HP Pavilion 15 Ryzen BIOS update bricked - downgrade not possible

[DaanGarde]

Hello everyone,

Intro

My wife has this laptop (HP Pavilion 15 - cw1501nd) now for +/- three months, she told me that it takes a long time to shut down and that sometimes the battery drains while shutdown. So I check for software updates in the HP support assist tool and there was a new BIOS, as that might be a fix, I selected the BIOS update and executed it.
(The BIOS name is: F.45 Rev.A, 17 jul. 2020)

The problem
After executing the update the I was surprised by a boot loop that sowed the following screen:
verification of flashed bios image failed

After a reboot, it tries to reflash the BIOS and returns to the exact same screen. So it is stuck in a failed BIOS recovery loop. Essentially it is bricked.

Things I tried

• 1) Starting with Windows + V, to clear the CMOS
• 2) Starting with Windows + B, to trigger a recovery
• 3) Holding the power button for 15 seconds to reset the system
• 4) Starting with Windows + B and a BIOS recovery USB stick with BIOS F.45 Rev.A (the one that I tried upgrading to)
• 5) Starting with Windows + B and a BIOS recovery USB stick with BIOS F.35 Rev.A (a downgrade)
• 6) Starting with Windows + B and a BIOS recovery USB stick with BIOS F.34 Rev.A (a downgrade)
• 7) Starting with Windows + B and a BIOS recovery USB stick with BIOS F.33 Rev.A (a downgrade)

(I did steps 1, 2, and 3 multiple times between steps 4, 5, 6, and 7)

Results

• Steps 1, 2, and 3 were no success. (also not in between steps 4, 5, 6, and 7)
• Step 4 gives flashes the BIOS from the USB (I can see the USB being used because of the flashing light), but ends exactly the same a the original BIOS update, in a BIOS update recovery loop.
• Steps 5, 6, and 7 ends in the following screen, it looks like a BIOS downgrade is not allowed:

Unable to open BIOS signature file

Possible solution?
Might a new BIOS that validates solve this issue? Can I ask HP for a beta BIOS or something?

Thanks for your help!

[Jay_G24]

Hi @DaanGarde

I’d recommend you to contact HP Phone Support in your region for further assistance.

Follow the instructions below to reach them:

1) Click on this link - https://support.hp.com/us-en/contact-hp
2) Select your product type below.
3) Enter the serial of your device. 
4) Select the country from the drop-down. 
5) Select the chat or get phone number options based on your preferences. 
6)Fill the web-form and proceed further.

If you are having trouble navigating through the above options, it's most likely because the device is out of warranty. If yes? please send me a private message with the region you are contacting us from. Check next to your profile name, you should see a little blue envelope, please click on it.  

Have a great day! 

and, Welcome to the HP Support Community. 

Please click “Accept as Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution.

Click the “Kudos, Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

[Spocko]

I have the exact same problem after trying to install this bios version F.45 rev A on a Pavillion 15 model 15-cw1063wm. The machine is now stuck in the bios recovery loop.

[Spocko]

Here's another report of the same thing:

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Boot-and-Lockup/Updated-to-BIOS-version-f-45-from-HP-driver-p...

Similar reports from multiple people here:

https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/1232165-hp-bios-update-failed-cant-create-recovery-usb/

I think this bios version is faulty!

[Jay_G24]

Hi @Spocko

I’d recommend you to Contact HP Phone Support in your region for further assistance.

Have a great day! 

and, Welcome to the HP Support Community. 

Please click “Accept as Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution.

Click the “Kudos, Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

[Spocko]

@Jay_G24

I've gone through the usual troubleshooting/recovery steps like the original poster in this thread, with no luck. It seem that a new bios version or at least a corrected release of version F.45 is needed.

Given that this problem has been reported by multiple users, and it renders that laptop useless, HP should probably remove this BIOS version from the support site.

[TEJ1602]

@Spocko

Thanks for letting us know. As mentioned please contact the support team for further assistance.

Cheers!

[Spocko]

@TEJ1602

My warranty expired last month, so I don't even see an option to contact phone support. I'm in the US.

[TEJ1602]

@Spocko

If you have an HP authorized service center nearby, you should be able to take it to them and have it checked,

Here is a link to HP Service Centers, by Country/Region: https://support.hp.com/in-en/service-center

Hope this helps! Keep me posted. 

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

[Spocko]

I have tried using 3 different computers to create a bios recovery USB with version F.45, and none of them worked. When I run BIOS_Update.exe, it always just exits silently, never opens the dialog to ask if I want to create a recovery USB.

If I use the previous bios version F.42, it creates a recovery USB as expected, but install fails with the same error shown in the OP, "Unable to open BIOS Signature file". Unless newer bios is released, I don't think there is any way to recover.

I've gone through the steps of trying to contact phone support, but I'm am not given the option to call or chat. I guess since my warranty is expired, I'm not even allowed to call support? Kinda lame. The only options offered are to discuss the issue here in the forums, or contact a local service center. The only service center in my area is a goofy-sounding 3rd party store called "uBreakiFix".  I suspect they will just offer to do an expensive motherboard replacement, since they are not HP.

To the HP staff here, can you please tell us if HP acknowledges this BIOS issue and is working on a new version? As of today, the faulty version F.45 Rev A is still available for download on the support site.