When I started this adventure, the laptop was originally running BIOS F.03 and Windows 8.1. I downloaded the most current BIOS (F.42rA) from HP. The downloaded file shows up as an EXE file. Running it puts a typical HP “SWSetup” folder on the drive with the appropriate bits inside. About a minute after running the downloaded EXE, the utility runs. I have the option of updating the BIOS so I do so. It goes through a “copying” motion then tells me I need to restart, along with a restart button. I click it and the computer restarts — way too quickly for a BIOS update to have been performed. I get to the desktop, shut down, and start up again to get into the BIOS, and sure enough it’s still on F.03.
The updater utility (InsydeFlash.exe) also claims to have the ability to create a bootable USB drive to flash the BIOS of a corrupted machine. I ran through that process but the USB drive isn’t bootable; there’s just a couple of folders containing what are theoretically the BIOS update files.
While trying to troubleshoot this I downloaded older versions of the BIOS updater, all with later versions of the BIOS than in my laptop. All of them behaved the same way. Out of increasing desperation I downloaded the F.02 updater, even though I knew it would be a downgrade from the F.03 I was already running. The F.02 updater ACTUALLY FLASHED the BIOS and I'm now running F.02. Sadly, however, HP doesn't even offer an F.03 for download so now I'm downgraded and STILL don't have a solution.
I have tried resetting the BIOS to its default settings, clean-installing Windows 8.1, clean-installing Windows 10, replacing the hard drive, and replacing the memory. Nothing works. There is no other apparent way to update the BIOS. What’s the trick to getting this laptop to update its BIOS?
Here is the "InsydeFlash.Log" file from the last time I ran the F.42rA updater:
--- Log started: 2018/12/07 12:26:42
Insyde Flash Utility Version 5.09 IHISI v2.1.1
Initializing...
Log file: InsydeFlash.Log
M-FD: AD0 Not match FFFFFFFF & FFFFFFFF != 40000005
M-FD: FFFC0 Not match FFFFFFFF & 4D383855 != 20423855
M-FD: AD0 Not match FFFFFFFF & FFFFFFFF != 5
M-FD: FFFC0 Not match FFFFFFFF & 4D383855 != 20413855
M-FD: Match!
M-FD: FD filename 0233FF41.BIN
M-FD: INI filename U88M_BTM.ini
Settings file : C:\SWSetup\sp88695\platform.ini (found)
Executable : C:\SWSetup\sp88695\InsydeFlash.exe
OS Information : Microsoft Windows 8 - supported
Preparation stage
IHISI Version: 211
Allow Version: 000, Dex: 0
Current Version: F.02, Dex: 3842
Current BIOS version is bigger than the version in ini [Others] AllowVersion.
No device firmwareAllow Version: 000, Dex: 0
Current Version: F.02, Dex: 3842
Current BIOS version is bigger than the version in ini [Others] AllowVersion.
No device firmware Environment Count: 1
Check Package: 1
Check BIOS sign: 1
Bios Size: 0x00800000, SHA1 Sign Size: 0x00000000, SHA256 Sign Size: 0x00000100
BIOS sign check result: 1
Opening file C:\SWSetup\sp88695\0233FF41.BIN
File decrypted.
Reading 8388608 bytes from file starting at 0 ...
BIOS image size: 8388608 (0x00800000)
Error code: 3010(0x00000BC2)
Cleanup Stage
Stage Completed
--- Log Stopped: 2018/12/07 12:32:24
Error code: 3010(0x00000BC2)
