Need to downgrade bios

[CherylG]

I think HP could unlock it with another BIOS update if it causes problems. They had released a few BIOS updates earlier and later was informed by Intel that the code they provided caused instability in some machines and they needed to do more work. HP released new updates that reversed that update-and pulled the flawed BIOS  from drivers list.

[tomstar]

Ok I'll keep an eye out for any more bios updates in addition to maybe trying it with a different flash drive or seeing what's possible. Thanks for your help.

[CherylG]

You're welcome. Good luck!

[tomstar]

The reason I want to downgrade F38 is because I suspect it is responsible for a 10 degree celcius rise in temperature. So the fan comes on strong and it doesn't take that much for it to happen.

I've been using speed fan to watch the temperature combined with watching what is going on with CPU/Memory/disk in the task manager. And even doing very little it climbs in the hot range  to very hot range. if I actually do something.. watch a video etc, it can really climb up.

It didn't do this before the bio upgrade. The machine is usually quiet.

My friend has same exact laptop. It runs very cool. He had an older bios.

We decided to try the new F38 bios on his machine.

Now his machine seems to be running hotter - I'll keep an eye on it.  Anyway, like I said, i'll watch out for further updates/downgrade options. Thanks.

[CherylG]

You could always download the older BIOS and run it in Windows to see if it will downgrade.. if you are not really concerned with the Spectre/Meltdown issue. There was such an uproar over it that Intel/AMD and computer manufacturers rushed into action to quiet the masses.

[tomstar]

Yeah that was the very first thing I tried but it won't do it. It states bios is incompatible with this device so it cannot update. the only choice left is usb key or put the bios files somewhere on the computer.

I've tried creating the usb key and used it (power down, put in, press windows + b and power for 3 seconds etc) in every usb port with two different manufacturers of USB flash drive and it doesn't work. It acts like it is updating but it is not - it just makes the fan revving sound with the screen black but it can sit there for 10 minutes and nothing happens.. you can pull out the usb flash drive  or turn the power off at any time - which I imagine are things you shouldn't be able to do with bios update/downgrade... in any case it doesn't do anything.

I was going to experiment with third option but not sure how to use it.

Reading a lot of the language in the firmware area in diagnostics and even with the screen above, its almost like they don't want you to downgrade, only upgrade or replace present bios.

Btw, bios F37, the bios before this one (F38 - the spectre one) presents the same screen and states the same thing (incompatible), and won't downgrade to it via usb key.

There's an older thread here where a few people tried to downgrade via usb key and they were unable to like me - I haven't really seen many successful threads with this but I'm sure I  haven't seen everything

 https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Hardware-and-Upgrade-Questions/BIOS-DOWNGRADE/td-p/2377965/p...

 In that thread one helper said:

"NOTE:If the computer fails to display an HP BIOS Update screen, press and hold the Powerbutton for 5 seconds to turn off the computer. Wait 5 seconds and try again. If, after repeated attempts, you cannot open the HP BIOS Update screen, your computer does not support this function or it has a hardware problem that is preventing the tool from opening."

So maybe my laptop doesn't have this functioning. Maybe there are third party solutions which I imagine are risky.

I think I'll just wait and see a little. My friends laptop is doing better... maybe I have to let my laptop settle a little and see where its at in a few days.

[tomstar]

Little update: My friends laptop does seem to run a little warmer.  It's also a little slower just like mine. I can see it with the launch of programs. My guess is its the spectre change. My bad updating to it so fast. I guess I thought if there were issues i could change the bios.

i tried to rollback his bios using the F2 system diagnostics/firmware management and it states the rollback failed - unable to find bios signature. So again it almost like I'm blocked from doing any kind of fix to this. And now my roommate is not happy that I made his machine slower.

I'm going to see if I can find some kind of third party software or something that can help. If I can't, when I upgrade my laptop, it won't be the hp brand if I can't install a different bios should there be a problem.

[CherylG]

I have seen several people reporting sluggish performance after the new BIOS with Spectre/Meltdown patch. Glad I have not applied it to mine-actually hasn't been released yet for Spectre X360. Of course I am using a loaner Spectre X360 from HP so it wouldn't "really" matter but hate messing up a good laptop.

[tomstar]

I'm trying something and it seems to work and also proves it is the new bios.

There is a tool called inspectre that allows you to disable any bios settings that address "spectre". You can also disable the meltdown software changes. This is done in case you are having problems with performance hits or other troubles.

https://www.grc.com/inspectre.htm

I disabled the spectre changes and now the laptop is back to its quick self. As an example my browser opens to homepage in 3 seconds instead of 7 seconds. So it does seem to be the new bios causing varoius issues with performance. Not sure if it will fix heat/fan issue yet but I suspect it will.

Still, would be much better to put the bios I want so I'm going to make sure that I can do this on my next pc - either that or the hardware is so quick that it does not even matter.

[CherylG]

@tomstar

Not sure I see where it allows disabling BIOS settings. It appears to me that it allows disabling changes made to system by Windows Updtate to address Spectre/Meltdown? Per this-  - keep in mind, using this to enable or disable those protections will modify the Registry keys.

So maybe in actuality it is the BIOS update coupled with Windows Update patches that are causing the problems on your laptop.