BIOS update availability

Question

I really appreciate the work of the linux.dell.com community but i wonder why dell doesn't 'natively' support linux based operation systems on their products. I do know that there are several bundles based on linux os and I am aware of the fact that some manufacturers do not maintain any support for alternatives to MS. But as in my case, I got a Vostro 1510 and never booted up the preinstalled Windows. As I recognized a BIOS update for this type of laptop being labeled as 'recommended' I thought about upgrading. So I looked at the drivers page for this series. A new BIOS version numbered A15 is available but only as Windows update. I had a look inside the downloaded .exe file and only found the WinPhlash utility, meaning that this update is only available for those running Windows at least in dualboot. I also had a look into the hdr repository and couldn't find my System ID (which is 0x0273 btw.) so, no chance to update it that way either. What puzzled me a bit is the fact that there is a Linux version of their own Diognostics Utility available but no support for the BIOS. So my idea to Dell would be to make the BIOS available to those not using Windows either by a DOS version of the flash utility or - just a thought - implementing it to the Diagnostics tool. If there is anyone who knows a way of upgrading the BIOS of a Dell Vostro Laptop WITHOUT Windows: I would be fond of any solution ...

Fish_Face · Answer

I'm in the same boat trying to perform a BIOS upgrade without windows on a Vostro 1510.

I've tried running the updater under WINE (this failed, predictably), updating using the recommended SMBIOS technique but, as the OP says, there is no HDR file for this system, and I have tried using biosdisk to create a bootable DOS environment with the downloadable executable. Of course, the download is Windows only, with some snazzy GUI and no option to install updates using a DOS disk.

I was wondering whether biosdisk could use the BIOS.ROM file from the WinPhlash directory, or else if you could somehow convince it to install that directory to an image and then run WinPhlash from the commandline.

Any advice would be welcome

Pinsleepe · Answer

I've tried running the updater under WINE (this failed, predictably)

or, one could say as a more logical operating system would do "I can''t so I won't" ...

I put this up as an idea on ideastorm on this site (you can find the link on the right menue bar)

Search for Easy BIOS upgrade. There you can promote the idea of an BIOS flash utility from DOS or, as I suggested there, from within a Dell utility. Maybe that one would help ...

Fish_Face · Answer

I actually succeeded in flashing the BIOS, but it took a bit of guesswork. It turns out the WinPhlash utility that you can download to update the BIOS installs itself from the self-extracter into windows/temp/WINPHLASH/. In that directory is a file called BIOS.ROM which is suitable for flashing with the older phlash16.exe DOS executable.

My first idea, which failed (skip if you like!) was to rename BIOS.ROM to BIOS.IMG and use biosdisk to make a boot entry to flash it. I don't know where the problem lies - whether biosdisk's methodology doesn't support that kind of image, or whether biosdisk is just broken. Either way when I tried to boot it just hung at the "booting..." part. It would not respond to any keyboard commands, but turned off with a

So, I mounted up the V15xxxx.img file biosdisk had put in /boot/ and pulled out the windows-only .EXE, replacing it with BIOS.ROM and phlash16.exe which you can get from DELL if you google a bit. Booting that entry of course complains that the file referenced by autoexec.bat is no longer there but then you can just type phlash16.exe BIOS.ROM and it'll do it.

I suppose I should write this method in a few wikis so people can find it. In terms of suggesting things to DELL, the first thing they could do is provide the BIOS images without you having to mess about with a self-extracting windows-only utility. They could also modify biosdisk to accept those BIOS images.

Pinsleepe · Answer

OK, thanks for this workaround ...

I had some somewhat similar ideas and tried a bootable usb-stick with the BIOS.ROM on it but couldn't get the phlash16.

I suppose I should write this method in a few wikis so people can find it.

Yes, that would help out a lot of people, I think...

In terms of suggesting things to DELL, the first thing they could do is provide the BIOS images without you having to mess about with a self-extracting windows-only utility. They could also modify biosdisk to accept those BIOS images.

Yepp, that's why i suggested an integration into one of their own utilities, which are available as img files and run on "self-constructed" O/S. But just providing a gz file would be too nice ...

Fish_Face · Answer

Well, I have updated the page on the Ubuntu wiki since that is my OS... While I was reading the page it said that the 'install' method of biosdisk doesn't work in ubuntu... But this is exactly the method I used to do this - does anyone know why it's not supposed to work? (biosdisk source hasn't revealed anything to me)

Pinsleepe · Answer

Woahh, that was kind of rough ...

I did it as you described it at the ubuntu wiki. It does work but I'd like to warn everyone reading this:

DON'T update the BIOS late at night except you are alone - the speakers don't stop beeping

BE PREPARED for a really unexpected reboot of the system - this took me out of thinking leaving me for seconds of fear of having bricked my laptop.

@Fish_Face:

Thank you well for that "walkthrough"

@DELL:

If you are looking for new ways of satisfying your customers: MAKE THE BIOS UPDATES AVAILABLE FOR ALL O/S!!

Locked Topics – Laptops General

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