Latitude BIOS Upgrade

Question

I have a Latitude CPx and I want to install XP.  I ran the XP Upgrade prep and it recommended upgrading the BIOS.  Can anyone tell me the best way to do this?  How do I know which is most up to date avail and install steps?  Is there anything else that I should do?  I have read a ton of posts discussing this, but I can't find anything with the complete info.  Any help is appreciated.  Thanks

leduke30 · Answer

Which CPx, the H or the J? The BIOS update is different for each. Download the correct one to your Desktop from Dell's pages for your model; the larger of 2 files for making a floppy is the one to use. Then click it open with a formatted floppy disk in the drive and follow directions to unzip it to the floppy disk. This can all be done on another computer.
To do the flash, undock if using one, put your floppy drive in the bay, hook up your AC Adapter and put a charged battery in place. Boot up to F2 Setup and set your boot order to Diskette 1st. Reboot up to Windows to insure your configuation is picked up, put the flash floppy in the drive and reboot. You should come up in DOS to do the Flash update. Ignore the references to the RUN_ME_REG file; that is only for W98. Otherwise follow the directions. When it finishes the erasing flash and rewrites the BIOS, it will reboot. You should recheck your BIOS settings in F2 Setup as they may change. Do not interfere with the flash process until after the auto reboot

Edisto3 · Answer

It is a CPxJ.  Am I missing something or is it as easy as you make it sound?  I have read a few posts about people making major errors when updating their BIOS.  I would hate to join that crowd.  If I am just overlooking something, anyone know where I can find a detailed set of instructions to follow?

leduke30 · Answer

The latest for your model is CPSJ_A16, but some folks have reported problems from it. I would use CPSJ_A15, found in Previous Versions Link. The folks who have had problems mostly have used the method which uses the Harddrive for a Remote Flash. I did one by this method on one occasion and swore "never again". Use the Floppy Method.

Others have had problems because they had the wrong file for a different model, or forced a flash without a battery(possible)and had a power failure in Midflash. I once kicked an AC Adapter cord loose in Midflash by accident, but had the battery in place, so no problem. Without it, sizzle ,sizzle!!

chapmasj · Answer

Leduke30 offers good advice. Follow it carefully and you should be OK. The only thing I could add is that you make sure that the floppy disk you use is in good condition and has been used before (but that is being REALLY cautious!).

Edisto3 · Answer

Thank you for your advice.  Is there anything else that I should look out for, or make sure that I do, when upgrading from 98SE to XPPro?  I tried to upgrade last week but I have not had a chance to ask for help until today.  When I tried to install XP then, it would hang up and give me error msg about CAB files.  The BIOS upgrade should handle this...right?

Edisto3 · Answer

Any tips/secrets for doing a clean install?

chapmasj · Answer

@Edisto3 wrote:
Thank you for your advice. Is there anything else that I should look out for, or make sure that I do, when upgrading from 98SE to XPPro?

Don't upgrade, do a clean install, especially if Win 98SE has been running on the machine for some time (e.g. many months/several years).

@Edisto3 wrote:
The BIOS upgrade should handle this...right?

Not necessarily. Read the text file that you will find on the BIOS update disk you have created. This lists what changes Dell have made to the BIOS. You may find that this will help, but sometimes the text is so vague that you cannot be sure exactly what the change is.

leduke30 · Answer

Have your old OS CD ready to insert when requested by Setup. I frequently have referred to this use as the "Kicker" and although MS does not say this is possible on the package or literature, W95 CDs work fine as the "kicker". All the files on the socalled full version are present also on an Upgrade CD; but there is this extra lock to undo with the older CD. As for the .cabs files error, sometimes a CD in need of cleaning or that has been damaged will do that. I have a W98 1st ED that is useless because it was damaged by a bum CDROM in the past. Chapmasj is right on with the warning about bad Floppies, I bought a 10-pack of Memorex colored floppies and all of them have wound up in File 13, the last one a few minutes ago.

Message Edited by leduke30 on 03-22-2004 03:42 PM

Edisto3 · Answer

HELP!  I updated the BIOS as instructed above.  I said to remove the floppy and reboot.  I have an A:\> prompt now and I can't remember how to reboot from here.  I don't want to chance it and mess something up.  What do I do now?  Please help as I am staring at this thing and have to get to work!  Thanks

Edisto3 · Answer

Never mind.  I got it.  Thanks for all of your help.  I still need to do the clean install, but I will post any questions I have about that on the appropriate site.  Thanks again.

Cboat123 · Answer

I used the floppy disk method following all the precautions given and the update still failed at 38% for no obvious reason. I then had to have motherboard replaced, as it just wouldnt boot up.

Im not sure if the A16 offers any major advantages over the a14 or a15, but i just wouldnt risk using it.

Regards,
Carlos

jg3arrow · Answer

Please tell me if you have heard of this problem before: I have a Latitude C600 that I bought from Dell reconditioned, without an OS on it. I put Windows XP on it, then found out it originally had 2000 Pro. I needed to update the BIOS because it was version A05, which doesn't even support XP (hence the reason why I assume my USB, NIC and audio jacks don't work). The most current upgrade is now version A23. When I follow the download procedure, I can't make the floppy because I get an error message that says, 'system cannot open COM1 port requested by the application' and the installation terminates. I tried downloading older BIOS update versions instead (A06, A13, A14, A16, A22) and none of them lets me get through the upgrade process either. I encounter some kind of problem (usually different ones) with each one. How do I solve this? I've seen your postings on burning a CD instead of messing with the floppies. Is that a better way to try to do this? Is it possible my old floppy drive module isn't compatible somehow? Haven't found anyone at Dell support who speaks English as a first language, much less is able to understand me and offer meaningful help.

chapmasj · Answer

It sounds to me like you are suffering from some other problem (bad memory perhaps). Creation of the BIOS update bootable floppy is not normally problematic (apart from if the floppy drive or disk itself is faulty).

I'd try running the dell diagnostics first and see what results you get out of it. If the machine does not come out as 100% OK, then don't even think about updating the BIOS until you've fixed the other problems first.

leduke30 · Answer

If your floppy drive is usable internally in a bay-and not on a cable- try the Flash that way. Before you do the actual Flash, see if your Laptop will boot to an A: prompt with a W98 Boot Disk in the floppy. If it will, swapout the bootdisk for the Flash Floppy, then type and enter the Flash Executable Command at the A: prompt. You never said whether you were trying to do the Flash docked, but DON'T.

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Latitude BIOS Upgrade

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