HP Pavilion Laptop BIOS

I'd like to keep abreast of the latest BIOS for my laptop - but I don't
know which version I have, the manufacturer - or how to get and install
the latest version. Can someone help?

On Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:22:23 -0400, Fruit2O <> wrote:

> I'd like to keep abreast of the latest BIOS for my laptop - but I don't
> know which version I have, the manufacturer - or how to get and install
> the latest version. Can someone help?


Doing what you suggest is a serious mistake. Certainly don't upgrade
the BIOS just because it's X years old and there are upgrades
available. Although a BIOS upgrade normally goes well, it is not
without danger. If something goes wrong while the upgrade is an
progress (for example, a lapse in power) you can be left with no BIOS
at all, and an unbootable computer.

Do a BIOS upgrade if you need to--because you are having a problem
that the new version is known to fix--not just because one is
available.


--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) since 2003
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

Press F10 while it's booting and showing this message on screen "press Fx to
enter Setup Utility", or something to that effect.
I think it's F10 you need to press, but if not - try F1.
Also you might easily MISS that short period of time duriung which system is
booting up & awaiting for check whether user pressed F10/F1, so you may need
to try several times if you've no experience.

As opf BIOS, goto www.hp.com-->Support-> and go thru menus to get to your
machine#/model#, you should find a Drivers matrix or some sort of download
page at HP wenbsite for your PARTICULAR machine. Even though normally,
attempting to install wrong BIOS on a wrong machine will be automatically
aborted, do make sure you're downloading exactly correct BIOS, else if
installation does get thru, you'll be kill your machine to point where you'd
need to ship it to manufacturer to replace BIOS chip/chipset.

Also I advise you to install battery while running BIOS update - AC power
failure would leave your BIOS in undefined state, and again damage your
machine badly.

I am using HP dv-series laptop whose BIOS is updatable in Windows.
Back in the day it was only posible outside of Windows shell, but these days
I think it's almost guaranteed you can download HP BIOS version designed to
run under Windows.
Do NOT power off or touch anything while BIOS update runs, it's the most
critical piece of software.
It is properly called "firmware" as opposed to soft, hard or middleware.

Goto HP website, last time I did my BIOS update it went like hot knife thru
butter - smoothly, quickly, and now my machien takes longer time to boot,
grrrrz!!!!!!

But you know what'sx great about HP?
I used to only deal with IBM Thinkpads, until IBM sold that division to
Lenovo of China. They posted current BIOS and NO WAY to roll back!
However HP posts current and also a few older BIOS releases, so you can roll
back if you don't like newer BIOS.

BIOS updates are usually doen to improve compatibility with new OS, or
sometimes to fix bugs, but usually for a new OS.
Often it's not too necessary. I was fine with older BIOS, HP sire claimed
new BIOS was better optimized for Vista so I got it, now I guess they should
have something to optimize for WIndows7....

I explained - extra 20 minutes is a psychological trick that reduces of me
being late for some meeting or a deadline..

How does it come out on Usenet, does that result in "top posting" as
soimeoen mentioned, so my post sits on top of people who actually posted
AFTER me?
If so I may fix my clock... but I need to be away so not sure if I read your
response here soon...

I even used to run a clock a full hour ahead, many times I was rushing only
to realize with enormous relief - got an extra hour!

"STAN STARINSKI" <Chyna@stealsUSJobsPatentsSoftwareMusicVideo> wrote in
message news:...
> I explained - extra 20 minutes is a psychological trick that reduces of me
> being late for some meeting or a deadline..

Don't you have a ****ing watch? Maybe a clock in your institution?
>
> How does it come out on Usenet, does that result in "top posting" as
> soimeoen mentioned, so my post sits on top of people who actually posted
> AFTER me?
> If so I may fix my clock... but I need to be away so not sure if I read
> your response here soon...
>
> I even used to run a clock a full hour ahead, many times I was rushing
> only to realize with enormous relief - got an extra hour!

What an idiot.

On Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:31:28 -0400, "PencilState"
<> wrote:

>
>"Fruit2O" <> wrote in message
>news:.. .
>> I'd like to keep abreast of the latest BIOS for my laptop - but I don't
>> know which version I have, the manufacturer - or how to get and install
>> the latest version. Can someone help?
>
>Start Orb, type msinfo32, hit enter.
>BIOS should be listed.

What is Orb?

On Wed, 21 Oct 2009 17:38:50 -0700, "Ken Blake, MVP"
<> wrote:

>On Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:22:23 -0400, Fruit2O <> wrote:
>
>> I'd like to keep abreast of the latest BIOS for my laptop - but I don't
>> know which version I have, the manufacturer - or how to get and install
>> the latest version. Can someone help?
>
>
>Doing what you suggest is a serious mistake. Certainly don't upgrade
>the BIOS just because it's X years old and there are upgrades
>available. Although a BIOS upgrade normally goes well, it is not
>without danger. If something goes wrong while the upgrade is an
>progress (for example, a lapse in power) you can be left with no BIOS
>at all, and an unbootable computer.
>
>Do a BIOS upgrade if you need to--because you are having a problem
>that the new version is known to fix--not just because one is
>available.

Thanks, I always thought I should always have the latest BIOS
installed.

On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 21:02:55 -0400, wrote:

> On Wed, 21 Oct 2009 17:38:50 -0700, "Ken Blake, MVP"
> <> wrote:
>
> >On Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:22:23 -0400, Fruit2O <> wrote:
> >
> >> I'd like to keep abreast of the latest BIOS for my laptop - but I don't
> >> know which version I have, the manufacturer - or how to get and install
> >> the latest version. Can someone help?
> >
> >
> >Doing what you suggest is a serious mistake. Certainly don't upgrade
> >the BIOS just because it's X years old and there are upgrades
> >available. Although a BIOS upgrade normally goes well, it is not
> >without danger. If something goes wrong while the upgrade is an
> >progress (for example, a lapse in power) you can be left with no BIOS
> >at all, and an unbootable computer.
> >
> >Do a BIOS upgrade if you need to--because you are having a problem
> >that the new version is known to fix--not just because one is
> >available.
>
> Thanks, I always thought I should always have the latest BIOS
> installed.



You're welcome. Glad to help.

To repeat myself, I strongly recommend *against* that point of view.

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) since 2003
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 23:52:19 -0400, d wrote:

> On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 19:10:41 -0700, "Ken Blake, MVP"
> <> wrote:
>
> >> >> I'd like to keep abreast of the latest BIOS for my laptop - but I don't
> >> >> know which version I have, the manufacturer - or how to get and install
> >> >> the latest version. Can someone help?
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >Doing what you suggest is a serious mistake. Certainly don't upgrade
> >> >the BIOS just because it's X years old and there are upgrades
> >> >available. Although a BIOS upgrade normally goes well, it is not
> >> >without danger. If something goes wrong while the upgrade is an
> >> >progress (for example, a lapse in power) you can be left with no BIOS
> >> >at all, and an unbootable computer.
> >> >
>
> Kind of makes the addition of the bios reset switch redundant doesn't it ?
> Worst that can happen is he'll need a tech to help him locate that switch on
> the MB.



Sorry, that's completely wrong. Even if his motherboard has such a
switch (not all do), what it does is reset the *settings* within the
BIOS, not the BIOS code itself (which is what he wants to upgrade).


--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) since 2003
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 21:00:56 -0400, wrote:

> On Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:31:28 -0400, "PencilState"
> <> wrote:
>
>>
>>"Fruit2O" <> wrote in message
>>news:. ..
>>> I'd like to keep abreast of the latest BIOS for my laptop - but I don't
>>> know which version I have, the manufacturer - or how to get and install
>>> the latest version. Can someone help?
>>
>>Start Orb, type msinfo32, hit enter.
>>BIOS should be listed.
>
> What is Orb?

Orb is the round icon with a Windows flag at the left edge of the taskbar;
often called "Start".

--
Gene E. Bloch letters0x40blochg0x2Ecom