the new bios may offer better battery management but IMO it isn't absolutely necessary to update your present bios because of what is just a replacement battery.
I just got new batteries for my 8100 (about same age). The CD will install the latest version of the bios, which is A15. It's probably wise to go ahead and update the bios, but it should work with the old version. From support experience at work, most laptop batteries will last 1 to 2 years under normal use ( the "advertised" standard is 500 charge/discharge cycles). It was interesting that both of mine failed within a week of each other.
Thanks Allan. My biggest hesitation is some of the issues I've read when all kinds of other driver/hardware problems come up when the BIOS is updated. I believe the BIOS version on the CD Dell sent is A12 - I wonder now if I should go ahead and download A15? Did you have any issues with your 8100 when you updated your BIOS for your new batteries? Thanks again!
The Bios version on the 2 CDs I received with the 2 batteries was A15. I had already installed A15 when it came out. My 8100 has been running fine, no complaints. Just for reference, the part number on the bios CDs I received is 2F852 Rev. A08.
My battery was dead since the first year. Fortunately I was able to claim before my first year warrantee expired.
Anyway I think the latest version of Bios for 8100 is A15. I am using Win. XP and I have problem with the gForce Graphic card. It is not able to display on multiple display in span mode. I was able to do it with Win 2000.
Another problem is the latest gForce2 driver require bios A18 (nVidia GeForce2 GO, v.44.82, A18). But Dell doesn't seem to provide it. Can anyone clarify?
bacillus
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October 31st, 2003 18:00
atucker
49 Posts
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October 31st, 2003 23:00
I just got new batteries for my 8100 (about same age). The CD will install the latest version of the bios, which is A15. It's probably wise to go ahead and update the bios, but it should work with the old version. From support experience at work, most laptop batteries will last 1 to 2 years under normal use ( the "advertised" standard is 500 charge/discharge cycles). It was interesting that both of mine failed within a week of each other.
Allen T.
2TALL
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November 1st, 2003 12:00
atucker
49 Posts
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November 1st, 2003 17:00
The Bios version on the 2 CDs I received with the 2 batteries was A15. I had already installed A15 when it came out. My 8100 has been running fine, no complaints. Just for reference, the part number on the bios CDs I received is 2F852 Rev. A08.
Allen T.
khundeen
1 Message
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November 5th, 2003 19:00
My battery was dead since the first year. Fortunately I was able to claim before my first year warrantee expired.
Anyway I think the latest version of Bios for 8100 is A15. I am using Win. XP and I have problem with the gForce Graphic card. It is not able to display on multiple display in span mode. I was able to do it with Win 2000.
Another problem is the latest gForce2 driver require bios A18 (nVidia GeForce2 GO, v.44.82, A18). But Dell doesn't seem to provide it. Can anyone clarify?
Thanks,