(HP 15-f039wm) Laptop won't update BIOS. SOLVED!

Question

HP Laptop

Hewlett-Packard began manufacturing personal laptop computers in 1993.

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Steve @steve_g

crwdns2934065:0crwdne2934065:0: 3.4crwdns2936485:0crwdne2936485:0

Second Life Systems, LLC

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crwdns2931729:0crwdne2931729:0: N'w 7, 2018

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(HP 15-f039wm) Laptop won't update BIOS. SOLVED!

Laptop is currently running BIOS F.03 and Windows 8.1. I downloaded the most current BIOS (F.42rA) available here:

https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/sel...

It 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.

I have tried resetting the BIOS to its default settings, cleaning the hard drive, replacing the hard drive, clean-installing Windows 8.1, AND clean-installing Windows 10. Nothing works. What’s the trick to getting this laptop to update its BIOS?

UPDATE: I tried downloading other versions of the BIOS and they all do the same thing — EXCEPT for the F.02 updater. I took the risk and tried it, even though I knew it would be a downgrade from the F.03 I was already running. This one ACTUALLY FLASHED the BIOS. 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.

UPDATE 2: Solution found; see below.

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What's your machines model number?

crwdns2934271:0N'w 7, 2018crwdnd2934271:0 Aiden crwdne2934271:0

As per the subject line, it's an HP 15-f039wm.

crwdns2934271:0N'w 10, 2018crwdnd2934271:0 Steve crwdne2934271:0

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Steve @steve_g

crwdns2934065:0crwdne2934065:0: 3.4crwdns2936485:0crwdne2936485:0

Second Life Systems, LLC

10

16

3

crwdns2931729:0crwdne2931729:0: N'w 10, 2018

crwdns2933897:0crwdne2933897:0

This issue has been solved.

The problem is that HP’s BIOS update process requires “HP PC Hardware Diagnostics” software to be installed on the drive. There’s apparently a small, hidden partition on the drive where this little bit of code lives. When Windows was reinstalled on this machine, that partition was wiped clean so the “HP PC Hardware Diagnostics” software disappeared. HP’s BIOS update, except for that really old F.02 version, requires that software to be installed. Without it, the BIOS update doesn’t work.

This information is not shown on HP’s site or included with any “read me” file or otherwise disclosed anywhere that I’ve been able to find.

Once the software was downloaded and installed, I was able to run the current BIOS updater package and at next reboot the BIOS was updated as expected. It’s now running the current BIOS version.

The software is here: https://www8.hp.com/us/en/campaigns/hpsu...

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Thank you! What worked for me was download and install HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI 7.7.0.0, it added the UEFI partition to my recently wiped hard disk, restarted the PC, pressed ESC, then F2 to enter diagnostic utility, and from there I could upgrade the BIOS manually for my HP 15-ac135la. Without your info I cound've never upgrade the BIOS. Thanks!!!

crwdns2934271:0Mha 9, 2020crwdnd2934271:0 matcarfer crwdne2934271:0

Thanks for this comment as well. Just installing the diagnostics tool didn‘t work for me, but updating the BIOS from that tool did the trick. Thank you!

crwdns2934271:0N'w 19, 2021crwdnd2934271:0 Tobias Grunwald crwdne2934271:0

@matcarfer

I'm trying to upgrade my BIOS manually from the Hardware Diagnostics, but cannot find the option. Where is it exactly? (i.e. in which menu?)

crwdns2934271:0Sun 8, 2022crwdnd2934271:0 Florio crwdne2934271:0

@florio60 It's been three years since I posted this so I'm going by memory here. As I recall, there is no option to manually update the BIOS through Hardware Diagnostics. The process is to first have a running Windows system, download and install the "HP PC Hardware Diagnostics" as I described in my answer, then download and install the BIOS update. That BIOS update calls upon the Hardware Diagnostics software to perform the update.

crwdns2934271:0Kul 13, 2022crwdnd2934271:0 Steve crwdne2934271:0

crwdns2934285:0crwdne2934285:0

Thank you! What worked for me was download and install HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI 7.7.0.0, it added the UEFI partition to my recently wiped hard disk, restarted the PC, pressed ESC, then F2 to enter diagnostic utility, and from there I could upgrade the BIOS manually for my HP 15-ac135la. Without your info I cound've never upgrade the BIOS. Thanks!!! — matcarfer
Thanks for this comment as well. Just installing the diagnostics tool didn‘t work for me, but updating the BIOS from that tool did the trick. Thank you! — Tobias Grunwald
@matcarfer

I'm trying to upgrade my BIOS manually from the Hardware Diagnostics, but cannot find the option. Where is it exactly? (i.e. in which menu?) — Florio
@florio60 It's been three years since I posted this so I'm going by memory here. As I recall, there is no option to manually update the BIOS through Hardware Diagnostics. The process is to first have a running Windows system, download and install the "HP PC Hardware Diagnostics" as I described in my answer, then download and install the BIOS update. That BIOS update calls upon the Hardware Diagnostics software to perform the update. — Steve

Kirill Virt @spakes crwdns2934065:0crwdne2934065:0: 501 5 · Answer 1 · 2018-12-07T21:46:34-07:00

Kirill Virt @spakes

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crwdns2931729:0crwdne2931729:0: N'w 7, 2018

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Is there a way to update your BIOS through BIOS settings? That should be an option.

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Nope, no option exists in there.

crwdns2934271:0N'w 8, 2018crwdnd2934271:0 Steve crwdne2934271:0

Weird... Well, then try to create Windows Bootable USB and flash from that or try to run program in Admin more and/or with compatibility mode turned on...

crwdns2934271:0N'w 8, 2018crwdnd2934271:0 Kirill Virt crwdne2934271:0

As per my original post: "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."

It doesn't matter where I boot the machine from, whether it's being run as an administrator or not, safe boot or not, compatibility mode or not. The BIOS updater app simply doesn't work as advertised.

crwdns2934271:0N'w 9, 2018crwdnd2934271:0 Steve crwdne2934271:0

1) There are multiple flash utilities, try different ones.

2) When I said "Windows Bootable USB", I meant creating a WindowsToGo Live USB or flash an USB drive with Rufus, launch Live USB and run an utility from that OS.

3) BTW, you could try flashing from Linux Live USB.

4) I'm wondering, is your flash utility up to date? How old is your version? Might be wrong, but maybe there's no support for newer BIOSes in your utility (sounds stupid, I know, but I just try to make some ideas).

crwdns2934271:0N'w 9, 2018crwdnd2934271:0 Kirill Virt crwdne2934271:0

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