HP Business Desktops BIOS

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HP Business Desktop BIOS

HP BIOS Philosophy............................................................................................................................. 3

HP Business Desktop BIOS Features ....................................................................................................... 3

Deployment and Manageability......................................................................................................... 4

Installing a new computer.............................................................................................................. 4

Remote computer configuration ...................................................................................................... 4

Remote problem alerts and reaction................................................................................................ 5

Remote computer inventory............................................................................................................ 5

Remote computer control ............................................................................................................... 5

Multilanguage support .................................................................................................................. 6

Booting from various media........................................................................................................... 6

Stability .......................................................................................................................................... 7

Minimizing changes to stable products ...........................................................................................7

BIOS change notification in advance .............................................................................................. 7

Security........................................................................................................................................... 7

Securing trust ............................................................................................................................... 9

Preboot security is vital to OS security............................................................................................. 9

User authentication....................................................................................................................... 9

Securing the Trusted Platform State (TPS) .......................................................................................10

Securing the BIOS flash............................................................................................................... 10

Securing startup ......................................................................................................................... 11

Securing portable data ............................................................................................................... 11

Smart cards ............................................................................................................................... 11

Preventing unauthorized data removal .......................................................................................... 12

Physically securing the platform hardware ..................................................................................... 12

Thermal and Power Management..................................................................................................... 13

Balancing thermal and acoustic requirements................................................................................. 13

Saving power and money ........................................................................................................... 14

Enabling future power savings ..................................................................................................... 15

Serviceability................................................................................................................................. 15

Problem diagnosis and resolution ................................................................................................. 15

Detailed service information......................................................................................................... 16

Upgrades and Recovery ................................................................................................................. 17

Local BIOS update...................................................................................................................... 17

BIOS update while in Windows ................................................................................................... 17

Summary of content (21 pages)

PAGE 1
HP Business Desktop BIOS HP BIOS Philosophy ............................................................................................................................. 3 HP Business Desktop BIOS Features ....................................................................................................... 3 Deployment and Manageability......................................................................................................... 4 Installing a new computer......................................
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Remote BIOS update................................................................................................................... 17 Fail-safe flash recovery ................................................................................................................ 18 Industry Standards ............................................................................................................................. 18 Summary ..............................................................................
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HP BIOS Philosophy While many computers contain the same processor, chipset, operating systems, and software choices, the BIOS (Basic Input Output System) is one critical computer component that varies significantly in quality and features between competing vendors.
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Deployment and Manageability The HP BIOS provides several technologies that help integrate the HP Business Desktop computer into a corporate enterprise. More detailed information, including customer success stories, can be found at the http://www.hp.com/go/im. Installing a new computer The HP BIOS supports Preboot Execution Environment (PXE).
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Monitoring BIOS Configuration Settings via HP Client Management Interface. Example VB scripts will be provided on hp.com in SoftPAQ SP29792.exe. There is also a new tool for making BIOS settings locally from a Windows OS environment: HP BIOS Configuration for Protect Tools. This tool is supplied as a plug-in for HP Protect Tools. Once the desired configuration has been established, the system administrator can enable the HP BIOS to store these settings as the computer default settings.
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configured through the BIOS setup replication utilities. The HP BIOS also allows the system administrator to control the unit once a remote wakeup has been issued. The unit can be configured to boot normally to the local mass storage subsystem or immediately boot to a predetermine network server. The HP BIOS wake and power-on features enable the system administrator to schedule software distribution, security updates, information inquiries, or remote ROM updates when the computers are not being used.
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Stability The HP BIOS development team understands the needs of enterprise customers. Each year, new products are introduced at a rapid pace. New technology can improve productivity, but business environments also need stable technology and computers that can be trusted to work in their existing enterprise environment. Minimizing changes to stable products Companies carefully evaluate and test potential business products.
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Out of this general model, a set of security policies will usually be put in place to adapt this model to the specific needs of each organization. This allows the proper balance between security and ease of use. The HP BIOS plays a vital role in enabling each part of the security model and has the flexibility to let the system administrator develop an effective set of security policies for their organization.
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Securing trust Each time the user turns on the computer, they need to know that the computer will function predictably and reliably. The user also needs to know that no one has tampered with their sensitive data. The system administrator wants to be assured that unauthorized changes are not made to the computer configuration, even by individuals with user authorization.
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Securing the Trusted Platform State (TPS) Administrator authentication is enabled by setting a setup password or by creating an administrator smart card. Administrator authentication provides controls over important BIOS functions and security policies. HP recommends that a company’s IT department establish administrator authentication on all machines to control all changes to the BIOS.
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Securing startup The power-on password, user smart card, and TPM preboot authentication functions as a user authentication and boot access control mechanism. If this password is set or either smart card or TPM preboot authentication is established, the user will be prompted to enter this password or smart card on each startup and optionally on each restart. The startup process is halted if the correct password or smart card is not entered.
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factor authentication is selected, the smart card could be stolen and an unauthorized person might gain access to the machine. Each smart card holds a BIOS passphrase as its credential. This BIOS pass phrase is a string of up to 32 characters. This pass phrase can be chosen by the administrator or a random 32-byte value can be generated by the smart card tools. The administrator may configure the computer so that the DriveLock passwords are established by using the smart card pass phrases.
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Figure 1. Overall BIOS security picture The following diagram represents the various security levels and interactions enabled by the HP BIOS. Thermal and Power Management The HP BIOS provides and enables thermal and power management technologies to assist in operating the HP Business Desktop computer in any enterprise environment. Balancing thermal and acoustic requirements HP designs thermal solutions to help assure that the computer performs optimally in the customer environment.
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environments. However, the user configurable speed does not compromise the thermal protection over the computer environment. The HP BIOS will adjust air flow to necessary levels when computer conditions require additional cooling regardless of the user settings. Through careful analysis and testing, the HP BIOS minimizes unnecessary fan noise for better idle acoustics and meticulously controls fan ramps to prevent overheating with smooth fan speed transitions.
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management environment that is fully tested and robust. Helping to lower power costs, improve user convenience, and increase product durability are all positive Total-Cost-of-Ownership (TCO) impacts of the HP BIOS. Enabling future power savings HP BIOS engineers are working constantly with partners such as Intel and Microsoft to help ensure that HP Business Desktop computer designs will enable the latest processor and operating system thermal and power management technologies.
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HP BIOS Diagnostic Codes Problem Computer Reaction PCA failure (ROM detected failure prior to video) Power LED blinks RED 7 times, one every second, followed by a 2-second pause. Also 7 simultaneous beeps will be heard. Invalid ROM based on bad checksum Power LED blinks RED 8 times, one every second, followed by a 2-second pause. Also 8 simultaneous beeps will be heard. Watchdog timer alarm (no BIOS code being executed) Power LED blinks RED 9 times, one every second, followed by a 2-second pause.
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Upgrades and Recovery The HP BIOS provides numerous ways to upgrade HP Business Desktop computers for the constantly changing enterprise environment. Each BIOS upgrade is packaged into a SoftPaq deliverable and made available on www.hp.com. The SoftPaq contains detailed instructions to perform BIOS updates in any of the available formats.
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Fail-safe flash recovery Regardless of the delivery mechanism, HP BIOS-based computers include a write-protected boot block ROM that provides recovery from a failed flashing of the computer BIOS.
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HP BIOS Compatibility Technology/Standard Web Site Standard’s value to the product Desktop Management Interface (DMI) DMTF: http://www.dmtf.org/home / This specification defines how computers present management information so that management applications can obtain detailed configuration input without resorting to error-prone probing methods. HP is a founding member of DMTF and co-author the original DMI Specification, which is now known as System Management BIOS Reference Specification or SMBIOS.
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HP BIOS Compatibility Technology/Standard Web Site Standard’s value to the product SMART (Self Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology) hard drives ATA/ATAPI specification: http://www.t13.org/ SMART is an early warning system for pending drive problems. HP led the development effort and co-authored the specifications for SMART hard drives, which became part of the ATA/ATAPI specification. Trusted Computing Group (TCG) https://www.trustedcomputi nggroup.
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For More Information For more information about HP Business Desktop computers, visit our website at www.hp.com. For the HP sales office nearest you, refer to your local phone directory, or call the HP regional office listed below.