I wanted to install a new BIOS update from October 27th, which is classified as critical and which is supposed to fix Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE).

I noticed that on current, up-to-date Windows 22H2 systems in the default configuration, the Bios update installers from Dell/Alienware no longer work.

After starting the BIOS update installer, a pop-up message "Driver Version Fail!" and about 1000 pop-up instances of the Windows Compatibility Assistant "Windows Compatibility Assistant has detected amifldrv64.sys as a vulnerable driver and prevented it from loading..." crippled my machines. Same on two non-hardware identical m17 R2 and one XPS.

Microsoft recommended driver block rules: "With the Windows 11 2022 update, the vulnerable driver blocklist is enabled by default for all devices...".

The BIOS update installers use a driver called amifldrv64.sys, which is detected and blocked by the Windows Compatibility Assistant as an unwanted vulnerable driver.

Turning off new Windows security features (e.g. Core Isolation Memory) had no effect on my machines (m17 R2 and XPS) - amifldrv64.sys was always blocked.

With the following workaround the BIOS update worked without problems on all machines (should also work for other Dell/Alienware machine types):

1. Take a USB memory stick (better rather old and with little storage capacity). I used a five years old 8GB USB 2.0 stick formatted with FAT32 (non-bootable).
2. Copy your "BIOS_update_whatever_name.exe" as the only file on the stick (and leave it inserted).
3. Shutdown the computer completely (restart does not work!).
4. Give your computer a few seconds and restart it. During the restart press F12 repeatedly until the F12 menu appears.
5. Select the BIOS Flash Update option. On the next screen, navigate through with the Tab key, select the "BIOS_update_whatever_name.exe" file with the Enter key and then select "Start flash update" again with the Enter key.
6. Hands off the computer, keyboard and mouse. Wait and breathe until you see the Windows login screen again.