BIOS update??

[Jim Macklin]

My UPS does have RJ connectors for the modem. They are not
expensive, cost under $40. You can buy a computer grade
surge strip, but they cost about $15 and only protect
against part of the problem.

You can UPS with both RJ11 and RJ45.


| Jim Macklin wrote:
| >
| > If you read these newsgroups you will see many
| > reports/requests for help because "my computer won't
boot
| > after the storm, etc."
|
| A ten dollar surge protector with a modem circuit is
recommeded. Most
| surges that phark a system come in via the phone line to
the modem. 9
| out of ten times just the modem gets fried. 1 out of ten
times the
| motherboard also goes and the hard drive data gets
corrupted, but is
| usually redoable.
|
| Yes if you have the extra bucks get a UPS. Be sure to
always protect any
| phone line going to your pc tho as 90% of surge damage is
via the phone
| line, and most folks DO NOT have that line protected to
their pc.
|

 

[Ron Reaugh]

Ron Reaugh wrote:




Ron Reaugh wrote:






Barry Watzman wrote:




On the one hand, you probably don't NEED to update it. But, on the
other hand, if an update is available, I would definitely get it and
keep it, because a day may come -- in the future -- when you DO
"need"

it and it's no longer available.

I have yet to see a manufacturer still in business that does not have
old BIOS codes available for download, and if that day ever comes when
you'd need it the board will most likely be very outdated anyway.




[Actually, I'd install it. There's not really a good argument not
to.

But even if you don't, at the very least download it and save it.]

If an update is available for your system, you would to to the Dell
web

site to get it. You want the latest BIOS for a Dimension 8200
system.

Couldn't disagree more. A failed BIOS flash can cause permanent damage
to the BIOS flash memory.


NO!

NO? Read the instructions for flashing a BIOS, any BIOS. They ALL warn
of this and I have seen the results of a failed BIOS update.


Clueless....show me any that say "permanent damage"?


Needing to replace the BIOS or system board qualifies as "permanent
damage to the BIOS".

No, what it means is that your are caught being disingenuous.

I have repeated nearly exactly what I had said in the first place, which
was (*sigh*) "permanent damage to the BIOS".

You have been caught evading the evidence I presented upon your request
to "show me any that say 'permanent damage'", which is exactly what I
have done, and a bit more. Do you dispute the evidence I presented at
your request or not?

YES, you're a charlaton.

 

[Steve N.]

Ron Reaugh wrote:






Ron Reaugh wrote:








Barry Watzman wrote:





On the one hand, you probably don't NEED to update it. But, on the
other hand, if an update is available, I would definitely get it

and

keep it, because a day may come -- in the future -- when you DO

"need"


it and it's no longer available.

I have yet to see a manufacturer still in business that does not

have

old BIOS codes available for download, and if that day ever comes

when

you'd need it the board will most likely be very outdated anyway.





[Actually, I'd install it. There's not really a good argument not

to.


But even if you don't, at the very least download it and save it.]

If an update is available for your system, you would to to the Dell

web


site to get it. You want the latest BIOS for a Dimension 8200

system.


Couldn't disagree more. A failed BIOS flash can cause permanent

damage

to the BIOS flash memory.


NO!

NO? Read the instructions for flashing a BIOS, any BIOS. They ALL warn
of this and I have seen the results of a failed BIOS update.


Clueless....show me any that say "permanent damage"?


Needing to replace the BIOS or system board qualifies as "permanent
damage to the BIOS".


No, what it means is that your are caught being disingenuous.

I have repeated nearly exactly what I had said in the first place, which
was (*sigh*) "permanent damage to the BIOS".

You have been caught evading the evidence I presented upon your request
to "show me any that say 'permanent damage'", which is exactly what I
have done, and a bit more. Do you dispute the evidence I presented at
your request or not?

YES, you're a charlaton.

Prove it.

Steve

 

[Steve N.]

The trolls always attack the person when they can't prevail technically.

Do your own accusations against me of being "clueless", "disingenuous"
and "a charlaton" in response to me supplying specific technical
information that you demanded of me ring a bell?

I don't use a kill-file, but if I did you'd be a candidate.

Steve

 

[Steve N.]

[Actually, I'd install it. There's not really a good argument not to.
But even if you don't, at the very least download it and save it.]

If an update is available for your system, you would to to the Dell web
site to get it. You want the latest BIOS for a Dimension 8200 system.


Couldn't disagree more. A failed BIOS flash can cause permanent damage
to the BIOS flash memory.


NO!

NO? Read the instructions for flashing a BIOS, any BIOS. They ALL warn
of this and I have seen the results of a failed BIOS update.

That translates into replacing the system
board. If the system works as is why try to "fix" it?

Although I do agree that you should only flash BIOS if it's absolutely
necessary (and flashing just because there is a newer version doesn't
meet that requirement), one of your statements is just plain wrong.

A failed flash update won't mean replacing the system board. You can
replace just the BIOS chip.

If it's socketed, yes (and no, they are NOT all socketed, very many are
not). If not, then replacing the system board is the only option.

It's actually pretty cheap compared to a
new board -
the only real cost is having the shop pull the old one and
put in the new one, and that will cost the minimum bench fee, usually
for one hour.

A replacement BIOS can run as much as $50-80. A replacement system board
is slightly more. Add in shop time which is at least $45/hr and you do
the math. The point is why risk it when it is not necessary? Even if the
BIOS or system board replacement was FREE, why risk bringing a perfectly
operational system down for no logical reason?

You are over-dramatizing the failure; it's not one that will "fry the
board", just possibly one that could ruin the BIOS chip.

I didn't over-dramatize anything and I never said that flashing a BIOS
could "fry the board" either, I said it could damage the BIOS flash RAM
if it failed, which *could* result in needing to replace the BIOS or the
system board. If you're going to quote me then please do so accurately.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[Plato]

A replacement BIOS can run as much as $50-80. A replacement system board
is slightly more. Add in shop time which is at least $45/hr and you do
the math. The point is why risk it when it is not necessary? Even if the
BIOS or system board replacement was FREE, why risk bringing a perfectly
operational system down for no logical reason?

Agreed:

http://www.bootdisk.com/bootlist/183.htm#5

 

[Broomstick]

A ten dollar surge protector with a modem circuit is recommeded. Most
surges that phark a system come in via the phone line to the modem. 9
out of ten times just the modem gets fried. 1 out of ten times the
motherboard also goes and the hard drive data gets corrupted, but is
usually redoable.

Yes if you have the extra bucks get a UPS. Be sure to always protect any
phone line going to your pc tho as 90% of surge damage is via the phone
line, and most folks DO NOT have that line protected to their pc.

One good reason for buying a CDMA cell phone and use it as your modem.
I don't know if the surge will flow through your mobo to the usb port and
zap your cell phone.

 

[Steve N.]

Agreed:

http://www.bootdisk.com/bootlist/183.htm#5

Good article.

Steve

 

[Ron Reaugh]

[Actually, I'd install it. There's not really a good argument not to.
But even if you don't, at the very least download it and save it.]

If an update is available for your system, you would to to the Dell web
site to get it. You want the latest BIOS for a Dimension 8200 system.


Couldn't disagree more. A failed BIOS flash can cause permanent damage
to the BIOS flash memory.


NO!

NO? Read the instructions for flashing a BIOS, any BIOS. They ALL warn
of this and I have seen the results of a failed BIOS update.



That translates into replacing the system
board. If the system works as is why try to "fix" it?

Although I do agree that you should only flash BIOS if it's absolutely
necessary (and flashing just because there is a newer version doesn't
meet that requirement), one of your statements is just plain wrong.

A failed flash update won't mean replacing the system board. You can
replace just the BIOS chip.

If it's socketed, yes (and no, they are NOT all socketed, very many are
not).

Of those that are not socketed many have a BIOS recovery functionality built
into the mobo such that a failed flash can be recovered.

If not, then replacing the system board is the only option.

Wrong again.

A replacement BIOS can run as much as $50-80. A replacement system board
is slightly more. Add in shop time which is at least $45/hr and you do
the math. The point is why risk it when it is not necessary?

It's very frequently necessary and your calculations totally leave out the
expenses of NOT KEEPING CURRENT. That in the long run always ends up being
more expensive

Even if the
BIOS or system board replacement was FREE, why risk bringing a perfectly
operational system down for no logical reason?
HUH!


I didn't over-dramatize anything and I never said that flashing a BIOS
could "fry the board" either, I said it could damage the BIOS flash RAM
if it failed,

RAM....HUH! What day is it?

 

[Ron Reaugh]

There is ALWAYS a good logical reason to flash the latest BIOS. That reason
is that the BIOS is the newest/latest. BIOSs never include a full
description of what is new or fixed in them. For the one or two things
mentioned there are frequently a dozen unmentioned details that are
new/fixed...not the least of which is new microcode levels.

ALWAYS FLASH the latest mobo BIOS just like use the latest device drivers
and use the latest program updates. BIOS code is NO different. . That's
been the rule of thumb amongst the PC savy since about 2000. The paranoid
TS folks of major mfgs of systems have been telling folks to only flash if
need be but often they don't even know the need. The major companies just
want to avoid the obscure few failure cases. If you call them up with a
tough problem rest assured that soon they'll ask you to flash the latest
mobo BIOS. Stay ahead of the curve and flash the latest mobo BIOS.

 

[Plato]

There is ALWAYS a good logical reason to flash the latest BIOS. That reason
is that the BIOS is the newest/latest. BIOSs never include a full
description of what is new or fixed in them. For the one or two things
mentioned there are frequently a dozen unmentioned details that are
new/fixed...not the least of which is new microcode levels.

ALWAYS FLASH the latest mobo BIOS just like use the latest device drivers
and use the latest program updates. BIOS code is NO different. . That's
been the rule of thumb amongst the PC savy since about 2000. The paranoid

Thanks to folks like you offering such bad advice folks like me get to
pay our mortgage and taxes and car loans.

 

[Plato]

Good article.

Thanks. I spent a good amount of time on it.