Nexxen wrote on 2026-04-18, 19:04:

Hi all! […]
Show full quote

Hi all!

I bought this laptop some time ago and got to the "disassemble" phase.

I desoldered the BIOS chip and took a n image of it, there is some gibberish in the results after a check:
https://discord.com/channels/7131124000599572 … 127809272709133
(see bottom).

I'm looking for a BIOS image for the Intel version.
There's a K6 model but I don't think the Bios to be interchangeable.

I downloaded the Recovery CDs but there isn't a BIOS image on them (or I don't know how to get it from them):
https://archive.org/details/hpomnibookxe2

Thanks for any help.

File: HP_XE2_SST28SF040PLCC32.BIN
Vendor: Phoenix
Version: 4.0 Release 6.0
String:
Sign-on:
Metadata: [ACPI] DSDT FACP SSDT
[Build] DEVELLT5
12/25/98 09:22:15
[DMI] [BIOS] Phoenix Technologies Ltd. ??.??.?? 01/01/1992
[Board] Hewlett-Packard HP OmniBook PC
[CPU] Socket 5 0000000000000 00000000000000000000000000000000
[System] Hewlett-Packard HP OmniBook PC HP OmniBook XE2
[ID] A=▐₧óÖ≤ƒÖ
≤@9`70Ab7A┐╣≤ñ7$AA=Ç70Aé7A┐╣≤ñ7$AB=┐╣≤ú7(AQ=
[Table] ACC 2178 (System)
NS 338 Super I/O (MCD)
OPTI 82C493 (Cache)
STANDARD IO (I/O)
ROMs: [10b7:5157] 3Com 3cCFE575BT Megahertz 10/100 LAN CardBus [Cyclone]
[126f:0710] SMI SM710 LynxEM
[126f:0720] SM720 Lynx3DM

Seem to be a few distinct XE2 models...is yours one of these -

HP OmniBook XE2 PCs with technology codes DA, DB, DC, DD, DE, DH, DI

PC Hoarder Patrol wrote on 2026-04-19, 12:38:

Seem to be a few distinct XE2 models...is yours one of these - HP OmniBook XE2 PCs with technology codes DA, DB, DC, DD, DE, DH […]
Show full quote

Nexxen wrote on 2026-04-18, 19:04:

Hi all! […]
Show full quote

Hi all!

I bought this laptop some time ago and got to the "disassemble" phase.

I desoldered the BIOS chip and took a n image of it, there is some gibberish in the results after a check:
https://discord.com/channels/7131124000599572 … 127809272709133
(see bottom).

I'm looking for a BIOS image for the Intel version.
There's a K6 model but I don't think the Bios to be interchangeable.

I downloaded the Recovery CDs but there isn't a BIOS image on them (or I don't know how to get it from them):
https://archive.org/details/hpomnibookxe2

Thanks for any help.

File: HP_XE2_SST28SF040PLCC32.BIN
Vendor: Phoenix
Version: 4.0 Release 6.0
String:
Sign-on:
Metadata: [ACPI] DSDT FACP SSDT
[Build] DEVELLT5
12/25/98 09:22:15
[DMI] [BIOS] Phoenix Technologies Ltd. ??.??.?? 01/01/1992
[Board] Hewlett-Packard HP OmniBook PC
[CPU] Socket 5 0000000000000 00000000000000000000000000000000
[System] Hewlett-Packard HP OmniBook PC HP OmniBook XE2
[ID] A=▐₧óÖ≤ƒÖ
≤@9`70Ab7A┐╣≤ñ7$AA=Ç70Aé7A┐╣≤ñ7$AB=┐╣≤ú7(AQ=
[Table] ACC 2178 (System)
NS 338 Super I/O (MCD)
OPTI 82C493 (Cache)
STANDARD IO (I/O)
ROMs: [10b7:5157] 3Com 3cCFE575BT Megahertz 10/100 LAN CardBus [Cyclone]
[126f:0710] SMI SM710 LynxEM
[126f:0720] SM720 Lynx3DM

Seem to be a few distinct XE2 models...is yours one of these -

HP OmniBook XE2 PCs with technology codes DA, DB, DC, DD, DE, DH, DI

You're absolutely right, I forgot to mention 😀
I was a little tired when I posted.

My XE2 is a DD

Nexxen wrote on 2026-04-19, 13:01:

You're absolutely right, I forgot to mention :) I was a little tired when I posted. […]
Show full quote

PC Hoarder Patrol wrote on 2026-04-19, 12:38:

Seem to be a few distinct XE2 models...is yours one of these - HP OmniBook XE2 PCs with technology codes DA, DB, DC, DD, DE, DH […]
Show full quote

Nexxen wrote on 2026-04-18, 19:04:

Hi all! […]
Show full quote

Hi all!

I bought this laptop some time ago and got to the "disassemble" phase.

I desoldered the BIOS chip and took a n image of it, there is some gibberish in the results after a check:
https://discord.com/channels/7131124000599572 … 127809272709133
(see bottom).

I'm looking for a BIOS image for the Intel version.
There's a K6 model but I don't think the Bios to be interchangeable.

I downloaded the Recovery CDs but there isn't a BIOS image on them (or I don't know how to get it from them):
https://archive.org/details/hpomnibookxe2

Thanks for any help.

File: HP_XE2_SST28SF040PLCC32.BIN
Vendor: Phoenix
Version: 4.0 Release 6.0
String:
Sign-on:
Metadata: [ACPI] DSDT FACP SSDT
[Build] DEVELLT5
12/25/98 09:22:15
[DMI] [BIOS] Phoenix Technologies Ltd. ??.??.?? 01/01/1992
[Board] Hewlett-Packard HP OmniBook PC
[CPU] Socket 5 0000000000000 00000000000000000000000000000000
[System] Hewlett-Packard HP OmniBook PC HP OmniBook XE2
[ID] A=▐₧óÖ≤ƒÖ
≤@9`70Ab7A┐╣≤ñ7$AA=Ç70Aé7A┐╣≤ñ7$AB=┐╣≤ú7(AQ=
[Table] ACC 2178 (System)
NS 338 Super I/O (MCD)
OPTI 82C493 (Cache)
STANDARD IO (I/O)
ROMs: [10b7:5157] 3Com 3cCFE575BT Megahertz 10/100 LAN CardBus [Cyclone]
[126f:0710] SMI SM710 LynxEM
[126f:0720] SM720 Lynx3DM

Seem to be a few distinct XE2 models...is yours one of these -

HP OmniBook XE2 PCs with technology codes DA, DB, DC, DD, DE, DH, DI

You're absolutely right, I forgot to mention 😀
I was a little tired when I posted.

My XE2 is a DD

Would either of these work for you... https://driverscollection.com/?H=OmniBook%20X … D&By=HP&SS=BIOS

PC Hoarder Patrol wrote on 2026-04-19, 13:08:

Nexxen wrote on 2026-04-19, 13:01:

You're absolutely right, I forgot to mention :) I was a little tired when I posted. […]
Show full quote

PC Hoarder Patrol wrote on 2026-04-19, 12:38:

Seem to be a few distinct XE2 models...is yours one of these -

HP OmniBook XE2 PCs with technology codes DA, DB, DC, DD, DE, DH, DI

You're absolutely right, I forgot to mention 😀
I was a little tired when I posted.

My XE2 is a DD

Would either of these work for you... https://driverscollection.com/?H=OmniBook%20X … D&By=HP&SS=BIOS

Thanks, I didn't see that one at all...
Late night desoldering isn't good for me 😀
I'll check both with the one actually installed. Issue is nothing goes beyond Boot phase.

The laptop is totally disassembled and I have to socket the bios for tests.
Also the 3V battery is at 0.25V -- I'll solder a CR2032 for the time being and see what I can do to make it definitive.

Old stuff and same old issues 🤣

Edit:

One Bios file is for win 2K upgrade.
The other is W98 / non 2K "regular".

My BIOS image version is 1.01.

Against 2K it has 300K differences.
Against ver 1.04 it has 24K differences.

I'm attaching both versions for future use.

Bios was found.

I tested both but they get stuck at the same point: ENTERING SETUP
Nothing changes this.

It's how I got it.

Edit: I put a new battery in but no change.

Last Post codes are : [98 9C] or [9E 9C]

It shows Post screen, after detecting HDD it crashes becoming unresponsive to any command, reboot is impossible.

According to this, https://blog.theretroweb.com/2024/01/23/phoen … n_40_release_60

9C means "Set up power management"

No clue what it does.

Probably I need to check the chip responsible for the energy saving system.

If anyone has the schematics... please post, thanks.

In the meantime I'll check thoroughly the board, inspecting every corner.

So far:

1. BIOS reflash made no change
2. still stops after storage detection (floppy seek, HDD, CD-rom)
3. stops after detection but not exactly after, post LPT card shows something up to C9

Could this be a capacitor issue? I'll try to recap all of them.
Well, the only leaky caps that could be are on the battery recharge circuit. Probably not the issue.

This chip is involved in something here.

https://www.digchip.com/datasheets/parts/data … ICC_VUL-pdf.php

After reading the above datasheet I'm drawn to a HOLD without the subsequent release of the state by another chip not responding.
All halts, even the fan of the heatsink stops.

If the C9 code indeed tries to set up parameters, maybe RESET of the state isn't happening?
My ignorant guess is that a halt has to happen, even for nanoseconds, to scan and check but the reset that should follow, that depends from some other reading, is from a damaged IC/signal failing and actually killing everything.

To do:
list of all ICs soldered.

Any input is welcome.