If you force reboot the machine and it does not power up properly BIOS update could of failed or soft locked it, sometimes even hard lock unfortunately...but slight good news is that it's an HP. If the BIOS update failed or if things in lack of terms is pretty fucked...you can try the hail Mary for HP's in this situation. With the computer completely off, power on but hold the windows key and B for awhile. This will launch the HP BIOS recovery IF it's supported for the laptop. Good luck Answer from Mr_Mikeyagi on reddit.com
Reddit
reddit.com › r/techsupport › hp bios update “initializing”
r/techsupport on Reddit: HP Bios update “initializing”
October 14, 2021 -
I was typing an essay when the screen froze, went black then restarted and now my laptop says “HP Bios Update” at the top and “initializing” in the middle of the screen. I’m very confused and don’t know why it’s not updating or doing whatever it needs to do. I recently bought this laptop so I don’t get it. Is there anything that I can do to override this?
Top answer 1 of 3
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If you force reboot the machine and it does not power up properly BIOS update could of failed or soft locked it, sometimes even hard lock unfortunately...but slight good news is that it's an HP. If the BIOS update failed or if things in lack of terms is pretty fucked...you can try the hail Mary for HP's in this situation. With the computer completely off, power on but hold the windows key and B for awhile. This will launch the HP BIOS recovery IF it's supported for the laptop. Good luck
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For anyone else needing an answer, I literally just ctrl alt delete, and it's continued the update
HP Support Community
h30434.www3.hp.com › t5 › Notebooks-Archive-Read-Only › computer-stucks-forever-on-hp-bios-update-initializing › td-p › 7110373
computer stucks forever on hp bios update initializing windo... - HP Support Community - 7110373
September 27, 2021 - Click BIOS, and then review the details of the latest available version or the specific version recommended for the recovery. Confirm it is the correct BIOS update before proceeding.
BIOS Update, Stuck on HP Logo
Update: all I did was tap the power button and it rebooted and now works fine again. More on reddit.com
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June 17, 2020HP BIOS UPDATE
Is the charger plugged in and battery at a sufficient level (50% normally)? Sometimes the BIOS update can pause because of this and will not give you any indication, though normally it will tell you to plug in the charger or that the battery is not at a sufficient level. It does not look like there has been any progress but I would personally if you have not done so already, plug the charger in and leave it overnight. If no progress then it should be safe to power off and on (at your own risk of course) and when you power on it might invoke the update again. By the way was this BIOS update initiate by you by checking HP Updater or was it offered through Windows Update? I ask because there have been a lot of problems with BIOS Capsule updates being pushed by Windows Update. I don't get any now for my Dell, so I think they have stopped being pushed (I suspect at the request of Dell) More on reddit.com
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April 19, 2025I feel like HPs instructions on updating the bios via usb is missing a step...
Just figured this out. Apparently holding Windows + B with the USB stick connected got it to update for me. The key is for the laptop to be completely powered off, plug in the usb, hold down Win + B and turn the computer on (keep holding Win + B until you see the BIOS update happening). More on reddit.com
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February 28, 2024Advice what to do if stuck in BIOS update loop after build finish.
Have you installed an operating system on a drive and selected that as the first option in the BIOS/boot menu? More on reddit.com
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May 2, 2023Videos
08:38
Hp system BIOS/Firmware Update problem Fixed!! - YouTube
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How to Fix System BIOS Update Failed Issue in HP Laptop and Computer ...
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HP BIOS Update Failure Solution 2024 Windows 11 and 10
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Updating the BIOS on HP Consumer Desktops in Windows 11 | HP ...
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How to Update Bios in HP Laptop or Desktop PCs Correctly & Safely ...
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Recover your Hp Bios in 5 minutes - Easy bios recovery procedure ...
HP Support Community
h30434.www3.hp.com › t5 › Notebook-Boot-and-Lockup › Hp-Bios-update-initializing › td-p › 9383531
Hp Bios update initializing - HP Support Community - 9383531
May 3, 2025 - Plug the laptop into power. Press and hold the Win + B keys, then press and hold the Power button for 2–3 seconds. Release the Power button but keep holding Win + B for 5 more seconds.
Quora
quora.com › What-do-I-do-with-a-frozen-stopped-BIOS-update-that-hasnt-made-progress-for-a-few-hours-I-used-Windows-b-power-I-was-getting-a-3-2-flash-code-and-did-what-HP-told-me-to-do-Windows-10-Hp-Pavilion-15-and-I-dont-want
What do I do with a frozen/stopped BIOS update that hasn't made progress for a few hours (I used Windows+b+power, I was getting a 3.2 flash code and did what HP told me to do, Windows 10 Hp Pavilion 15, and I don't want to brick my new computer)? - Quora
Take your chances on restart and call for warranty service if required. I would try the bios update from inside the bios, if possible, with a flash drive containing the new bios file that I downloaded from Laptop Computers, Desktops, Printers and more | HP® Official Site specifically for that model.
HP Support Community
h30434.www3.hp.com › t5 › Desktop-Operating-Systems-and-Recovery › BIOS-update-stuck-on-Initializing › td-p › 8884305
BIOS update stuck on Initializing - HP Support Community - 8884305
October 11, 2023 - Hard Reset: If waiting doesn't work, you can perform a hard reset. To do this, press and hold the power button for at least 10 seconds until the laptop turns off. Then, press the power button again to turn it on.
Ten Forums
tenforums.com › windows-updates-activation › 187433-hp-envy-stuck-boot-loop-caused-windows-update-installing-bios.html
HP ENVY Stuck In Boot Loop Caused by Windows Update Installing Bios - Windows 10 Help Forums
Now when I rebooted to finish installing the updates it starts by trying to install this bios update which must be wrong for this model as I get a screen with an HP logo and "HP Bios Update" and "initializing" and it reboots almost immediately and comes back to that screen over and over again.
MiniTool Partition Wizard
partitionwizard.com › home › news › how to fix hp bios updating stuck on windows 10/11
4 Solutions to Fix HP BIOS Updating Stuck on Windows 10/11
November 5, 2024 - During BIOS update, it got stuck or got frozen on Windows 10. Anyone can help me fix HP BIOS updating stuck? Thanks.https://h30434.www3.hp.com/ There is no confirmed reason for HP BIOS updating stuck, but we summarized several effective troubleshooting methods after investigating relevant forums and communities.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/spectrex360 › bios update, stuck on hp logo
r/spectrex360 on Reddit: BIOS Update, Stuck on HP Logo
June 17, 2020 - Found your post, pressed the power button, turned it back on, and success. ... When I performed a BIOS update it was before the HP logo appeared, with the bios update progress on screen with the warning not to switch off.
Eleven Forum
elevenforum.com › windows support forums › devices and drivers
HP Laptop stuck on BIOS update | Windows 11 Forum
August 6, 2024 - Have you tried the steps in this post on the HP forums (the reply from an HP employee)? Might be worth a try. Hello My laptop (product number 5TA22EA) did an automatic BIOS update and is stuck at 23% on the "System BIOS being updated" screen at the "Writing new BIOS image" stage for 18 hours.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/laptops › hp bios update
r/laptops on Reddit: HP BIOS UPDATE
April 19, 2025 -
Hello, can anyone help me? 😭 My laptop screen stck in HP BIOS UPDATE without any progress, it's been 3 hours still 0% huhu
My HP laptop model: hp 15-fc0261au
Top answer 1 of 4
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Is the charger plugged in and battery at a sufficient level (50% normally)? Sometimes the BIOS update can pause because of this and will not give you any indication, though normally it will tell you to plug in the charger or that the battery is not at a sufficient level. It does not look like there has been any progress but I would personally if you have not done so already, plug the charger in and leave it overnight. If no progress then it should be safe to power off and on (at your own risk of course) and when you power on it might invoke the update again. By the way was this BIOS update initiate by you by checking HP Updater or was it offered through Windows Update? I ask because there have been a lot of problems with BIOS Capsule updates being pushed by Windows Update. I don't get any now for my Dell, so I think they have stopped being pushed (I suspect at the request of Dell)
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If it's still stuck here after another 2 hours you just gotta gamble it all and force shutdown and restart. 50/50 it comes back to life
HP Support
h30434.www3.hp.com › t5 › Unanswered-Topics-Notebook › HP-BIOS-update-stuck-on-initializing-stage › td-p › 8110925
HP BIOS update stuck on initializing stage - HP Support Community - 8110925
July 13, 2021 - I download the BIOS update file from the Hp support page using another PC and create a BIOS recovery USB flash drive. Then plug the usb flash drive with my HP laptop and press power button on laptop by keep pressing windows key +B key.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/techsupport › i feel like hps instructions on updating the bios via usb is missing a step...
r/techsupport on Reddit: I feel like HPs instructions on updating the bios via usb is missing a step...
February 28, 2024 -
Envy laptop with cant find boot device after running updates.
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Update the BIOS with a USB flash drive
Use the Hardware Diagnostics UEFI on the original computer to update the BIOS. -
Turn on the original computer, and then immediately press the esc key repeatedly, about once every second, until the Startup Menu opens.
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Press the f2 key to open the HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI menu.
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Pressing the f2 key on the Startup Menu
Insert the USB flash drive that contains the BIOS update into an available USB port on the computer.
IS SOMETHING SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN HERE?!
5. If prompted, select your language.
6. Click Firmware Management or BIOS Management.
Top answer 1 of 2
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Just figured this out. Apparently holding Windows + B with the USB stick connected got it to update for me. The key is for the laptop to be completely powered off, plug in the usb, hold down Win + B and turn the computer on (keep holding Win + B until you see the BIOS update happening).
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Different models use different procedure for bios update. For HP, most usual is when you press ESC during startup and then choosing F10 from that menu for bios update. What's your exact model?
HP Support
h30434.www3.hp.com › t5 › Gaming-Desktops › HP-BIOS-Update-initializing-then-my-pc-restarts › td-p › 9446766
HP BIOS Update initializing then my pc restarts - HP Support Community - 9446766
July 27, 2025 - My suggestion would be to have a local PC Tech attempt a BIOS flash using a Serial ISP Programmer if you cannot flash the BIOS and your PC is not in warranty.
HP Support Community
h30434.www3.hp.com › t5 › Desktop-Operating-Systems-and-Recovery › BIOS-Update-initialization-stuck-screen › td-p › 8869878
BIOS Update initialization stuck screen - HP Support Community - 8869878
September 23, 2023 - I was using my lap this day and i finished working and then i turned it off. and again i opened it and this HP BIOS update screen showed up and i - 8869878
Reddit
reddit.com › r/buildapc › advice what to do if stuck in bios update loop after build finish.
r/buildapc on Reddit: Advice what to do if stuck in BIOS update loop after build finish.
May 2, 2023 -
First time builder here. After two days of building I finally got my PC finished. However I now have a problem with BIOS.
A friend of mine recommended that I update my bios because there might have been updates from the time the motherboard was made to the time I bought it and installed it.
Anyway I downloaded the update to a USB from my motherboards manufacturer booted the computer and chose Q-flash. I saw that the motherboard was indeed using an older version and I was content with updating it (to version F5c).
Here is where the problem starts. Seems I’m stuck in a loop, After the computer reboots I’m sent to shell mode. No problem, I think, I’ll just write FS0: and then flash.nsh!
This takes me back to Q-flash update page, again, where I see that BIOS is updating from the latest version F5c to…F5c. (As can be seen in image 1 and 5)
Once done the computer reboots and I’m kicked back to Shell mode to start it all over again. From what I understand the motherboard has successfully updated to the latest version but it’s stuck in some update loop to update from the latest version to the latest version.
Should I remove the USB? Should I press ‘’esc’’ when back in the Q-flash mode? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Link is to pictures of the BIOS update loop that I’m stuck in.
https://i.ibb.co/jMhY53P/1.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/kxJNRTg/2.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/xDgHmxv/3.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/1fXhNWd/4.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/DrJ65k3/5.jpg
Top answer 1 of 4
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Have you installed an operating system on a drive and selected that as the first option in the BIOS/boot menu?
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It goes to 100% then reboots and then same thing? In that case, take out the flash drive and try to reset your bios (clear cmos). Follow the instructions in the manual on how to do it.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/hewlett_packard › hp bios update stuck
r/Hewlett_Packard on Reddit: HP BIOS update stuck
February 20, 2026 -
Hello, I'm a HP 15s user and it seems like the update has been stuck for almost two hours. Should I just let it be or force restart it?
HP Support Community
h30434.www3.hp.com › t5 › Gaming-Notebooks › Bios-update-stuck-HP-Support-Assistant › td-p › 5530247 › page › 3
Solved: Bios update stuck (HP Support Assistant) - Page 3 - HP Support Community - 5530247
September 14, 2017 - My tweet conversation at @hpsupport was responded to with a request for model number and operating system and then I received a direct link to the BIOS update to download. I did and ran it and now the bios is updated.
HP Support Community
h30434.www3.hp.com › t5 › Desktop-Operating-Systems-and-Recovery › System-BIOS-update-failed-unable-to-open-BIOS-image-file › td-p › 8850209
Solved: System BIOS update failed unable to open BIOS image file - HP Support Community - 8850209
November 2, 2023 - Hi, I am also getting this same Error "HP BIOS Update issue, unable to open BIOS image file" in 3 HP computers · I wanted to try out your fix but the problem is that system is not allowing me to login to BIOS setup. the bios page shows initializing and it keeps on restarting.
JustAnswer
justanswer.com › laptop › j26h4-i-m-having-trouble-hp-laptop-bios-update.html
Troubleshooting HP Laptop BIOS Update Issues | Expert Q&A
While pressing those keys, press and hold the Power button on the computer for 2 to 3 seconds, and then release the Power button but continue to hold the Windows logo key and the B or V key until the HP BIOS update screen displays or you hear a beeping sound (usually 8 beeps)....