HP bricks ProBook laptops with bad BIOS delivered via automatic updates — many users face black screen after Windows pushes new firmware ( www.tomshardware.com )

On May 26, a user on HP's support forums reported that a forced, automatic BIOS update had bricked their HP ProBook 455 G7 into an unusable state. Subsequently, other users have joined the thread to sound off about experiencing the same issue.

This common knowledge regarding BIOS software would, then, seem to make automatic, forced BIOS updates a real issue, even if it weren't breaking anything. Allowing the user to manually install and prepare their systems for a BIOS update is key to preventing issues like this.

At the time of writing, HP has made no official comment on the matter — and since this battery update was forced on laptops originally released in 2020, this issue has also bricked hardware outside of the warranty window, when previously users could simply send in the laptop for a free repair.

Overall, this isn't a very good look for HP, particularly its BIOS update practices. The fragility of BIOS software should have tipped off the powers at be at HP about the lack of foresight in this release model, and now we're seeing it in full force with forced, bugged BIOS updates that kill laptops.

adarza ,

we've had clients have their dell systems bricked from bios updates. it's not just hp.

at least dell (reluctantly) offered free repairs, even out of warranty, on those models at the time. 'repair' being motherboard swap plus shipping both ways if not covered by an onsite warranty plan.

i still have one of those 'repaired' systems here. user gave it to us years after it got fixed. it just sat, unused, once they got it back as they bought a new one due to the lengthy turnaround they were quoted.

Weslee ,

Jeez, I am currently trying to install Linux on my HP ProBook and having issues with it - one thing I noticed was my bios was last updated in 2014 so I was going to see if updating helped... Might hold off on that now

dumbass , (edited )
@dumbass@leminal.space avatar

HP:

https://media1.tenor.com/images/5651bfc7c7aa0e23468cc0a0e65c4f04/tenor.gif?itemid=17367995

Just one extra free bit of advertising for Linux.

Kbobabob ,

What does a motherboard BIOS have to do with Windows other than that was how the update was delivered? I swear Lemmy loves to shoehorn Linux into any article that even mentions Windows.

bane_killgrind ,

If they were running Linux the HP update utility would not be running.

CileTheSane ,
@CileTheSane@lemmy.ca avatar

What does a motherboard BIOS have to do with Windows other than that was how the update was delivered?

So what does this have to do with Windows and Linux other than the fact that Linux wouldn't have a mandatory unskippable update?

sag , (edited )
@sag@lemm.ee avatar

Thanks for Update HP But I use Linux :)

Kbobabob ,

And presumably not an HP motherboard, so this doesn't really apply to you.

egeres ,
@egeres@lemmy.world avatar

What would be the solution? Re-solder some chip from the motherboard?

Tuuli ,

I had Windows push a bios update on my HP omen desktop. It completed the update but wouldn't get back up after restart. The fans went crazy for a moment and then it was dead. Luckily I had warranty left. They replaced processor and motherboard. Good job HP/Microsoft.

Ballistic_86 ,

HP is the one responsible here, Windows is just the delivery service HP uses to deliver their updates.

I’m all for hating on Microsoft, but you don’t blame the UPS driver for delivering a bomb to your house.

MisterFrog ,
@MisterFrog@lemmy.world avatar

This is interesting. Not a lawyer, but I'd encourage anyone in Australia to demand a free repair under Australian Consumer Law because the company bricked the laptop. I'd guess it would fall under the Acceptable Quality consumer guarantee, since the fault was caused directly by the manufacturer.

Not sure how you'd go about proving that, but you could then just take it to your state tribunal, like VCAt in Victoria and file a small claim.

Not a lawyer, not legal advice, but something to think about if you're in this situation.

solsangraal ,

i rarely victim-blame, but if you're buying HP anything, then yea...

nifty , (edited )
@nifty@lemmy.world avatar

At one point they didn’t suck so much, but everything has been infected with enshittification

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