BIOS Update cancelled, computer won't start

sygnus21 · 23 Aug 2011

Well I'm of the other side of the coin in that I update my BIOS as soon as they're released.

Anyway this thread is about the poor guy who cancelled a BIOS update while in progress and has now bricked his system

zsxd45 · 24 Aug 2011

jbrownsts said:

Hi everyone, last night my Asus laptop randomly started updating my BIOS, I had no idea what it was so I cancelled it. I restarted my laptop but only the LEDS work, no display, no keyboard function...this is a brand new laptop, please help.

You need to reset your BIOS chip, the only problem is i only know how to reset the CMOS one which is probably what you have, open up your laptop then look for a place in the motherboard that has 4 pins, i'm not sure where it should be, but if you google it there is a way you can reset it by taking wherever you're little card is over the 4 pins. This will not destroy any hard drive data. Either that, or the BIOS update has wrecked you're pc and it would need new parts to be fixed, i'm not really qualified enough to know which it is.

arkhi · 24 Aug 2011

Supporting what everyone else said, failed BIOS update == dead/bricked/capoot MOBO.

On VERY rare occasions, you can save a bricked device if you can at least use something as input to send signals to it. But on your case, you don't even have a display on.

For the sake of simplicity, just return your laptop. It's new anyway.

GL! :)

Comp Cmndo · 24 Aug 2011

sygnus21 said:

That was the point I was making with my post. It wasn't meant as a personal attack

Sorry, it just sounded like one. My apologies. I may be new to Win7, but am not new to Windows, computers, etc. I'm a regular on Computer Hope. Just trying to learn more about Win7.

[QUOTE=sygnus21;1548238]

legacy7955 said:

...

I think if you install a program like the one Comp Cmndo shows here, or something like say Gigabyte has which shows all updates available for your motherboard, than yeah, those will show you BIOS updates as well, but they won't (shouldn't) install without user intervention. And as I said, you won't see BIOS updates in Windows Update (at least not yet, though though UEFI might change things. Just a wild guess).

I didn't install that program, it's a component of the HP suite preinstalled on the laptop, HP Support Assistant. FWIW, HP has server downloads very much like Microsoft. Notifications pop-up much the same way, mostly within the first couple weeks after Windows is "activated" (run for the 1st time). The one that included the BIOS update was 1000MB.

BTW, this is my 1st store bought (branded) computer in 12 years. I've rescued many from the recycle bin or trash. All others are WinXP-Pro, 1 old laptop Win2k. A vintage laptop runs DOS6.22/Win for Pen Computing.

Agreed that the OP should return the laptop to Acer. It's dead.

DeaconFrost · 24 Aug 2011

Comp Cmndo said:

I didn't install that program, it's a component of the HP suite preinstalled on the laptop, HP Support Assistant. FWIW, HP has server downloads very much like Microsoft.

That's what we mean when we say the bloatware is removed immediately from an OEM branded system. All that app does is bring in updates to the bloatware, often making it more...bloated.

Comp Cmndo · 24 Aug 2011

DeaconFrost said:

Comp Cmndo said:

I didn't install that program, it's a component of the HP suite preinstalled on the laptop, HP Support Assistant. FWIW, HP has server downloads very much like Microsoft.

That's what we mean when we say the bloatware is removed immediately from an OEM branded system. All that app does is bring in updates to the bloatware, often making it more...bloated.

It has a few features I didn't want to get rid of just yet because there is no printed documentation supplied, whatsoever. If you delete the app, everything is lost, i.e. support numbers, email addresses, docs. I've already used it a few times, i.e. to order Restore DVD's, just in case the HD crashes & you can't access the restore partition. If you order them within the warranty period, they are free. I don't need the extra hard drive space.

DeaconFrost · 24 Aug 2011

Your HP laptop didn't come with the Restore disc utility to make your own? My wife's did that we bought over a year ago. Took four hours to complete, but we did that before I wiped out her drive and did a fresh, clean install...just so we could roll back, if needed, or if we were ever going to sell her laptop.

Comp Cmndo · 24 Aug 2011

DeaconFrost said:

Your HP laptop didn't come with the Restore disc utility to make your own? My wife's did that we bought over a year ago. Took four hours to complete, but we did that before I wiped out her drive and did a fresh, clean install...just so we could roll back, if needed, or if we were ever going to sell her laptop.

That utility doesn't exist on my particular model of ProBook. I looked all over for it and a call to HP confirmed it's not there, which is why they're sending me the Restore DVDs. I believe their rationale is it's a business model, not a home model, so don't need Restore discs, but I don't know. The 1st agent made an error & ordered the 32-bit version, had to call back to get the 64-bit version, which they are out of stock. I received the 32-bit version by FEDEX. I use Macrium, anyway, but I want those DVD's.

There is no Recovery Manager that allows creation of System Recovery Discs on my laptop: http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport...ctID=c01895783

You can accomplish a System Recovery from the BIOS, but that assumes the Recovery partition on the hard drive is intact.

Sub Styler · 27 Aug 2011

Comp Cmndo said:

It has a few features I didn't want to get rid of just yet because there is no printed documentation supplied, whatsoever. If you delete the app, everything is lost, i.e. support numbers, email addresses, docs. I've already used it a few times, i.e. to order Restore DVD's, just in case the HD crashes & you can't access the restore partition. If you order them within the warranty period, they are free. I don't need the extra hard drive space.

you could always use the most uptodate info with-out updating at HP - United States | Laptop Computers, Desktops, Printers, Servers and more ?

Beta · 27 Aug 2011

This is why I reinstall the OS with a clean image not the recovery CD's when I get a new laptop. To much software I will never use. I try the laptop for a few hours and see what programs I like then reinstall the OS and the software that was included that I liked. Toltal time is around 4 hours at most.