Default administrator password for BIOS

[LostTime]

I am trying to do a BIOS update.

HP's support assistant tell me there is a BIOS update available. Numerous attempts to install it have all failed. The installation goes on for hours and never completes.

I thought I would download the BIOS update file from the support site and install it manually. I typed in my computer's serial number, so the site could identify the relevant updates, but this failed with an "unable to detect" error message.

Accordingly, I was presented with three different BIOS updates, and no way to decide which was appropriate to my system (two of them have the same date, so going with the latest doesn't resolve the issue).

I thought I would go into the computer's BIOS to see what version is currently there, hoping this would tell me what the appropriate update is. I was then asked for a password. I have no idea what the password is.

I looked at the manual hoping to find a default password. The manual says:

"If the BIOS is protected with an Administrator password, enter the password"

Very helpful. Enter the password. I would never have thought of that. But what is the password or where can I find it?

Note that I have never set a password, so there is no chance that it is anything other than the default.

[DavidPK]

Hi,

At the password screen, hit enter 3 times and you should receive a 'halt code' - post back with this code.

Regards,

DP-K

[LostTime]

Thanks for the suggestion, but hitting Enter three times produced no response.

I tried with the physical keyboard and onscreen keyboard. I tried typing some characters and then erasing them to make sure the character entry field had the focus. I rebooted between attempts, so I was only hitting three enters each time. No luck no matter what I tried.

[LostTime]

Rather than hit enter with the text field blank, I tried inserting a space before hitting enter. This time I got a response.

System SN: [Personal Information Removed]

I also got a recommendation to insert a HP SpareKey USB Recovery Key

[DavidPK]

Hi,

Can you post back with the full Model No. and Product No. of your x360 series notebook - you can usually get this by holding down the fn key and pressing esc, otherwise see Here for a guide on locating this information.

Regards,

DP-K

[LostTime]

Model number: HP Spectre x360-13-4005tu

Product number: L2Z73PA#ABG

[DavidPK · Accepted solution]

Hi,

The latest Bios revision listed for your notebook is F.32 Rev.A ( March 7th 2016 ) on the following link.

http://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp74501-75000/sp74985.exe

Regarding the bios password, this is a little confusing - your notebook is listed as a consumer model, whereas HP SpareKey is a facility for Business class notebooks, so I may need to give this some more thought

Regards,

DP-K

[LostTime]

I have successfully installed Bios F.32 Rev.A on my system, and the HP Assistant is no longer nagging me about updates. Many thanks for your efforts. I really appreciate it.

The HP Sparekey is definitely applicable to my model. It is one of the options on the boot menu. Just how one is supposed to gain access to the Bios setup is a mystery.

[DavidPK]

Hi,

You're more than welcome and good to hear you've got it installed

Regarding the bios password, I did notice some of the enhancements listed for the bios update mentioned options I'd normally associate with a business notebook - generally speaking, consumer models will generate a halt code after 3 incorrect entries, from which the password can be derived, whereas business models have more stringent security and do not. 

Saying that, it's usually possible to obtain a smc.bin file for business models ( and instructions on its use ) from HP, which can be used to reset the password at boot.

All the best,

DP-K

[out-of-place]

Hallo,

by a new x360 15-ap004ng I don't regsiter mothers name and so on, because I only the administrator and not the user. But the right BIOS-password don't give access. The serial-number display after tree retreys is 5CD63060RK. Can somone help me?

With regards

the out-placed-man