CMOS Reset on old laptop, HP Pavillion dv6-6173cl

[surfrock66]

I have a very old laptop.  I attempted to change a BIOS option to switch the default video options, but upon reboot I am getting a blank screen.  The rest of the LED's power on normally, I believe the system is running but it is not choosing the right graphics hardware.  I would like to perform a CMOS reset, but I am not sure how to do that.  I have removed the main and button batteries for over an hour, removed them and held down power, tried removing the ram and wifi cards and holding the power button down, but nothing is fixing it.

None of the available manuals show how to clear the CMOS or provide a button combination to reset the BIOS to factory without being able to see the screen.  I know this is old and a long shot, but is there a way to do that?

[ub6424]

Hello @surfrock66 

Sorry to hear that you are having problems ... I would like to help you.

(1) Double check with external monitor connected via vga/hdmi cable.

Do you see boot screen and Windows loading on external monitor ?

- Power off external monitor

- Connect vga/hdmi cable

- Power on external monitor

- Power on notebook

(2) Please report your results

[surfrock66]

No external screen shows any output.  I have tried a cold power on with no external screen, with a VGA external screen, and with an HDMI external screen.  I get lights around the mouse/numlock, but no post or OS screen. 

I have a feeling it's a BIOS setting; I had changed something (I can't remember the exact setting, but some sort of display select set to "auto".)  If I can reset the BIOS to factory settings with some key combination or jumper, I think I'll be good to go.

[ub6424]

Hello @surfrock66

(1) Power off notebook

(2) Disconnect charger

(3) Press and hold <power> button for 30 seconds

(4) Connect charger

(5) Follow --->>> BIOS Recovery Reinstall with USB

Use another Windows 10/11 computer to create <USB flash drive>

Visit:

HP Pavilion dv6-6173cl BIOS v.F.1B Re. A

Use a FAT32-formatted small <USB flash drive> (Type USB 2.0)

(6) Repeat reflash procedures:

• windows + b <USB flash drive> not connected
• windows + v <USB flash drive> not connected
• windows + b <USB flash drive> connected
• windows + v <USB flash drive> connected 

Keep me updated

Kind regards

[surfrock66]

From the second computer, ( a windows 10 Dell computer, which is all I have access to ) I try to load the utility, and before popping up the screen to create a BIOS flash disk it errors with "IHISI: Get support mode fail in SMI!" and then a second error "BIOS did not support InsydeFlash!"  Is there a way to force the utility to just create a USB without scanning the system?

[ub6424]

Hello @surfrock66 

Unpack the bios exe file using 7-Zip (Open Source).

Please send screenshot of extrated files.

[surfrock66]

 

[ub6424]

Hello @surfrock66 

Please follow:

HP Compaq BIOS Crisis Recovery from a Failed BIOS Flashing Using a USB Flash Disk

Please report your results

Kind regards

[surfrock66]

I attempted that solution, but it did not work at several points.

1) There was no .fd file, but there was a bin which I placed in the root of the USB drive.  I did not see a version number in the filename, so I did not change the filename.

2) When I was holding winkey+B, plugged in power, then held the power button down for 5 seconds, nothing happened.  The laptop did not power off when I released or anything, it remained on, which prevented me from step 9 where I push the power button to turn the laptop on.

3) At no point did I experience any beeping.

[ub6424]

Hello @surfrock66 

My options are exhausted...

Recommendation and solution

The BIOS can be reflashed with a "programmer" by a professional notebook (chip level) repair store. But there is no guarantee that the notebook will continue to work 100% after that.

Alternative:

Buy a good used or new notebook

You decide

Kind regards