My laptop does not restart or reboot

Hi Charles2015,

What is the OS installed on the system? Does the shutdown option work fine?

Downgrade the BIOS - try an older version than A24 and check if it works fine. Although a BIOS downgrade is not recommended by Dell or any other manufacturer, sometimes BIOS downgrade also is known to fix few issues.

Restart the system and press f2 to enter BIOS - reset BIOS defaults and check if the system shutdown and restart work fine.

Uninstall the video drivers from device manager - check if the system shutdown and restart options work fine. If yes, then download the Intel drivers from Dell support site and install the same.

Keep us updated.

Hi!

I have the exact same problem as Charles.

I did Bios Update from Z07 to A26 on the E4300 and I'm stuck with same ME Firmware Update Error:

ME Firmware Update Failed! (Error Code: 8725) Failed to receive last update status from the firmware.

So the Mangement Engine is not working any longer and this is messing with restart capabilities. I already tried the only 2 other possible Bios versions (A23; A24) I can find on the dell download page with the same problem.

And as long as we can not get back the Intel Management Engine it will not work. This has nothing to do with the installed OS or Video drivers at all. It's the Bios/Firmware.

Greetings

Maik

Hi Charles2015 / Maik,

Try one of these -

• Flash BIOS v A06 and then the latest version A24.
• Flash the BIOS A24, when you encounter the ME error, ignore it and flash the BIOS again before restart. The second attempt will not generate the error and it will go through.

Keep us updated.

Hi, Rishi!

I tried. I really did try ANYTHING. I tried to flash every Bios (A00, A03, A04, A05, A06, A07, A09, A12, A13, A14, A17, A18, A19, A20, A21, A22, A23, A24, A26) in DOS-Mode.

And even so the BIOS Update itself always worked, for the Mangement Engine I always get the error message: "ME Firmware Update Failed! (Error Code: 8725) Failed to receive last update status from the firmware"

If I try to install the BIOS Update from Windows (Windows 10 in my case), I always get the error message "An unexpected error  occurred while running the Flash application. Please reboot and try again. Application Error Return: 0x0000406"

And I can do it as often as I want in a row, it won't get through.

I even tried this:

1. Click on start then run and type "regedit" in the box and press enter. (without the quotes)
2. Expand and Look for: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE -> SYSTEM ->ControlSet001 -> Services -> DELLBIOS
3. Delete DELLBIOS folder
4. Restart the system
5. Re-flash BIOS

But afterwards I just get another error message while trying to flash from Windows 10 -> 

"An unexpected error  occurred while running the Flash application. Please reboot and try again. Application Error Return: 0x0000603
Windows Error Return: 0x00000436"

So far, nothing is helping!

I think I need a Bios where the ME Firmware update is forced...

Any new idea?

Greetings

Maik

Hi Rishi and Maik:

Thanks for your help.

I will try to be clear about what I did.

- Previous to my first post I did the following in this sequence:

  - Upgrade BIOS A14 to latest A26 version (latest version for E4300)

  - As this did not work I downgrade to A24 version

  - I always got the firmware error message

After the first Rishi reply I did the suggested actions, but my display drivers were update at latest version yet.

I am running Windows 7 Pro 64 bits, but as I can imagine this is not related to restart problem because it has to be at BIOS level to be accomplished.

I imagine that all the problem is related to the failing firmware update as Maik says, but I am stuck in this problem and I do not know the solution.

By the way, I couldn´t find where to download from previous BIOS versions (v.g. A14 as I had and others)

Windows 10 is another big problem, I went to upgrade my BIOS because Win 10 did not work for me.

After that I reinstalled Win 7 Pro 64 bits and here I am.

I thank you in advance any help.

Best regards,

Charles

Hi Rishi:

I tried to do your suggested actions:

     "Try one of these -

• Flash BIOS v A06 and then the latest version A24.
• Flash the BIOS A24, when you encounter the ME error, ignore it and flash the BIOS again before restart. The second attempt will not generate the error and it will go through. "

but I cannot follow them because I do not know from where download v A06 you mention.

Let me add that I did all BIOS updates running from Windows the new BIOS file. Is it OK?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Charles

Hi Charles,
you can find all Bios versions here: downloads.dell.com/.../latitude-e4300.html

Maybe you have more luck with different Bios versions than me (and I tried them all), but I doubt it a little bit. But one never knows. :-P

Greetings

Maik

Hi Maik:

Thanks for the info about how to find old BIOS versions.

I tried the procedure suggested by Rishi but I had new bad results.

1. When I tried to downgrade to A06 version I got the following message:

    Error! The BIOS update could not be performed because a valid ROM image file could not be found.

    The system will be reset.

    Press "Y" to contiue.

So the previous BIOS A24 was not replaced.

2. Then I tried to reinstall the A24 version over A24 version itself trying to replace it but I received again the mentioned Error! The BIOS update could not...... message.

3. As third step I tried to upgrade to latest A26 version and that was done OK but the well known message about 

Firmware Update Failed! (Error Code: 8725) Failed to receive last update status from the firmware.

showed up again.

End of the story, I have BIOS A26 running but the problem about restart or reboot is still present.

It is very weird that when the system cannot restart by itself the only solution is to unplug AC (or plug it in case previous state was from battery feed).

Maybe the idle status when restart is not accomplished is managed by firmware, because at that point the OS is down.

Thanks for your help and if you find a solution let me know.

Best regards,

Charles

Hi Charles / Maik,

I am in contact with the engg team to see if there are any other possible solutions to this issue. I request you to wait until they respond to me. However, as far as a new BIOS/firmware, I would suspect if Dell will release one for an outdated model.

Hi Rishi & Maik:

I thank you both for your help.

Rishi, I remain waiting for your reply and maybe good news.

Best regards,

Charles

Hi All,

Install the AMT driver and check if it works - http://dell.to/1EzXFmG

@ Charles - install the driver normally as it is compatible for Win7

@ Maik - install the driver normally - if it does not go through, then install the driver in compatibility mode for Win7 and check

Keep us updated.

Hi Rishi:

I tried to install the AMT driver but unfortunately I got the following message:

"This computer does not meet the minimum requirements for software installation"

I am attaching the system info screen.

Thanks and I will wait for any suggestion.

Best regards,

Charles

Hi Charles,

At this point, we suspect the motherboard might be the source of issue. Could you try another HDD on the system to confirm the same? If another HDD works fine, then the issue might be OS based. However, based on the ME error, the team have advised me about a possible motherboard fault.

I am checking for any possible alternate solution. Whilst I research, please try another HDD if possible and keep us updated.

Hi Rishi,

with the AMT Software I have the same problem as Charles. And another HDD did not help.

For me it looks like it is a Motherboard/Bios problem and has nothing to do with the used OS. This is the reason, why the AMT Software or Intel ME Software can not be installed. This is the reason why Intel ME Firmware can not be flashed.

At the moment I can not see an "easy" solution. One might have to change the motherboard (or the Bios chip) of the Laptop, but for such an old machine it is just not worth it. I think it's better to take 100$ and buy a "new" used machine on ebay. 

But nevertheless thanks for you efforts. And just maybe you can even pull a magic trick out of your DELL hat. :-D

Greetings
Maik