UNSOLVED
Updating BIOS for SP2
In the past, when I called Dell support about updating my BIOS, they said leave it alone and that updating it could be dangerous and cause PC problems. So I left it alone and it functioned fine.
Now, with SP2 instructions, Dell recommends that you update the BIOS. I am fearful of doing it because of their previous recommendation not to.
My question--who has installed SP2 without updating their BIOS? What were your results?
I have a Dimension 4300.
826
0
Posted August 31st, 2004 21:00
arid47,
I don't have SP2 as yet, but I do not plan to upgrade my BIOS before installing it. Of the posts reporting installation of SP2 without a problem I have not seen anyone who updated the BIOS prior to the installation. Some users have done a clean install of XP but the majority simply installed the service pack.
826
0
Posted August 31st, 2004 22:00
I agree, an update of your BIOS should not be a prequisite to installing SP2 and in fact I wouldn't do them together. I, of course never follow my own advice and did update my BIOS at the same time, but for no particular reason. P.S. Did work before and still works after.826
0
Posted September 1st, 2004 01:00
If you go to your Dell Support Alerts, then click Windows Service Pack 2 Info, it will tell you everything you should do prior to downloading XP SP2. I have a new Dell Inspiron 8600 with Bluetooth and ATI video. The above alert site provided me with a new Bios, Bluetooth, etc. upgrades. I have now installed SP2 for my XP Pro and have not encountered any problems, after having run every program, which I have. The Dell Prestalled programs work fine. My Third party programs . . . Norton Internet Security Pro 2003, Norton System Works Pro 2003, Ad-Aware 6, Spybot - Search & Destroy,etc. all perform normally.
I have make a few changes. I did not enable the Windows Firewall and run either Mozilla FireFox or Netscape 7.1. Won't be running IE for awhile (personal preference).826
0
Posted September 1st, 2004 01:00
I installed SP2, and I did not upgrade my bios.
It's been a about a week now, and everything works fine, except Dell Solution Center.
Arid 47,
I am surprised at the Dell recomendation; could you please post the link where " ... with SP2 instructions, Dell recommends that you update the BIOS. "
826
0
Posted September 1st, 2004 10:00
Hi all
My I5150 has the original supplied Phoenix BIOS A06 (recent BIOS available DELL A36). I decided not to flash the BIOS before installing SP2. Afterwards I found that the CPU throttle did not work. It was stuck at 1.6GHz. The solution for me was to rollback the processor driver to the DELL driver (available months ago on the download site) and now the CPU is back to normal. I suppose I'm a chicken not to upgrade the BIOS but first I've contacted DELL technical support to inform them of potential problems and if they tell me to upgrade the BIOS I will. At least then DELL will be liable for breaking my computer if it goes wrong.
cheers dtkirk
Message Edited by dtkirk on 09-01-2004 12:04 PM
826
0
Posted September 1st, 2004 15:00
@arid47 wrote:
In the past, when I called Dell support about updating my BIOS, they said leave it alone and that updating it could be dangerous and cause PC problems. So I left it alone and it functioned fine.
Now, with SP2 instructions, Dell recommends that you update the BIOS. I am fearful of doing it because of their previous recommendation not to.
My question--who has installed SP2 without updating their BIOS? What were your results?Â
I have a Dimension 4300.
Â
To arid47 and all out there...
I have Dimension 4300 too and I never had my Bios update before. It works fine too me so far.
I don't see why we should update Bios for SP2, as SP2 will or should be working fine to all type of platforms and what so ever you have out there as long as you're using XP..
I had SP1 all the while in my system and continuing update all my critical updates/windows updates now and then, never had a problem...
Last Sunday, I finally did download and installed SP2 for the first time after did some research of SP2 functionality. I only had my personal Anti-virus not recognised by the new SP2 Security Centre. I uninstalled the Anti-Virus and reinstalled new EZ-antivirus...then all seemed working very good with Security Centre recognised my Anti-virus as well as my personal firewall.
IE also work fine too me with the Pop-up blocker option ON as well as my Googles Pop-up blocker also ON.
Currently I have two firewall ON at the same time and two pop-up blocker ON at the same time too... Nothing wrong with my machine...826
0
Posted September 2nd, 2004 00:00
Greetings, I have a year-old Dimension 8300 with the original, factory installed, Dell BIOS. I just completed an uneventful SP2 update from the Windows Update site, and, what initially appears to be, a successful install.
185
0
Posted September 2nd, 2004 12:00
I installed SP2 after a clean reinstall of XP.This was after installing SP2 for a few days on the old operating system to check for any problems. Both are\were trouble free and I did not update the BIOS.
5150
Mobile P4 3.06 HT
64mb Nvidia
768 Ram
UXGA Samsung
Hitachi 7k60
1300 Wireless
DVD+RW NEC 5100a
Bios A29
XP Pro SP2
zozma
20 Posts
826
0
Posted August 31st, 2004 21:00