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Inspiron 15Z 5523 BIOS re-write or downgrade
I recently upgraded the HDD in my Inspiron 15Z 5523. I restored the HDD from a Windows 10 backup image and all went well. I discovered that the Intel Rapid Storage Technology was not working. In the course if trying to get it working I inadvertently changed the SATA mode setting in BIOS for from Intel rapid storage to AHCI. I realized what I had done and restarted right away to BIOS and changed it back. Since then getting the laptop to boot is hit or miss. I won't get the Dell boot splash unless I cycle the power repeatedly until it displays the Dell Logo. then it boots fine. I've run the tests by hitting Power+Fn, everything passes. I've put back the original HDD, same problem. I've run the motherboard diagnostic on the Dell support site and it passes. I've taken the machine apart and removed the main battery and the CMOS battery. The problem remains. When it is working it runs all the time without any issue, until it hibernates or restarts. Then I have trouble getting it to boot again.
I'm out of things to try so, in case there is BIOS corruption, I'd like to re-write the flash BIOS but the flash utility 5523A05.exe won't let me write over with the same version. I have a copy of flash version 5523A03.exe as well so I'd like to try downgrading to it.
Are there command line switches that can be used to force the BIOS to flash. I've tried adding /forceit and /s /f from elevated command prompt but neither of those work.
Is there a way to force the BIOS to re-write or downgrade?
imaddicted2u
34 Posts
0
December 18th, 2015 00:00
Had this thing running since my last post. I had turned off sleep and hibernate, only allowing the screen to dim and never shutting down. I have been able to manually restart Windows 10 many times. However, this morning it was sitting there non responsive with black screen and keyboard still lit.
I pressed the power button and it shut off right away. Pressed the power button again and and it returned to black screen with lit keyboard. As before, I started to quickly cycle the power button and after 3 or 4 times the Dell logo popped up and it booted. Once booted there was a notification that Windows updates were installed.
Sure would like to know what the solution to this problem is. Is there a method to force a bios recovery or rewrite?
imaddicted2u
34 Posts
0
January 18th, 2016 03:00
This issue is a real nuisance. I'm never sure if the laptop will start. Having to keep pressing the power button to get the bios to catch is a pain but once it doe the laptop runs like a trooper.
Is there a known solution to this problem?
Cwglindn
1 Message
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April 24th, 2016 22:00
I have an inspiron 15z which I want to flash to A05 or back to A03. This is due to a recent upgrade (?) to windows 10 which degraded my computer severely.
Some history: After upgrade lots of issues with the wifi card, then I lost the windows start menu, edge, cortana, windows store, task bar ect., tried many things like various scripts offered at MS, adding a new administrator login, and Nothing worked. Finally after limping along, Blank screen and three beeps. After doing the battery shut off, cmos battery removal and motherboard reset several times just to get the computer to come on (then stop working). I did a clean install of Windows 10. But same problem. Before I migrate back to windows 8.1, I would like to try the bios flash. But it will not let me go to A03 or A05, I have tried /forceit /f and /? /h to try to get help, but nothing.
imaddicted2u
34 Posts
0
April 25th, 2016 04:00
I managed to get mine to force a version A05 re-flash but for the life of me I don't know how. I think it may have been to do with turning off secure boot or some other setting in the UEFI utility.
itsfoss.com/access-uefi-settings-windows-10
This 15z froze half way through the BIOS re-flash, after waiting many hours I took the chance and forced a reboot. I was lucky because the laptop still works and the BIOS now works flawlessly but it could have become a brick.
I later did a clean Windows 10 install using the Windows 10 Tech Bench install file from a USB stick and it cleared some minor issues from doing the upgrade. At the beginning of the install I deleted all the partitions on the HDD and clicked next letting windows partition and format the drive the way it wanted.
www.microsoft.com/.../techbench