The system BIOS update file is missing or corrupt. The system BIOS will not be updated.

[Waddesdon]

Hi there,

Having difficulty creating a BIOS flash recovery drive using instructions here: https://support.hp.com/gb-en/document/c02693833

We have a HP ProBook 450 G3 Notebook which is failing to boot.  Beep code is 2 slow, 2 short.  Error condition is: The main area (DXE) of BIOS has become corrupted, and there is no recovery binary image available.  Resolution: Perform BIOS recovery with external media (USB or CD-ROM). For information on how to restore the BIOS refer to the HP support document: HP Notebook PCs - Restoring the BIOS.  URL: https://support.hp.com/gb-en/document/c02693833

We have downloaded the latest (and subsequently older) version of BIOS:

01.24 Rev.A 12.0 MB Feb 1, 2018

sp85184.exe

Upon execution, folder and files are created (C:\SWSETUP\SP85184) but executable fails with error: "HPBIOSUPDREC
The system BIOS update file is missing or corrupt. The system BIOS will not be updated."  A log file is generated in the same directory, as follows:

2018/03/27 15:43:02.097|000001D8|Information|CHPBiosUpdateApp::InitializeProperties|******************************************************************
2018/03/27 15:43:02.100|000001D8|Information|CHPBiosUpdateApp::InitializeProperties|** Start of HPBIOSUPDREC session, version 1.1.36.1 **
2018/03/27 15:43:02.104|000001D8|Information|CHPBiosUpdateApp::InitializeProperties|******************************************************************
2018/03/27 15:43:02.108|000001D8|Information|CHPBiosUpdateApp::InitializeProperties|Command line:
2018/03/27 15:43:02.112|000001D8|Information|CHPBiosUpdateApp::InitializeProperties|DASL PnP ID NOT found
2018/03/27 15:43:02.158|000001D8|Information|HPBiosUpdate::SmbiosInfo::GetSmbiosInfo|Getting SMBIOS information
2018/03/27 15:43:02.158|000001D8|Error |HPBiosUpdate::SmbiosInfo::GetSmbiosInfo|SmbiosLite exception: invalid stoi argument
2018/03/27 15:43:02.158|000001D8|Error |CHPBiosUpdateApp::GetUpdateFile|No update file using the 2013 BIOS naming convention was found in: 'C:\SWSETUP\SP85184\'. The system BIOS will not be updated.
2018/03/27 15:43:03.492|000001D8|Information|CHPBiosUpdateApp::InitInstance|Update BIOS Family = , version =
2018/03/27 15:43:09.277|000001D8|Information|CHPBiosUpdateApp::PerformWizard|User canceled wizard.
2018/03/27 15:43:09.277|000001D8|Information|CHPBiosUpdateApp::ExitInstance|HPBIOSUPDREC Return Code = 1602
2018/03/27 15:43:09.277|000001D8|Information|CHPBiosUpdateApp::ExitInstance|****************** End of HPBIOSUPDREC session ******************
2018/03/27 15:43:09.292|000001D8|Information|CHPBiosUpdateApp::ExitInstance|

Any ideas?

[redlofredlof]

I would suggest you to drain all power from the unit and try again.

If that also does not work, you may need to get the system board replaced.

[Waddesdon]

Draining power was the one of the previous steps taken prior to the BIOS recovery steps as outlined by HP support documentation.

The issue at hand is that the BIOS executable provided by HP to create a recovery USB Flash drive appears to be faulty.  There are similar threads on other HP laptop models making me think this issue is inherrent with a lot of HP BIOS executables.  I am wondering if perhaps, the BIOS executable needs to be run on the same model of HP Laptop.