I believe Dell/Phoenix fixed one aspect of the problem but the fix opened up a new problem. The original problem of lost F2 and F12 always happened immediately after the BIOS flashing process. This problem happens while in Win 8 under Advanced Startup options using Shift + RESTART and did not appear until a week after A14 was installed in my motherboard. Glitch appears to have damaged the HDD boot image as well.
My main concern is that Dell forensically analyse my system and fix the BIOS software. I am sending the whole works back so I am hoping but I have no definitive statement that software designers are really going to see it. It may still just get fixed and sent back to me. The whole episode proves that sometimes it pays to delay release in order to test thoroughly. I believe the engineers in charge of this design at Dell and Phoenix should be given this exact laptop model as their daily primary computer until there are no more complaints so that they have to live and breath with it.
This morning Windows 8 failed to resume from the sleep mode I put it in yesterday. Instead it launched linux (which is in the default EFI/Boot option). I did manage to get back into the BIOS setup and it turns out the list of boot options had been wiped again, with only network boot remaining. Somehow it was falling back to EFI/Boot/bootx64.efi, instead of the default Windows partition that it used to pick in the past, when it was completely ignoring the whole ESP partition setup.
I almost don't dare to ask, but when can we expect A15? What other alternatives do we have? Sending back the whole machine doesn't make sense when the replacement will likely have the same bios/problems.
Yes, F2 and F12 still worked and I was able to add another boot option, save it and use it to boot into windows. I am not going to experiment any more with it than absolutely necessary.
It is just frightening that first Bill had his settings corrupted and now mine got deleted by themselves.
Bill I feel for you guy,third motherboard??I'm glad you sent it in.I can't believe Dell and associated companies are not able to iron this out.I'm not betting on A15 at all,which could be another 4 - 5 months down the road.This is disappointing.Sorry to hear about some of the malfunctioning laptops.
I got the computer back today and what a relief that it had a new motherboard and hard drive. I was not looking forward to installing all my software in the new drive but fortunately they sent my old drive back in a separate antistatic bag and I was able to make it boot and load my personal data back. I certainly let Dell know through three different managers that they should have Dell engineers diagnose my motherboard with A14 but I doubt a proper analysis can be done without my hard drive. It crashed in Advanced Startup options in Win 8 Windows Boot Manager where "Setup" is picked as an equivalent to an F2 on power-up (part of the UEFI standard). It was the interaction of the BIOS with Win 8 that corrupted my BIOS flash memory (6 days after the flash) rather than the flashing process itself for the first two bad motherboards. I am keeping to A13 until I hear more positive feedback from users on the next update. Dell was really very good at getting it fixed but I do wish they would make the design engineers eat, live, sleep and breath with a 7720 as their daily computer until they fix all the BIOS problems. Three motherboards corrupting the BIOS memory is about all I can take. Upside is that I am learning lots.
Side Note: looks like every motherboard has a unique Windows 8 Activation Key in the BIOS but as long as the Asset Tag remains the same - the hard drive automatically captures the key and boots okay so that a total Win 8 install is not required. Thankfully!
I wanted to touch base with all of you. If anyone is still having problems booting to Windows on your 17r and 17r SE Dell has published the following document.
This does require Windows 8 OS media either a CD/DVD or a USB key. If you are still having problems booting to Windows 8 and don't have the media please shoot me a private message with the service tag of your computer.
I've just ordered a 17RSE and my specs clearly state " Module,Label,Intel,No Bios,CI72" so that was interesting.
Also, as a network tech, we had a Microsoft sales team come in and try to sell us on Windows 8, and they clearly stated with Windows 8 "you don't need a bios, you can do everything in the control panel" (which got a lot of LOLZ from the techs.) So take that as you will.
I really wish I could have ordered it with Windows 7. Sigh.
Update;My BIOS appears to be functioning properly(A14).Recently upgraded to an SSD and the BIOS allowed me to get into and out of as needed.Also performed a clean install of Windows 8 and was able to enter BIOS to boot from CD/DVD.Right now the BIOS is set up this way,AHCI - UEFI - LEGACY ROM ENABLED,SECURE BOOT OFF,this has been working for me for a week now.I don't do as much with this computer as some of the folks in here,but this is working good for me,seems very stable this way.
Did anyone tried to update bios to A15 version. May i know what are the changes on A15 and is the GPU clock speed has been fix?.. Or did you encountered some problem on bios after updating to A15 version.
if the A15 has good feedback then i will update my Bios A14 to A15.
kris clores
13 Posts
0
May 15th, 2013 21:00
Aw... i thought it was fix the issue it looks like they just hard reset the bios and did not fix the bug.... better to use legacy boot...
Bill Alsip
92 Posts
0
May 19th, 2013 15:00
I believe Dell/Phoenix fixed one aspect of the problem but the fix opened up a new problem. The original problem of lost F2 and F12 always happened immediately after the BIOS flashing process. This problem happens while in Win 8 under Advanced Startup options using Shift + RESTART and did not appear until a week after A14 was installed in my motherboard. Glitch appears to have damaged the HDD boot image as well.
My main concern is that Dell forensically analyse my system and fix the BIOS software. I am sending the whole works back so I am hoping but I have no definitive statement that software designers are really going to see it. It may still just get fixed and sent back to me. The whole episode proves that sometimes it pays to delay release in order to test thoroughly. I believe the engineers in charge of this design at Dell and Phoenix should be given this exact laptop model as their daily primary computer until there are no more complaints so that they have to live and breath with it.
dterrahe
7 Posts
0
May 27th, 2013 01:00
This morning Windows 8 failed to resume from the sleep mode I put it in yesterday. Instead it launched linux (which is in the default EFI/Boot option). I did manage to get back into the BIOS setup and it turns out the list of boot options had been wiped again, with only network boot remaining. Somehow it was falling back to EFI/Boot/bootx64.efi, instead of the default Windows partition that it used to pick in the past, when it was completely ignoring the whole ESP partition setup.
I almost don't dare to ask, but when can we expect A15? What other alternatives do we have? Sending back the whole machine doesn't make sense when the replacement will likely have the same bios/problems.
kris clores
13 Posts
0
May 27th, 2013 07:00
Hi, question is the bios keys F2 and F12 still working 'accessible' ?
dterrahe
7 Posts
0
May 27th, 2013 12:00
Yes, F2 and F12 still worked and I was able to add another boot option, save it and use it to boot into windows. I am not going to experiment any more with it than absolutely necessary.
It is just frightening that first Bill had his settings corrupted and now mine got deleted by themselves.
jondy7720
16 Posts
0
May 29th, 2013 00:00
Bill I feel for you guy,third motherboard??I'm glad you sent it in.I can't believe Dell and associated companies are not able to iron this out.I'm not betting on A15 at all,which could be another 4 - 5 months down the road.This is disappointing.Sorry to hear about some of the malfunctioning laptops.
Bill Alsip
92 Posts
0
May 31st, 2013 23:00
I got the computer back today and what a relief that it had a new motherboard and hard drive. I was not looking forward to installing all my software in the new drive but fortunately they sent my old drive back in a separate antistatic bag and I was able to make it boot and load my personal data back. I certainly let Dell know through three different managers that they should have Dell engineers diagnose my motherboard with A14 but I doubt a proper analysis can be done without my hard drive. It crashed in Advanced Startup options in Win 8 Windows Boot Manager where "Setup" is picked as an equivalent to an F2 on power-up (part of the UEFI standard). It was the interaction of the BIOS with Win 8 that corrupted my BIOS flash memory (6 days after the flash) rather than the flashing process itself for the first two bad motherboards. I am keeping to A13 until I hear more positive feedback from users on the next update. Dell was really very good at getting it fixed but I do wish they would make the design engineers eat, live, sleep and breath with a 7720 as their daily computer until they fix all the BIOS problems. Three motherboards corrupting the BIOS memory is about all I can take. Upside is that I am learning lots.
Side Note: looks like every motherboard has a unique Windows 8 Activation Key in the BIOS but as long as the Asset Tag remains the same - the hard drive automatically captures the key and boots okay so that a total Win 8 install is not required. Thankfully!
ath-geo
7 Posts
0
June 4th, 2013 09:00
Has anybody had those problems with a windows 7 Inspiron 7720?
Is it possible that the problem came up with the "need" to use Windows8 and the UEFI BIOS that came along is an "explosive" combination in this model?
Damned M$ did it again.
Dell should opt to give us win7 in order to stop corrupting the BIOS.
halv2m3r
1 Message
0
June 11th, 2013 11:00
I have this problem too, when you got the answer tellme...
DELL-Terry B
4 Operator
•
3.5K Posts
0
June 18th, 2013 10:00
I wanted to touch base with all of you. If anyone is still having problems booting to Windows on your 17r and 17r SE Dell has published the following document.
This does require Windows 8 OS media either a CD/DVD or a USB key. If you are still having problems booting to Windows 8 and don't have the media please shoot me a private message with the service tag of your computer.
TB
ath-geo
7 Posts
0
June 18th, 2013 11:00
I guess I was right when I was saying (2posts above) that windows8 was to blaim...
Can't wait to find the time to install windows7 on my laptop.
threnners
19 Posts
0
June 22nd, 2013 07:00
I've just ordered a 17RSE and my specs clearly state " Module,Label,Intel,No Bios,CI72" so that was interesting.
Also, as a network tech, we had a Microsoft sales team come in and try to sell us on Windows 8, and they clearly stated with Windows 8 "you don't need a bios, you can do everything in the control panel" (which got a lot of LOLZ from the techs.) So take that as you will.
I really wish I could have ordered it with Windows 7. Sigh.
jondy7720
16 Posts
0
June 23rd, 2013 04:00
Update;My BIOS appears to be functioning properly(A14).Recently upgraded to an SSD and the BIOS allowed me to get into and out of as needed.Also performed a clean install of Windows 8 and was able to enter BIOS to boot from CD/DVD.Right now the BIOS is set up this way,AHCI - UEFI - LEGACY ROM ENABLED,SECURE BOOT OFF,this has been working for me for a week now.I don't do as much with this computer as some of the folks in here,but this is working good for me,seems very stable this way.
B0real
40 Posts
0
July 16th, 2013 20:00
A14 was ok for me too. A15... I lost again my access to bios....
kris clores
13 Posts
0
July 19th, 2013 23:00
Hi everyone,
Did anyone tried to update bios to A15 version. May i know what are the changes on A15 and is the GPU clock speed has been fix?.. Or did you encountered some problem on bios after updating to A15 version.
if the A15 has good feedback then i will update my Bios A14 to A15.
thanks.....