Updating BIOS

[Jerry]

Hello.
I have been trying to update my laptop's BIOS using FreeDos which is an accepted program for Linux users wanting to upgrade their BIOS.
I have installed FreeDos using the command

Code: Select all

dd

.
That command went well and without a hitch.
Have gone to HP support website and downloaded the appropriate BIOS file which happens to come in a .exe file format. ( I know...Windows)
I did not see other file formats for BIOS updates available for my laptop.
Those are the appropriate and accepted file formats necessary for updating/upgrading BIOS as I have learned from reading some Ubuntu Wiki weblinks and other weblinks throughout the Internet when using FreeDOS.
It is a simple matter of copying or moving that file over to the USB.
I proceeded to do as per various instructions suggesting to move the .exe file onto the FreeDOS USB.
Upon booting into the USB, I select option #4.
Option #4 is to boot without drivers which is the correct selection as per the various informations.
I select input: dir
After I type in dir Within that selection are folders/files and also the .exe BIOS file
I select input XXXXX.exe (where XXXXX represents the name of the file with .exe extension)>
I then get the following output:

This Program Cannot Be Run in DOS Mode

Looking for working solutions.
Thank you in advance for your answers.

PS: Please do not inundate this thread with 'why I want to upgrade my BIOS'.
PPS: I think I may need an .bin file format. Is it safe to convert an .exe to .bin and still safely upgrade the BIOS? How to do so. Have looked online. Cannot seem to find an online conversion website.

[dkellermanjr]

I have an HP all-in-one and I have been successful on updating the bios. Just so I can give you proper instructions can you tell me the model of your laptop? Because I want to help you with this because I went through kind of the same headache.

[Jerry]

Hi @dkellermanjr

Here is some basic information;

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inxi -Fxz
System:    Host: HP-ENVY-15-x360-PC Kernel: 3.19.8-031908-generic x86_64 (64 bit, gcc: 4.6.3) 
           Desktop: Cinnamon 2.6.13  Distro: Linux Mint 17.2 Rafaela
Machine:   System: Hewlett-Packard product: HP ENVY 15 x360 PC version: 0974100022405F00000420180
           Mobo: Hewlett-Packard model: 22D6 version: 89.22 Bios: Insyde version: F.11 date: 07/17/2014
CPU:       Dual core Intel Core i7-4510U CPU (-HT-MCP-) cache: 4096 KB flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 10376.3 
           Clock Speeds: 1: 997.648 MHz 2: 805.593 MHz 3: 949.101 MHz 4: 1098.398 MHz
Graphics:  Card: Intel Haswell-ULT Integrated Graphics Controller bus-ID: 00:02.0 
           X.Org: 1.15.1 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa) Resolution: 1920x1080@60.0hz 
           GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Haswell Mobile GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 10.1.3 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card-1: Intel Lynx Point-LP HD Audio Controller driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0 
           Card-2: Intel Haswell-ULT HD Audio Controller driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:03.0 
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture ver: k3.19.8-031908-generic
Network:   Card-1: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller 
           driver: r8169 ver: 2.3LK-NAPI port: 3000 bus-ID: 09:00.0
           IF: eth0 state: down mac: <filter>
           Card-2: Intel Wireless 7260 driver: iwlwifi ver: in-tree: bus-ID: 08:00.0
           IF: wlan0 state: up mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 1000.2GB (11.0% used) 1: id: /dev/sda model: HGST_HTS541010A7 size: 1000.2GB 
Partition: ID: / size: 453G used: 103G (24%) fs: ext4 ID: swap-1 size: 8.52GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap 
RAID:      No RAID devices detected - /proc/mdstat and md_mod kernel raid module present
Sensors:   None detected - is lm-sensors installed and configured?
Info:      Processes: 191 Uptime: 6:22 Memory: 1250.5/7918.4MB Runlevel: 2 Gcc sys: 4.8.4 
           Client: Shell (bash 4.3.11) inxi: 1.9.17 

Anything else, just let me know. And thank you for responding

[Pjotr]

Some such .exe vermin are in fact simple archives which can be unpacked in Linux by simply double-clicking them. If that works, you can transfer the unpacked files to your FreeDOS thumb drive and proceed with the BIOS flash.

However, the easiest way is to apply a BIOS update from within Windows. Is there still a Windows on your machine?

[Jerry]

However, the easiest way is to apply a BIOS update from within Windows. Is there still a Windows on your machine?

'
I have a dual boot Linux Box.
I have no use for Windows.

EDIT: I have extracted the .exe file and the contents of that folder were moved to the FreeDos USB.
Rebooted into FreeDos.
After I dir into the folder of the previous exe file, there were only 2 .bin files among some other exe files.
On selecting XXXX.bin as well as XXXXX, where XXXX represents the name of the bin file I am presented with output:

bad command

Continuing to look for solutions. Thank you in advance for your help.

[Jerry]

does anyone have any working solutions?

[Neil Edmond]

I have no use for Windows.

Looks to me like you not only have a use for Windows, but in fact "need" Windows at this point to update your BIOS. That is unless hp offers a bootable CD image for BIOS updates. If Windows is the only option hp offers, then Windows is going to be the easiest, if not the only, option.

[Jerry]

Looks to me like you not only have a use for Windows, but in fact "need" Windows at this point to update your BIOS. That is unless hp offers a bootable CD image for BIOS updates. If Windows is the only option hp offers, then Windows is going to be the easiest, if not the only, option.

@Neil Edmond.

Thank you for your unnecessary post.
Your post was not needed.
In the future, I would strongly recommend that you refrain from making sophomoric, foolish, and strongly unhelpful comments.
If your not aware,this is a forum where people go to get help when needed.
Your post was not helpful in the least.
Your post was deficient in knowledge in how to properly respond when help is asked for by other board members.
Your post was superfluous and useless.

Again, and with the exception of Neil's comment, would anyone have any viable and workable solutions.
Thank you in advance for your help.

[Oscar799]

If you verbally attack someone who was trying to help (even if you didn't much like their answer) you may well deter others from trying to assist you as they will not want to risk being attacked as well

[George99]

Looks to me like you not only have a use for Windows, but in fact "need" Windows at this point to update your BIOS. That is unless hp offers a bootable CD image for BIOS updates. If Windows is the only option hp offers, then Windows is going to be the easiest, if not the only, option.

I think you're right, I had the same problem some months ago - a BIOS update to be done in Windows only so I created a WIndows bootable USB stick and copied the update installer on it. Everything you need to create such USB stick can be found for free but you need access to a Windows PC in order to build it. There is no need to modify your Linux PC in any way it won't get tainted by Windows

http://win81se.cwcodes.net/ this is the program to create the stick
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcent ... enterprise the free to evaluate image of Windows 8.1 Enterprise