Bios update help

someone else will answer your other questions, but listen closely: when you do go to upd8 your r4 to a11, call Alienware tech support, have them on the phone when you upd8 bios, so they can talk you through it & if anything goes "wrong", they'll probably bail you out of it because it'll be documented. Ok?  

Search the forum here for r4 A11, sometimes the firmware flash can go right & sometimes it can go wrong, those who did not call tech support were usually out in the cold after a problem, those who did call were usually bailed out ...

http://en.community.dell.com/owners-club/alienware/f/3746/t/19405753.aspx

http://en.community.dell.com/owners-club/alienware/f/3746/t/19501694.aspx

Tesla1856 says you should only upd8 a bios outside of windows, using dos I think is what he said as the safest method ... wait for help, or call tech support ... that MSI board is glitchy with A11 so I hear *wink*

I have an Aurora R4 that I'm trying to put in a GTX760 video card, which doesn't want to work.  I have enough power supply for the card so that isn't the issue.   Researching it, one of the common answers was that updating the bios may solve my problem.  I currently have bios A03, trying to upgrade to A11.

Bricking risk is high so beware. Like Cass says, if under warranty ... call phone support. You might have to switch to Legacy mode to boot a USB-Flash via F12.

Read carefully.

http://en.community.dell.com/owners-club/alienware/f/3746/t/19565657.aspx

that MSI board is glitchy with A11 so I hear *wink*

I think that's only on Aurora R1. Aurora R2, R3, and R4 are completely different motherboards.

Any potential problems using legacy mode?  I run windows 7.  And the PC is 2 years old, so pretty sure no warranty left.

Also, I've heard that only certain usb ports are bootable, but I can't find anything out about which ones on my mb would be.  MB is 07JNH0.

I really appreciate the help here.

1. Any potential problems using legacy mode?    2. I've heard that only certain usb ports are bootable,

*sigh*

Ok, got the usb to boot in legacy mode.  Tried to install A11 and was abruptly informed that I needed to install A05 first.

Downloaded A05, booted from usb and got insufficient memory message.

I guess its gonna have to be from windows unless you folks have other suggestions.

Also, am I going to have to incrementally install all the way to A11, or is A05 upgradeable straight to A11?

thanks again for all the help.

I had the same issue.  I then found the forum post below and my problems were solved.  I updated my BIOS from A07 to A11 via usb.  You will most likely need to go to A05 and then from A05 to A11.  By the way, write down all your BIOS settings before you flash.  Then after the flash you can make sure they are still the same.  My computer did not boot after I flashed.  If I remember right, I think that I had to change SATA mode to AHCI.  Just write down your current BIOS settings and you will be covered.  

http://forums.evga.com/tm.aspx?m=1142390

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/46707-ms-dos-bootable-flash-drive-create.html

Ok, got the usb memory issue to work by changing it to msdos instead of freedos.

Worked for updating to A05, then gave me the same Problem Allocating Memory error when I tried to update to A11.

Gave up on the usb flash, and ran A11 in windows.  Scared the <ADMIN NOTE: Substitute character removed as per TOU> out of me when it rebooted and the fans when bat <ADMIN NOTE: Substitute character removed as per TOU> crazy and nothing was happening on screen.

shut down manually and restarted.  After three attempts to start up, the box finally came back to life!

Now I can focus on the main reason for the whole shebang:  installing my new GTX 760.

Thanks all