Solved Please, help me increase the size of my EFI partition

zbook · May 23, 2024

Tuneup plus results were good.

When available update the progress with:
a) V2
b) restore point
c) suspending bitlocker

If you still want to resize the partition and not troubleshoot please comment into the thread.

If you want to troubleshoot now with very quick response times then comment.

Joanne · May 23, 2024

zbook said:
1) For V2:

a) Temporarily uninstall any non-Microsoft AV software

[KB146] Uninstallers (removal tools) for common Windows antivirus software

support.eset.com

b) Make sure Microsoft defender is on

c) Click extract all before launching V2

I still cannot run V2, I am getting the same error. No other antivirus software is running on my laptop. Windows Defender is ON. I have disabled Folder protection. Still, it does not run.

Can you please remind me how do I suspend BitLocker?

zbook · May 23, 2024

Please run the DM log collector.

and

run V2 while in safe mode (shift + restart)

Suspend-BitLocker (BitLocker)

Use this topic to help manage Windows and Windows Server technologies with Windows PowerShell.

learn.microsoft.com

Turn on device encryption - Microsoft Support

Learn how to turn on device encryption, or standard BitLocker encryption in Windows.

support.microsoft.com

zbook · May 23, 2024

Approximately 3- 4 hrs have passed.

Please indicate whether you want to resize or troubleshoot.

Alan Smithee · May 23, 2024

I had the same issue, resolved this way:
-Download latest bios update
-Disconnet all connected peripherals from your pc and insert an USB drive in one of your usb port
-Run the bios file and choose option two: "create recovery usb flash drive"
-At the operation completed, turn off your computer
-Disconnet the power cord, wait ten seconds or so, then reconnect power cord
-Press and hold the Windows key and the B key at the same time, then press and hold the power button for 2 to 3 seconds.
-Release the power button but continue pressing the Windows key and the B key (you might hear a series of beeps)
-The HP BIOS Update screen displays and the recovery-update begins automatically.
(If the HP BIOS Update screen does not display, repeat the previous steps but press the Windows key and the V key)

hsehestedt · May 23, 2024

May I just make one other suggestion? You may just want to try this first before proceeding with other steps because this is a really simple thing to try:

Try plugging in a USB Thumb Drive. Format it with FAT32. It should have at a bare minimum 150MB of free space. Then, with that drive attached, try your BIOS update once again.

Why am I suggesting this? Doing a quick search on the web I see that I lot of people getting the exact same error as you were able to resolve the issue by doing the above. It would appear that any FAT32 drive with sufficient space will satisfy the needs of update.

Give that a quick shot and let me know if that helped at all.

Alan Smithee · May 23, 2024

The HP BIOS menu and the HP uefi hardware diagnostic both missing the commands to launch a bios update from an USB drive. This operation can be performed or from OS via the BIOS update .exe file or forcing the update from a recovery USB drive following the steps i mentioned in my post

zbook · May 23, 2024

Approximately how old is the computer?

Which Windows version was present when the computer was purchased (11 or 10)?

If you're willing to make backup images there may be more than one method to fix the problems reported in the error message.

With backup images an image could be restored and then another method could be performed.

Then new viewers of this thread could have more than one possible fix.

There are two methods that have a high likelihood of fixing the problems reported in the error message.

1) Follow the recommended fix in the error message:

Delete some files to free disk space then retry again.

2) Create a new EFI partition that is 500 MB

Joanne · May 24, 2024

Hello everyone, thank you very much for your replies!

Apologies for the delayed response but, as I've already mentioned, I am located in the UK and last night was past midnight and I could not stay longer.

I have managed to successfully instal the latest BIOS by downloading the BIOS installer on my desktop and run it from there!
I cannot understand why it was not working yesterday. This morning it just worked! The only different thing I have done is that, last night I have disabled Device Encryption from Windows Settings. It took some time to do it.

This morning, I have also removed the nano USB receiver of my Cherry Stream Wireless Desktop Set and attempted to install the BIOS again.
It just worked this time, I do not know how.

@Alan Smithee is absolutely right: Firmware Management or BIOS Management is not available in Hardware Diagnostics UEFI so there is no way to update the BIOS via USB stick. One other thing that I've observed is that on the HP Software and Driver Downloads, my OS does not appear. When I give the Serial Number of my laptop, it does mention version 23H2 which I am running.

Finally, HP Hardware Diagnostics UEFI shows outdated in my BIOS and it is prompting me to go to the website and update but the update fails.

Anyways, I am glad I have installed the latest BIOS successfully!

Thank you very much for all your help and support. We haven't discovered what's causing the issue or a definite solution but I've made it work.

SIW2 · May 24, 2024

Joanne said:
I have tried for the first time, earlier today. The tool was called Mini Partition Wizard, I think. The problem was that I could only shrink my C:\ from the right side. This created unallocated space to the right. I could not shrink my C:\ from the left side to make space for EFI to be expanded.

If you ever want to shrink the os partition from the left, it has to be done from outside windows. Most partition managers will create boot media for you.

Joanne · May 24, 2024

SIW2 said:
If you ever want to shrink the os partition from the left, it has to be done from outside windows. Most partition managers will create boot media for you.

Thank you

Just to learn something and to be prepared for the future, as this time it kind of randomly fixed itself, which applications I could use to increase the size of the EFI partition on Windows 11 Home? Is there any tutorial on this site, or other sites, explaining how to do this and the implications it might have?

Berton · May 24, 2024

The EFI and other partitions are created with a clean install of Windows in accordance with what it needs or defaults to. Making changes later usually has to be done outside of Windows using third-party software such as a GPARTED LiveCD burned from a downloaded .iso file. I use Linux LiveDVD or LiveUSB which includes GPARTED, there's other programs available, I'd check with www.majorgeeks.com.

SIW2 · May 24, 2024

Joanne said:
Thank you

Just to learn something and to be prepared for the future, as this time it kind of randomly fixed itself, which applications I could use to increase the size of the EFI partition on Windows 11 Home? Is there any tutorial on this site, or other sites, explaining how to do this and the implications it might have?

Boot the partition program media. They usually have something called Move/resize which has arrows or some kind of symbol at each side of the partition that can be dragged. Some of them ( e.g. diskgenius ) do not show an arrow until you place the mouse cursor on the edge of the partition.

They show what the changes will be. Check the proposed changes before confirming. There will be a button called "Apply" or something similar which is used to confirm the changes.

You might have a hidden msr partition between the esp and the start of the os partition. It is not necessary so could be deleted, and then optionally reconstructed in the space created by shrinking the os partition from the left.

I usually have a 300mb esp and a 128mb msr ( ms suggests minimum 100mb and 16mb msr ) before the os partition.

hdmi · May 24, 2024

Joanne said:
Just to learn something and to be prepared for the future, as this time it kind of randomly fixed itself, which applications I could use to increase the size of the EFI partition on Windows 11 Home? Is there any tutorial on this site, or other sites, explaining how to do this and the implications it might have?

The free AOMEI Partition Assistant Standard can do it without having to create/use any kind of bootable media.

AOMEI Download Center

Download free AOMEI products to manage hard disk and protect data on your computer. Free (Standard) and free trial are available to Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista XP and Windows Server 2003, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2019 and the latest Windows Server 2022.

www.aomeitech.com

The only downside is that the steps that you have to go through to get where you want to be can tend to be a bit like a sliding puzzle, but anyway. It works.

zbook · May 24, 2024

This is the latest version of the HP UEFI hardware diagnostics:

HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI – v10.5.0.0: https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp152001-152500/sp152465.exe

Joanne · May 24, 2024

zbook said:
This is the latest version of the HP UEFI hardware diagnostics:

HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI – v10.5.0.0: https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp152001-152500/sp152465.exe

Thank you, I wish it was!

When I've tried to install it, I got the error shown in the screenshot.

Additionally, when I go on my laptop's page the Diagnostic utility offered there has version 10.3.2.0 Rev.A. The crazy thing is that I already have version 10.3.2.0 not sure if it is Rev.A but my BIOS says it is outdated.

zbook · May 24, 2024

These are the HP links for the latest versions of each:

a) HP UEFI hardware diagnostics

b) HP Windows hardware diagnostics

c) HP support assistant

HP PC Hardware Diagnostics | HP® Support

Learn how to isolate and identity hardware issues on your computer by running HP PC Hardware Diagnostics. Download HP PC Hardware Diagnostics today!

support.hp.com

HP Support Assistant | HP® Support

For automated fixes, personalized support, and automatic updates, try HP Support Assistant today.

support.hp.com

zbook · May 24, 2024

Joanne said:
Thank you, I wish it was!

When I've tried to install it, I got the error shown in the screenshot.

Additionally, when I go on my laptop's page the Diagnostic utility offered there has version 10.3.2.0 Rev.A. The crazy thing is that I already have version 10.3.2.0 not sure if it is Rev.A but my BIOS says it is outdated.

The "laptop's page" may have a delayed update or may never be updated.

See if you can install directly from the HP link.

Joanne · May 24, 2024

zbook said:
The "laptop's page" may have a delayed update or may never be updated.

See if you can install directly from the HP link.

I have used the link you provided, logged in to my account and downloaded the same file you have provided, as it is the only one available.

I am getting the same error - see my previous screenshot. It does not work, it does not install it.

Anyways, I do not care. I've installed the latest BIOS and it is enough for me. There is nothing much else I can do.