I too have been wondering about the frequency of BIOS updates. Dell fails to provide adequate information regarding what the update is supposed to address, so I'm left wondering whether the risk of updating outweighs the potential benefits. Instead of just saying things like "increased stability" it would be nice to get some detail!
Info about each update is available but you need to use the links on the page to find the explanations. Don't allow it to download and install without checking. Check the small symbols next to the update. First one is i for important info and the one on the right of info is a downward arrow will take you to the page with the info and the link to see another page with more info and a download link.
Not every BIOS update has links to explicit explanations. For example, BIOS v1.1.22 on XPS 8930 only says "Improved the reliability of the system" and there are no links.
They have to be intentionally vague about what an update does so not to tip hackers off to an exploitable issue, especially since every user won't update BIOS on the same day it's released. And that gives hackers time to get nasty.
If Windows Update is forcing BIOS updates, users don't have any chance to review the explanations and/or to skip them, if they choose...
BIOS updates typically set everything back to their defaults, regardless of what the user may have changed. The default settings usually offer the maximum level of security.
I don't understand the fear of having TPM enabled. I have it enabled on my XPS 8930 and it has not been forcibly updated from Win 10 to Win 11. I have been offered that update option, but I just decline it. And TPM does add another level of security, regardless of which OS is running.
The info about the BIOS update is not helpful at all. And I guess what @RoHe says is true. Guess there is no other way just to keep it hidden.
And @RoHe I have for sure heard people say they came to their computer and had a surprise install of Windows 11. I do not want to see any message at all about Windows 11. Not even a message saying I am compactable or not compactable.
And when I had TPM on I saw a message it said Windows 11 was ready to install. I instantly rebooted went into the bios and disabled TPM. After it enabled itself after the BIOS update in January.
BIOS updates don't set back all settings like ACHI or RAID. My system came from Dell with RAID on. I turned RAID off. If BIOS Update changed RAID settings a bunch of people would be upset.
You can change RAID to ACHI without reinstalling, but you have to follow steps very closely.
BIOS updates reset security settings and several other settings back to defaults on my XPS 8930. Updates won't change RAID back to AHCI, which is the default setting, because that would make the PC unbootable.
Even when Win 11 is "ready to install" you have to click that link, and then click a button to confirm the update on the next screen. So it takes two separate clicks. All I did was say "no" on that last screen. Since then I only see this on the Windows Update screen, without any direct link to start the update:
Have you set WU to notify you when updates are available, but let you decide when to install them? WU alerts me to updates because I set it that way. So when I open WU to see what's being offered, even if there was another Win 11 "ready to update" option, I'd just say "no" again, but it has only asked that one time, and never again.
And Ye Shall Find
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March 22nd, 2022 08:00
I too have been wondering about the frequency of BIOS updates. Dell fails to provide adequate information regarding what the update is supposed to address, so I'm left wondering whether the risk of updating outweighs the potential benefits. Instead of just saying things like "increased stability" it would be nice to get some detail!
Mary G
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20.1K Posts
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March 22nd, 2022 10:00
Info about each update is available but you need to use the links on the page to find the explanations. Don't allow it to download and install without checking. Check the small symbols next to the update. First one is i for important info and the one on the right of info is a downward arrow will take you to the page with the info and the link to see another page with more info and a download link.
RoHe
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45.2K Posts
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March 22nd, 2022 11:00
Not every BIOS update has links to explicit explanations. For example, BIOS v1.1.22 on XPS 8930 only says "Improved the reliability of the system" and there are no links.
They have to be intentionally vague about what an update does so not to tip hackers off to an exploitable issue, especially since every user won't update BIOS on the same day it's released. And that gives hackers time to get nasty.
If Windows Update is forcing BIOS updates, users don't have any chance to review the explanations and/or to skip them, if they choose...
BIOS updates typically set everything back to their defaults, regardless of what the user may have changed. The default settings usually offer the maximum level of security.
I don't understand the fear of having TPM enabled. I have it enabled on my XPS 8930 and it has not been forcibly updated from Win 10 to Win 11. I have been offered that update option, but I just decline it. And TPM does add another level of security, regardless of which OS is running.
Anonymous
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274.2K Posts
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March 22nd, 2022 21:00
Dell BIOS Updates
CTG_8273
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514 Posts
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March 23rd, 2022 07:00
@Mary G
The info about the BIOS update is not helpful at all. And I guess what @RoHe says is true. Guess there is no other way just to keep it hidden.
And @RoHe I have for sure heard people say they came to their computer and had a surprise install of Windows 11. I do not want to see any message at all about Windows 11. Not even a message saying I am compactable or not compactable.
And when I had TPM on I saw a message it said Windows 11 was ready to install. I instantly rebooted went into the bios and disabled TPM. After it enabled itself after the BIOS update in January.
BIOS updates don't set back all settings like ACHI or RAID. My system came from Dell with RAID on. I turned RAID off. If BIOS Update changed RAID settings a bunch of people would be upset.
You can change RAID to ACHI without reinstalling, but you have to follow steps very closely.
RoHe
10 Elder
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45.2K Posts
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March 23rd, 2022 10:00
BIOS updates reset security settings and several other settings back to defaults on my XPS 8930. Updates won't change RAID back to AHCI, which is the default setting, because that would make the PC unbootable.
Even when Win 11 is "ready to install" you have to click that link, and then click a button to confirm the update on the next screen. So it takes two separate clicks. All I did was say "no" on that last screen. Since then I only see this on the Windows Update screen, without any direct link to start the update:
Have you set WU to notify you when updates are available, but let you decide when to install them? WU alerts me to updates because I set it that way. So when I open WU to see what's being offered, even if there was another Win 11 "ready to update" option, I'd just say "no" again, but it has only asked that one time, and never again.