Windows 10: HP Experts: 2017 version How To Create Bootable USB BIOS Update?

been digging on this for a couple of hours and conclude that HP changed something in their BIOS update files, removing the Bootable Flash Utility that was there in the past. I have a HP laptop pretty dead, and the last hope is to try to force-update [replace] via Bootable USB stick - auto-run on the blind. HP has pages and videos dedicated to the process but they are wrong in today's world. There was a HP Utility for creating the USB stick, but it is not now included in the typical L: SP@#######.exe download as it once was, and I can find no other Utility except one for large shop replicated BIOS installs which involves editing batch files with a number of options.

So you know the story: this is a HP G4-1117dx, which had intermittent issues for months, then quit. The hard drive is fine. The system, when powered on, runs the fan, checks the optical drive, displays the LED'S at the power button and WIFI indicator, but no other evidence of life. not a hint of video, no beeps. Holding F11 or F12 produces nothing. Using the HP recommended key-sequence for recovering "last good copy" of bios fails [trying Windows-Key+V, or Windows-key+B]. Trying all this with external monitor as well as onboard produces no vid. So this is my last shot before pronouncing the MB dead.

any direction you can give is much appreciated.

EDIT: The applicable page at HP for doing this sort of recover is HP Notebook PCs - Recovering the BIOS | HP® Customer Support
Section 3, Steps 5 through n are simply wrong. The BIOS file downloads do not have that utility built-in these days.
The bios SP file assumes it is on the system in question and the action is to do a normal bios update immediately
from the C: drive where the files are unzipped to. There is no other option.

:)

 

Windows 10 blue screen of death!

How did you create the Windows USB? The ISO has to be installed to the USB using software. If you have a UEFI computer, it needs to be formatted as FAT32 to be a bootable UEFI device. A tool called Rufus can do this:
Rufus - Create bootable USB drives the easy way

Otherwise, for Legacy BIOS, the
Windows USB/DVD Download Tool can create a bootable USB formatted as NTFS (Rufus can do this too).

Your computer should have a key immediately after power-up to choose the boot device, such as F12 or F2 or DEL or ESC which you have to tap steadily right at power-up. You may be able to change the boot order in BIOS setup also to set USB as first choice.

EDIT: Apparently the BIOS access is by tapping F10 at power-up on the HP ProBooks.

 

Create bootable USB for Win 10 install

Hi,

I downloaded the Win10 ISO and used the "Win 7 create DVD" program to create a bootable USB. I put the USB stick in my Win 8.0, UEFI laptop and it doesn't recognise the USB stick as being bootable. I have disabled secure boot in the BIOS (OK, UEFI). That
makes no difference.

I have done some research and it seems that the USB must be in FAT32 format but the create DVD program formats the stick as NTFS.

So how do I create a bootable Win10 USB stick in FAT32 format?

Thanks,

John

 

Here is what I would attempt to do.

Do this from another pc...

1. Download Kahi's bootabable utility iso from here: Windows 10 Recovery Tools - Bootable Rescue Disk - Windows 10 Forums
2. Burn the iso to a good usb stick.
3. Download the BIOS flash from hp and copy it to a folder on the usb stick you just created.
4. Boot the laptop in question with this new usb stick (and hope your external monitor works)
5. If the system boots, then try to run the hp BIOS update.

If the system does not BOOT, then you probably have a MB (motherboard problem). Then you will need to compare costs of new versus replacement and what not.

Anyway, that is what I would attempt to do. Good luck and let us know the outcome.

 

thank you so much play2 - a response is like a life preserver
The system, a G4-1117dx is an AMD Hudson-based mb. My guess is that is the reason why
the softpaq for it is very limited - not having the hpupdate utilities which probably
are intel-based. but.. there are Probooks that have the same basis and HP seems
obligated to provide real tools for them so I'm snooping around trying to find a good softpaq
from one of those, then add the correct bios files. if you know of an AMD-friendly boot iso pls post

I wouldn't expend such effort except for the fact that the state the system is left in
is odd for a failed flamed-out MB. For instance the power on, power off cycle
doesn't behave like others I have seen that are "failed". it seems to be running through POST
or part of POST, and when I hit the button to turn power off it delays like 3 seconds whereas a
healthy system of the same type [i have a couple] will instantly shutdown [that is if no OS loaded]
I dunno how a BIOS gets corrupted on this one unless the user does not want to admit trying to do
a BIOS update on his own and "kaboom"