Prev: Replacing a Dell case/CPU fan
Next: sdvd8820 drive burns at 4X speed on 8X setting on TDK media. any solution?
From: paulmd on 22 Jan 2007 12:24

Ron Hardin wrote:
> Spam Trapper
> wrote:>http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=gen&releaseid=R143459&SystemID=INSPIRONI6400/E1505&os=WW1&osl=en&deviceid=10430&devlib=0&t
> > >Latest is a12.
> > >
> > >Click the "other versions" link, to browse older revisions.
> > >
> > >BIOS: Dell Inspiron 6400/E1505 System BIOS, English, Inspiron MM061,
> > >A11
> > >1. Thermal control enhancement.
> > >
> > >
> > >BIOS: Dell Inspiron 6400/E1505 System BIOS, English, Inspiron MM061,
> > >A08
> > >
> > >Enhancements
> > >6. Update thermal control.
> > >
> > >
> > >BIOS: Dell Inspiron 6400/E1505 System BIOS, English, Inspiron MM061,
> > >A07
> > >
> > >
> > >Enhancements
> > >------------
> > >1. Improve system performance.
>
> Mine are both A10. What's involved in upgrading the BIOS? It sounds like something
> that will leave you dead in the water if it doens't work ; the thread at Dell Formus
> said it didn't help the problem, and furthermore the machine didn't work with the
> new BIOS, which is not reassuring, so they had to upgrade back.
>


The 'leave you dead in the water' events are VERY rare. Besides, the
Dell Phone tech suggested it TOO :). Downgrading the BIOS is easy
enough, but having to downgrade is very rare.


The one Dead in the water event on this forum i recall seeing, Dell
replaced the motherboard under warranty.

Anyway, the procedure is simple enough
*Go to support.dell.com
*enter your service tag or model number
*Select your Operating system
*click the link that says "flashBios updates"
*Download and run the program
*follow the prompts, and don't reset or power down your systems while
the upgrade is happening. In fact, if you're the nervous type, just
walk away for five or ten minutes. (it averages about 1 minute)

*You might have to reset the time and date, but I've not had to do this
on any recent Dell.

The alternate theory on your systems is that you either have a whole
lot of dead temperature sensors, or there's a short somewhere, or SOME
bad component. IN which case, get the board replaced under warranty.
Don't put up with it.


> --
> Ron Hardin
> rhhardin(a)mindspring.com
>
> On the internet, nobody knows you're a jerk.

From: Spam Trapper on 22 Jan 2007 18:51
I agree with paulmd. I have upgraded the BIOS on several of my home
PCs and never had a problem. Not to say that it is impossible to
"brick" your PC but it is very unlikely. Especially since it is a
laptop and you can both plug it in and have a battery built-in in case
the power should go out during the flash.

On 22 Jan 2007 09:24:00 -0800, "paulmd(a)efn.org" <paulmd(a)efn.org>
wrote:

>
>Ron Hardin wrote:
>> Spam Trapper
>> wrote:>http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=gen&releaseid=R143459&SystemID=INSPIRONI6400/E1505&os=WW1&osl=en&deviceid=10430&devlib=0&t
>> > >Latest is a12.
>> > >
>> > >Click the "other versions" link, to browse older revisions.
>> > >
>> > >BIOS: Dell Inspiron 6400/E1505 System BIOS, English, Inspiron MM061,
>> > >A11
>> > >1. Thermal control enhancement.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >BIOS: Dell Inspiron 6400/E1505 System BIOS, English, Inspiron MM061,
>> > >A08
>> > >
>> > >Enhancements
>> > >6. Update thermal control.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >BIOS: Dell Inspiron 6400/E1505 System BIOS, English, Inspiron MM061,
>> > >A07
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >Enhancements
>> > >------------
>> > >1. Improve system performance.
>>
>> Mine are both A10. What's involved in upgrading the BIOS? It sounds like something
>> that will leave you dead in the water if it doens't work ; the thread at Dell Formus
>> said it didn't help the problem, and furthermore the machine didn't work with the
>> new BIOS, which is not reassuring, so they had to upgrade back.
>>
>
>
>The 'leave you dead in the water' events are VERY rare. Besides, the
>Dell Phone tech suggested it TOO :). Downgrading the BIOS is easy
>enough, but having to downgrade is very rare.
>
>
>The one Dead in the water event on this forum i recall seeing, Dell
>replaced the motherboard under warranty.
>
>Anyway, the procedure is simple enough
>*Go to support.dell.com
>*enter your service tag or model number
>*Select your Operating system
>*click the link that says "flashBios updates"
>*Download and run the program
>*follow the prompts, and don't reset or power down your systems while
>the upgrade is happening. In fact, if you're the nervous type, just
>walk away for five or ten minutes. (it averages about 1 minute)
>
>*You might have to reset the time and date, but I've not had to do this
>on any recent Dell.
>
>The alternate theory on your systems is that you either have a whole
>lot of dead temperature sensors, or there's a short somewhere, or SOME
>bad component. IN which case, get the board replaced under warranty.
>Don't put up with it.
>
>
>> --
>> Ron Hardin
>> rhhardin(a)mindspring.com
>>
>> On the internet, nobody knows you're a jerk.
From: Dan on 22 Jan 2007 21:13
It's interesting that you said this, I've had bad thermal sensors on
some brand-new out-of-the-box Dimension E520's. Dell sends everything
but the motherboard. Maybe Dell got a bad batch of thermal sensors?

So some reported a temp of 0 and other 255? sounds like a definite
8-bit failure somewhere ;)

Dan

On Mon, 22 Jan 2007 00:58:19 GMT, Ron Hardin <rhhardin(a)mindspring.com>
wrote:

>Ok, in the slow-boot Inspiron saga, I put both of my I6400's, one
>a month old, one two weeks, in an unheated bedroom (48 F) for an
>hour and ran the diagnostic CD custom test on the thermal sensors.
>
>CPU Thermistor - Sensor range Test
>Test Results: Fail
>Error Code 3900:0626
>Msg: Temperature sensor out of range temp=0C min=10C max=100C
>
>ditto for
>Other Thermistor
>Video Thermistor
>SODIMM Thermistor
>
>except these three reported temp=255C
>
>which probably accounts for the fan on.
>
>The theory is that the CPU and/or memory and/or cache gets throttled
>and the whole thing runs extremely slowly, and that's why you don't
>get a desktop for ten minutes.
>
>Since 2 recent 6400's both failed, I'd assume that they all do.
>
>A software fix would seem to be easy. Don't believe 255C at bootup.
From: Ron Hardin on 23 Jan 2007 05:31
Dan wrote:
>
> It's interesting that you said this, I've had bad thermal sensors on
> some brand-new out-of-the-box Dimension E520's. Dell sends everything
> but the motherboard. Maybe Dell got a bad batch of thermal sensors?

The Dell forums thread had somebody with the problem whose I6400 had
been working all summer and ``suddenly'' started getting this, so
maybe it's more than recent, and more a matter of whether your machine
gets cold.

--
Ron Hardin
rhhardin(a)mindspring.com

On the internet, nobody knows you're a jerk.
First  |  Prev  | 
Pages: 1 2 3
Prev: Replacing a Dell case/CPU fan
Next: sdvd8820 drive burns at 4X speed on 8X setting on TDK media. any solution?