Creating bootable USB so I can repair BIOS

[corkypa]

The problem started with my laptop having a dark screen one day. The cpu fan came on, but nothing happened. I went through the diagnostic sequences, including BIOS recovery attempts, with no success, and even took it apart to the point where I could reseat the memory module. Nothing worked. I put it back together, and at this point, the cap lock LED is giving me 2 long and 2 short flashes, which means the BIOS is corrupted and I have to restore it.

I downloaded the BIOS file from the HP support page, but instead of creating a USB stick, all it does is create a folder my my C drive containing InsydeFlash and a bunch of other files. It appears that InsydeFlash is a flashing utility that runs from Windows, but with the BIOS corrupted, I can't run Windows. Is there a way of making a bootable USB stick that I can use to reflash the BIOS?

[WAWood]

@corkypa

Hello;

Allow me to welcome you to the HP forums!

This is an indirect method for creating a BIOS update boot USB stick -- which comes in useful if you can not boot your PC into Windows and you need to do a BIOS update.
 
Macrium Reflect (MR) is a free tool that can be used to image and restore PCs, but it also has an option to create Rescue Media (is disk or USN form) that can then be used to Repair your PC.
 
It is available from here:  http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx
 
What I recommend is the following:
1) Download and install Macrium Reflect (MR)
2) Use the option to create a boot USB stick
3) Download the HP BIOS Update file to the same PB (this is a self-extracting archive file)
4) Copy the HP BIOS Update file to the USB stick
 
Once you have the USB stick, boot your original PC from it.  It will take a few minutes, so you have to be patient.
 
That USB stick is designed to repair Windows problems, but you don't want to do that.  So, when you get to the app, select the option to open a file manager.  Then, find the HP BIOS Update file and double-click it.  That will start the BIOS update process.
 
When it is done, remove the USB stick and reboot your original PC.

Good Luck

[TheOldMan]

First, give this document a look

https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c02693833

or watch this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjAZ0DTX3aI

[corkypa]

I gave Macrium a try, but no luck. There's nothing on the screen. I plugged in an external monitor, but nothing on that, either. I'm wondering if a corrupted BIOS would prevent a USB stick from running, and thus no way to fix the BIOS. Or maybe something really did break and the machine is dead. Still, with the fan periodically spining up for a bit and then slowing down, it feels like something is trying to run.

[WAWood]

@corkypa

MR can take a LONG time to boot -- as it is loading WinPE from the USB stick, and if you're using a USB 2.x port, that can take 2-3 MINUTES, during which, nothing shows on the screen.

So, you should try again -- and give it longer to boot.

[corkypa]

I use Macrium, so I know it can take a while. I started it up and gave it hours, but still nothing, not even on an external monitor. I wonder if this is just a case where something is thoroughly kaput