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DOS BIOS updates for the Inspiron 1501
I am having a problem with updating my BIOS from DOS. I followed the directions to flash from DOS but ran into the same "This program cannot be run in DOS mode" error message. On these forums I found other threads discussing this topic but found no resolution beyond some rather extraordinary Windows installation to USB key or CD workarounds. Just a wee bit of a kludge.
On investigation for why I can't run the BIOS update from DOS I found that there's a good reason, the executable archive which houses the BIOS image file and flash utility is built for and will only execute in 32bit Windows. So this contradicts the BIOS update instructions which state it can be run from DOS. I tried running the BIOS update on a Vista system (not the Inspiron) and it unpacked the archive. Looking at the flash utility (Phoenix Technology's WinPhlash) I found that it is also a 32bit Windows executable. So no joy in Mudville for BIOS updates on non-Windows systems. My next step was to find a DOS BIOS update utility.
Last night I chatted online with Dell support. After explaining all the particulars the representative investigated and told me that Dell had no utility that could flash in DOS. I found this hard to believe. But no matter what I said I didn't seem able to escalate this to second tier tech support for investigation. I have to suspect that the representative's emphatic assertions that if she couldn't find the utility it didn't exist at Dell was first line tech support bravado. I have additionally given the Dell support site a reasonably thorough search and am unable to find a Phoenix TrustedCore/Inspiron 1501 DOS BIOS flash utility.
So has anyone had any luck with flashing BIOS from DOS? I know there are some universal BIOS flash utilities and I could probably find a copy of a newer Phoenix flash utility somewhere on the interwebs. Historically Phoenix Technology's BIOS updater utility for DOS is phlash16.exe but as this TrustedCore BIOS is a whole new architecture they may have whole new utility names.
I'm disappointed that Dell doesn't make both the Windows and the DOS flash utilities available. What's more disappointing is that Dell's instructions indicate this should work when any technical review of the update would show it couldn't. Quality Assurance was asleep at the wheel here. I can't help but wonder how many customers have discovered the problem through frustrating experience.
On investigation for why I can't run the BIOS update from DOS I found that there's a good reason, the executable archive which houses the BIOS image file and flash utility is built for and will only execute in 32bit Windows. So this contradicts the BIOS update instructions which state it can be run from DOS. I tried running the BIOS update on a Vista system (not the Inspiron) and it unpacked the archive. Looking at the flash utility (Phoenix Technology's WinPhlash) I found that it is also a 32bit Windows executable. So no joy in Mudville for BIOS updates on non-Windows systems. My next step was to find a DOS BIOS update utility.
Last night I chatted online with Dell support. After explaining all the particulars the representative investigated and told me that Dell had no utility that could flash in DOS. I found this hard to believe. But no matter what I said I didn't seem able to escalate this to second tier tech support for investigation. I have to suspect that the representative's emphatic assertions that if she couldn't find the utility it didn't exist at Dell was first line tech support bravado. I have additionally given the Dell support site a reasonably thorough search and am unable to find a Phoenix TrustedCore/Inspiron 1501 DOS BIOS flash utility.
So has anyone had any luck with flashing BIOS from DOS? I know there are some universal BIOS flash utilities and I could probably find a copy of a newer Phoenix flash utility somewhere on the interwebs. Historically Phoenix Technology's BIOS updater utility for DOS is phlash16.exe but as this TrustedCore BIOS is a whole new architecture they may have whole new utility names.
I'm disappointed that Dell doesn't make both the Windows and the DOS flash utilities available. What's more disappointing is that Dell's instructions indicate this should work when any technical review of the update would show it couldn't. Quality Assurance was asleep at the wheel here. I can't help but wonder how many customers have discovered the problem through frustrating experience.
pcgeek11
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November 27th, 2007 20:00
RingerDaMan
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November 28th, 2007 11:00
DanPhilpott
6 Posts
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November 28th, 2007 12:00
A solution would be to deliver a FreeDOS or Linux boot image which includes the BIOS update and BIOS flash utility that can be burned to CD/DVD, USB drive or floppy.
I will most likely go the PE route to resolve my immediate need. But I am an atypical user who has about 7 years experience building bootable NT kernel images on disc. That said, even I hesitate at the headaches involved in this kludge.
One nearly comical note to the Dell DOS BIOS flash instructions is that they keep referring to providing bootable floppies for the installation then running the update from the floppy. The executable is 3.6MB. Must be a very big floppy.
DELL-Chris B
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November 28th, 2007 13:00
Thanks for your feedback in regards to the verbiage on our support site. I've escalated this issue internally, and hope to the pages updated as soon as possible.
Regards,
DanPhilpott
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November 28th, 2007 14:00
Inspiron 1501
Latitude 131L
Vostro Laptop (1000?)
This response won't help me but may save others a bit of frustration.
Message Edited by DanPhilpott on 11-28-2007 11:33 AM
pcgeek11
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November 29th, 2007 01:00
DanPhilpott
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November 29th, 2007 02:00
pci=nomsi
In general the reasons you update BIOS are the same reasons you patch any software; security, stability, known problem resolution, new features, optimization, etc.
Personally I have never shied away from flashing. There is always a risk that you will brick a system but in my experience if you control the environment (e.g., have a stable power supply, don't allow the system to be manipulated during flash, ensure all hardware is stable) you don't have that problem. Of the hundreds of systems I've flashed over the years I've never had a brick. But I'd not trust my anecdotal evidence to be statistically significant.
The BIOS dictates how the operating system interacts with the hardware. And when an OEM configures a BIOS image for a system they are generally operating with zero real world experience with that hardware and a limited installed base in the testing lab. Usually it takes a few iterations to come up with a good version. With a good BIOS you can have trouble free operation and optimized access to your hardware. With bad BIOS you can have unusable hardware, hard to diagnose problems, crippled capabilities and halitosis. Okay, maybe not halitosis.
In this instance a review of available update notes shows some of the problems being addressed:
A01:
1.Support AM29LV081B , MX29LV008CB , STM29W008EB EEPRom flash part.
2.Display CMOS checksum failed if MFG mode is 01.
A03:
1. Changed Boardcom Lan IRQ from 0Bh to 0Ah.
A06:
1.Support Master HDD password reset function.
1.Update system information.
A07:
1. Fixed S3 resume without AC issue.
2. Change Boot order while enable Manufacturing mode Bit 6
(1. PXE, 2. Hard Drive - USB KEY 3. Hard Drive - SATA HDD 4. Removable
A09:
1.Enhance Vista OS S3 resume for battery mode.
A11:
AMD logo posting support.
A14:
1. Update the AMD errata
2. Enhance S3 resume funtion
These aren't the best examples of BIOS updates . First, their was no cumulative change log in the release notes. Next, the descriptions don't adequately describe the problems being addressed (i.e., why the fix was implemented) or the actual modification. Finally, as you can see from the release numbering not all the releases are represented.
pcgeek11
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November 29th, 2007 03:00
RingerDaMan
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November 29th, 2007 09:00
DanPhilpott
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November 29th, 2007 11:00
MSI is a newish PCI/PCI Express way of handling interrupt requests (IRQ). The early BIOS versions boggled many (most?) Linux installation media which prevented them from booting completely. I ran into it with Gentoo but I've seen people running Ubuntu and Fedora complain about it. So in order to boot you would have to load the kernel with the pci=nomsi argument to prevent it from trying to use MSI at all.
pcgeek11
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November 30th, 2007 01:00
Philip_Yip
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Darrel112
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January 18th, 2008 01:00
Seagate Momentus 7200 RPM HD 160 Gigs
Windows XP Media Center & Vista Home Premium
Philip_Yip
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