To update the BIOS/UEFI firmware requires HP-specific files in the EFI System Partition, also referred to as ESP.
On a Linux system, the ESP is typically mounted on /boot/efi
or /efi
. Whithin you should also find a EFI
directory, e.g. /boot/efi/EFI
or /efi/EFI
. This article assumes that the ESP is mounted on /efi
and that the /efi/EFI
directory exists. You can replace that with the mount point your system uses.
The HP-specific files are located in /efi/EFI/HP
or /efi/EFI/Hewlet-Packard
. These files typically come preinstalled in HP Windows PCs. If you have these files you could skip Install HP-specific files.
We can obtain the HP-specific files using HP's HP PC Hardware Diagnostics 4-IN-1 USB KEY installer. This installer contains the needed files. We can simply extract this installer and copy the needed files to the ESP
HP's installer only runs on Windows, but it is possible to extract it by running the self-extracting executable on Wine. You cannot simply extract the executable using 7-zip because the executable needs to do some file generation.
Download the executable. You can get the URL to the latest executable from HP's website.
$ wget https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp112501-113000/sp112853.exe
Run the executable using wine. This will extract its contents to ./sp112853
.
$ wine sp112853.exe /s /e /f sp112853
Copy the HP-specific files to the the ESP.
# cp -r sp142721/field/{Hewlett-Packard,HP} /efi/EFI/
According to HP, this works for most hardware. For some cases you may need additional files. I have tired this with an HP Pavilion 13-an0008ne Laptop only, which required no additional steps.
You'll need to find you updated BIOS image. You can find one by going to HP's Software and Drivers page, and input your serial number. Make sure you select Windows as your Operating System, otherwise it may not show the updates.
These drivers often also come in Windows executables, you should run them in wine. The executable will first fail to install automatically. Then it will display different options on how to procede. Select the Copy option and select a directory where the BIOS image and the key file should be copied to.
$ wget https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp112501-113000/sp112516.exe
$ wine sp112516.exe /s /f sp112516 # extract and execute
There should be a .bin
and an .s12
file. Copy these files to the ESP to the directory /efi/EFI/Hewlett-Packard/BIOS/New
and /efi/EFI/HP/BIOS/New
. Here I am using 084C5
as an example.
# mkdir /efi/EFI/Hewlett-Packard/BIOS/New
# cp sp112516/084C5{.bin,.s12} /efi/EFI/Hewlett-Packard/BIOS/New
# mkdir /efi/EFI/HP/BIOS/New
# cp sp112516/084C5{.bin,.s12} /efi/EFI/HP/BIOS/New
At this point you should have the needed HP-specific files and the BIOS update installed in the ESP. Now, you can actually complete the update.
Boot into firmware settings and press F2 to enter HP Hardware Diagnostics. You should be presented a menu and there should a menu entry named BIOS Management. Navigate to BIOS Management > Update BIOS. Your BIOS should start updating.
If you have enabled Secure Boot with custom keys, you will first need to sign the HP-specific .efi
files.
Sometimes the previous method does not work, and the BIOS Management option does not show up. You can alternatively copy the .bin
and .s12
file to /efi/EFI/Hewlett-Packard/BIOS/Current
or /efi/EFI/HP/BIOS/Current
, and press Win-B while the PC is booting up. This key combination should cause a BIOS firmware recovery using the files you copied.
Also note that updating will re-enable Secure Boot if had it disabled. If so, you might want to disable it again. Your custom Secure Boot keys will be preserved.
Solved!
I finally found a BIOS for my laptop.
@eNV25
I assume the new key works a bit differently than the one you described. It does not boot as it is - I guess you will need the other 4 packages for it to boot, but I have not verified this. It can still be used for a BIOS update even without those packages.
Here is what I did. Changes to your procedure marked bold.
cd /tmp
Extract files for HP Diagnostic Key to /tmp/sp142721:
7z x -osp142721 ~/Downloads/sp142721.exe
This will do the same, just cancel when asked for the drive letter:
wine ~/Downloads/sp142721.exe /s /f sp142721
Extract BIOS files from your downloaded HP BIOS spxxxxx.exe:
wine ~/Downloads/spxxxxx.exe /s /f spxxxxx
When asked select "copy to any file location".
Copy to /tmp/sp142721/field/Hewlett-Packard/BIOS/Current and to /tmp/sp142721/field/HP/BIOS/Current.
Now the key:
A USB key with a normal fat32 partition will suffice. No need for an efi partition.
The USB key created by Windows does not have an efi partition either.
The fat32 partition must be labeled HP_TOOLS:
fatlabel /dev/sdX1 HP_TOOLS
Otherwise it will not work. I tried.
Shut down your computer, insert the key, push the keys "Windows" and "B" while you power on.
Keep pressed for at least 3 seconds.
The BIOS Update window will appear. Wait for the process to complete. Do not interrupt!
This procedure uses the EFI files on the key and leaves a logfile in Hewlett-Packard/BIOSUpdate/.
Caution!
You may need a bootable USB Stick afterwards.
The boot block of the internal hard disk will be restored to factory state - so grub will be gone!
I tried with two laptops: One of them allowed to boot the internal system via "Boot from EFI file".
The other does not offer to boot from an EFI file unless it finds a working boot device.