Your laptop always freezes at the same point during start-up, doesn’t respond to factory reset attempts, or won’t get past the manufacturer’s logo? This is often not a hard drive or power issue, but a problem with the BIOS itself — the program that starts your laptop before Windows even loads. During a free inspection (5–15 minutes), we check whether this is the cause.
In short: a frozen BIOS happens most often in laptops that haven’t been serviced in a long time. Often a complete disassembly and clearing the EC controller is enough, without needing to replace any parts.
Our experience
For BIOS work, we use dedicated programmers that allow us to read, write, and reprogram the memory chip directly on the motherboard, without needing to boot the operating system. This means we can repair your laptop even when it doesn’t respond to the power button at all in the normal way. We work under a microscope, which allows us to precisely desolder and solder the chip if physical replacement is necessary.
Frozen BIOS — how to recognise it
When measuring current draw with a lab power supply, a characteristic sign of a frozen BIOS is that the current draw stops at one fixed point — for example, stable at 0.6 amps — and doesn’t rise any further, despite attempts to start. This distinguishes the problem from power failures, where no current flows at all, and from short circuits, where the draw jumps straight to maximum.
When you’re looking for BIOS repair or programming
Most often we see laptops that freeze at the same stage of start-up every time, don’t respond to standard reset key combinations (e.g. F9/F10 on HP models), or second-hand laptops where the previous owner may have set a BIOS password that you don’t know.
Symptoms of a BIOS problem
- The laptop always freezes at the same point during start-up, regardless of attempts.
- Current draw during measurement stops at one fixed point.
- The laptop hasn’t been serviced or cleaned in a long time.
- The laptop is second-hand and you don’t have access to its BIOS settings.
If during current measurement we see that it stops at one point and won’t move further, that’s a very common sign of a frozen BIOS. Usually a complete laptop disassembly and resetting the EC controller helps — without replacing any parts.
Apenfix technician
What happens if you delay
A frozen BIOS won’t fix itself, and the laptop remains unusable until intervention. In rare cases, repeated forced start attempts may put additional strain on other components, so it’s better not to delay diagnostics.
How BIOS repair works at our service centre
1. Current measurement
We check at which stage the boot process stops by measuring current draw with a laboratory power supply.
2. Full disassembly and EC reset
In many cases, we disassemble the laptop and reset the EC controller, which often resolves the problem.
3. Chip reading and reprogramming
If a reset isn’t enough, we use a programmer to read and reprogram the BIOS chip.
4. Boot test
We check that the laptop completes the entire boot process correctly without freezing.
Extended diagnostics, if needed, takes 1–3 working days. It’s free if you proceed with the repair — if you decide against it, the cost is agreed and quoted upfront.
BIOS programming — we serve all of Warsaw
We accept laptops with BIOS problems from customers in every Warsaw district — Śródmieście, Wola, Mokotów, Ochota, Żoliborz, Bemowo, Bielany, Ursynów, Praga-Południe, Praga-Północ, Targówek, Białołęka, Wawer, Włochy, Ursus, Wilanów, Rembertów and Wesoła — as well as from the surrounding area.
We have more than one location in convenient parts of Warsaw, so getting to us is quick and easy wherever you live or work. Our current service point addresses are listed further down this page.
Why Apenfix
Frequently asked questions
Will I lose data from my drive during BIOS programming?
No, working on the BIOS takes place on a separate chip on the motherboard and does not affect data stored on the drive.
I bought a second-hand laptop with a BIOS password — can you help?
Yes, this is one of the common cases we encounter — we check each such case individually.
Do you always need to replace the BIOS chip?
No, often an EC controller reset or reprogramming the existing chip is sufficient, without physical replacement.
How do you know the problem is with the BIOS?
A characteristic sign is the current draw stopping at one fixed point during measurement with a laboratory power supply.
How long does such a repair take?
Usually 1–3 working days, depending on whether a reset is sufficient or reprogramming or chip replacement is necessary.
The cost depends on the scope of work — from controller reset to reprogramming or BIOS chip replacement. You’ll find current rates in the price list.
Two service points in Warsaw
Visit whichever of our two locations is more convenient for you.
Location 1 — Wolska
Wolska 50A/Lokal 26
01-187 Warszawa
Location 2 — al. Szucha
al. Jana Chrystiana Szucha 1
00-580 Warszawa
