HP ENVY x360 Convertible Laptop PC 15m-ed1023dx BIOS

[jglen4901]

For the past couple of years I have been looking for a solution to the problem of HP BIOS updates, when the in use OS is not Windows.  I have downloaded the .exe files for a couple of updates, and figured out how to extract the specific .bin file for the motherboard applicable to the subject laptop.  I can see no way of applying  BIOS updates, except through Windows.

Every motherboard for every desktop PC I've ever owned provides the means to apply BIOS updates through the BIOS management system resident on the board, independent of the installed OS.  Yet, HP won't do that for a laptop; it MUST ONLY be done via Windows.  In fact, the while BIOS can be accessed independent of the OS, the actual function of the screens are limited to the point of being pointless.

I don't understand the point of HP requiring the paying customers to NOT be able to perform BIOS updates, some of which are critical in terms of security, except through the use of OS-based BIOS management screens.  I certainly hope that HP is not continuing to take this approach with newer laptops, as I would have a difficult time justifying buying my next laptop if I am not allowed to exercise my own right to install a better OS on the laptop.

Given this rant as trying to make a point about the difficulty of installing a simple .bin file into a BIOS chip on the motherboard of this laptop, is there any other viable - and simple - solution to this?

[Raj_05]

Hi @jglen4901,

Welcome to HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

Updating the BIOS on an HP laptop, particularly if the system is running an operating system other than Windows, can be challenging due to HP's design choices. However, there are a few potential solutions that might help you perform a BIOS update without relying on Windows.

HP BIOS Update Using a USB Flash Drive

HP provides a way to update the BIOS using a USB flash drive. This method works independently of the installed operating system. Here’s how you can do it.

Download the BIOS Update:

• Visit the HP support website and download the BIOS update for your specific laptop model.
• The downloaded file will typically be an executable (.exe).

Extract the BIOS File:

• On a Windows machine (you might need to borrow one if you're not using Windows), run the .exe file to extract its contents. Look for a .bin file or similar BIOS update file.

Create a BIOS Update USB Drive:

• Format a USB flash drive to FAT32.
• Copy the extracted BIOS update file (e.g., .bin) to the root directory of the USB drive.

Boot into the BIOS/UEFI:

• Insert the USB flash drive into your HP laptop.
• Restart the laptop and press the key to enter the BIOS/UEFI setup (usually F10, Esc, or F2).

Update the BIOS:

• In the BIOS/UEFI setup utility, look for an option related to BIOS update or firmware update.
• Select the option and follow the prompts to update the BIOS from the USB drive.

HP BIOS Recovery from USB Drive

If your BIOS/UEFI does not offer a direct update option, you can use the BIOS recovery method:

Prepare the USB Drive:

• Follow the steps to download and extract the BIOS update file as mentioned above.
• Create a BIOS recovery USB drive by copying the BIOS update file to the USB drive.

Trigger BIOS Recovery:

• Turn off the laptop.
• Insert the USB drive containing the BIOS update file.
• Press and hold the Windows key and the B key, then press the power button and hold it for 2-3 seconds. Continue to hold the Windows and B keys until the BIOS recovery screen appears.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to perform the BIOS recovery and update.

Using a Linux Tool for BIOS Update

There are some Linux tools available that can handle BIOS updates, although they may not be officially supported by HP. One such tool is fwupd, which is a system daemon that allows session software to update device firmware. You can check if fwupd supports your HP laptop by installing it and running:

sudo fwupdmgr get-devices

sudo fwupdmgr refresh

sudo fwupdmgr get-updates

 

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

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Alden4

HP Support