BIOS updating?

[Harry]

Hi every one,
I bought a Dell Dimension 8200 P4 1.7 GH 60GB back
in Nov. 2001. The OS now is Windows XP SP2 with
NAV2005 installed.
My query is: When do I know that my BIOS needs updating?
Thanks,


--
Harry Bluebottle

" that all our science, measured against reality,
is primitive and childlike -- and yet it is the most precious thing we
have."
-----The Great Albert Einstein------

 

[Guest]

as a general rule of thumb I only ever update a machines bios if the bios
version will not support something I need it to i.e. large hardrives etc I
don't believe in updating just for the sake of updating, just my personal
opinion before everyone shouts

good luck

 

[Guest]

You can usually only get an update from the mfg web site,if they
have one for youre board,install it,they dont come up with updates
for no reason.

 

[Guest]

Hi every one,
I bought a Dell Dimension 8200 P4 1.7 GH 60GB back
in Nov. 2001. The OS now is Windows XP SP2 with
NAV2005 installed.
My query is: When do I know that my BIOS needs updating?
Thanks,


--
Harry Bluebottle

" that all our science, measured against reality,
is primitive and childlike -- and yet it is the most precious thing we
have."
-----The Great Albert Einstein------

Hi Harry,
Dell makes this very simple and the download and install is step by step
http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/kb/en/document?DN=FA1033387

The BIO's update is included within an .exe file that can be launched from
"within" windows that will shutdown all running programs and reboot your
system the BIO's will extract itself at reboot and install.

Have your service tag # ready,This can be found on a tag attached on the
back of your machine someting like 123ABC1

 

[Lil' Dave]

Hi every one,
I bought a Dell Dimension 8200 P4 1.7 GH 60GB back
in Nov. 2001. The OS now is Windows XP SP2 with
NAV2005 installed.
My query is: When do I know that my BIOS needs updating?
Thanks,


--
Harry Bluebottle

" that all our science, measured against reality,
is primitive and childlike -- and yet it is the most precious thing we
have."
-----The Great Albert Einstein------

You can't know. Reasons follow.
Bios "updates" are usually ill-defined, and seldom are there comparisons
between versions. Since a bios "update" is not thoroughly described, one
cannot know if the "update" will suit your needs. A bios "update" may allow
for one thing, but remove something else in the process. You don't know
until you install it. Bios "updates" are particular to one make/model of a
machine generally speaking. Installing a bios "update" is generally frowned
upon, unless its new version will allow somehitng you really, really, really
want on your PC. If the install botches, there is usually no recovery.
Some recent PCs have a backup bios chp for recovery from this, Check with
Dell.

 

[Harry]

Thanks a lot GROUP, your advices are well taken and much apprecited,
thanks again all.

--
Harry Bluebottle

" that all our science, measured against reality,
is primitive and childlike -- and yet it is the most precious thing we
have."
-----The Great Albert Einstein------

 

[Steve N.]

Hi every one,
I bought a Dell Dimension 8200 P4 1.7 GH 60GB back
in Nov. 2001. The OS now is Windows XP SP2 with
NAV2005 installed.
My query is: When do I know that my BIOS needs updating?
Thanks,

Only update the BIOS when necessary to fix a specific problem. Dell
techs often advise to flash the BIOS for any hardware problem but I
disagree with that advice because if the flash fails (power failure
during the flash or a corrupted BIOS file) you may be left with a
useless box of hardware needing a motherboard replacement. If you do
need to flash a BIOS it's best if a laptop to be running off fully
charged battery, and if a desktop PC running off a UPS.

Steve

 

[Guest]

Only update the BIOS when necessary to fix a specific problem. Dell
techs often advise to flash the BIOS for any hardware problem but I
disagree with that advice because if the flash fails (power failure
during the flash or a corrupted BIOS file) you may be left with a
useless box of hardware needing a motherboard replacement. If you do
need to flash a BIOS it's best if a laptop to be running off fully
charged battery, and if a desktop PC running off a UPS.

Steve

needing a motherboard replacement

That would be "needing a Bio's chip replacement"a whole lot easier and
cheaper that the entire M/B.

 

[FrankV]

I agree with you. Never try to update bios unless something is wrong with
the current version.

Frank

 

[Miss Perspicacia Tick]

You can usually only get an update from the mfg web site,if they
have one for youre board,install it,they dont come up with updates
for no reason.

I apologise for my language, folks, but Andrew the Eejit is the world's
biggest ****wit, and permanent winner of the Moron of the Month Award...

Andrew - you ever heard of the phrase "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"? My
BIOS is two revisions behind, but I've not updated it because the revisions
do not apply to me (they resolved some issues with the onboard sound and
video, neither of which I use). Why on earth would I want to perform
something so potentially risky for absolutely no reason?

I don't know why I bother replying to you, you never return, you just post
your crap and then disappear.

 

[Miss Perspicacia Tick]

needing a motherboard replacement

That would be "needing a Bio's chip replacement"a whole lot easier and
cheaper that the entire M/B.

What's a 'Bio's chip' [/sic/]? It's "BIOS chip" - BIOS is an acronym - Basic
Input Output System - not a plural (though you've not even used it as a
plural - as plurals don't require apostrophes).

And, for some boards, it would be a case of replacing the entire board -
I've seen boards where the chip is soldered on.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Hi every one,
I bought a Dell Dimension 8200 P4 1.7 GH 60GB back
in Nov. 2001. The OS now is Windows XP SP2 with
NAV2005 installed.
My query is: When do I know that my BIOS needs updating?

When you start experiencing a problem that a specific BIOS update is
designed to fix. Until then, there's no need.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Bruce Chambers]

You can usually only get an update from the mfg web site,if they
have one for youre board,install it,they dont come up with updates
for no reason.

Again with the deliberately bad advice? Why are you so determined to
destroy so many other peoples' computers?


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Mike Hall \(MS-MVP\)]

Andrew

I have a computer running a BIOS from 1999.. it has no problems because the
system has no new hardware for which a BIOS upgrade would be necessary..

So what of your statement in this instance?

--
Mike Hall
MVP - Windows Shell/user

 

[Miss Perspicacia Tick]

Again with the deliberately bad advice? Why are you so determined to
destroy so many other peoples' computers?

I don't think he is, Bruce, I have a feeling he's quite a few KB short of
the full MB.... ;o)

 

[Gene K]

Well said.
Gene K

When you start experiencing a problem that a specific BIOS update is
designed to fix. Until then, there's no need.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Guest]

Your are too pickey about grammer ;-)

needing a motherboard replacement

That would be "needing a Bio's chip replacement"a whole lot easier and
cheaper that the entire M/B.

What's a 'Bio's chip' [/sic/]? It's "BIOS chip" - BIOS is an acronym - Basic
Input Output System - not a plural (though you've not even used it as a
plural - as plurals don't require apostrophes).

And, for some boards, it would be a case of replacing the entire board -
I've seen boards where the chip is soldered on.

 

[Guest]

Hi every one,
I bought a Dell Dimension 8200 P4 1.7 GH 60GB back
in Nov. 2001. The OS now is Windows XP SP2 with
NAV2005 installed.
My query is: When do I know that my BIOS needs updating?
Thanks,


--
Harry Bluebottle

" that all our science, measured against reality,
is primitive and childlike -- and yet it is the most precious thing we
have."
-----The Great Albert Einstein------

The advice you've been given about unless you need to update then don't is
good advice,but just to let you now after my first post to you I downloaded a
BIOS (are you happy now tick lady?) update from Dell and installed it,I have
the "Prescott" CPU that was incompatable with SP2 the update fixed it and
went without a hitch.
It took all of 30 seconds longer than a normal boot.

 

[Steve N.]

:




needing a motherboard replacement

That would be "needing a Bio's chip replacement"a whole lot easier and
cheaper that the entire M/B.

Depends if the BIOS chip soldered or socketed. The Dell MBs I've seen I
don't recall seeing any socketed chips.

Steve

 

[Steve N.]

:




The advice you've been given about unless you need to update then don't is
good advice,but just to let you now after my first post to you I downloaded a
BIOS (are you happy now tick lady?) update from Dell and installed it,I have
the "Prescott" CPU that was incompatable with SP2 the update fixed it and
went without a hitch.
It took all of 30 seconds longer than a normal boot.

Good for you and a very good example of when and why to flash the BIOS.

Steve