I have now actually solved the issue, but unfortunately i'm not going to be able to give a great answer for how i achieved it - perhaps you might know.

I installed windows using an older laptop and swapped the HDD into the Probook, this booted windows (32 bit). (a success in my eyes, so that i didn't have to pay the £416 HP wanted for a new mobo).

I needed 64bit installed, but had no other 64bit laptop. Installed 64bit vai a desktop machine, this blue screened after the windows logo (most likely a processor driver compatibility for instance?)

So i cloned the windows install partition on the the HDD, leaving an additional partition for the windows install (upon install got a warning about partitions being in the incorrect order)

Booted the laptop and installed windows (no blue screen). All good up until this point.

This next bit is a little hazy, but after a few reboots? the laptop booted in 'Manufacturing Program Mode'
I'm not sure how or why, it might have been down to a hardware change? But this obviously allowed me to change both the bios password and the boot order.

I must add at this point i have no idea of the relation, but the solder joint to pin 6 which i believe to be the clock on this IC dislodged itself. (this actually prevents the laptop from booting, so i don't think it had relevance to the PMMode, and when replaced the PMMode was still there)

Manufacturing Program Mode counted down from 30 to 0, and I was also able to install fresh windows from the hp cloud backup service.

So a 100% success, however if i were asked to replicate the process i'm not sure if i could.

Is there a way to enable the Manufacturing Program Mode?

Cheers
Steve

Hi. I recently updated my laptop bios. The system was working fine but suddenly after installing new bios the system booted and it was to laggy ( like I click any of icon or file it opens after 15 minutes). Too laggy and slow.
So I installed a fresh windows 10 pro 64bit after installing it I rebooted it started lagging again. Then I reset my windows it took 15 to 16 minutes but now system is just fine not that fast as it was factory default. I tried to recover bios or Tried downgrading but it's not working.. please help..

Dang this has been a long time sitting. Sorry I admit I only spent much time here working on my issue :/

Are you still working with this? Reply and we can discuss if I can help I will.

badgenes