BIOS Rev A07 - Does Dell Know How To Count From 1 - 10 ??

Question

Ok here is the dealio......:smileymad:  I go looking for a BIOS Update for the 400SC on Dell's website.  I find that the latest one is A08.  I thought wow; I seriously need to play catch up because I am behind on these.  So, I go back to get previous versions since I am not sure if they are bundled up....and I notice that there is no A07.  The highest on in the 'Previous Versions' screen is A06.  An the latest on is A08.....with no mention whatsoever of A07 even doing a search on it I can't seem to locate any information on it, or whether or not I can go from A04 to A08 without doing all the ones in between. Does anyone know if I can go right from BIOS rev A04 to BIOS rev A08 without doing the ones in between ? :smileyindifferent: It was our practice at work to do all the ones in between just to make sure you got everything you were supposed to get when you had to play catch up like this, but I am not sure that it is totally necessary if they simply bundle all the fixes from previous versions into whatever the most current one is.  Plus, it leaves in this position of wondering why A07 is missing and what the fixes in that may have been.  It seems very unprofessional to leave the user in that position without listing some kind of information A07, as to why it is missing, what fixes were in it and if the current version (BIOS rev A08) has all the previous fixes from prior BIOS version bundled into it.  I assume that they do bundle things up into the current BIOS revision, but with something as critical as updating the BIOS, I think it's better to not assume anything at this point.  Does anyone have any thoughts on this....? :smileyindifferent: I mean, I am not a morning person:smileytongue:...so maybe it's just too early in the morning for me and haven't had any coffee yet, so maybe I am just missing something that is right in front of my face.  But it surely is a little disturbing if it holds true, in regard to the information (or lack there of), on something as critical as doing a BIOS upgrade on a server being this incomplete. :smileymad: Dell typically has their act together more than most companies in regard to all aspects of support and has thought the years made my job easier and not more difficult :smileyvery-happy:, so I am going to view this as the exception and not the rule.  But with everything that they now have their hands in with everyday consumer electronics and such, I hope this isn't a sign of the times where they have gotten so big that they let their reputation fall to the wayside in order to worship the almighty dollar :smileysad:.  Thanks in advance for any insight you can provide on this subject.....;) PS - Below is the breakdown of what I ran into on Dell's website when trying to obtain information on BIOS updates for the 400SC....         Smokey           d:{>## ***********************************************************************************************************  :smileysurprised: Ok, this is what i found when searcing for the latest BIOS update.....it got me to this screen with the link for BIOS A08 and the associated link for 'Previous Versions' listed below it.... BIOS Dell Server System BIOS, A08Release Date:  10/05/2004Description:  PowerEdge 400SC, BIOS, A08 Previous Versions **********************************************************************************************************  :smileysurprised:  Ok, now here is what is listed under 'Previous Versions' if you click on it..........where is BIOS rev A07 ???? BIOS  (Previous Versions) Dell Server System BIOS, A06Release Date:  05/26/2004Description:  PowerEdge 400SC, BIOS, A06 Dell Server System BIOS, A05Release Date:  02/23/2004Description:  PowerEdge 400SC, BIOS, A05 Dell Server System BIOS, A04Release Date:  11/17/2003Description:  PowerEdge 400SC, BIOS, A04 Dell Server System BIOS, A03Release Date:  10/02/2003Description:  PowerEdge 400SC, BIOS, A03 Dell Server System BIOS, A02Release Date:  06/27/2003Description:  PowerEdge 400SC, BIOS, A02 *****************************************************************************  :smileysurprised:  And here are the list of 'Fixes and Enhancements' that are listed on the page where you download and view information for BIOS rev A08, and they clearly reference BIOS rev A07.....yet it is lsited nowhere on the 'Previous Versions' screen or anywhere else that I can find whatsoever.  So I ask....what's the deal...?  I wasted a lot of time thinking I was just missing something somewhere...... Release Title BIOS: Dell Server System BIOS, English, PowerEdge 400SC, A08 Release Date 10/05/2004 Category FlashBIOS Updates Fixes and Enhancements   The following changes have been made to the A07 to create the A08:1. Added support for new Pentium 4 processors.2. Fixed Quick Boot menu when no bootable drives are selected in SETUP.3. Fix to the utility partition search code.4. Improved keyboard test when booting from Hibernate.5. Fixed possible hang after unplugging and re-plugging USB hubs.6. Increased USB keyboard wait time to allow all USB devices being enumerated.7. PXE Code Update.8. Prevent false MCE errors from causing 'bad CPU' error in POST.9. Fix the Performance Processor detection/enabling.10. Added error check for 1394 memory base programming.13. Disable /Enable PCI transaction timeout timer for slow PCI cards.14. Fixed potential Memory Size Change Error on startup.   ********************************************************************************

DELL-John K. · Answer

You can update straight to A08.

SmokeyTheBear · Answer

Thanks Buddy.... :smileyvery-happy: I will go ahead and update accordingly and go straight to A08.   Any idea what is up with the A07 that is seemingly missing..?  I am mainly interested in what fixes were part of the A07 update more than anything.  I also feel that some obvious reference as to it's existence (BIOS rev A07) should be stated clearly in the BIOS update/support section due to the fact that it is referenced in the 'Fixes and Enhancements' for BIOS rev A08 and so that people don't waste their time looking for something that should obviously be there.....but obviously is not.  That really bugged me.... :smileymad:  So, thanks for the information, but I'd be curious to look in say a week or so to see if anyone has taken the time to correct the situation by providing some information as to the existence of BIOS rev A07 and if the information regarding 'Fixes and Enhancements' for A07 is posted and/or at least someone has gotten back to me as to what they are.  Thanks for your help and hope that you can assist in getting the information on that page corrected so someone doesn't waste their time trying to figure it out and then have to spend time doing this. :smileysad:  Dell has done my right in the past, so I am not trying to be down on them/you, just don't want to see it go unresolved so that people aren't left confused about this when it was already brought to your attention.  Plenty of people out there have 400SC's because of the nice price tag Dell has put on them in the past, so I can't be the only one looking for updates.  Thanks again for your time.... :smileywink:              Smokey               d:{>##

dolphinsoup · Answer

A08 was released about 2 weeks after A07, to resolve problems some people were having with the earlier release.   Something about systems that wouldn't boot after installing additonal memory.   There's more info on the Aaltonen forum.

SmokeyTheBear · Answer

Thanks for the info...a link to that forum would have been helpful, but I eventually found what I believe is the forum you mentioned.....lots of helpful information there, so again thank you very much...:smileyhappy: I haven't checked Dells support page for the 400SC BIOS, but I really hope someone has fixed it and added some information as to the existence of the A07 BIOS. If they are simply embarrassed for putting out a bad BIOS revision (A07), than they shouldn't make the user community suffer for it by leaving it incomplete and have to turn it into a guessing game. Once they are aware of the problem, it is purely irresponsible to not fix it in order to avoid making someone else go through all this as well as all the people on the Aaltonen forum that have gone through the same thing. Again, I hope this isn't a sign of things to come..... It seems nobody from Dell even bothers to check these forums since nobody bothered to get back to me with any information regarding the missing A07 BIOS and what the enhancements might have been. I have been afraid that with all the different ways Dell is branching out that they are going to become to big to care. It's taking the time to fix small things like this, that made them the company I recommend people buy from. I'd hate to have them prove me wrong...... Many Americans are still shaking their head at the slap in the face that opening the support office in India was. Still loyal, but questioning recently.....

Message Edited by SmokeyTheBear on 10-25-2004 10:44 PM

Message Edited by SmokeyTheBear on 10-25-2004 10:45 PM

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