HP Pavilion 15 Ryzen BIOS update bricked - downgrade not possible

[Spocko]

... crickets ...

@Jay_G24 or @ TEJ1602 can you please tell us if a new bios version is in the works? The faulty version F.45 Rev A is still the latest version available for download for the Pavilion 15-cw1000 models.

https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/selfservice/hp-pavilion-15-cw1000-laptop-pc/26183458

Thanks

[Spocko]

And the fun continues. The HP support site lists uBreakiFix as a HP authorized service center. I called up the nearest store, described the bios problem, they said bring it in and they'll take a look. I went in a few days later, and they told me that they are no longer an HP authorized service center, and they don't work on bios problems anyway.  Sure would have been nice if they had told me that over the phone! Total waste of time.

I seem to be out of options.

• I cannot attempt to recover bios myself, because the faulty version won't create a USB recovery drive and won't allow downgrade.
• The HP support site doesn't allow me to contact them.
• There are no local service centers, or even mail-in service centers that I can find.
• The motherboard is not available for purchase in the HP parts store.

This is really frustrating.

[Spocko]

Found another person reporting the same problems with this bios version:

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Boot-and-Lockup/Bios-Update-bootloop/m-p/7767518

[Spocko]

Good news:

I was able to create a  bios recovery USB drive with bios version F.45. I have no idea why, but the BIOS_Update.exe program does work on some computers, but crashes on others. My results from 5 different computers:

• New-ish Lenovo laptop with Win 10 2004: Crashes
• Old HP laptop with Win 10 2004: Crashes
• 3 different desktop PCs with Win 10 1909: Runs ok on 2 of them, crashes on the other

Bad news:
The recovery USB drive with version F.45 rev A didn't help. It behaves the same as the recovery attempt from the hard drive, i.e. it flashes the bios, verifies 3 times, then says recovery failed and loops.

I also tried opening the laptop and removing the battery, SSD and HDD. I think removing the battery will reset the bios settings and clock to the defaults, because there isn't a separate CMOS battery. Unfortunately that did not help either. After leaving the battery out for a while, I put it back in and tried to recover from USB. Recovering using F.45 still resulted in a loop. Recovering using an older version did not even attempt to flash the bios, it just resulted in a flashing Caps Lock light indicating that the bios is corrupted.

So, I think the only options at this point are:

• If you are in warranty, then contact HP immediately, and they should repair it for you (probably by replacing the motherboard).
• Wait for HP to release a bios version newer than F.45 rev A, and try to recover from USB using that vesion. Nobody knows if or when another bios version will be released, or if a newer version will work.
• Replace the motherboard. I don't know where to find the part though, and it's probably expensive.
• If you or a friend has good soldering skills, you could try replacing the BIOS chip.

The chip on my board is GD25LQ128DSIG. Here is a source for the chip, but I don't know if the system will boot at all with a un-programmed chip:

https://www.digikey.com/products/en?keywords=GD25LQ128DSIG

Here is a source for a pre-programmed chip:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/BIOS-CHIP-HP-Pavilion-15-cw1000-Notebook/383715082862

[praveen196]

@Spocko Welcome to HP Community!

I understand your concerns.

In that case, I would suggets you conatct our phone support and check for the support option. They will help you.

Or you can conatct a local service center for repair.

Here is how you can get in touch with phone support.

1)Click on this link - www.hp.com/contacthp/

2)Select the product type.

3)Enter the serial number of your device or select let HP detect your product option.

4)Select the country from the drop-down.

5)You should see the HP phone support number or Chat option listed.

We are experiencing longer than expected wait times to reach an agent due to the CoViD-19 impact and there might have been issues in you getting the expected resolution on the issue. 

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!

[DaanGarde]

Hello Spocko,

Those are exactly the same result as I had. (Without opening the device as I still was in warranty)

From what more info I have, this new BIOS has some security updates that don't allow for downgrading. (That is why downgrading doesn't work)
And yes, I had to try four PC's before I could run that bios program....

No, de system won't do a thing without the BIOS software.
Yes, a preprogrammed chip is a pretty good option.

Somehow I always feel I'm not taken seriously by these almost bot like responses on these forum treads, in some way they are funny.

As I'm under warranty, I called HP, the first person came to the conclusion that I need a mainboard swap. (That would be correct as there aren't allot of people that can reprogram a BIOS, although the tools cost about 50 bucks.)
Four phone calls later (apparently they don't understand "BRICKED BIOS") a repair person came to my home (very nice), but had a new SSD. He was convinced that the BIOS is on the SSD... As I didn't want to lose data, I askes if I could make a backup of the old SSD. He kinda trow a funny face, showing the SSD and telling me that if I can backup an NVMe drive I'm free to do so.
Then I proceeded to grab a NVMe to USB enclosure out of my back and start copieing about 30GB in a couple of minutes to annoter system. I can tell you, he looked very confused xD

After that he even askes me if I could test his new SSD as the system didn't boot with the new SSD (Who would have thought that...) so I showed him a unpartitioned new working SSD. Eventaly he came to the conclusion that he had to take the laptop to the service center. (I assume they come to the conclusion to swap the mainboard there, it would take 10 days, that would be today, but nothing yet.)

Anyway, I called the support center to ask why he showed up with that SSD and not a mainboard, as I even included this forum tread in my support ticker. After some talking the person on the phone read the message that the first support assistant did send to the service center: "Windows doesn't boot."

Now, I'm also working for a bigger VR company as the lead IT consultant and the boss is convinced that we need to stop building our own systems and start using HP for there on site support...

This story is getting so painfully that I only hope that I have a working system back soon and forget all this...

Anyway, before you start soldering on your mainboard, I would wait for the next BIOS update, I'm pretty sure that this can be fixed by software only. Or look for a spi bios programmer with a clip, so that you can flash the chip without removing it.

[Spocko]

Thanks for the reply @DaanGarde. It's nice to have someone other than me and the "bots" keeping this thread alive.  🙂

For now I am waiting for a new bios. Hopefully the issue can be resolved via software like you said. My daughter was supposed to be using this laptop for school, but we have a school-supplied chromebook (yuck) as a backup, so fortunately we aren't in a pinch.

I just hope someone at HP is aware of the issue and is working on it. The bot-like responses here aren't very reassuring.

[Spocko]

It looks like version F.45 has been removed from the download site, so hopefully this is a sign that someone at HP is aware that it had issues.

[ytkuser]

HI all i must have been very dang lucky i have a working hp Pavilion - 15-cw1068wm with bios version F45 i thought i was going crazy about the version number, because , it was not listed on my support page, but i thought for sure i got it from hp support assistant. only issue i have as of now is my new SSD had some wired out of spec temp issue LOL waiting on support for that from crucial , unless this bios is not seeing it right judging by the issues. but my BIOS install pack was SP106206 it worked here would any one care to try it i can send it to them. 

[Lopinister]

Do you guys get a black screen as well?

i’m stuck at a black screen, bios version F.45 and I cannot do anything! I’ve tried WinKey + B and after getting BIOS Recovery (500) it send back to a black screen!

Model v: cw0xxx

thanks!