BIOS Update

[chaver]

I was recently asked to restart my PC for an update; there was no indication about what or who was doing the update. After the update, the BIOS did not show the usual "HP" icon but showed a Windows icon instead. When I tried to use my Virtual Machine (VM) it failed and came up with errors. Eventually I discovered that some of the BIOS settings had been changed. In particular the VTX setting was disabled. Once I had corrected that the VM booted up OK. My question is was this a BIOS update from HP or was it from Microsoft? My request is - if this was an HP update then please inform us that the BIOS is being updated. If it was MS then what will be will be.

[VikramTheGreat]

Hi @chaver,

Welcome to the HP Support Community.
 

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

We appreciate your detailed report and fully understand the confusion caused by unexpected changes to your system’s BIOS, particularly the disabling of VT-x (Intel Virtualization Technology), which impacted your Virtual Machine environment.

HP Support Assistant Can Auto-Update BIOS

• HP computers come with HP Support Assistant (HPSA) pre-installed.
• HPSA can automatically download and install BIOS updates without explicit user approval, especially if automatic updates are enabled 

Microsoft Windows Update Does Not Typically Push BIOS Updates

• Microsoft does not push BIOS updates unless they are provided by the OEM (HP in this case) through Windows Update Catalog.
• Even then, such updates are usually clearly labelled and require user confirmation.

Here’s what we suggest:
Check BIOS Update History

You can confirm whether a BIOS update occurred:

1. Press Windows + R → type msinfo32 and press Enter
2. Check BIOS Version/Date — compare this with what’s listed on:
   🔗 Official HP® Drivers and Software Download | HP® Support
3. If the date is recent and differs from the prior version, an update likely occurred

Subscribe to HP Support Assistant Notifications

1. Install or open HP Support Assistant
   🔗 HP Support Assistant | HP® Support
2. Ensure notifications for BIOS and critical updates are enabled
3. This provides clearer visibility before changes occur

I hope this helps.

Take care, and have an amazing day!
 

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Regards,

VikramTheGreat