HP Envy x360 flash utility

[ptek12]

That is why I sent you AFU files, and sorry I only sent old ones for DOS before, I just sent you modern DOS and EFI Files in PM.  EFI is like DOS, but more modern, you can boot to if from the BIOS (on exit screen usually, launch EFI Shell)

See if you have any luck with the EFI files I sent, if not I'm pulling out the stock ones for you now, but there's 30+ files in the exe without extensions, so I have to try and guess by size and how it looks in hex what's what.  Signature/Key files I would never be able to name correctly, the extension I mean from looking at them in hex, which is which since it's an encrypted block only for each.  I can get you the efi files from the exe package though, then you rename as you mentioned.  Hang on a bit if you're catching my last PM before this (I sent 3 different up to date EFI AFU Flash files in PM)

Stock BIOS (F19 and F17) only contains AFUWin.exe and AFUWinGUIx64, neither exe contains EFI flash files like I already sent you.  So if you must have some EFI File to use, only the one I sent you could possibly work.  There isn't any EFI files used during this BIOS flash while it runs it's normal procedure, only AFUWIn/AFUWinGUIx64.

So you will have to either get it going with the EFI files I sent and the method you mentioned, or boot to DOS and use the 16MB file I sent you and one of the DOS versions I just sent in PM.  If you do, either, only use the /P switch after, like so >>> toolname.exe biosfilename.bin /P

I just typed the moded exe filename only to see if the 16meg file will fire up in dos and the msg was it doesn't run in dos

didn't do this yet, don't see the point if error msg says no go under dos
>>> toolname.exe biosfilename.bin /P

check my PM, and let me know what you think

[ptek12]

That is why I sent you AFU files, and sorry I only sent old ones for DOS before, I just sent you modern DOS and EFI Files in PM.  EFI is like DOS, but more modern, you can boot to if from the BIOS (on exit screen usually, launch EFI Shell)

See if you have any luck with the EFI files I sent, if not I'm pulling out the stock ones for you now, but there's 30+ files in the exe without extensions, so I have to try and guess by size and how it looks in hex what's what.  Signature/Key files I would never be able to name correctly, the extension I mean from looking at them in hex, which is which since it's an encrypted block only for each.  I can get you the efi files from the exe package though, then you rename as you mentioned.  Hang on a bit if you're catching my last PM before this (I sent 3 different up to date EFI AFU Flash files in PM)

Stock BIOS (F19 and F17) only contains AFUWin.exe and AFUWinGUIx64, neither exe contains EFI flash files like I already sent you.  So if you must have some EFI File to use, only the one I sent you could possibly work.  There isn't any EFI files used during this BIOS flash while it runs it's normal procedure, only AFUWIn/AFUWinGUIx64.

So you will have to either get it going with the EFI files I sent and the method you mentioned, or boot to DOS and use the 16MB file I sent you and one of the DOS versions I just sent in PM.  If you do, either, only use the /P switch after, like so >>> toolname.exe biosfilename.bin /P

So if I understand correctly, the HP flash utility uses AFUWin.exe and Win GUI that may be run in DOS, 

I can do that. I'm not pushing for reusing .efi, just thought it's the correct (safe) way of doing that.
If this is not right I can do the AFUWin indos in format you suggested >>> toolname.exe biosfilename.bin /P
Is this what you want me to try? I can do the F19 first to see if it works, to preserve bootability, hopefully, and then go F17...
Makes sense? Or did I misread? what AFU ver. would be the best, out of many you sent?

[Lost_N_BIOS]

The modified EXE I sent has nothing to do with the 16MB BIOS file I included. That modified EXE is the stock flasher from HP, that you run in windows. 16MB File is a regular normal BIOS file, not used at all with the HP EXE. That 16MB File you can use with AFU DOS or AFU EFI

No Go under DOS is for HP tool only, and obviously that's a no go, it's for windows. Sorry for any confusion including that and not mentioning, I didn't consider you couldn't boot to windows I suppose, and I wasn't sure if that was also DOS compatible, some OEM flash exe files are like that, either way. I've looked in the file now, and see it only usese AFUWin/AFUWinGUI, so it's a windows tool only, forget about it

No, HP WINGUI or AFU WINGUI is Windows GUI, something you cannot use in DOS, none of that. Only DOS Versions you can use, or EFI but you have to know how to boot to EFI Shell to use the EFI Files. I have no clue what EFI info you have, or are looking at, but I gave or suggested none, until you mentioned it. So I've now gave you EFI AFU to use, hopefully whatever you are reading that's talking about EFI use will show you the way, normally on BIOS exit page you will see launch EFI Shell or boot to EFI, but you need a grub/shell EFI file also to do that and you need to name it whatever the BIOS suggests it will look for when you hover/select that option (Usually shell.efi, or Shellx64.efi etc) << That renaming shell/grub has nothing to do with the AFU EFI Files I sent, those would also be put on the DOS stick like any other file, but you'd only rename shell/grub efi file to what BIOS suggests it will look for.

I can give you a guide on booting to shell/grub, but that is far more confusing than booting to DOS, which I assume you already know all about. Put all the DOS versions I just PM'd you on a root of the USB, rename the exe with some added number (Short) so you know which is which, which you've tried as you go through them, and then put the 16MB BIOS file and use that like this (Where x is your renamed number)
>> AFUx.exe bios.bin /P

I do not know which will be best AFU DOS to use, or even if any will work, you will have to try them all and see. Rename like this in order and then you can keep track >> AFU37.exe, AFU56.exe, AFU57.exe

[ptek12]

The modified EXE I sent has nothing to do with the 16MB BIOS file I included.  That modified EXE is the stock flasher from HP, that you run in windows.  16MB File is a regular normal BIOS file, not used at all with the HP EXE.  That 16MB File you can use with AFU DOS or AFU EFI

No Go under DOS is for HP tool only, and obviously that's a no go, it's for windows.  Sorry for any confusion including that and not mentioning, I didn't consider you couldn't boot to windows I suppose, and I wasn't sure if that was also DOS compatible, some OEM flash exe files are like that, either way.  I've looked in the file now, and see it only usese AFUWin/AFUWinGUI, so it's a windows tool only, forget about it

No, HP WINGUI or AFU WINGUI is Windows GUI, something you cannot use in DOS, none of that.  Only DOS Versions you can use, or EFI but you have to know how to boot to EFI Shell to use the EFI Files.  I have no clue what EFI info you have, or are looking at, but I gave or suggested none, until you mentioned it.  So I've now gave you EFI AFU to use, hopefully whatever you are reading that's talking about EFI use will show you the way, normally on BIOS exit page you will see launch EFI Shell or boot to EFI, but you need a grub/shell EFI file also to do that and you need to name it whatever the BIOS suggests it will look for when you hover/select that option (Usually shell.efi, or Shellx64.efi etc)  << That renaming shell/grub has nothing to do with the AFU EFI Files I sent, those would also be put on the DOS stick like any other file, but you'd only rename shell/grub efi file to what BIOS suggests it will look for.

I can give you a guide on booting to shell/grub, but that is far more confusing than booting to DOS, which I assume you already know all about.  Put all the DOS versions I just PM'd you on a root of the USB, rename the exe with some added number (Short) so you know which is which, which you've tried as you go through them, and then put the 16MB BIOS file and use that like this (Where x is your renamed number)
>> AFUx.exe bios.bin /P

I do not know which will be best AFU DOS to use, or even if any will work, you will have to try them all and see. Rename like this in order and then you can keep track >> AFU37.exe, AFU56.exe, AFU57.exe

ver. afudos 5.07.01 not enough memory available
just BIOS backup /O same response
what next...?

[Lost_N_BIOS]

Next version of course?

I re-read first page, so you can load windows? If yes, then try the modified EXE from windows, maybe in safe mode first so less stuff is running.

[ptek12]

Next version of course?

I re-read first page, so you can load windows?  If yes, then try the modified EXE from windows, maybe in safe mode first so less stuff is running.

Windows? I could, not anymore, I could fix it but not enough time... and ext.HDD backup space.
In windows it would have been done long ago, jumping between laptops now.
Working on loading EFI shell, need to make it. Then off to .efi versions, DOS has too many limitations, hopefully EFI will be more forgiving.
... now I think I get your drift.
Btw. clear CMOS etc. done several times, still corrupted.

[Lost_N_BIOS]

It may be only way, if none of the DOS AFU I sent you work

Here is general guide for EFI/Shell/Grub, with download shell file. This was written for another purpose, but should give you a better idea how to get it going, and has the shell.efi download too
https://www.win-raid.com/t3908f16-GUIDE-...-BIOS.html

[ptek12]

I created several versions of flash usb from downloaded F19, F17, 16, 12... the tool creates folders and files on the target usb.
This is how you got BIOSes as well. In the BIOSUpdate folder there is a bunch of files, derivatives of BIOSMgmt.efi... is this the flasher you edited?
When you boot with key routine into the usb disk process starts automatically. With a diagnostics disk you can go to Firmware Mgmt and that starts the same tool albeit from a different folder. Essentially the same process, just different folders to launch it. All points to BIOSMgmt.efi.
You mentioned HP.exe, haven't seen anything like that... are we talking about the same thing?

[Lost_N_BIOS]

That is not how I got the BIOS, or any files, I told you that cannot run on my system it only crashes after extracting the main exe to the C drive


That exe is what runs for you, that you then use to create backup (Extract BIOS image from the exe) or begin flashing the BIOS. I have had some similar HP exe's like this that would run, so I have seen the backup/flash program GUI before.

I told you what program I use to get the exe or all other files, AMIUCP, as show below. This is what I mentioned I can extract/replace all files individually with and that they had no real usable names or extensions when extracting. This is also where I changed the default command line, and you can enable/disable commands to work or not etc. Each entry line you see there can be extracted/replaced/edited but they are all non-default names and without extension when you extract (can only be identified by size or open/browse in hex). That's why I said zip and send me the recovery USB Stuff you are creating (Minus the 16MB BIOS File)


Alternatively, 7Zip can be used to extract the main HPWinGUI exe and the BIOS rom/bin (16MB) files only too


And so, as mentioned I do not have the BIOSMgmt.efi files, but I could extract them all and find/rename but I don't know which files are what when doing that except for the ones I can recognize in hex editor and the main BIOS image due to it's size. I Told you I needed you to upload that package of files if you wanted me to edit or look at them. I also told you the only file I edited was the main exe I sent you (the one shown in first image above 083C6F19.exe). I edited the default command line as mentioned from the beginning, using the program used to create this file AMIUCP


If you want me to edit any of what you mentioned, as I said, zip all that up and send to me, that way I can see it in it's final extracted form and not have to dig through extracted un-named no extension files in hex. That is recovery via USB, not really same as BIOS flashing, it leaves some of what is on the chip already there (EC/BB/ME etc, unless it sees issue, then maybe it will fix EC/BB but not ME)

HP Exe - I think I sent you HPWinGUI.exe and the main HP EXE (notice the HP Icon used in the exe's for >> 083C6F19.exe or 083C6F17 for the F17). That's the files extracted to C drive (C:\SWSetup) when you run the SP9xxx.exe. Those are the HP exe's I sent you, that's what I edited the command line for as shown above (This is the command line to flash the BIOS only, from within windows, using HPWInGUI/AUFWinGUI, nothing to do with what you are mentioning - USB Recovery) Again, zip and send me all that (From F17) minus the 16MB file and I will look at them for you and see if anything can be edited to allow you to downflash.

[ptek12]

Holy...
thanks. This is a dirty process indeed, lots of investigating involved, guesswork, trial and error... Now I can see what it takes to reengineer a small exe that does the heavy lifting. At this point we'll take a little break for the reasons that I explained. I wouldn't mind taking it up a notch, just wondering about what's next... and how, once I get it back.
I appreciate the work you put in. Invaluable, and the task is not any easier.