Vostro 260 - BIOS update from A08 to A10 impossible

Hi Dave,

I have sent you a private message, please check and reply with the information. Also, please try the steps shared by rdunnill and check if they work. Please share the results.

@abachmann: I would request you to try the steps shared by rdunnill and keep me posted with the results. Our Engineering Team is still investigating on it.

@Happyshow, Goma78, iTimothy85, Pedroamatt; I will keep you posted with results.

Have you tried performing this upgrade from a DOS-booted USB flash drive? That's how I updated my XPS 8500 to A10.

I tried this but it asks for a location to find DOS files to create the bootable disk.

I can create a bootable windows CD or DVD but don't know where you found DOS on Windows 7.

Perhaps if you list this step by step?

Hi,

@Happyshow, Goma78, iTimothy85, Pedroamatt; Apologies for a delayed response. We are still working on the issue to find a resolution to this. I'll keep you posted.

[quote user="rdunnill"] Have you tried performing this upgrade from a DOS-booted USB flash drive? That's how I updated my XPS 8500 to A10.

[/quote]

It's a DOS application. That's typically how BIOS updates are performed.

[quote user="abachmann"] [quote user="rdunnill"] Have you tried performing this upgrade from a DOS-booted USB flash drive? That's how I updated my XPS 8500 to A10.

[/quote]

It's a DOS application. That's typically how BIOS updates are performed.

[/quote]Yes, ten years ago. Dell's BIOS update tools are Windows applications for some years now.

[quote user="rdunnill"] [quote user="abachmann"] [quote user="rdunnill"] Have you tried performing this upgrade from a DOS-booted USB flash drive? That's how I updated my XPS 8500 to A10.

[/quote]

It's a DOS application. That's typically how BIOS updates are performed.

[/quote]Yes, ten years ago. Dell's BIOS update tools are Windows applications for some years now.

[/quote]

I updated the BIOS of my XPS 8500, a model from last year, from a DOS-booted flash drive. BIOS version A10 was released in March of this year.

Even if a Windows version is available, DOS is the safest way to perform this risky operation that can "brick" your motherboard if it fails.

Assuming you ran the BIOS update inside Windows 7, did you disable your antiviral and anti-malware software before  you ran the update? They typically cause problems like this with BIOS updates.

After the flash update and a reboot, be sure to re-enable the antiviral/anti-malware software again. :emotion-5:

I completely disabled antivirus/antimalware, disabled firewall, tried safemode, tried booting to cd/dvd into windows and update from there, but still same results. a message pops up that says Get Me Version Error, Get Last Error=2.

Until now I had no problem updating the BIOS from original factory BIOS to A02, A04, A08.

But A10 simply doesn't function.

I am in discussion with DELL Tech online who have passed the problem on to their engineers.

After numerous tests, attempts etc, I am not holding out much hope for a solution to this issue.

Is the DELL BIOS update "MS-A10" as recommended by DELL the same BIOS update found on CNET ?

download.cnet.com/.../3010-2110_4-107951.html

If it is, it would possibly explain why we are having trouble installing it. Look at the release date, 8 years ago.

We have about 6 of these Vostro 260 Windows 7 64-bit workstations. I can also confirm that MS-A10 does work on any of them. I've tried all the suggestions here and a few tricks of my own. We cannot flash to MS-A10.

Hi Dave,

Thank you for your patience and continuous support. I have shared your feedback with the Engineering and Product Group team. They are looking in to this issue. I will keep you posted.

The link that you shared above is for the Servers not related to the Desktop or the current issue.

@trtrtr: Thank you for sharing the information. We are currently working on this issue. As soon as I get any update on this I will share it with you.

Hi,

@Dave, trtrtr and abachmann: Thank you for your continued patience. The Engineering Team is working on this issue. Will keep you posted.

Any solution for this yet, I'd like to update the BIOS pre-selling the machine this week? Thanks