May 25, 2026 11:01:00

HP is investigating a BIOS update that may be causing boot loop issues for high-end laptop users.

A user of HP's high-end notebook PC, the '

ZBook Ultra G1a, ' which has models costing nearly 600,000 yen, has reported experiencing a boot loop after a BIOS update. HP has begun an investigation into the issue.

URGENT: ZBook Ultra G1a BIOS 01.04.05 causing boot freeze – ... - HP Support Community - 9635253
https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Business-Notebooks/URGENT-ZBook-Ultra-G1a-BIOS-01-04-05-causing-boot-freeze/td-p/9635253

HP ZBook Ultra G1a / EliteBook X G1a BIOS issues · GitHub
https://gist.github.com/jeffnash/65073bcf920db181d4ca763a814f2fe5

HP investigating BIOS updates that leave premium laptop users in boot loop limbo
https://www.theregister.com/personal-tech/2026/05/24/hp-investigating-bios-updates-that-leave-premium-laptop-users-in-boot-loop-limbo/5244769

Starting around April 2026, ZBook Ultra G1a users began reporting problems that occurred after BIOS updates on forums.

According to reports, multiple BIOS versions cause the system to completely freeze during the boot process. HP forcibly distributed this version as an 'emergency' update via Windows Update, leading to reports from multiple users that their machines became unbootable overnight.

In the case of the ZBook Ultra G1a, the problematic BIOS versions are 01.04.03 and 01.04.05. The ' EliteBook X G1a ' model also had problems with BIOS versions 01.03.11 and 01.05.00, but this was fixed in 01.05.01. However, there are reports that an official link for 01.05.01 does not exist.

One suggested workaround is to use the network BIOS downgrade function, but this is a limited method that requires the use of an HP USB-C Ethernet dongle.

This isn't the first time HP has encountered the problem of BIOS updates turning laptops into expensive paperweights. In 2024, a BIOS update for the 'ProBook' series rendered devices completely unrecoverable, forcing customers to pay hefty hardware repair costs.

HP PCs are reported to be experiencing a critical malfunction after an automatic BIOS update, rendering them unbootable and irreparable - GIGAZINE

HP stated, 'We are aware of the reported BIOS issue and are currently investigating it.' They also urged affected users to contact their support team.