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Archived This topic has been archived. Information and links in this thread may no longer be available or relevant. If you have a question create a new topic by clicking here and select the appropriate board.
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Ok,  HP support assistant told me a new important update was available for my laptop, UEFI support environment 4.2.5.0Ap1.  So perhaps like a sheep I downloaded it.  It created a new partition on my hard drive (HP TOOLS) and installed.  Nothing bad has occurred, but what the heck did I download?  I, obviously incorrectly,  assumed this was an update to an existing product.

 

For now I am assuming that if I don't know what it is I should not play with it.

 

Thanks.

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Hi,

 

What this gives you is a more user friendly interface to run diagnostcs.  If you tap away at the esc key as you start the notebook, you will be able to select this diagnostic menu ( f2 key ).

 

For example, if you wanted to run a test on the hard drive or memory, this use to be found in the bios meu ( f10 ) where you would navigate and execute the tests using the arrow keys and enter key.  The uefi diagnostic menu will allow you to select a variety of tests using the mouse/touchpad in the same way you navigate in Windows.

 

The new partition ( HP_TOOLS ) contains the files needed to support this interface.

 

Another important point to note is that this also provides a safer way to update the bios if you ever need to - instead of the bios flash running in Windows, in the uefi environmet, the flash occurs after the machine is restarted - ie before Windows is loaded.  This is generally safer as software which can interfere with a bios flash ( security software etc ) isn't running.

 

Personally, I would only update the bios if it fixes an issue you have or adds functionality you require.

 

Regards,

 

DP-K

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8 REPLIES 8
HP Recommended

When requesting assistance, please provide the complete model name and/or product number of the HP computer in question. HP/Compaq makes thousands of models of computers that are all different. Without this information it may be difficult or impossible to assist you in resolving your issue.

 

The above requested information can be found on the bottom of your computer or inside the battery compartment.

 

The UEFI Support Environment is a set tools for system diagnostics and BIOS recovery. From HP;

 

"This package provides the HP Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) Support Environment for the supported notebook models and operating systems. HP UEFI Support Environment provides UEFI based hardware diagnostics used to validate if a system is functioning correctly. Additional support is provided for updating and managing the system BIOS and other device firmware on the system."

 

Please click the white KUDOS star to show your appreciation

Frank

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HP Recommended

Hi,

 

What this gives you is a more user friendly interface to run diagnostcs.  If you tap away at the esc key as you start the notebook, you will be able to select this diagnostic menu ( f2 key ).

 

For example, if you wanted to run a test on the hard drive or memory, this use to be found in the bios meu ( f10 ) where you would navigate and execute the tests using the arrow keys and enter key.  The uefi diagnostic menu will allow you to select a variety of tests using the mouse/touchpad in the same way you navigate in Windows.

 

The new partition ( HP_TOOLS ) contains the files needed to support this interface.

 

Another important point to note is that this also provides a safer way to update the bios if you ever need to - instead of the bios flash running in Windows, in the uefi environmet, the flash occurs after the machine is restarted - ie before Windows is loaded.  This is generally safer as software which can interfere with a bios flash ( security software etc ) isn't running.

 

Personally, I would only update the bios if it fixes an issue you have or adds functionality you require.

 

Regards,

 

DP-K

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

****Click the White thumb to say thanks****
****Please mark Accept As Solution if it solves your problem****
****I don't work for HP****


Windows Insider MVP

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Thanks lasvegaswireman,

 

Normally I would have provided the information, but I was just looking for a high leval overview of UEFI.

 

I did see the fluff hp explanation, I was just looking for a little more meat.

HP Recommended

Thanks DavidPk,

 

    This didn't touch bios did it?  I did update one time, because once again HP shipped it out as an important update.  Luckily for me it installed, causing one minor issue which was mostly resolved with a driver update.  I then started looking around and read lots of horror stories about how bad updates can turn your laptop  into a brick.  No more bios updates for me.  I really wish HP would refine their update priority scheme.  Or offer real explanations about what the update is for.

HP Recommended

Hi,

 

No, it won't have affected the bios.

 

There is a feature added in this environment which 'can' enable you to roll back to a previous bios version in the event of a flash going wrong - the current bios is backed up ( again, this is stored in the HP_TOOLS partition ) before the new bios version is applied.  This is a somewhat hit-and-miss solution to a bad flash because it requires that the machine can still start-up and acceess the uefi environment, but can be useful in some situations.

 

Best regards,

 

DP-K

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

****Click the White thumb to say thanks****
****Please mark Accept As Solution if it solves your problem****
****I don't work for HP****


Windows Insider MVP

HP Recommended

I just created a partition H:\HP_TOOLS     and run the update below

 

 

 

HP UEFI Support Environment        5.2.4.0 Rev. 1.0
                                                                        3 Jul 2013

 

 

from

 

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareIndex.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodNameId=5358033&...

 

and you said  "The new partition ( HP_TOOLS ) contains the files needed to support this interface" and I would like to know if is it correct that the only file I got in such partition was a Setup.exe file.

 

If double click-it it just runs the update again, but there isn't any other file in that partition after running it two times (besides the initial installation!!). Just would like to know if I miss something or what's the best way to proceed to fix it. Thanks.

 

 

My system: http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&objectID=c03668424&prodT...

HP Recommended

OK...so I bit when I saw this utility "HP UEFI Support Environment version 5.2.4.0" on the Drivers and Downloads page for my NEW HP HPE h8-1360t and downloaded it. I installed it on a USB flash drive and it created three sub folders under the Hewlett-Packard folder in the HP_TOOLS partition. The three folders are: BIOS, BIOSUpdate and SystemDiags. The only folder with any content is SystemDiags and there are no executables.

 

So could somebody kindly explain how to use this tool or is that part of the puzzel?

 

Thanks,

Jerry

HP Recommended

 

Provost

 

Excellent reply. Concise, yet easy to follow and helpful at the same time. 

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