Hpqflash; Boot Block Emergency Recovery Mode - HP Compaq dc5700 MT Reference Manual

Desktop Management

3.4.2 HPQFlash

The HPQFlash utility is used to locally update or restore the system BIOS on individual PCs
through a Windows operating system.
For more information on HPQFlash, visit
name/number of the computer when prompted.

3.4.3 Boot Block Emergency Recovery Mode

Boot Block Emergency Recovery Mode permits system recovery in the unlikely event of a ROM
flash failure. For example, if a power failure were to occur during a BIOS upgrade, the ROM
flash would be incomplete. This would render the system BIOS unusable. The Boot Block is a
flash-protected section of the ROM that contains code that checks for a valid system BIOS image
when the system is turned on.
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If the system BIOS image is valid, the system starts normally.
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If the system BIOS image is not valid, a failsafe Boot Block BIOS provides enough
support to search removable media for BIOS image files. If an appropriate BIOS image file
is found, it is automatically flashed into the ROM.
When an invalid system BIOS image is detected, the system power LED will blink red 8 times,
one blink every second. Simultaneously, the speaker will beep 8 times. If the portion of the
system ROM containing the video option ROM image is not corrupt, "Boot Block Emergency
Recovery Mode" will be displayed on the screen.
To recover the system after it enters Boot Block Emergency Recovery Mode, complete the
following steps:
1. Turn off the power.
2. Insert a diskette, CD, or USB flash device containing the desired BIOS image file in the root
directory.
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Note: The media must be formatted using the FAT12, FAT16, or FAT32 file system.
3. Turn on the computer.
If the system successfully reprograms the ROM, the system will automatically power off.
4. Remove the removable media used to upgrade the BIOS.
5. Turn the power on to restart the computer.
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Service Reference Guide, dc5700