Latest BIOS for HP EliteBook 2560p

[Graham-51]

Hello,

The BIOS Version/Date on my EliteBook 2560p is at: Hewlett-Packard 68SSU Ver. F.22, 22/12/2011

I used the HP Support Assistant to 'download Updates' ... it is saying "You're up to date with software & drivers".

The support.hp.com website ( https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/selfservice/hp-elitebook-2560p-notebook-pc/5071201/model/507120... ) is saying "We were unable to find drivers for your product". ..... it cannot find anything!

I looked at some of the discussions in this forum and people are talking about the BIOS being in the 60s.

I wanted to know if anyone knows what is the latest BIOS version for the 2560p and where can I download an official copy from?

Any advice on this will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

Hi:

The latest BIOS HP released for your notebook was F.66

It was written to be run on W7 so I don't know what will happen if you try to use the Windows based flash on W10.

It can be found under the W7 driver section on the support page.

HP EliteBook 2560p Notebook PC Software and Driver Downloads | HP® Customer Support

Link to the direct download...

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp85501-86000/sp85526.exe

I recommend that you use the option to create a bootable USB key to update the BIOS.

This package creates files that contain an image of the System BIOS (ROM) for the supported notebook models with a 68SSU family ROM. This package is used to flash the System ROM on a supported notebook.

This package includes several methods for updating the BIOS version as follows:

- Use the HPQFlash Utility to update the BIOS directly in a Microsoft Windows Operating System environment.
- Create a bootable USB Key to update the system BIOS.
- Use System Software Manager (SSM) to update the system BIOS on PCs in a network.

NOTE: To determine the ROM family and ROM date, press F10 on the notebook/laptop during startup to run the Setup Utility, and then view File/System Information.

Fix and enhancements:

- Provides the updated Intel microcode.

[Graham-51]

Hi Paul_Tikkanen,

Thanks for your prompt reply.

I tried your first link, changed the OS to Win7 and managed to download sp85526.exe which is Win-7  F.66 Rev.A dated Feb 22, 2018.    Using the second link I managed to download sp68071.exe which is Win 8,1  F.50 Rev.A  dated Aug 5, 2014.

Unless I am reading it wrong, looks like they gave up on Win-8 some 4 years before Win-7.

My laptop was originally on Win-7 and I updated it to Win-10 without a fresh install. So I am hoping that sp85526.exe will be ok – but I am a bit reluctant!

It is a shame that (unless you know otherwise) one cannot back up the existing BIOS and restore it if things go wrong after the update to the new BIOS.

I am trying to bring my Laptop, as close as possible, to the Win-11 requirements, and I am hoping that this new F.66 BIOS might help me with some of the below…

• Boot method to UEFI
• Disk partition type to GPT
• Secure Boot enabling.

My TPM is on 1.2 (rather than 2.0) … but you never know MS might relax the requirements?! (Fat chance!?)

Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

According to the instructions, there is supposed to be a way to make a bootable USB flash drive to install the latest BIOS update so that you don't have to be in Windows to update the BIOS.

I came across this article yesterday, which gives a glimmer of hope that we will be able to use W11 on unsupported PC's.

Microsoft leaves a loophole for those wanting to run Windows 11 on 'unsupported' hardware | ZDNet

I'm thinking perhaps the message about the OS being in an 'Unsupported state,' means that if you call Micro$oft for help on W11, they will not help you unless you are running a supported PC.

Hopefully it is not that you will be able to install W11, but it won't get any security or OS updates, because that would be pretty much useless.

I am running W11 on an 8200 Elite CMT with an i7-2600 processor, 32 GB of memory, a SSD and a GT1030 graphics card.

It supports UEFI, but not secure boot and it has a TPM 1.2 device like your Elitebook does.

It runs great.  Maybe even better than it does on W10.  Certainly no worse than it does on W10, and it runs fine on W10.

[Graham-51]

Yes, when you advised me to do the BIOS update using a USB, I did a quick research.

I thought I might as well mention some of the results here,  in case someone else comes across this post and may find them useful…

This one keeps referring to new HP PCs, but I expect the procedure for older PCs is hopefully similar.

HP Bios update using a USB

The following are referring to BIOS recovery with a USB and/or Key Combination.

I am not 100% sure if they are recovering the old BIOS or recovering the failed new BIOS?!

According to some of the comments, some people had good results with them - I suppose if you are desperate to restore/recover you BIOS you would try anything!  

Creating a BIOS Recovery Flash Drive for HP Notebooks

Restore the BIOS with a Recovery Flash Drive on HP Notebooks

Restore the BIOS on HP Computers with a Key Press Combination

If MS allows WIN-11 on older PCs with the "unsupported state" classification, where the PC won't be entitled to receive updates (with security or otherwise), then I will probably decide to stay with WIN-10 and get a new PC when its support stops in 2025.

Anyways will see how it all pans out.

Thanks again for your help.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Anytime.

Glad to have been of assistance.