Pavilion dv6000, dv6500 or dv6685es Bios Upgrade

[Iván_R]

Hi

I have a HP Pavilion dv6685es which I want to upgrade with 4GB, instead of the original 2GB, and reinstall with a non Windows operating system with lower hardware requirements trying to give a new life to this old model.

I'm looking for a bios upgrade for this model, because its current BIOS version is F.59., and I've seen in other messages that there are newer versions for the HP pavillion dv6000 series models. My model has a specially noisy fan, speciallly on boot, and I want to see if this upgrade can improve the speed fan control and avoid possible problems detecting the future 4GB upgrade.

The problem it's than I'm not sure what's the best BIOS version upgrade for my model, I've seen these:

• BIOS F.2E -> http://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp48001-48500/sp48121.html for HP Pavilion dv6000 Notebook PC Series models
• BIOS F.5A -> http://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp48001-48500/sp48024.html for HP Pavilion dv6500 Notebook PC Series

In the corner of the screen I can read HP Pavillion dv6000, but the tag under the laptop I can read:

Product: HP Pavillion dv6500

p/n: KD951EA#ABE

service tag: dv6685es

¿Can somebody help me and tell me which one of these is the best option for my model, or if there are another bios version better than these?.

Thanks!

[Huffer]

Gonna summon @Paul_Tikkanen. Its part of the DV6500 model series with Intel processor. If I recall correctly, BIOS updates are a bit tricky on that model series as the executable must be run from Vista or it can brick the notebook. You should not need a BIOS update to run 4 gb of DDR2-667 memory and doubtful although not impossible it would help the fan noise. 

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

Hi, @Iván_R 

The last BIOS update HP released for your notebook was BIOS F.5A.

F.2E was for the dv6000 models with the Mobile Intel 945 chipset.

Yours has the Mobile Intel 965 chipset.

Here are the links to the info and exe files for F.5A:

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp48001-48500/sp48024.html

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp48001-48500/sp48024.exe 

I suggest that if you decide to update the BIOS, that you do it running Windows Vista.

I have read posts where others have successfully updated the BIOS on the dv6500 Intel model series with newer operating operating systems, but were they just lucky?

That I do not know.

I 100% agree with Huffer that it is doubtful that the BIOS update will solve any problems for you.

The most significant thing the BIOS updates in this model series provided was support for processors up to the T9500, and your notebook already has the BIOS update that would support such an upgrade.

[Iván_R]

Thanks @Paul_Tikkanen and @Huffer.

BIOS upgraded to version F.5A. succesfully with sp48024.exe file. As you recommend I've made a new Windows Vista install on the laptop for this upgrade. I hope this was my last Windows Vista install 😀.

I haven't noticed any difference on boot with the noisy fan, but at least with the last BIOS version now I cannot blame a possible outdated BIOS for this or other issues.

Thanks for your super fast response and good guidelines.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

See if installing this Intel chipset driver helps any.

It would be much newer than what HP originally had for it, and might have better thermal management.

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp52001-52500/sp52145.exe