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HP Desktop PCs - Recovering the BIOS (Basic Input Output System)

The BIOS is the first software to run after turning on the computer. If the BIOS on your computer becomes corrupted, the computer fails to boot to Windows.

The BIOS can be corrupted during normal operation, through environmental conditions (such as a power surge or outage), from a failed BIOS upgrade, or damage from a virus. If the BIOS is corrupted, the system automatically attempts to restore the BIOS from a hidden partition when the computer is restarted. If the automatic BIOS restoration does not work, you can manually restore the BIOS.

If you experience any of the following symptoms after restarting the computer, recover the BIOS.

Windows does not start and the caps lock or num lock keys blink, or the computer beeps 2 times
Power light or charging light continues to blink
A BIOS APPLICATION ERROR 501 message is displayed
The computer stops at a black or blank screen when powered on
The computer turns on and you might hear the internal fan, but the display is blank and Windows does not start

Note:

For business computers, your IT department or local IT service might manage BIOS settings. Confirm this if you cannot access BIOS settings or restore the BIOS.

HP PCs with the HP Sure Start security feature do not support BIOS recovery using the manual, 4-in-1 USB key, or USB recovery drive methods. HP Sure Start automatically repairs HP BIOS and HP firmware corruption using the HP Endpoint Security Controller-isolated backup copy of the HP BIOS and HP firmware.

	PCs with HP Sure Start	PCs without HP Sure Start
CMOS reset procedure	X	X
Automatic BIOS recovery	X	X
Manual BIOS recovery		X
4-in-1 USB key procedure		X
USB recovery drive procedure		X

To determine if your PC was released with HP Sure Start, check the product specifications for the PC model. PCs with HP Sure Start indicate that it is enabled on the HP logo screen when the computer is started.

Reset the Embedded Controller

In some cases, the computer cannot boot to Windows because the data in the Embedded Controller (EC) is corrupted. Use this procedure to reset the EC.

Turn off the computer and disconnect the power cord for 5 seconds.
Connect the power cord to the computer, and then press the power button to turn on the computer.

The computer turns on and the EC is reset.

If this does not recover your computer, see Reset the CMOS.

Reset the CMOS

In some cases the automatic BIOS recovery fails because of corrupted Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) data. The CMOS stores BIOS settings. Use these procedures to reset the CMOS and recover the BIOS.

Find the CMOS reset instructions specific to your computer model number

CMOS reset instructions are specific to the system board installed on your computer. Find your computer model number, and then use it to get the reset steps (if available) on the HP Customer Support website. If steps specific to your system board are not available, use the generic CMOS reset steps.

Locate the model number for your computer. This number is typically found on a label on the computer or on the box it shipped in. Go to Find product and serial numbers for HP PCs, printers, and accessories for additional options.

Note:
The general or series name on your computer is not specific enough for identifying the correct computer specifications.
Go to the HP Customer Support website, and then use the model number to navigate to the product page for your computer.
Select Product Information, and use the drop-down menu to select Product Specifications.
Open the product specifications and find the motherboard section.
Click Motherboard specifications, if a link is available, to find the CMOS reset steps. The steps for resetting the CMOS might be called Clearing CMOS or similar.
Go to Reset the CMOS using motherboard specifications to reset the CMOS using the specific reset steps for your system board.

Note:
If specific CMOS reset steps are not available for your system board, see Reset the CMOS using generic steps.

Reset the CMOS using motherboard specifications steps (recommended)

Use the CMOS reset steps from the motherboard specifications to reset the CMOS and recover the BIOS.

Turn off the computer, and then disconnect the AC adapter from the desktop.
Press the power button 10 times to fully discharge electricity from the system.
Open the computer to access the system board.
Follow the CMOS reset steps for your computer model. See Find the CMOS reset instructions specific to your computer model number.
Reassemble the computer.
Reconnect the AC adapter to the computer.
Press and hold the power button for 20 seconds.
Release the power button and the system boots.

A message displays confirmation that the CMOS is reset. The message on your computer might vary. If this does not recover your computer, see Recover the BIOS.

Reset the CMOS using generic steps

If specific CMOS reset steps are not available for your system board, reset the CMOS and then recover the BIOS using these generic steps.

Turn off the computer, and then disconnect the AC adapter from the desktop.
Press the power button 10 times to fully discharge electricity from the system.
Open the computer to access the system board.
Remove or disconnect the CMOS battery from the system board.
Confirm that all sources of electricity are removed or disconnected from the computer, including the CMOS battery.
Press the power button for a minimum of 60 seconds to drain all power from the computer and reset the CMOS values on the system board.
Reconnect or reinstall the CMOS battery, and then reassemble the computer.
Reconnect the AC adapter to the computer.
Press and hold the power button for 20 seconds.
Release the power button and the system boots.

A message displays confirmation that the CMOS is reset. The message on your computer might vary.
Confirm the that Time in BIOS is set to 00:00. If not, perform the procedure again, but hold the power button for 120 seconds at Step 6.

If this does not recover your computer, see Recover the BIOS.

Recover the BIOS

If your computer BIOS still does not reset, you can try to recover the BIOS using a key press combination or a USB recovery drive.

Recover the BIOS using a key press combination

Many HP computers have an emergency BIOS recovery feature that allows you to recover and install the last known good version of the BIOS from the hard drive, as long as the hard drive remains functional. This emergency recovery feature is separate from the BIOS and is designed to work in the event of a catastrophic BIOS failure.

Restoring the BIOS on HP Computers with a Key Press Combination

Learn how to restore the BIOS on your HP computer with a key press combination.

Turn off the computer.
Press and hold the Windows + b keys, and continue to press those keys while you press and hold the power button for 2 to 3 seconds.
Release the power button, but continue pressing the Windows + b keys.
The power light remains on, and the screen remains blank for about 40 seconds before anything is displayed. You might hear a series of beeps (usually 8 beeps). Eventually, an HP BIOS Update screen is displayed and the BIOS update begins automatically.

Note:
If the HP BIOS Update screen is not displayed, press and release the power button, and then immediately press the Windows + b keys at the same time, repeatedly, until the computer beeps or opens the HP BIOS Update screen.

If the HP BIOS Update screen is not displayed, do one of the following based on the behavior of your computer:
- Computer starts into Windows: The computer starts into Windows if the power button and keys are released too soon. Repeat the previous steps, holding the power button down for 2 or 3 seconds.
- Power light turns off: The computer turns off if the power button is pressed and held down too long. Repeat the previous steps, holding the power button down for between 2 and 3 seconds.
- After repeated attempts, the HP BIOS Update screen does not open: Your computer does not support this function or it has a hardware problem that is preventing the tool from opening.
After the BIOS is recovered, a Continue Startup button is displayed and a timer counts down. Click the Continue Startup button to restart the computer immediately, or wait for the computer to restart automatically when the timer reaches zero.
When the computer restarts, a black screen displays a message similar to the following:

A system BIOS Recovery has occurred.

BIOS Recovery (500)

Enter - Continue Startup

Press the enter key to continue immediately or allow the computer to restart automatically.

Note:
After restoring the BIOS, if the computer repeatedly displays a message about the BIOS, update the BIOS. Go to HP Consumer Desktop PCs - Updating the BIOS (Basic Input Output System) (Windows) or HP Business Desktop PCs - Updating the BIOS (Basic Input Output System) for more information.
After restarting, Windows might display a message stating that the computer was improperly shut down or that a boot problem was detected. Read and respond to the screens to continue.

If this recovery method fails, use another working computer to create a BIOS recovery flash drive to install the latest BIOS file.

Recover the BIOS using a USB recovery drive

If Windows does not start, use a second working computer with internet access to download a BIOS update. Copy the update file to a USB flash drive and install it on the original computer.

CAUTION:

If BitLocker protection is enabled on your computer, the BitLocker recovery key is required to start your computer after the BIOS update. Windows might need to be reinstalled if you do not have the key or the key is not recognized after the update.

Setting up the BIOS update on a USB flash drive

Use a second computer with internet access to create a BIOS recovery USB flash drive.

Creating a BIOS Recovery Flash Drive for HP Notebooks

Learn how to create a BIOS recovery flash drive for HP notebooks that have had hard drive failure or no longer have the HP_Tools volume or partition.

Get the product number for the original desktop that requires a BIOS recovery. This number is typically found on a label on the back or side of the computer or on the box it shipped in. Go to Find product and serial numbers for HP PCs, printers, and accessories for additional options.

The general or series name is not specific enough for identifying correct download files.
Insert a blank USB flash drive into an available port on the second computer.
Go to the HP Software and Driver Downloads page.
Navigate to the product page for your computer.
Select BIOS from the list that is displayed, and then review any available BIOS updates.

CAUTION:
Read the Details section to confirm that it applies to the computer. Installing the wrong BIOS could cause the computer to stop working.
- If you do not see a BIOS update listed for your computer, no update is currently available.
- If there are multiple BIOS updates available, identify the motherboard or system board installed on your computer using the information from the System Information utility.
- If you find a BIOS update, click Download. If HP Download and Install Assistant displays, select Download only, and then click Next. Click Save to save the BIOS update file on your computer.
Browse to the folder or desktop where you saved the downloaded BIOS update file, and then double-click the file name (for example: sp12345) to start the installation.

The computer might beep, turn the screen or cooling fans off or on, or display a blinking power light. This is normal.

CAUTION:
Do not turn off or restart the computer until the update process completes.
Click Yes on the User Account Control screen.
On the InstallShield Wizard window, click Next.
Select I accept the terms in the license agreement, and then click Next.
If a Location to Save Files window displays, click Next.
In the HP BIOS Update and Recovery window, click Next.

Note:
Windows that are displayed during the update process might vary depending on your computer.
Select Create Recovery USB flash drive, and then click Next.
Select your USB flash drive, and then click Next.
Wait while the BIOS files copy to the USB flash drive.
When the message The recovery flash drive was created successfully displays, click Finish.
If necessary, click Cancel to close the update utility.
Remove the flash drive from the computer.

Install the BIOS recovery file

Use the HP emergency BIOS recovery feature with the recovery flash drive to recover the BIOS.

Restoring the BIOS with a Recovery Flash Drive on HP Notebooks

Learn how to restore the BIOS with a recovery flash drive on HP notebooks.

Turn off the computer that requires the BIOS recovery, and then wait 5 to 10 seconds.
Insert the USB flash drive with the BIOS file into an available USB port on the computer.
Press and hold the Windows key and the b key at the same time, and then simultaneously press and hold the power button for 2 to 3 seconds.
Continue to hold the Windows and b keys, but release the power button. You might hear a series of beeps.
- If a message displays that the computer improperly shut down or a boot problem is detected, follow the on-screen instructions to resolve the error.
- If HP BIOS Update is not displayed or the issue persists, your computer might not support this function or there is a hard drive issue. Contact HP Customer Support for assistance.

The HP BIOS Update screen is displayed and the recovery begins automatically. Follow any on-screen prompts to continue startup and complete the recovery.

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