Framework says it’s addressing a BIOS update that bricked some of its older laptops
Framework is addressing a BIOS update issue that caused some older Laptop 13 models to become non-bootable. The company is offering replacement mainboards and developing a 'Crisis Recovery Mode' to prevent future update failures.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the risks associated with firmware updates in modular hardware and the importance of manufacturer accountability in consumer electronics.
Some Framework Laptop 13 owners with last-gen AMD chips have reported that a recent BIOS update is bricking their laptops on both Windows and Linux. The BIOS update causing this issue is version 3.20 for Ryzen 7040-series mainboards, released back in July and still available on Framework’s site at the time of this writing. Upon running the update, some users reported their laptops getting stuck on the update screen.
While some users on Framework’s community forums reported that the company was sending them replacement mainboards under the one-year warranty, several with out-of-warranty boards said they were told they’d have to buy new ones. A few were able to take matters into their own hands with external BIOS programming equipment.
When The Verge reached out to Framework for comment, founder Nirav Patel shared this statement:
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