HP customers report that BIOS updates installed through Windows Update can render premium laptops unbootable. Complaints describe freezes during boot, increased fan noise, and Blue Screens of Death after the update completes. The affected models include the ZBook Ultra G1a and the EliteBook X G1a, with specific problematic BIOS versions listed for each. Reverting after installation is difficult, though some users report limited success using network BIOS downgrade with an HP USB-C to Ethernet dongle. Users can block operating-system-initiated updates only before the update is applied. Similar bricking incidents occurred in 2024 with ProBook laptops, suggesting recurring firmware update quality issues. HP acknowledged awareness and is investigating while directing users to support.
"HP customers are reporting that BIOS updates pushed through Windows Update are rendering premium laptops unbootable. The affected devices include the ZBook Ultra G1a, a mobile workstation that costs upwards of £4,000, and the EliteBook X G1a. The updates were flagged as critical, meaning they were applied automatically with no user intervention required."
"Complaints have been accumulating across HP forums and Reddit for several months. Symptoms include devices freezing during boot, spikes in fan noise, and Blue Screens of Death. The broken BIOS versions for the ZBook Ultra G1a are 01.04.03 and 01.04.05. For the EliteBook X G1a, the problematic versions are 01.03.11 and 01.05.00."
"Once the update has completed, reverting is difficult. Users have reported some success using network BIOS downgrade functionality, but only with an HP USB-C to Ethernet dongle. The BIOS does allow users to prevent the operating system from initiating updates, but that setting is only useful before the update has been applied."
"HP told The Register: " HP is aware of purported BIOS issues and is looking into the matter." The company suggested affected users contact support. The word " purported " is doing considerable work in that statement given the volume of documented complaints."
Read at TNW | Data-Security
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