Client Management Solutions - HP BIOS Configuration Utility (BCU)

HP BIOS Configuration Utility (BCU)


DESCRIPTION:

This package provides the HP BIOS Configuration Utility (BCU) for supported notebook, desktop, and workstation models that are running a supported operating system.

Version SoftPaq # Date OS SoftPaq Exe
4.0.33.1 sp143621 12/08/2022 Windows (7,8,8.1,10,11) sp143621.exe
*Does not support XP systems that have set the BIOS setup password.

VERSION 4.0.33.1

  • Release date 12/8/2022, sp143621
  • Same functionality as 4.0.32.1

VERSION 4.0.32.1

  • Release date 8/20/2020, sp107705
  • Adds PFX files with passwords on private key
  • Use /setvalue command with a provided password file when BIOS password is set on system
  • Fixes where using /addauthstr on a full repset file containing read only settings causes an error to occur
  • Fixes where BIOS returns a non-zero (fail) result and BCU is incorrectly reporting success
  • Fixes where BCU can set successfully when set the MPM counter to a non-integer value (eg. 5C1)

VERSION 4.0.30.1

  • Adds Support for HP Sure Admin

VERSION 4.0.26.1

  • Fixes an issue where the boot order would be set incorrectly on some systems.

VERSION 4.0.25.1

  • Messaging added to notify the user that a system reboot is necessary for updatted settings to take effect.
  • Fiexes an issue where adding "Disabled" to a boot option doesn't update correctly in F10 setting.

VERSION 4.0.24.1

  • Enhance to automatically add system's boot order value in the BIOS config file. For example: If an additional device added to the system (e.g USB Hard drive) after BCU read, BCU will automatically add this entry under to BCU config file. Note: BCU will ignore to add the device if it is not in BIOS API.

VERSION 4.0.23.1

  • Fixes an issue where the BIOS Configuration Utility does no replace the older BCU version when an update is run.
  • Provides the ability to specify the location to save log files using the /logpath parameter.
         /logpath:"full path" (e.g. BCU.exe /get:repset.txt /logpath:"c:\BCUlogs\mylog.txt")
  • Provides a warning message when incomplete settings or values for settings are not detected.

VERSION 4.0.21.1

  • Added support for single value get (/getvalue:"setting name") and save it to a file.
  • Fixed BCU crash issue where the BCU config file contains incomplete settings value. BCU now errors out if missing the setting's value and reports "invalid setting value"
  • Updated with new HPQPwd.exe and HPQPwd64.exe version 1.0.27.1.
  • Re-signed BCU with HP Inc.

VERSION 4.0.18.1

  • Fixed an issue where the BIOS Configuration Utility clears the current BIOS administrator password when the incorrect BIOS password is input
  • Improves the BIOS update installation process

VERSION 4.0.15.1

  • Added support Windows 10.
  • Fixed the issue when setting a blank setting value, BCU no longer stops working.
  • Fixed the issue of BCU stops working when generating repset file with command "BiosConfigUtility64.exe /getconfig:test.txt /log"
  • Resolved the issue of failing to use parameter/setdefaults to modify BIOS information when BIOS password is set.
  • Resolved getting an operation failed error message when doing a setconfig via BCU, because of adding capability to handle an ordered list with only one item, so it reports it as an invalid value.

VERSION 4.0.13.1

  • Fixed the issue where the "TPM Activation Policy" and "TPM Reset to Factory Defaults" settings are not exposed in the repset file.
  • Fixed crashing issue when setting a blank repset file .
  • Fixed crashing issue when setting a repset file in which there is a space in front of last row.

VERSION 4.0.11.1

  • Compiled for Windows 7 and WinPE 3.0 or later, functionality on earlier versions not supported.
  • Deprecated BIOS User support:
          + /CreateUser and /DeleteUser are no longer supported.
  • Config file keyword changed to "BIOSConfig" followed by file format version "1.0". Previous keyword "English" still supported for backwards compatibility.
  • Included HPQPswd utility in the installation
  • Added new commands:
         + /unicode: query if system supports Unicode password and return, intended for batch file use
         + /getvalue: get value of given setting without using config file
         + /setvalue: set value of given setting without using config file
         + /log: generate the log file
  • Added BCU current setup password command line /cpwdfile to match SSM

VERSION 3.2.3.1

  • Removed user guide from installation.
  • Added shortcut to user's guide on web.
  • Fixed failures when enumeration values contained the string "Disable".
  • Fixed error when BCU return error code 16 in WinPE 4.0 32-bit.

VERSION 3.0.13.1

  • Removed repair support from Control Panel.
  • Removed clear text passwords from /CreateUser. Replaced by password file.
  • Added comments to setting file when a /getconfig action is performed.
  • Allowed only one /curspwdfile option. Return error 15 if specified more than once.
  • Added /WarningAsErr option to include warnings in final BCU return code. Without this option, warnings are ignored and BCU returns Zero(0=success) if there are no actual errors while writing.
  • Updated help message to match User guide.
  • Updated User Guide to explain: Return code 16; BIOS write stickiness.

VERSION 3.0.3.1

  • Added support for BIOS setup password as an encrypted file. The file name is passed on the command line.
        + Passwords are created with HPQPswd.exe
  • Removed support of BIOS setup password as clear text on command line.
  • Removed support for sending multiple current passwords in a single execution.
        + User may send only one current encrypted password file each time the program is run
  • Changing current BIOS setup password requires providing name of current and new encrypted password files.

VERSION 2.60.13.1

  • Changed message when BCU executes successfully.
  • Added additional return codes when encountering WMI errors:
        + Return code 23: "System not supported. Unable to connect to WMI HP_InstrumentedBIOS
        + Return code 25: "System not supported. Unable to connect to PUBLIC WMI namespace
  • Note: Code attempts to connect to following sequence:
        1) Public WMI namespace
        2) HP WMI namespace
        3) HP_InstrumentedBIOS
  • Example: Return code 24 indicates the application has successfully connected to Public WMI namespace but was unable to connect to HP WMI namespace or HP Instrumented BIOS. This condition will exist for non-HP systems and may also exist for HP systems using an outsourced BIOS (example - older entry level home or student platforms).

VERSION 2.60.3

  • Added support for comment lines in configuration file.
  • Added short command line parameters /Get and /Set equivalent to /GetConfig and /SetConfig respectively.
  • Added /SetDefaults option to set the system BIOS settings to pre-set defaults.
        /GetConfig or /SetConfig options are ignored if specified with /SetDefaults.
  • Added installer which copies the utility(both 32 and 64 bit) to program files folder and creates a link to the user guide.

VERSION 2.50.3.1

  • Split from SSM
  • Added 32bit/64-bit Windows 8 support
  • Added 64-bit support
  • Released as a separate SoftPaq
  • Fixed issue where BCU was missing the last setting in /Getconfig.
  • BCU now reports the return value of BIOS call in /verbose mode when reporting success of each setting change.
  • Prior versions attempted to re-read settings for confirmation which could report false failure for a setting requiring a reboot prior to completion.
  • This is a change in the BCU reporting method. BCU will now report success or failure of the request made to BIOS. Any changes requiring a reboot must still occur before the change takes effect.
  • In /verbose mode, when reporting the success of each setting change, BCU now uses the return value from the BIOS call.
  • Previously BCU read back the setting value and compared it to previous value to decide if it was successfully changed. This created problems sometimes when the setting value does not take effect immediately but needs a reboot.
  • Fixed a bug where BCU was missing the last setting in /Getconfig.
  • BCU now reports the return value of BIOS call in /verbose mode when reporting success of each setting change.
  • Prior versions attempted to re-read settings for confirmation which could report false failure for a setting requiring a reboot prior to completion.
  • This is a change in the BCU reporting method. BCU will now report success or failure of the request made to BIOS. Any changes requiring a reboot must still occur before the change takes effect.
  • Added support for ':', '"', '?' characters in password.

VERSION 2.15.A

  • Versions prior to 2.50.3 were bundled with SSM and carried the same version number as the SSM version it was with. They are not available as a separate download.

PRODUCT TYPES:

  • Desktops
  • Notebooks
  • Workstations

INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Download the file by clicking Download or Obtain Software button and saving the file to a folder on your hard drive (make a note of the folder where the downloaded file is saved).
  2. Double-click the downloaded file and follow the on-screen instructions to extract the contents of the SoftPaq.