It may be that you are using DVD-RW disks. For installation and/or boot disks it is always preferable to use DVD-R or DVD+R disks.
EDIT: Also this is one possible method of flashing your BIOS without an OS:
http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Noteboo...ate/td-p/19975
Just keep in mind that you need to substitute YOUR SYSTEM'S BIOS UPDATE for the one in the article!
I've used BIOSAgentPlus. They are the official BIOS update and support center for Phoenix BIOS. And i believe your notebook uses Phoenix. BIOS Agent also supports AMI BIOS. It's a pretty cool service....
So you guys are saying its possible to update my BIOS via USB without an operating system by loading the drivers onto the drive and booting from it?
I just tried the steps on that website minus renaming the files as I am unsure of what to name them, however my computer doesnt even begin to read the USB to flash the BIOS. I think I might not be doing something right...
The DVD When trying to open it so I can copy the files just prompts me to name the blank CD prior to format, it does not open any of the files that are on there...
They usually come in a zip file. Unzip the file to the USB. Format it first, FAT32. Is that close to what the instructions say? If not, do it their way.
It is very important when flashing a BIOS to follow the instructions exactly, step by step. If you are unsure of what you are doing then don't do it at all! A bad BIOS flash could make your problems even worse.
Have you tried a W7 installation disk burned to a DVD-R?
I have just tried with DVD R and still no change. I sat on HP customer support with no help of getting disks. My cousin is downloading vista via torrent but who knows.
I wish I could figure out this flashing but according to the instructions it notes I should take a FD file extension and rename it with a BIN, the problem is no where in the files after extracted do I find a FD file extension.
Yes, I have seen this also, unfortunately. No .fd file in the zip.
If the .fd file is not there in the package then that method will not work. It seems that these companies are abandoning the legacy methods of BIOS flashing in favor of a "flashing for dummies" method (from the OS with a pretty graphical interface). That is convenient for the manufacturer, but we have seen many problems with flashing from the OS over the years. It is an unfortunate trend.
EDIT: Where did you get the ISO to burn to disk? It is also possible the the ISO is bad or the download was corrupted. You might try re-downloading the ISO, or borrow a retail installation disk.
Another thing: Reset your BIOS. Turn off the laptop, remove the power cord, remove the battery, then press and hold the POWER button for 15 seconds or so. Put everything back together and power on. That may clear up any drive recognition problems. Note: if the reset works you will need to re-enter the date and time in the BIOS settings.
I am skeptical that you need a BIOS update to install W7 on a computer designed for VISTA. I suspect the problem lies elsewhere.
Quote