Conflice with HP Omen Gaming Hub SDK and wireless card

[Spire81]

I was attempting to regain control of my laptop's keyboard backlight, and I managed to get it working. However, after installing the update for the SDK requested by the Omen Gaming Center, my laptop would no longer boot. After an entire day of diagnostics, I discovered that if I removed the Wi-Fi card from the laptop, it would boot; however, it wouldn't boot with any Wi-Fi card installed, even the original one. I successfully reinstalled the old SDK, and now the network card works again, but the Omen Gaming Center no longer functions, and I can't control the keyboard backlight. Could I please have the old version of the Omen Gaming Center? I would like to use it to access the backlight controls. Thank you.

[Spire81]

Okay, maybe it isn't a conflict with the new SDK, because it was working. However, after the last reboot, I got the hardware error again. A flashing power button on a black screen preceded by a boot with a chime but no image on the screen. I think something is corrupted in the embedded controller. Please, someone, I need help to fix this. 

It was working great before I tried to reinstall the Gaming Hub software. 

[Hawks_Eye]

Hi @Spire81 

Welcome to the HP Support Community! We're here to help you get back up and running.

I can imagine how unsettling it feels to have your system behave unpredictably after reinstalling the Gaming Hub software—especially when the keyboard backlight and wireless card are involved. 

You’ve already done a lot of careful diagnostics, so let’s focus on stabilizing the system and regaining control of the backlight without risking boot failures.

1. Perform a full power reset

• Shut down the laptop completely.
• Disconnect the power adapter.
• If the battery is removable, take it out; otherwise, hold the power button for 30 seconds to drain residual charge.
• Reconnect power and try to boot again.
• This clears embedded controller states that can cause the flashing power button and black screen.

2. BIOS recovery

• With the laptop off, press and hold Win + B.
• While holding, press the power button for 2–3 seconds, then release the power button but keep holding Win + B for another 10–15 seconds.
• If successful, the system will attempt BIOS recovery.
• Allow the process to complete and restart.

3. Reinstall the Omen Gaming Hub software

• Go to the OMEN Gaming Hub page.
• Download the latest stable version of the Gaming Hub and SDK.
• Install them fresh after the BIOS recovery.
• This ensures the embedded controller and SDK are aligned.

4. Update BIOS and drivers

• Visit the HP OMEN 16 Drivers page.
• Enter your exact product number (758R0AV) and download the latest BIOS, chipset, and graphics drivers.
• Install updates one at a time, restarting after each.
• Updated BIOS and drivers often resolve conflicts between the embedded controller, SDK, and hardware components like the Wi‑Fi card.

5. Test with the HP App

• Download the HP App from the HP App Overview page.
• Add your laptop and check if the keyboard backlight controls appear there.
• This can sometimes provide access to features without relying solely on Gaming Hub.

By resetting the embedded controller, refreshing BIOS, and reinstalling Gaming Hub cleanly, you should be able to restore both wireless functionality and backlight control.

If my response helped, please mark it as an Accepted Solution! ✅ It helps others and spreads support. 💙 Also, tapping "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" makes a big difference! Thanks! 😊

Take care, and have an amazing day!

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye

[Spire81]

Original Diagnostics (Before BIOS Reset / Before Talking to Hawkeye)

1. Uninstall Omen Gaming Hub• Uninstalled the Gaming Hub software.
• Rebooted once without issue.

2. Driver and SDK reinstall• Attempted to reinstall the chipset drivers and the SDK from HP’s webpage (older version).
• Rebooted again.

3. Reinstall Omen Gaming Hub• Reinstalled the Gaming Hub.
• Installation completed successfully.

4. Initial success and failure• After reboot, the system worked. I shut it down, thinking the issue was resolved.
• On the very next reboot, however, the system went straight into hardware failure. The power light began flashing, which is HP’s hardware failure emote.

---

Steps After Talking to Hawkeye

1. Battery removal reset• Removed the screws and disconnected the battery to force a BIOS reset.

2. Win+B BIOS reinstallation• Ran the Windows+B BIOS recovery.
• The computer booted successfully after this step.

3. Second uninstall/reinstall attempt• Repeated the uninstall/reinstall process for the APK and Omen Gaming Hub.
• Even after this, the system went back into hardware failure with the flashing power light.

4. Second battery removal attempt• Pulled the battery again to try to reset.
• This time, the system remained stuck in hardware failure and would not boot.

---

Key Observations

• The issue never occurred before the APK update.
• Once the system boots, it can run fine for hours — the instability only appears on reboot.
• HP’s BIOS updater only runs under Windows 10, but we’re being forced onto Windows 11. This prevents reinstalling the BIOS to rule out corruption.
• All posted drivers on HP’s site are for Windows 10, which complicates troubleshooting under Windows 11.
• After two full days of diagnostics, the system is now stuck in hardware failure with the flashing power light again. 

[Spire81]

is there possibly a bootable USB that I can update the bios and is there a newer bios out there than the one that’s posted on the site because that one only functions under Windows 10.

15-ce198wm is my model of Omen laptop 

it would be nice to have a Windows 11 compatible bios

 

[Spire81]

OK this is so strange. Just randomly thought. I’ll just try and boot it again and it just works. I don’t know this thing is so weird. 

initially, I was thinking I had something to do with the network card and again I had it pulled out this time during boot just eliminate that problem so I don’t know it could still be the network card not sure.

[Spire81]

 

[Spire81]

I hate intermittent problems. This is driving me absolutely insane now it’s just working

[Spire81]

I suspect the embedded controller may have only received a partial flash, which is causing intermittent issues. as this all started when I was trying to get Omen gaming Hub installed and the first time it tried to update the sdk the pc froze at 99% for 45 min before I hard reset the laptop.  I was able to get the SDK to complete installation, but the Omen Control Center isn’t currently installed—I must have uninstalled it at some point, thinking it might be contributing to the problem. The crashes occur randomly during boot, with the hardware error indicated by the flashing power button. Overheating seems unlikely, since the issue only happens at startup; once the system is running, I haven’t experienced any failures.

 My initial diagnostics made me think that it was the wireless card as I basically pulled everything out to see if it would boot and it did, but that was A red herring as it seems to just randomly crash during boot, but before the windows logo appears you’ll sometimes see the backlight of the screen come on and then it go black and then nothing and the next time you’ll get a hardware error. It’s very random. I’m convinced it’s not the wireless card now because I’ll guess what it’s working just fine I don’t know. This is really strange and very random 

[Spire81]

The unit passes HP‘s test, but the screen flickered even outside of Windows, so we might have a hardware issue. Also, when it powered up occasionally, the screen would just stay black, but the system would chime, and the next time I booted, I got a hardware error, which might be the cause. I may have a flaky screen or a bad LVDS cable. I ordered a new cable (DD0G3ALC300), hoping that will fix it. I suppose it might have just been random when it failed, and I was following a red herring. since this whole thing started, I was randomly getting screen flickers but now it’s every couple of seconds whenever it does decide to boot. I’m thinking, this is more likely the screen than the cable, but as it’s the cheaper thing I’m going to try the cable first.

Just as a little background on myself back in 2005 I graduated from a trade school and trained for Comp TIA  NET+  and A+ certifications. I’ve worked on computers ever since my primary job is as an electrician, but I will tinkered with computer computers my entire adult life, 

I’ve fixed many laptops over the years, intermittent problems are just so difficult to figure out.