HP Envy x360 Ryzen F19 BIOS disaster DO NOT UPDATE

[proxyx]

Hi,

2 days ago I followed a message with a red exclamation mark, received via HP Support Assistant to urgently update my BIOS.

something like this:

"NOTE: HP strongly recommends transitioning promptly to this updated BIOS version which supersedes all previous releases." which is still on the HP BIOS page...

So I did, reluctantly... my hunch was not unfounded and turned out correct, unfortunately too late.

A slew of crashes followed, a atikmpag.sys issue.

On Mon 2018-12-10 4:14:43 AM your computer crashed
crash dump file: C:\WINDOWS\Minidump\121018-7406-01.dmp
This was probably caused by the following module:[edit](atikmpag+0xF624) 
Bugcheck code: 0x116 (0xFFFFD609125F7010, 0xFFFFF8064340F624, 0xFFFFFFFFC0000001, 0x3)
Error:[edit]

 Every 10-15 min. for no reason screen went blank/white and automatic reboot after 15 secs. Had maybe a 50-60 crashes that day. It was supposed to be a day with enhanced HP new BIOS security...

Uninstalled, cleaned, reinstalled drivers in several different ways, safe mode including, to no avail.

So far I was using the 22.19.655.1 Rev.B, tried base VGA... same thing. Driver installed or not video card was crashing.

Tried flashing the BIOS...

big surprise, can't do it. Recovery failed, it said after flash I'll go back to F16 but...!! it decided to keep F19 instead.

Made USB disk etc, no go. Cannot read older BIOS'es signature file !!! even though fresh downloaded.

But it has no problem reading signature file of F19 BIOS, the same that I installed. I can flash with F19 as many times as I want. But no other version. Conclusion: downgrade is disabled in software. No rollback, even though HP dignostics includes this option... it's been crippled on purpose by a thoughtful HP.

Did "factory reset" as well, fresh install etc. but BIOS stayed the same, no going back. But my laptop did not come with F19 BIOS... !?

In DOS laptop is stable, in Windows every 10 min. it crashes and reboots itself, I don't have to do anything.

Chrome in Windows invokes a freeze with a message "Applications has been blocked from accessing graphics hardware". So how can I use this computer without graphics hardware??? Forget browsing or video, freezes constantly.

Tested memory, video, CPU and HDD in HP diag. All checks out.

The culprit is obvious, a home cooked F19 BIOS that meddles with video memory, that was upposed to be a plus.

A BIOS that I cannot get rid off because HP closed this door.

My laptop, from 100% working... became useless piece of junk. Thanks to HP BIOS!!!

Anyone has suggestions?

Thinking about 3rd  party flash utility...

[Lil_Boy_Blue]

Hi

If you can remove any trace of F19 from the harddrive, and only have F08 instead.

Sometimes in BIOS update there is a Current and Previous folders listing.

Copy the same bIOS sig into all of them and try that.

[proxyx]

Thanks,

No HDD involved I made sure, just USB key with their HPDiag utility and older BIOSes. Flashing on DOS level. Already tried sig. file switch earlier, same msg "cannot open" (read: no match...), but thanks, good thinking 😉 Only 3rd party I think.

[Redblind]

This has caught me out too. Have never experienced a BIOS update negatively affecting a motherboard so I foolishly didn't save the previous version (F17) when updating to F19. All went well but my x360 is now useless if I do anything requiring the GPU. Downloading the older version is pointless as the installer will not allow it to install over F19. What on Earth can be done?

[KANS71]

HI upgraded to latest BIOS version and now operating system is blocking graphics drivers

HOPE HP will solve this very soon !

[Lil_Boy_Blue]

Well on mine and most HP systems a backup bios is kept on the hard disk and then

Ctrl + B or whatever repairs the bios from power on using that backup file.

Hence the suggestion to have an older backup downloaded and stored.

[Redblind]

Lil_Boy_Blue I'm not 100% but your message seems a little snippy, and certainly not helpful.

Searching online I don't find any reference to CTRL+B with regard to BIOS restoration. Instructions for this are to use WIN+B at power-on.

I've downloaded the BIOS installer for the version on my laptop prior to the update and attempted installation using a flash drive. All seems to be fine doing this until the final step at which point the following appears: 'The System BIOS rollback failed. Unable to open BIOS Signature file.'

I've reinstalled the latest BIOS version (F19). This completes successfully as it did the first time but the video issues persist.

I've read reference to obtaining .bin files for the BIOS version i wish to install but not how to obtain them or how to go about using them.

The OP stated that he/she attempted to rollback to F16, but you then suggested rolling back to F08 and to do so by having that on the hard disk with all traces of F19 removed. Why F08 (and not F16)? Is there something about F08 that promotes it above the other available BIOS versions? Also can you explain the procedure for your suggestion as well as the file locations on the hard disk?

If you can help then you have my thanks. If not then please don't reply as that just clogs up the thread and makes any meaningful contribution difficult to find for any future reader searching for a solution.

(Hopefully) Thanks in advance.

[MeMoL]

What the hell should I do now?

It crashes every 5-10 minutes. It's become useless. 

any temporary suggestions?

---

@proxyx wrote:

Hi,

2 days ago I followed a message with a red exclamation mark, received via HP Support Assistant to urgently update my BIOS.

something like this:

"NOTE: HP strongly recommends transitioning promptly to this updated BIOS version which supersedes all previous releases." which is still on the HP BIOS page...

So I did, reluctantly... turn out my hunch was not without reason and turned out correct, unfortunately too late.

A slew of crashes followed, a atikmpag.sys issue.

On Mon 2018-12-10 4:14:43 AM your computer crashed
crash dump file: C:\WINDOWS\Minidump\121018-7406-01.dmp
This was probably caused by the following module: atikmpag.sys (atikmpag+0xF624) 
Bugcheck code: 0x116 (0xFFFFD609125F7010, 0xFFFFF8064340F624, 0xFFFFFFFFC0000001, 0x3)
Error: VIDEO_TDR_ERROR

 Every 10-15 min. for no reason screen went blank/white and automatic reboot after 15 secs. Had maybe a 50-60 crashes that day. It was supposed to be a day with enhanced HP new BIOS security...

Uninstalled, cleaned, reinstalled drivers in several different ways, safe mode including, to no avail.

So far I was using the 22.19.655.1 Rev.B, tried base VGA... same thing. Driver installed or not video card was crashing.

Tried flashing the BIOS...

big surprise, can't do it. Recovery failed, it said after flash I'll go back to F16 but...!! it decided to keep F19 instead.

Made USB disk etc, no go. Cannot read older BIOS'es signature file !!! even though fresh downloaded.

But it has no problem reading signature file of F19 BIOS, the same that I installed. I can flash with F19 as many times as I want. But no other version. Conclusion: downgrade is disabled in software. No rollback, even though HP dignostics includes this option... it's been crippled on purpose by a thoughtful HP.

Did "factory reset" as well, fresh install etc. but BIOS stayed the same, no going back. But my laptop did not come with F19 BIOS... !?

In DOS laptop is stable, in Windows every 10 min. it crashes and reboots itself, I don't have to do anything.

Chrome in Windows invokes a freeze with a message "Applications has been blocked from accessing graphics hardware". So how can I use this computer without graphics hardware??? Forget browsing or video, freezes constantly.

Tested memory, video, CPU and HDD in HP diag. All checks out.

The culprit is obvious, a home cooked F19 BIOS that meddles with video memory, that was upposed to be a plus.

A BIOS that I cannot get rid off because HP closed this door.

My laptop, from 100% working... became useless piece of junk. Thanks to HP BIOS!!!

Anyone has suggestions?

Thinking about 3rd  party flash utility...

---

[proxyx]

Hi,

what I can suggest:

1. CLEAR CMOS:

shut down, hold down Win and C keys, press the power button for ~3 secs while holding keys, release power button, release keys, should start, read the report, let it finish, shut down.

2. VERIFY CMOS INTEGRITY:

shut down, hold down Win and V keys, press the power button for ~3 secs while holding keys, release power button, release keys, check messages/report... (take picture).

In  my case CMOS/BIOS is corrupted, invalid checksum... so check your BIOS

What I found out from support, there have been similar cases recently, don't know about scale. Whether one or more... no idea. From posts I can see that all of a sudden several laptops cought a flue... hope it's not pneumonia. Most ppl call service/support rather then come here and be left with no answers. Only HP knows the scale.

Typical causes: low battery, BIOS flashing issues, BIOS itself...

Fix: either reflush succesfully (unlikely with HP tools)... or replace BIOS chip/battery with lower BIOS ver.

Contact service center, and if out of warranty maybe look for a good shop that can reflash the BIOS EPROM (~30 bucks on Ebay). MB will have to be removed, BIOS chip replaced or reflashed, battery replaced. Bad news for many.

That's the scope, briefly.

Interesting how resident experts been of no help, or have no knowledge.

BIOS in this forum is out of bounds. The only way is up the ver. chain, never roll back, even though HP diag. software has the rollback key, doesn't work, disabled. How thoughtful. All forum topics about BIOS are useless, can read about the problem but never a solution. Fact is F19 BIOS is efing trouble. I spent 2 days trying to fix it to no avail. Who would have expected a bomb like this from HP, marked with red exclamation, UPDATE NOW!!!

This corrupted BIOS kills graphics adapter functionality to that degree that Chrome or other browsers have no access to it after  "FACTORY RESET". Nice.

Questions: is the BIOS posted on HP OK or corrupt? Why doesn't it flash properly (at least on some laptops)? Why there is no rollback option, my laptop did a BIOS recovery with a msg. "current: F19, after: F16..." but F19 prevailed thanks to HP crippled tools. Thanks HP.

PS. @Redblind no need to go to the lowest BIOS available but you may try any you feel comfortable with. There are no rules here except new Win10 versions may require more recent BIOSes (security). No documentation on that (only BIOS release notes, check'em out) so you be the judge. Mine came with F13 factory, did F16, no issues, so F16 was a natural choice for me. Don't trouble yourself too much with that cause none will be available to you... "cannot open signature file".You won't be able to flash with any unless you use 3rd party flash utility (compatible with RavenRidge chipset... good luck finding that). Is it hopeless?, no, but at this stage it needs more research. It is quite possible that standard AMI flashers will work OK, needs to be verified (Envy uses AMI BIOS if I remember correctly).

check this: https://windowsreport.com/fix-cmos-checksum-error/

Tools for AMI BIOS, and not only...

https://www.wimsbios.com/biosutil.jsp

http://k7jo.de/tools.htm

[MeMoL]

The thing is that the file extension supported by AMI is .rom

but the file HP provides is .bin

Bios agent plus says that your bios is AMI, but when I open AMI flash it says it isn't.

whats should i do?