Update BIOS Dimensions 5150 Windows 7 64 Bit

I ran into this very same thing today with my Latutude D620 (Windows 7 Ultimate x64).  The application that flashes the BIOS is only compatible in XP and 2000.  Changing that BIOS application's compatibility mode didn't work.  I installed XP Mode and tried running the BIOS app from within the virtual and that didn't work.  I even tried creating a DOS boot disk and DOS bootable USB key and the BIOS app didn't work there either.  There are two other options that I haven't tried yet...1) using a spare drive, installing XP and then flashing the BIOS; and 2) waiting for Dell to update the BIOS app to be useable in Windows 7.  Dell support today told me all I could do is to wait.  Looks like I'll be trying #1 before I ever hold my breath that Dell will update the BIOS app.

Good luck.

I'm not a big fan of updating the BIOS unless it's actually going to fix a problem.  A failed flash means you need to replace the motherboard.  So don't blame me if it fails.  However, if you have your Dell Drivers and Utilities CD you can try this:

• Burn BIOS update to a CD.
• Boot from the Dell Drivers and Utilities CD.
• Choose option to Exit to DOS.
• Exchange CDs and run BIOS update.

Thats not true for the most part. A failed flash most of the time on this specific tower just means you need to reset the bios by removing the battery from the board and starting it and letting it post. Once you remove the battery and start the PC the original A05 bios will be back. I own this tower and been through this a couple times. The motherboard bios CAN NOT be updated. The bios is currupt either A05 or the new A07 one of the two. Someone with programming skills needs to figure it out and fix the code so its compatible.

A failed flash most of the time on this specific tower just means you need to reset the bios by removing the battery from the board and starting it and letting it post. Once you remove the battery and start the PC the original A05 bios will be back. I own this tower and been through this a couple times. The motherboard bios CAN NOT be updated. The bios is currupt either A05 or the new A07 one of the two. Someone with programming skills needs to figure it out and fix the code so its compatible.

It has been well documented on this forum that a failed/corrupted BIOS on a Dell motherboard and the ONLY option is to replace the motherboard.  I have been on this forum since 2002 and of all the posts about this I have not seen one post where someone has successfully recovered a corrupted BIOS on a Dell.  I may have missed one, but none that I saw was ever successful.  

maybe some of them are bad but i have dealt with a few of these same towers and on the one i have now that im using to type this i have failed to update the bios THREE times. Every time it happened i recovered the bios in about 30 seconds. Maybe you never heard of one before but you have now or maybe its just that i actually know what im doing and a lot of people do not

Every once in a while i will try to update the bios again just to see if it will go thinking at some point it will be fixed but nothing yet.

Sorry i got that mixed up with dimension 2400 i have its not bios A05 its bios DM051

Tried to put all the serch words in the subject. I am trying to Update the BIOS in my Dell Dimensions 5150. Service Tag says it's 3 years old. I've upgraded to Windows 7 (64 bit) with 4 GB of memory. Windows only sees 3.25. I downloaded the BIOS Update but Windows won't allow me to do it. Is there a work around? Do I need to downgrade to a 32 bit OS to make changes to the BIOS? If so, which one? (I have XP & Vista) Thanks in advance

I have the same problem! Did you, or anyone, solve this problem with updating BIOS in WIN 7 64 and how to update this ver. of BIOS?

Me too upgraded to Windows 7 (64 bit) with 4 GB of memory. Windows only sees 3.25.