How can I go back to an earlier BIOS release?

Question

This has been the most frustrating and unrewarding process I have been involved in for quite some time. It started out with an old Inspiron 8200 running XP which was exactly the platform that I needed for some automotive diagnostic software.  It ran fine from the A/C adapter but would not charge either of what was two fairly new batteries. I bought a new A/C adapter but nothing changed.  I bought a new battery and it would not charge it.  The charging light would stay on for a few minutes and then go out.  I bought another battery and had the same problem. I bought a new motherboard and the symptom changed to flashing red/grn charging LED but the result was the same -- the battery would not charge. I bought a new battery charging board and had the same problem.  I took both motherboards out and sat them on cardboard boxes and plugged the batteries in and had the same problem.  I bought another battery and when I plugged it in tonight the BIOS battery status shows that it came with 52% charge but the charging circuit is idle -- not charging.  As with all the aforementioned configurations, the battery charge led flashes constantly 1 green followed by 1 red. The only thing in common with all these different components is BIOS A11.  I read a couple posts where the posters swore that the only way to fix this problem was to go back to BIOS A09. I got a copy of A09 but when it attempts to update it quits because there is already a newer version installed. Does anyone know a way to go back to BIOS A09 from A11? Thanks in advance, Howard

Howard_Woodard · Accepted Answer

I found a thread that explained how to go backwards with the BIOS level here: http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/laptop/f/3518/t/19261642.aspx

It worked but then complained that my processor wasn't supported when I booted up. It still let me start and run Windows XP though.

As for the battery charging issue, it made absolutely no difference -- still blinking one red and one green and not charging -- showing "idle".

This is incredible.

The only thing that hasn't been changed is the display. Every other component has been replaced -- it isn't even the same laptop anymore -- and the symptom has not changed one iota. I thought Windows XP might have something to do with it but it does the same thing whether the laptop is shut off, in BIOS or in Windows.

Appropriate for Halloween I guess...

Anyone have an idea -- besides just tossing it and all of the duplicate parts I now own, into the garbage can?

Howard_Woodard · Answer

Bump... Is there any way to flash a BIOS version that is older than the one currently installed?

Locked Topics – Laptops General

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