BIOS Update Error in Windows: Causes and Solutions

What a BIOS Update Error Means

A BIOS (or UEFI) update error occurs when the process of writing new firmware to the BIOS chip is interrupted or fails. Common error messages include:

• "BIOS update failed"
• "Не удалось обновить микропрограмму BIOS" (Firmware update failed)
• "Ошибка обновления прошивки" (Firmware update error)
• An error code, such as 0x80070005 (access denied) or 0x8007045D (I/O error).

Such an error can appear when using:

• Windows Update (if the system offers a firmware update).
• Manufacturer utilities (Dell Update, HP Support Assistant, Lenovo Vantage, ASUS Live Update, etc.).
• Manual update via a bootable USB drive.

After a failure, the BIOS may remain functional (partially updated) or become unbootable, leading to a system that cannot start.

Common Causes

1. Power interruption – loss of electricity or unplugging a laptop's power cable during the update.
2. Incorrect firmware – downloading a file intended for a different motherboard or laptop model, or a corrupted file.
3. Software conflict – antivirus, firewall, or other programs blocking access to the BIOS chip.
4. Insufficient space – not enough free space on the system drive (usually C:) for temporary update files.
5. Bootable media issues – if using a USB, it may not be formatted as FAT32, have bad sectors, or be faulty.
6. Incorrect BIOS/UEFI settings – Secure Boot enabled, USB boot disabled, or other options preventing the update.
7. Outdated current BIOS – some older versions require an intermediate update to a "bridge" version before upgrading to the new one.
8. Hardware failure – issues with memory, the motherboard, or the BIOS chip (rare, but possible).

Solutions

Solution 1: Retry the Update in Safe Mode

Temporary conflicts with Windows drivers or services can cause errors. Safe Mode loads a minimal set of drivers, excluding such conflicts.

1. Press Win + R, type msconfig, and press Enter.
2. Go to the Boot tab.
3. Check the Safe boot option and click OK.
4. Restart your computer – it will boot into Safe Mode.
5. After booting, run the BIOS update again (via Windows Update or the manufacturer's utility).
6. If the update succeeds, return to normal mode: open msconfig again, uncheck "Safe boot," and restart.

Solution 2: Temporarily Disable Antivirus and Firewall

Antivirus software often blocks write operations to system areas, including the BIOS.

1. Open your antivirus program and disable real-time protection for the duration of the update. This is usually done from the tray context menu or in settings.
2. Disable the Windows Firewall:
   • Open Control Panel → System and Security → Windows Defender Firewall.
   • Click Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off.
   • Disable the firewall for both private and public networks.
3. Retry the BIOS update.
4. After a successful update, re-enable your antivirus and firewall.

Solution 3: Use the Manufacturer's Recovery Utility

Major manufacturers (Dell, HP, Lenovo, ASUS, Acer) include emergency BIOS recovery functions in their computers.

• Dell:
  • On power-on, press F12 to bring up the boot menu and select BIOS Recovery.
  • Or use Dell SupportAssist from Windows: open the app, go to the updates section, and select BIOS recovery.
• HP:
  • Press Win + B while turning on the computer to enter BIOS recovery mode.
  • Follow on-screen instructions to load the firmware from a USB drive.
• Lenovo:
  • Use the Novo button (a small button next to the power button) to access the recovery menu.
  • Or open Lenovo Vantage → System Update → Firmware.
• ASUS:
  • If the motherboard has a BIOS Flashback button, use it: insert a USB with the firmware into the designated port and press the button.
  • On power-on, press Ctrl + Home (if the feature is enabled in the current BIOS).

Important: Before proceeding, confirm your device model and the exact procedure on the manufacturer's official support website.

Solution 4: Manual Flashing via USB Drive

If built-in methods fail, you can create a bootable USB and update the BIOS manually.

1. Download the firmware:
   • On another computer (or the same one if the system boots), go to the manufacturer's support site.
   • Find your exact model (e.g., Dell XPS 13 9310, HP Pavilion 15-ek1xxx).
   • Download the latest BIOS version as an executable file (.exe) or an archive containing a raw firmware file (.cap, .rom).
2. Prepare the USB drive:
   • Format the flash drive with the FAT32 file system (use the largest cluster size).
   • If the downloaded file is an .exe, run it on another computer and extract the contained firmware file (usually .cap or .rom) to the root of the USB.
   • If the manufacturer provides a utility to create a bootable medium (e.g., HP BIOS Update Utility), use it.
3. Create a bootable USB (if required):
   • For some systems, you need to boot from USB in DOS or UEFI mode.
   • Use Rufus (on another computer): select "FreeDOS" as the image and create the bootable medium.
   • Copy the firmware file to the USB.
4. Update the BIOS:
   • Insert the USB into the problematic computer.
   • Power on the computer and enter the current BIOS/UEFI (key Del, F2, F10 during boot).
   • Find the BIOS update option (e.g., "BIOS Update", "Q-Flash", "EZ Flash").
   • Specify the path to the firmware file on the USB and start the process.
   • Do not interrupt the process! Do not turn off the computer or remove the USB.
5. After completion, the computer will reboot automatically.

Solution 5: Contact a Service Center

If none of the above methods work, the BIOS chip may be physically damaged or require special equipment (like a programmer) for reflashing. In this case:

• Contact the manufacturer's authorized service center.
• Or a specialized computer repair shop with experience in BIOS repair.

Prevention

To avoid BIOS update errors in the future:

• Use a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) for desktop PCs and ensure a laptop is connected to power with a fully charged battery.
• Download firmware only from the manufacturer's official website, verifying the exact model (e.g., via msinfo32 in Windows).
• Back up the current BIOS version before updating, if the manufacturer's utility provides this option.
• Do not update the BIOS unnecessarily – if the system is stable, an update may not be required.
• Check the integrity of the bootable media – use Windows error checking (right-click the drive → Properties → Tools → Check) before creating the bootable USB.
• Disconnect all unnecessary USB devices (except the firmware drive itself) during the update.
• Enable necessary BIOS/UEFI options for the update, such as "BIOS Flashback" or adjust "Secure Boot" if required.