I own a HP Pavilion 15-ec2004AX laptop. OS Windows 11 22H2 BIOS v - F27
Recently I have been facing black screen issue repeatedly. I tried to resolve it by updating AMD graphics driver but it didn’t work. After lots of research and YT videos I narrowed down the issue as BIOS conflict with AMD graphics driver. I downloaded the previous version of bios F25 and tried to rollback bios but error. Not really sure why HP had blocked the bios rollback feature. i have already had a chat with the local HP service center but no joy
Please suggest any way out of this issue. Currently the Laptop display seems to be working with legacy version of AMD Graphics v 30.0.13026.2000 dated 29-10-2021 and I have paused the windows update. But the black screen issue returns when I shutdown the laptop and switch on the next day
Then this is an issue that HP/AMD needs to work out… you do not have a “bricked” bios on the system and HP rollbacks when blocked are hard to do, hard core users risk their assets by using an SPI programmer and try to revert back the bios… with VERY HIGH risks of breaking the system.
Hi Alex_N, in general there was “Plundervolt” around 2020 when every vendor started locking this in their UEFI/Bioses. For example I own HP Elitebook 840 G3 and I had to downgrade BIOS to Version/Date HP N75 Ver. 01.42, 19. 8. 2019 ( before 2020 ) to be able to change voltages (for example via throttlestop).
So try to downgrade to older bios.
In your case - HP Elitebook 840 G5 you can try bios somewhere around ver. 01.09.01 or older.
Thanks for the reply!
When I try to rollback bios to the version:
01.08.01 Rev.A before the plundervolt patch it says “BIOS update denied by system policy. Cancelling the system BIOS the system BIOS update”
Check BIOS Rollback Policy
Setting Behavior when attempting to roll back to a previous BIOS version. The setting can be set to Unrestricted Rollback to older BIOS or Restricted Rollback to older BIOS.
Also check bios lock version.
Try to use local media (FA32 formatted USB key) to flash bios directly from the bios.
Try to downgrade one version at the time. Or try some version in between, not directly to 1.08.
What version are you at?
Edit: I think the latest version before “Plundervolt” is 1.09. It’s from 2019
Btw you should also disable downloading drivers/firmwares through Windows update ( if you are using Windows ) to avoid automatic upgrade your HP firmware back to newest.
Im on the newest BIOS version ( 01.29.01 Rev.A) I tried with local media, my computer restarts until I remove the flash drive, then it shows me the same “error” again. The setting is set to unrestricted bios rollback- minimum version01.08.01 Rev.A
HI Alex no problem,
Set the Rollback policy to unrestricted, bios version lock to unchecked. Don’t set minimum version. Do you have VPro version of the laptop? Try to downgrade in steps let’s say 1.29 => 1.20 if it’s working
Don’t forget to set the windows updates to avoid automatic upgrade back to newest firmware. ( for example through local group policies )
By local media I mean => download the bios package for your OS (windows 10) from the HP site. Insert blank FAT32 USB flash drive. Run the file, choose Create Recovery USB flash drive.
After it’s done … go to UEFI ( usually F10 key ) => click Update System Bios on the main screen => Update System and Supported Device Firmware Using Local Media
HP won’t let me downgrade below 01.14.01 Rev.A. Оn every version lower than this it says to me “BIOS update denied by system policy. Cancelling the system BIOS update. BIOS update did not proceed because the system administrator has locked the BIOS version.” Is there any way around this? Can I trick my system to think Version:
01.09.01 Rev.A is a new BIOS version or something like this?
Hi Alex, the problem is that HP blocked downgrade from BIOS/UEFI version 1.15+ to version 1.14 on Elitebooks 840 G5. I decided to try it myself, but I wasn’t able to get Elitebook 840 G5, just G6. But the situation is similar on G6, this time it’s between version BIOS/UEFI 1.05 and 1.04.
The question is what to do. How to downgrade.
I am not an expert, but I believe it could be possible to do a full dump of bios/uefi. Extract DMI data like serial number, windows OEM key, etc.
Modify older version with these data and write it back to flash via flash programmer.
I don’t have a flash programmer, I have to order it and then I can try it.
When I have a flash programmer and everything properly backed up, then it’s possible to try even more interesting things.
Maybe it could be possible to damage both bioses ( there should be two, main and backup) and let the HP Sure start or/and recovery process reflash the bios from the USB media as the last resort. But I wouldn’t risk it without proper backup and the flash programmer.
There are a lot of interesting things around Intel ME ( VPro ) so I have to look at it. Maybe this is the way.
Btw do you have VPro or Non-VPro version of the Elitebook? It seem that this G6 I have has just SMT not AMT.
