BIOS Upgrade Problem

Question

Information: A few months ago my hard drive crashed on my Dell Inspiron 1100, I received the new hard drive and reinstalled it. I also reinstalled Windows XP and etc. In going through some info that I need or want to reinstall on my machine. Problem: I come across the Dell Quickset install and I receive an error 'Quickset requires BIOS version A20 or greater......' So I go out to retreive the BIOS download for my machins and come across the 'Dell Inspiron 1100 Dell System BIOS, A23'. I try and run the ZIP\Application. I receive a prompt that states: System Bios Upgrade information, System: Inspiron 1100, Revision: A23, Vendor: Dell Computer Corporation. Current System BIOS Information, System: Inspiron 1100, Revision: A06, Vendor: PHOENIX TECHNOLOGIES LTD NOTICE!!! Running on an unsupported system   Did I forget to install something with the new hard drive? I do not know what I need to do to allow this update to happen. Thanks in advance

Karell · Answer

Fantasy, Thank you for using the Dell Community Forum. The system bios was changed from the Phoenix bios to the Dell bios with bios revision A22. So, you have to install bios revision A22 first, then bios revision A23, then the Dell Quickset utility. You can download bios rev A22 from here.

fantasycommish · Answer

I try that download and receive a prompt that tells me that:

"This program contains 1 floppy disk image."

"This program could not find a floppy drive on this system."

And then it only has an Exit button.

I do not have a floppy drive on my 1100, only a CD\DVD.

Any help would be appreciated, Thanks

03codyn · Answer

If I were you, I wouldn't bother udating your BIOS. Sometimes something can go wrong and then you just have a very heavy paperweight.  You should only update the BIOS if it will fix something that needs fixing...so if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I am using the I5100 with the original BIOS version of A06. Everything seems to be working fine for me. But it's totally up to you if you want to update the BIOS or not.

AlxMAX · Answer

Hey, a new board moderator to help Corey! I hope we'll find the answers to our questions quicker! ;)

fantasycommish · Answer

I have heard that 'If it aint broke don't fix it.' So I will do that, I mean wont do it :) Thanks for the input.

AlxMAX · Answer

fantasycommish wrote: I have heard that 'If it aint broke don't fix it.' I have some doubts about the if it aint broken part!

Master Yoda · Answer

Karell,

People asking this question seems to be an on going issue. Is it possible to have a notice or a warning added to all the BIOS download screen that A22 must be installed first? It would save alot of reanswering the same question.

Yoda

Message Edited by Master Yoda on 11-04-2003 09:22 PM

sven523 · Answer

Defnitely don't upgrade the bios. I upgraded from A06 to A23. When I was running A06 my computer ran beautifully with no problems. Now it runs very very hot all the time, even when using very little processing power. The fan also runs all the time and sometimes it even automatically shuts down. I didn't have any of these problems with the old bios and it's ridiculously hard to go back, which is what I'm working on now.

Locked Topics – Laptops General

Was this post helpful?