Bios Update bootloop

[sslavskiy]

After update Bios from HP Support Assistant to version F. 45A my notebook restart and try restore old version, but not success (Bios Update loop). 

The Bios recovery instructions tell you that you can make a USB recovery drive. But that didn't work for me: process BIOS_Update.exe crashed with Access Violation.

For HP programmers: process crashed after check and lock USB ports and extracting amifldrv64. sys, maybe in main application loop.

I tried to create recovery drive on 2 workstations:

desktop: AMD, motherboard Gigabyte, Windows 10 version 2004;

laptop HP: AMD, Windows 10 version 2004.

In both cases, the recovery disc creation failed.

Can anyone help me with creating a USB recovery drive?

[praveen196]

@sslavskiy Welcome to HP Community!

I understand that you are unable to install the old BIOS on the computer.

Please click the below link to install the BIOS version F.42.

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp100501-101000/sp100645.exe

If the issue still persists, please perform the below steps.

Start with a hard reset to release any excessive static on the PC: 

• If Windows is open, click Start and then Shutdown. 

• If Windows is not open and the computer has power, press and hold the power button on the computer until the computer shuts off. 

• With the power off, disconnect the power cord from the back of the computer. 

• With the power off and the power cord disconnected, press the power button on the computer for 5 seconds. The power light indicator on or near the power button might turn on briefly but then go out. 

• Reconnect the power cord and turn on the power. 

Attempt to reset or recover the existing BIOS (if the recent update was interrupted): Click here 

(restoring BIOS on notebook: http://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c02693833)  

(on desktops: http://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c04126730)  

  

Step 1: Verify the current BIOS version installed and the correct ROM Family SSID for your PC 

Step 2: Find the BIOS updates 

Step 3: Download and install the BIOS update 

  

For more details: Click here 

(Notebook bios update: http://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c00042629)  

(Desktop bios update: http://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c00007682)  

Keep us posted,

If you would like to thank us for our efforts to help you, 

Give us a virtual high-five by clicking the 'Thumbs Up' icon below, followed by clicking on the "Accept as solution" on this post, 

Have a great day!

[sslavskiy]

Thank you for the detailed instructions.
According to the document https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c02693833, I am using the "Recover the BIOS using a USB recovery drive" section.
Step 0: "Use a second working computer with an active internet connection to create a BIOS recovery USB flash drive."
I am using a desktop, "AMD A10-6790K" processor, "Gigabyte" motherboard, "Windows 10, version 2004" system.
I went through the instructions to step 9, but after pressing the "Next" button, step 10 cannot be reproduced, since the window "HP BIOS Update and Recovery" does not open.
The reason is the crash of the "BIOS_Update.exe" process with the "Access Violation" error.
I tried downloading all the firmware for my device (sp95199, sp98317, sp98866, sp99546, sp100645, sp106206), but all attempts ended at step 9.
I think that the "second working computer" should be with the same Ryzen processor as on my laptop model or similar.

So how do you create a USB Recovery Drive?

[praveen196]

@sslavskiy

I understand your concerns.

Please directly run the BIOS f..42 and check.

Please click the below link to install the BIOS version F.42.

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp100501-101000/sp100645.exe

Have a nice day!!

[Spocko]

@sslavskiy

Other people are having the same problem with bios version F.45 rev A on the 15-cw1000 laptop models. See here for more discussion:

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Boot-and-Lockup/HP-Pavilion-15-Ryzen-BIOS-update-bricked-down...

One person in the LTT forum said they were able to create a recovery USB drive for the F.45 version, but it did not fix the problem. I don't know how they were able to create the recovery drive. I tried 3 different computers, and it always crashes.

Currently the only known solution is to replace the  motherboard.

[sslavskiy]

@Spocko, Thanks for helping me and the community.
You know, I used to repair desktops and laptops. I can say that you don't need to completely change the motherboard. It is enough to replace the BIOS with the same one, but with the flashed version of F.42. This can only be done by an authorized service center, since they have access to a special technical portal and perhaps there are instructions for such a situation. In general, there are two microchips on the laptop board, which can be flashed and they are stitched in different ways, one of them is flashed through the keyboard cable connector :).
@Praveen196 The question here is why the user cannot create a recovery disc on his own. I did reverse engineering of the BIOS_Update.exe application and found out that after the application unpacked the amifldrv64.sys driver and loaded it into Windows, some manipulations take place, which lead to the application crash.
Driver signed:
American Megatrends, Inc. - the certificate is valid until September 24, 2020
"Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher" - the certificate is valid until June 03, 2020 (but now September :)).
Maybe this is the problem of the application crash.

At the moment I have given my device to an authorized service center located in my city. I'm waiting for them to tell me.

[Spocko]

Thanks Sergiy. Great work tracing the crash! I tried briefly, but didn't get very far. May I ask what tool(s) you used?

I hope that HP will fix this soon. I want to try a recovery drive before resorting to more drastic and expensive methods. It's disappointing that this hasn't been resolved already. The faulty bios update has been on the support site for almost 2 months now.

Please let us know if/how the service center is able to fix your laptop. Thanks.

[sslavskiy]

@Spocko, I am using Relyze Desktop Standart and IDA 7.0 Freeware. Relyze Desktop is better at recognizing functions, and IDA used it directly for tracing.