Reinstalled Windows 7 OS with SP1. BIOS shows version A03. Should I update BIOS?

The easiest way is download the bios file to my downloads folder and double click to run.  Windows 7 is no longer supported and won't get security update.  If you don't have any specific applications which required windows 7, I suggest to do a windows 10 fresh install and activate it with your windows 7 product key.

Re: I like to maintain a bit more control of what I download, and when I do it. It's my understanding that updates are automatic whether one likes it or not

If you install Win 10 Pro you could set up group policy to disable automatic update.

Thanks, Chino de Oro. I'm happy with Windows 7 and am not overly worried about the security updates. I'll update what I can once I get a WiFi card installed. I just helped someone that had a computer meltdown. She was running W7 too. She lost access to Windows Security Essentials so I had to install another aftermarket antivirus. It may be Avast. I can't remember for sure. I'm not sure what I'll install on my Inspiron. Presently it's no worry at all, as I have no internet access, so it has no access to me through that machine.

I'm fighting Windows 10/11 because I like to maintain a bit more control of what I download, and when I do it. It's my understanding that updates are automatic whether one likes it or not. Well, I don't like it. But that's just me tilting at MS windmills.

So I guess I can get the updated BIOS from Dell support? If so, I'll give it a shot. Thanks for that info.

Oh, and one other question that somebody might be able to answer for me. I installed Samsung 4x2GB DDR3/1066 memory in the Inspiron. This was the maximum shown in the 560/570 user manual. But for some reason when I checked the real numbers using freshly downloaded Speccy, it shows the RAM being 8.00 GB Dual Channel DDR3 @533MHz (7,7,7,20). It looks like something knocked the speed down by 1/2 somehow? Any input, anyone? Many thanks. Cheers.

Re: It looks like something knocked the speed down by 1/2 somehow

it is normal because it is DDR3 memory which stands for double data rate

The data rate (in MT/s) is twice the I/O bus clock (in MHz) due to the double data rate of DDR memory.

The SMBIOS Version reflects the capabilities of the BIOS and essentially corresponds to the current capabilities at the time the system was manufactured. The BIOS Version is model specific and increments when BIOS Updates are installed (these do not change the SMBIOS Version). BIOS Updates are essentially firmware fixes made by the models manufacturer. Some systems will receive a lot of BIOS Updates as they have a lot of firmware fixes and other systems may have very few. 

Both the Inspiron 570 and XPS 8300 are Legacy Models. The Last BIOS Version for either is A06 (which is a coincidence) and the BIOS Versions here are not related.

In general the BIOS Update should make the system perform well but on older models such as the two listed there is a chance of a failed BIOS Update. This is a relatively rare occurrence but a failed BIOS Update will brick the motherboard. New systems have a UEFI BIOS with numerous BIOS Recovery Options to prevent this issue.

regarding Windows security essentials, it's actually called Microsoft Security Essentials and it's still available for download from this Microsoft page (for Windows 7)

Thanks for the link, 3 Argentum. It actually looked promising at first, but now I'm not so sure. I tried installing MSE twice through the link. It may have partially worked, but it would stop near the end of what looked like a successful updating and sent me to a MS page that said MSE was not longer available. I installed w/o the updates, but the console shows that real-time protection won't be enabled either w/o updating. Then, of course, MS blocks the update. Thanks anyway.

@MrRounder -  If you can't get MSE to install, there are other free antiviral apps available for Win 7, though I don't know which ones are still being updated.

At least Avira's free version is supposed to be supported for Win 7 through end of 2022 so check for others too...