BIOS A14 Update Problem

Hi SRBrenton,

I appreciate for all the trouble shooting steps performed.

You have mentioned in the post that you have checked the BIOS settings, let me know if you reset BIOS defaults. If not go to the BIOS screen, reset the defaults by pressing F9 to reset and F10 to save and exit.

If the issue still persists, I suggest that you flash the BIOS once again and it is safe. Please click on the link given below for the same:

http://dell.to/Wdg124

Note: While flashing BIOS connect the Ac adapter and make sure the battery has minimum 15% charge as this needs uninterrupted power supply. Do not use the system till it restarts and comes up to the desktop.

Please reply to this post for further assistance.  

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NO SUCCESS!

Ok, so I re-downladed the A14 bios from the link you gave me. Re-Flashed the bios. The bios updated successfully and, again exactly like before when the computer restarted itself the Dell logo appeared for maybe half a sec. And screen went blank. I had to push power button off, and immediately back on for it to load successfully. I just restarted and went back into bios and tried setting the settings back to default.. and as the computer restarted after I saved changes.... Dell Logo appeared, and screen went blank.

It's doing the same exact thing.

I'm so confused, I would easily assume that a few thousand people have the same laptop and configuration as I do, and i'm sure out of those few thousand that many others have flashed their bios to the latest recommended by Dell, HOW DO THEY NOT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM?

It's as if the BIOS doesn't pass POST like i said before, the HD light stays off like it doesn't get to that point to check it. I hear no beeps, no warning signs, usually when you hear no beeps and get no warning in DOS it's generally the processor not kicking in but I didn't have this problem before I flashed the bios originally.

@SRBrenton - I find this very Interesting, you have a Dell 17R 5720 may I ask when was your A14 BIOS released?

There is a whole group of us 17R SE 7720 owners complaining along the same lines as you in regards to the complete and utter #FAIL of a Dell BIOS release for our nearly close models.

For us it started when some of us went to the A11 Release Nov. 9th 2012, with the exact same complaints stating that on a cold boot we would get the DELL Logo and then the unit hangs at a Black Screen. A Simple Power Off and Power Back on and it booted to Windows 8.  A the time a lot of us found that after flashing to A11 "Windows Boot Manager" was no longer listed as an option in the UEFI boot priority list in BIOS, with the only listing being that of UEFI: Network Boot, probably why we see the double boot since the unit only has the network boot option to chose from.

Doing so it fails, BUT when UEFI fails it goes through a recovery step process, it first looks for an exact specific named directory path for where the OS resides to load a specifically named Boot manager .efi file, if it can't boot from that, it then does the same and looks for a specific recovery environment so one could run tests or recover. On this second boot it actually can find the Boot manager and loads, shutdown, cold boot back at square one.

But, it got worse the 17R SE 7720 had an A12 Bios Release on Jan. 14 2013, and those that installed it, not only got hit with the Double Power Up problem, we also lost the ability to hit F2 or F12 Boot options during the Dell Splash Screen, it looked to us like it was about to work, because it would bring up a small blue bar under the logo, display the message "F12 Boot Options" in the lower right, but no matter how many times you tapped f2 or f12 the unit would simply ignore the keystroke.  For us we now have to resort to using the Windows Advance Boot Manager... basically Holding a Shift Key Down + Selecting "Restart" from anywhere in the Windows environment where that option is giving for powering down.

A lot of us have deduced that when you flash these new UEFI BIOS it doesn't overlay everything thus why when you go back (and why Dell recommends not to) you still see the same anomalies.

This isn't good if your A14 just got released recently as DELL is fully aware that those with 17R SE 7720's where seeing this problem already as far back as mid-December early January. If it was released much later then our time frames then it's obvious they are clueless. Someone in engineering really needs to get their head out of the sand.

Eeek Gadz.

Well sorry to say, welcome to our sad Dell world.

Hope that for all of us Dell gets it resolved, in our thread and it's quite long go have a read as it has other issues in regards to the BIOS that you may not be aware of, but may soon find out yourself if they where both created from the same logic.  Over there we have reports that some of us had their MoBo's replaced which came backed leveled to either the A10 release (which for that matter isn't listed in our download section) or the A11 release and state the see "Windows Boot Manager" in their priority list and haven't been hit with the Dual Power Starts though some are still seeing other issues.

Cheers

Thanks for your reply CyberMaxX, seems you have your head on pretty straight there man, I appreciate the knowledgeable post.

What you said completely just shocked me a little bit, what the SE 7720 on the A11 is doing and especially what you describe on the A12 update is exactly what my laptop is doing. Dell logo hangs after showing for a split second from any restart or from a cold start, just have to power off and immediately back on but, on your A12 update you said that people are experiencing a problem where they can't even push F2 for BIOS setup, or F12 for boot options? Well F2 works fine for me... but... when I push F12 the blue line loads at the bottom, and the words "boot options" shows up, but that's all, it does ABSOLUTELY nothing, however if i shut it down, and back on F12 works fine only to my amazement just as you stated above, I only see UEFI network boot option available.

The A14 was released on Jan. 14th same date as your A12.

I'm just so terribly confused, by that I mean, "Why am I the only one experiencing this for the 5720????" Countless searching through google and yahoo and forums and... and.. and... everywhere, I see no one complaining about an A14 bios problem but me for the 5720, and how many 100s if not thousands of people have the exact identical configuration as I do who surely have updated their drivers and BIOS.

I don't mind flashing my bios back a version until this is fixed, possible in a newer A15 rendition in the future if that will fix it. The good news is I have a warranty, and by golly I will use it if I'm paying the money for this thing.

Thank So much Cyber, I appreciate it!

Hi SRBrenton,

Since the issue is not resolved with BIOS reset and re-flashing BIOS, I request you to private message the system service tag to check the system information and assist you further.  Please click on my name and click ‘Start Conversation’ to send me the system service tag.

Hi SRBrenton,

Unfortunately we have not received feedback from you on this topic. If you need continued support, please respond to my private message. Other community members who need assistance please start your own topic in a new thread.

Hi. I too have the same problem since last week. Pls advise me too. I use Dell 5720

Bandara,

I did indeed have this problem when I updated my bios from A13 to A14.

On March 18th, Dell released a newer BIOS version, possibly specifically to fix this issue I could only assume. Anyway the new A15 bios version is out. I flashed my messed up A14 bios to the new A15 and SUCCESS!, it works like a champ.

The A15 bios update for your Dell 5720 can be found here:

www.dell.com/.../inspiron-17r-5720

Hope this solves your problem. I actually stopped replying to the tech support guy because the computer fixed itself for a very long time. It actually booted up perfectly for over a month, than once again out of no where it started messing up like it did originally, after a few days I went back on dell support and found that they finally released a newer bios update. I have a feeling many other people have had this same problem.

Fine now you can downgrade your Bios Version

First give me a link for  your bios A13

And i will reply again on how to downgrade ok ?!