Question about BIOS flashing...

Question

I just flashed the BIOS of my new Inspiron XPS Gen 2 laptop to A02. It came with A01 from factory. I was very hesitant before doing so due to the horror stories I read online where people flashed their BIOS and all they saw was a black screen after the flashing. When my laptop was flashing its BIOS, the fan noise was relatively higher and it took only 10 seconds or so. And computer functions normal so far, but during the process I was having a heart attack, fearing something might go wrong. A few years ago I tried to flash a Compaq Presario with th software I downloaded from their website and computer just died during flashing process. It completed the flashing process alright but never came back on. My question is 1) Why did the fan speed go higher? 2) How often do BIOS updates get released?

I am in Korea right now and if it messes up, I know I will have heck of a hard time to have it fixed... It feels like I got lucky this time and it worked, but don't know about next time, can I trust Dell BIOS updates?

Thanks...

leduke30 · Answer

Hi Army,

Did you flash by starting when up under Windows? That is the method that gives the most bad Flashes. The file you downloaded can be also be sent to a Sytem Disk Floppy and then the flash done in a DOS environment; this is a far safer method. The System Disk can be made under W-XP by opening A:\ Drive with a formatted Diskette and selecting Format from the menu, then Checkmarking create a MS-DOS startup disk. Then using SEND TO****. send the BIOS executable to that Diskette, move the Diskette to the laptop and boot up. You will come up in DOS to do your flash

Bushmaster78FS · Answer

Hi leduke,

Actually I did the flash from Windows, and as it was described, it shut all windows down and then shut down the system and flashed the BIOS. It worked good. But there is always a question mark in my mind, what if this time it fails? It happened with the Compaq I had few years back and that one even had a flashing utility that created a startup floppy. Moreover, I don't have a floppy drive in this XPS Gen2 I have right now :)

Hopefully there won't be anymore BIOS updates in the next year while I am here in Korea, or I will have heart attacks each time I try to flash this BIOS. One thing to consider though is technology and programming changed since 2001 when I messed my Compaq up with flashing utility. Maybe I will never have problems with Dell BIOS updates.

leduke30 · Answer

The majority problem with the Harddrive Flash method comes from the restart to do the flash in DOS. I did one once just to see what was involved with a CPtV. When it restarted to  boot into DOS, the hair stood up on the back of my neck and then it made a comment about the remote flash, i held my breath until it was over and successfully rebooted. While it was successful, i could see several spots where it could go wrong. With the Floppy method, you start in DOS and get prompts to take the necessary actions to do the flash. I would get a floppy before you do another update, if a DOS bootable Floppy is available for your XPS. It has been 54 years since I was in 'frozen Chosen', but I know the feeling of being cutoff from things American. If you are not familiar with the word Chosen, that was the Japanese name for Korea. Message Edited by leduke30 on 06-13-2005 01:19 AM

Bushmaster78FS · Answer

@Bay Wolf wrote:

Another word, if you are not having problems with your notebook, there probably is no reason to update the BIOS. In other words, if the BIOS update does not fix a problem that you are having, don't update the BIOS.

And I want to thank you for serving our country in the military. My Dad served during the Korean conflict. It was a little before my time. :smileywink:

Thank you all...

So I don't have to do this at all? I thought since we update most software and hardware drivers, we should do that to BIOS. Believe me I don't want to do it, because I already messed up one computer in 2001. Well, I am not having any problems with my laptop, I am very happy with it. Only thing I can think of is that the minor clicking of the Hitachi HDD and major clicking of the NEC DVD drive when you start the computer. I already put out a post on that but didn't get replies.Yes my DVD when you turn on the computer or restart it, making a horrible noise, like an old floppy drive, it goes "rrrrrrrttttt" There is no disc in it when it does this. When there is a disc you can just hear spinning the disc.

That is all...

Thanks for your kind words, I am so lonely on my borthday away from home, but I love my country and take pride in serving. My first overseas tour and I can't wait to go back home and kiss my American soil!

Bay Wolf · Answer

You can also flash the BIOS from a USB memory key. At least that is what I do with my I8600c. Then just run the BIOS flash from the memory key. I always recommend that the BIOS flash be run from DOS. NOT THE HARD DRIVE FROM WITHIN WINDOWS!

I know that some have used the hard drive method successfully. But why chance it.

Another word, if you are not having problems with your notebook, there probably is no reason to update the BIOS. In other words, if the BIOS update does not fix a problem that you are having, don't update the BIOS.

And I want to thank you for serving our country in the military. My Dad served during the Korean conflict. It was a little before my time. :smileywink:

Bay Wolf · Answer

I am not sure what the BIOS update corrects on this particular notebook but you can find out by reading the text file that is with the download.  It will explain what the update corrects.  If you are not having an issue with what it corrects, just don't update the BIOS.   For instance, the BIOS update may correct an issue with using a PCMCIA card.  If you don't use one, why update?   As for the Hitachi drive clicking, keep your data files backed up.  I am not saying this is going to happen, but sometimes with that drive when the clicking starts, it may mean that the hard drive is going to fail.  It has been coined 'the click of death'.  It's just a precaution.  I too, have a Hitachi hard drive (7K60) and it clicks every once in a while.  But it has been doing that for almost 2 years and it is running just fine.  Now the clicking that I describe doesn't happen all the time and is not very loud.   And I hope that you had a VERY Happy Birthday.

Bushmaster78FS · Answer

Thanks... Do you happen to know what is wrong with the DVD drive?

leduke30 · Answer

There are CD disks that have a small brush to clean the Laser Heads. I may just be dirty. That's worth a shot.

When I was there in 1950-51, I was at Taegu AirBase(K-2). God keep you safe in your service, and BW, Tell your old man I said Hi.

Bay Wolf · Answer

leducke30, I will definately pass on a hello. My kids interviewed my father about his military experience and I have captured it here. This is a rare event that my Father talked about his life in the military.

leduke30 · Answer

A very nice piece, BW. I worked with an Ex-marine during my second career as a Police Officer who had been at the Chosin Reservoir fight and retreat to Hamhung Harbor. He did not talk much about his service either. He and I decided that the reason most veterans are not talkative is that while they are proud to have served their nation, they are not proud of what they had to do as part of that service.

Bay Wolf · Answer

I thank you for the compliment.   I am very proud of my Father.

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Question about BIOS flashing...

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