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March 19th, 2022 11:00
Inspiron G5 15 5500, BIOS 1.13 disables keyboard backlight
Hi All,
I received the latest BIOS 1.13 update for my G5 5500 system from SupportAssist using the official Dell Support site & it seems to have permanently turned off all my backlight features. These are all the troubleshooting steps Dell Support & I have tried & none worked. Any ideas?
1. Enable backlight settings in BIOS, applied changes, lights turn on (sometimes) & then I choose save custom settings & click exit. As soon as I click exit my backlight turns off again. Mind you this BIOS update was marked with adding 1 feature of saving settings, so it had 1 job & it failed that 1 job.
2. Rolled back to 2 different older BIOS's (1.12 & 1.11) but as soon as I return to Windows & attempt to restart to go back into BIOS settings, Windows 11 decides (without my permission) to force me back to BIOS 1.13. So I have no idea if rolling back would have ever fixed the problem or not. It marks 1.13 as an optional update but applies it anyway.
3. Tried fn+F10 per the backlight icon on my keyboard but it does absolutely nothing. Tried both with & without holding fn just in case.
4. Tried System Restore, this not working proves to me that it doesn't matter what happens in Windows or registry keys the BIOS decides whether the keyboard lights or not.
5. Support told me to try installing DFEP, a Dell tool that allows control of keyboard backlight from Windows but I get warnings it isn't compatible with G-Series.
6. Tried to open the Windows Mobility Center but keyboard backlight isn't an option in my system.
7. Dell Support's last ideas were a OS reinstall or remote connecting to mess my registry keys but that feels like the nuclear option & pretty sure nothing but a time machine or a newer fixed BIOS update will save me at this point. So I told them no at that point until I've exhausted other options. I've read online that a BIOS that doesn't save settings is a sign of a bad CMOS battery & if that's the case then it decided to die conveniently after a BIOS update & at only 1.5 yrs old.
Any ideas would be appreciated as this is unbearable having to work with a lamp like the 90s again for a feature I've paid for. This isn't the first time Dell driver updates have hurt my system in some way so I'm always stressed when I see another driver update as I know there's a chance it will burn me again.
VerydepressG5
9 Posts
3
March 22nd, 2022 07:00
Eagleleader1 you will be able to downgrade to 1.10 successfully but after restart and log in to windows it will force you to rollback to bios 1.13 as I encountered. I noticed that during the bios downgrade there is ME Firmware EndUpdate Failed Error: 0x00000162, ME Update failed. I think that's the reason why it rollback in windows as it needs to fix that error. You will see that setting in the BIOS under UPDATE, RECOVERY...
>>>BIOS RECOVERY FROM HARD DRIVE, DEFAULT IS ON...
So what I did, after the downgrade to 1.10.1 During restart I immediately press F2 to go to boot option and access the Bios setup to set the DEFAULT "OFF".
Also, I set the ENABLE UEFI CAPSULE FIRMWARE UPDATES to "OFF" to blocked the Windows Update for firmware since it will force again the BIOS 1.12 update. I planning to Enable it once Dell release a reliable latest fix/update.
I'm just sharing it because it works for me. Now it's up for you to try... or better check with dell support to get more explanation.
Hope it helps.
VerydepressG5
9 Posts
2
April 1st, 2022 01:00
Jimmy_84, try to set your bios under UPDATE, RECOVERY as shown
you have to do this before rolling back to 1.12. and Bios setting changes should be applied.
Bios 1.10.1 to 1.12, FX backlights are working on this version for Windows 10. Since you're in Win 11 maybe you can try and post the results on this thread.
vasouza
4 Posts
1
April 12th, 2022 20:00
Excellent. I did the VerydepressG5 solution, downgraded to BIOS 1.10.1 and upgraded to BIOS 1.14.3 and the keyboard lighting came back. Thank you all.
DELL-Cares
Moderator
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27.5K Posts
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March 19th, 2022 11:00
Thank you! We have received the required details. We will work towards a resolution. In the meantime, you may also receive assistance or suggestions from the community members.
VerydepressG5
9 Posts
1
March 20th, 2022 02:00
Hi I got the same problem faced by EagleLeader 1 after successful update to bios 1.13 my keyboard backlight was disabled. Before it was working fine. Even I tried a fresh installation of windows 10 pro but still same issue. Can you take a look at it so next bios update release will fix the this kind of issues.
EagleLeader1
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37 Posts
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March 20th, 2022 09:00
Welcome to this unhappy club VerydepressG5, sorry to hear that you did the OS reinstall, I had a feeling it wouldn't work so I refused that step when Dell Support asked me to do it. You may have done us both a favor by posting though. If it was just me then it would mean I was an isolated case & other G5'ers had the BIOS update done without issue. I will use your post as evidence as I was escalated to Dell Product Engineering Team since regular Social Media Support couldn't think of anything else. I'll list further solutions they asked me to do, since my original post, which also didn't work so you can save yourself the trouble:-
1. Uninstall Reinstall Alienware Command Center didn't work.
2. Set BIOS settings to default also had no effect, scary measure since this can brick PCs.
I'll post back if I ever get a solution. I recommend asking for a manager & using my post so you can get escalated to Dell Product Engineering Team as well. I'm convinced that a new BIOS update will be our only hope. The more of us that experience this will get the point home to them that they need to examine their BIOS update as the cause instead of wasting our time by messing our settings.
VerydepressG5
9 Posts
1
March 21st, 2022 00:00
Hi Eagleleader 1. I got my unit back to work after spending lot of workaround. I manage to returned the bios to 1.10.1 after series rejection of the windows to accept bios downgrade. At least we can definitely tell that the culprit of the problem is the bios 1.13. so dell has to action on this matter and as much as possible for G5ers avoid this bios update.
DELL-Cares
Moderator
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27.5K Posts
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March 21st, 2022 04:00
Please try running the test once to check if it works, although the case has already been escalated and the team is working on it.
johnjohn316
13 Posts
0
March 21st, 2022 04:00
Did you guys find a way to fix it? Mine wont light either. Keyboard illumination in bios gets disabled all the time..
VerydepressG5
9 Posts
2
March 21st, 2022 04:00
Hi johnjohn316, I will try to summarize the steps I've done in solving the same issue so you can try if it works for you. But let me test first everything to find out if there are other issues which has arise during my downgrade
EagleLeader1
1 Rookie
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37 Posts
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March 21st, 2022 05:00
Hi johnjohn316, VerydepressG5 says he had to keep trying to rollback to 1.10 several times before Windows allowed him to stay at 1.10 & it fixed for him. Now that could just be his luck. Not sure I'd want to risk it since anything going wrong during a BIOS update, like power fluctuations can brick a machine. Let me know if you risked it & if it worked for you.
EagleLeader1
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37 Posts
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March 21st, 2022 05:00
Not sure what test the Moderator is referring to, if he means attempt rollback to 1.10 I'm going to work with no time to try it now. I haven't decided yet if I'd rather wait for a fix from the escalation or try something once that took VerydepressG5 several times to work. Maybe johnjohn316 will try once.
EagleLeader1
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37 Posts
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March 21st, 2022 05:00
Hi VerydepressG5, so nothing different done between the times trying to rollback to 1.10 with Windows rolling up versus the time it actually worked? Also approximately how many times did you have to do this? Sounds scary since anything going wrong during a BIOS update, like even a fluctuation of power can brick a machine.
EagleLeader1
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37 Posts
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March 21st, 2022 05:00
Thanks VerydepressG5, there's also the factor of opening up security vulnerabilities by going multiple versions back. I'm still deciding whether to try your fix or wait for Dell. Honestly it boils down to which will become more frustrating to me first, waiting on a BIOS update or the annoyance of no backlit keyboard.
VerydepressG5
9 Posts
2
March 21st, 2022 05:00
Eagle leader1 its true very risky and you can bricked the bios if not taken carefully. At least another member added to the group for sure a lot will encounter this problem. At least rest assure the moderator already said they are working on it but for me I will not anymore update my bios nxt time if its not really worth. lessoned learn as I also pay much to own this gaming laptop