Recovery issue on OMEN 15-en0013dx

[tonialb]

Hello,

Can someone help me please? I'm in a sad situation with my laptop model OMEN 15xxxx?

The situation is this:

1. I upgraded the memory from 2x4G to 2x8G
2. I added a second drive SX8200 Pro 1T.

Everything went well, with new Memory and new SSD!

Since the harddriver I had had two partitions, I thought of moving it to a single one. Here it seems I deleted some of the recovery partitions. When I rebooted the laptop, Windows 11 didn't turn on anymore! It always gave me the error as in the image.

https://imgur.com/s6VQapD

Apparently the HP Recovery tool was required. I found it in the Microsoft Store, downloaded it to another PC, and created a USB Recovery following the instructions. I turned on the laptop with USB and HP Recovery started working. After it HP Recovery finished, the nightmare return again.

https://imgur.com/v0GSMxA

Do you guys have any idea, what the hell it is? I tested all components, RAM, Processor, Storage etc. one by one, and the tests came out NORMAL! To be sure, I removed the newly installed SSD driver. So I left the laptop with the original hard driver from the factory.

Can you give me any help? What should I do? I'm stuck in a hole and I don't know how to get out of!

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

Did you try making a plain bootable W11 USB installation flash drive from the link below and use that to reinstall W11?

That would be the only suggestion I can offer since the cloud recovery tool media didn't work.

Download Windows 11 (microsoft.com)

After W11 has completed installing, you can install the drivers and available software from your notebook's support page.

OMEN Laptop - 15-en0013dx Software and Driver Downloads | HP® Customer Support

[tonialb]

Hi, 

Yes, I tried installing Win11, but it didn't boot! Also I tried another SSD, same error related with Recovery Tool.

I tried to boot with same USB driver, with PartedMagic tool, and it worked! So the problem maybe is related with Bios, can't be sure! if I were to do a BIOS downgrade, maybe it could have an effect for the better.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

I'm glad you found a way to get Windows back up and running again. 

[tonialb]

I didn't said Windows is working! 😊

The problem is on Windows Boot Manager.  I managed to install Ubuntu, without any issue, just to test it!

Except this HP Cloud Recovery Tool, is there any other program or supplement that can help me fix this Windows Boot Manager? I also advanced with the Recovery Tool until the end, but then an error appeared.12

[tonialb]

Just an update:

First I did erase of the hard drive, using PartedMagic. Then:

1. I tried to install Win 10. Installation completed successfully. But after the system was restarted, for the first time, it gave an error. https://imgur.com/fhoRhOj
Going on F1, I get another code: https://imgur.com/AuUe1oC 

2. Tried to install Win 11. Same result! Installation done. But it failed during 1st reboot!

3. Tried to install Win7. Installation failed. Stuck on the Windows logo and wouldn't move!

4. Tried to install with HP Recovery. Everything seemed to install successfully. But it failed to boot again.
5. Tried Ubuntu OS, everything went successfully! 

I want to emphasize that for each installation attempt, I first erased NVMe!

Eventually, Windows fails to boot! Maybe HP needs a specific copy, related with my serial number. I don't know! It seems that during the installation process, some code is injected, which blocks the booting of Windows.

I am sure of one thing, that laptop don't have any problem at the hardware level. Because otherwise it would have happened with Linux as well.

It remains to flash the Bios, but I don't know how to beging! Since there is no update/downgrade option, at least visually on Bios Startup Menu! Weird! 

Is there any way to flash the new Bios? Or downgrade to an old one?

The idea that I'll use this laptop with Linux OS forever, makes me sad!

[tonialb · Accepted solution]

OK. Great news! 

It was Bios issue! I did an upgrade from F.19 to F.20.

A big thank you to junk version of Windows 8.1!😁 Without it, I would not have executed it. The only  Windows version I managed to install.

After the new Bios Firmware, the HP Cloud Recovery USB Tool did the rest of work. Now I'm on Win 10 Home. Next days I'll try Win 11.

Thanks Paul for your time and your support. I really appreciate it.