download section and extracted them to investigate the issue. I do notice that both BIN files have the same file name, are identical in Byte size but have different modification dates. I wil have to ask HP where the previous versions are located.

Had you considered using the PC Diagnostics firmware management utility to rollback the BIOS to the previously installed version? The BIOS file should be in the HP_Tools Old BIOS folder if you upgraded from it to the current BIOS version.

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Dagk · ‎06-08-2015

Hi, I am experiencing the exact same problem. My sound keeps disappearing on my HP 655. I also need to back rev my BIOS. I have looked for the utility to back rev as per your post but cannot find it. Can you please advise on where I can find it? Many thanks.

erico · ‎06-08-2015

@Dagk wrote:
Hi, I am experiencing the exact same problem. My sound keeps disappearing on my HP 655. I also need to back rev my BIOS. I have looked for the utility to back rev as per your post but cannot find it. Can you please advise on where I can find it? Many thanks.

That utility is caled the PC Diagnostics. Press the power button and then immediately tap the Esc kay and from the menu that appears press the F2 key to invoke the Diagnostice menu. What you are looking for is called Firmware Management.

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Dagk · ‎06-08-2015

mine says.....

ver 1.6.0.0 - BIOS

Memeory Test

Hard drive check

Language

Exit

😞

I'm guessing i need to download an update?

discgolfdc · ‎06-08-2015

I don't know that I have that utility on mine. I notice that if I boot my computer up (cold), if I RE-boot it after it comes up, my sound is fine. That's kind of odd, since I don't know why it would require the computer to be booted up once in order to get the sound settings straight upon reboot. Weird.

If I don't have that PC Diags, I suppose I'm screwed then...unless HP comes out with a BIOS update that addresses this issue definitively.

discgolfdc · ‎06-08-2015

I downloaded the most recent update (like, now...6/8/2015, v. 5.2.7.0 or 5.7.2.0, whatever), and I also still get the v1.6.0.0 menu when hitting F2, so you're not alone.

It would be really nice if HP would just fix this without the need to roll back the BIOS.

erico · ‎06-08-2015

It appears that the HP 655 does not have the UEFI BIOS. That means that downgrading the BIOS is not going to be as simple as I thought.

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discgolfdc · ‎06-08-2015

And so what is your thought? Might they consider providing a properly functioning upgrade, or provide a downgrade bypass of some sort? (perhaps package the F.27 BIOS as F.29a or something so as to fool the system into accepting the BIOS overwrite?

erico · ‎06-09-2015

I will ask internally about UEFI and the HP 655 notebook. Please give this a few days.

@Dagk

@discgolfdc

I don't know how I missed this.

Here is a softpaq that will install the UEFI Environment on your notebook's hard disk. That will give you the capability to easily downgrade, or actually rollback the BIOS to the previous version.

UEFI Environment softpaq

http://h20564.www2.hp.com/hpsc/swd/public/detail?sp4ts.oid=5225018&swItemId=ob_119361_1&swEnvOid=405...

It comes direct from the web support download page for the HP 655 notebook model that both of you have.

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