Dell Precision M4700 System BIOS

Dell Fast Boot BIOS Feature:
The Dell Win8 Released BIOS adds a new feature called Fast Boot. When upgrading from a Pre-Win8 Released BIOS to a Win8 Released BIOS this feature will be set in Thorough mode. Setting this feature in Minimal will cause USB devices/ports to be disabled in the pre-OS environment. If you are dependent on USB devices in the pre-OS environment this setting should remain in the Thorough mode setting.

Upgrading and Downgrading between Currently Released BIOS Images (Pre-Win8 Released BIOS) and Win8 Feature Enhanced BIOS Images (Win8 Released BIOS)

Upgrading:
The new Win8 Released BIOS contains new features and behavior, but the upgrade process for the end user is still unchanged. Simply run the EXE application normally and the BIOS will handle incorporating the new features and logic with your current settings. After the upgrade, you will immediately see that one of the visible changes is to the logo screen during boot, which only displays the logo at a larger size with no other information or text.

Downgrading:
Once a machine has a Win8 Released BIOS running on it, downgrading to a Pre-Win8 Released BIOS requires removing some unique functionality and security enhancements that are only present in a Win8 Released BIOS. This downgrade process described here is specific to Win8 Released BIOS to Pre-Win8 Released BIOS transitions ONLY, and does not affect the normal rules/operations for downgrades of Pre-Win8 Released BIOS to an older Pre-Win8 Released BIOS, or Win8 Released BIOS to an older Win8 Released BIOS.
To install a Pre-Win8 Released BIOS on a machine running a Win8 Released BIOS, you will still use the same EXE application released for the BIOS version you wish to go to. When in Windows or DOS, your interaction with the application will be the same, but upon the machine restarting in order to do the update you will be prompted to accept the actions required in order to downgrade the machine and then prompted enter your admin password (if set). These prompts can not be accepted remotely and must be accepted by using an attached or built-in keyboard.
Due to compatibility of features, and ensuring platform stability, the only way to downgrade is to reset all the settings in the machine to a default factory state as if it had been shipped with a Pre-Win8 Released BIOS; specifically including defaulting the boot mode to Legacy (not UEFI), removing all passwords, and defaulting all user selectable settings. The following is retained on the machine (all other settings are reset): Windows Keys (if present), Service Tag, Asset Tag, Ownership Tag, Manufacturing Date, Ownership Date, and Express Service Code.
Downgrading is blocked if either Secure Boot is on or if Computrace has been activated. Due to security rules and protecting our machines from malicious attacks, if a user wishes to downgrade he/she must first ensure both of these are disabled or off. (Machines that are shipped out of the factory with Win8 Operating System are required to have Secure Boot initially on.)
After running the application, accepting the downgrading conditions prompts after restart, and the BIOS downgrading process is finished, the platform will be operating with the Pre-Win8 Released BIOS you desired. You may then go to the Firmware Setup to change settings and configure the machine as needed.

Quickly Identifying if You Have a Win8 Released BIOS Installed:
To quickly tell if a machine has a Win8 Released BIOS on it, check if the boot screen does not display the model name and BIOS version under the logo. This information, model name and BIOS version, are now found in the F12 menu on a Win8 BIOS.)

Installation Instructions for the Universal (Windows/ DOS) format

1. Download file to Desktop

2. Use one of the methods below to flash the Bios.

Run the BIOS update utility from Windows environment

Run the BIOS update utility from DOS environment (Non-Windows users)


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Download file to Desktop

The file M4700A05.exe is using the Universal (Windows/ DOS) format and is designed to be directly executed from Windows environment.


1. Click Download now.The File Download window appears.

2. Click the Save button.The Save As window appears.

3. Select Desktop using the drop-down menu to the right of Save in.

4. Click the Save button.A progress meter moves as the download is completed.

5. If necessary, click X in the upper right-hand corner of the Download Progress Window to close it upon completion.

NOTE: Shut down all other applications prior to running the BIOS update utility. The update utility reboots your system in order to get the new BIOS loaded.

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Run the BIOS update utility from Windows environment


1. Double click the Icon on your desktop labeled M4700A05.exe.The Dell BIOS Flash window appears

2. Click the Continue button.The message Pressing OK will close all applications, shut down Windows, Flash the BIOS, then reboot. appears.

3. Click the OK button.The system will restart and the BIOS Flash will be completed.


Run the BIOS update utility from DOS environment (Non-Windows users)
NOTE: You will need to provide a bootable DOS USB key. This executable file does not create the DOS system files.

1. Copy the file M4700A05.exe to a bootable USB key.

2. Boot from the USB key to the DOS prompt.

3. Run the file by typing Y:\M4700A05.exe (where y is the drive letter where the executable is located).

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Note: Please make sure you suspend BitLocker encryption before updating BIOS on a BitLocker enabled system.
If you doesn't enable BitLocker on your system you can ignore it.