Bios Upgrade? before SP2

Running down the list of "to do" I've defragmented, run scandisk, have enough
hard disk space, plenty of processor, the proper amount of RAM and checked my
PC manufacturer's Web site. My anti-virus is up-to-date, the XP firewall is
enabled, my drivers are fine. It is recommended that I obtain the latest
upgrade to the BIOS. I have no clue and the instructions seem so
complicated.

There is no reason to upgrade the system BIOS prior to installing a Service Pack.

If you were installing a NEW OS, yes (maybe) but not for a Service Pack.

Dave




"D." <> wrote in message
news:1CA045A6-8936-42A3-AEE1-...
| Running down the list of "to do" I've defragmented, run scandisk, have enough
| hard disk space, plenty of processor, the proper amount of RAM and checked my
| PC manufacturer's Web site. My anti-virus is up-to-date, the XP firewall is
| enabled, my drivers are fine. It is recommended that I obtain the latest
| upgrade to the BIOS. I have no clue and the instructions seem so
| complicated.
|

Dave: Then why does Dell recommend you upgrade the BIOS before installing
SP2?

Tom

"David H. Lipman" <DLipman~nospam~@Verizon.Net> wrote in message
news:...
| There is no reason to upgrade the system BIOS prior to installing a
Service Pack.
|
| If you were installing a NEW OS, yes (maybe) but not for a Service Pack.
|
| Dave
|
|
|
|
| "D." <> wrote in message
| news:1CA045A6-8936-42A3-AEE1-...
| | Running down the list of "to do" I've defragmented, run scandisk, have
enough
| | hard disk space, plenty of processor, the proper amount of RAM and
checked my
| | PC manufacturer's Web site. My anti-virus is up-to-date, the XP
firewall is
| | enabled, my drivers are fine. It is recommended that I obtain the
latest
| | upgrade to the BIOS. I have no clue and the instructions seem so
| | complicated.
| |
|
|

That's a good question. Do you have a URL Tom ? Is it an across the board recommendation
or is for specific Dell models ?

As a matter of choice, I always upgrade the BIOS prior to installing a new OS. When I
upgraded all our Dell (IBM, Sony, etc) from Win2K to WinXP I updated the BIOS prior to
installing WinXP.

With Dell there *may* be a good reason. However, I would not suggest it if one was
upgrading the BIOS for platforms based around ISA/ATX motherboards (ASUS, GigaByte,
MicroStar, etc.). There is always a risk factor when flashing the BIOS.

Dave



"Tom Pepper Willett" <> wrote in message
news:...
| Dave: Then why does Dell recommend you upgrade the BIOS before installing
| SP2?
|
| Tom
|
| "David H. Lipman" <DLipman~nospam~@Verizon.Net> wrote in message
| news:...
| | There is no reason to upgrade the system BIOS prior to installing a
| Service Pack.
| |
| | If you were installing a NEW OS, yes (maybe) but not for a Service Pack.
| |
| | Dave
| |
| |
| |
| |
| | "D." <> wrote in message
| | news:1CA045A6-8936-42A3-AEE1-...
| | | Running down the list of "to do" I've defragmented, run scandisk, have
| enough
| | | hard disk space, plenty of processor, the proper amount of RAM and
| checked my
| | | PC manufacturer's Web site. My anti-virus is up-to-date, the XP
| firewall is
| | | enabled, my drivers are fine. It is recommended that I obtain the
| latest
| | | upgrade to the BIOS. I have no clue and the instructions seem so
| | | complicated.
| | |
| |
| |
|
|

Here, Dave:

http://support.dell.com/support/topi...hs&cs=19#step4

Tom
"David H. Lipman" <DLipman~nospam~@Verizon.Net> wrote in message
news:...
| That's a good question. Do you have a URL Tom ? Is it an across the
board recommendation
| or is for specific Dell models ?
|
| As a matter of choice, I always upgrade the BIOS prior to installing a new
OS. When I
| upgraded all our Dell (IBM, Sony, etc) from Win2K to WinXP I updated the
BIOS prior to
| installing WinXP.
|
| With Dell there *may* be a good reason. However, I would not suggest it
if one was
| upgrading the BIOS for platforms based around ISA/ATX motherboards (ASUS,
GigaByte,
| MicroStar, etc.). There is always a risk factor when flashing the BIOS.
|
| Dave
|
|
|
| "Tom Pepper Willett" <> wrote in message
| news:...
| | Dave: Then why does Dell recommend you upgrade the BIOS before
installing
| | SP2?
| |
| | Tom
| |
| | "David H. Lipman" <DLipman~nospam~@Verizon.Net> wrote in message
| | news:...
| | | There is no reason to upgrade the system BIOS prior to installing a
| | Service Pack.
| | |
| | | If you were installing a NEW OS, yes (maybe) but not for a Service
Pack.
| | |
| | | Dave
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | | "D." <> wrote in message
| | | news:1CA045A6-8936-42A3-AEE1-...
| | | | Running down the list of "to do" I've defragmented, run scandisk,
have
| | enough
| | | | hard disk space, plenty of processor, the proper amount of RAM and
| | checked my
| | | | PC manufacturer's Web site. My anti-virus is up-to-date, the XP
| | firewall is
| | | | enabled, my drivers are fine. It is recommended that I obtain the
| | latest
| | | | upgrade to the BIOS. I have no clue and the instructions seem so
| | | | complicated.
| | | |
| | |
| | |
| |
| |
|
|

Thanx Tom !

I appreciate that information. It definitely looks as though Dell is recommending a BIOS
update across the board. At least with dell it is relatively a safe endeavour since the
BIOS update software checks the checksum and platform model before flashing the BIOS. This
is also true for other vendors. However many generic platforms use an Award or AMI BIOS and
there for a generic BIOS update utility and a binary file. With Dell the only possibility
of a problem is power loss during the flashing process. With a generic flashing utility it
doesn't always check if the BIOS is for the platform being updated. This can lead to
catastrophe so it is usually dissuaded.

I will definitely remember this thread and temper an answer based upon the platform being
upgraded to WinXP SP2. Again -- Thanx Tom.

Dave
BTW: Do you know of other manufacturers who have similar recommendations ?



"Tom Pepper Willett" <> wrote in message
news:...
| Here, Dave:
|
|
http://support.dell.com/support/topi...hs&cs=19#step4
|
| Tom
| "David H. Lipman" <DLipman~nospam~@Verizon.Net> wrote in message
| news:...
| | That's a good question. Do you have a URL Tom ? Is it an across the
| board recommendation
| | or is for specific Dell models ?
| |
| | As a matter of choice, I always upgrade the BIOS prior to installing a new
| OS. When I
| | upgraded all our Dell (IBM, Sony, etc) from Win2K to WinXP I updated the
| BIOS prior to
| | installing WinXP.
| |
| | With Dell there *may* be a good reason. However, I would not suggest it
| if one was
| | upgrading the BIOS for platforms based around ISA/ATX motherboards (ASUS,
| GigaByte,
| | MicroStar, etc.). There is always a risk factor when flashing the BIOS.
| |
| | Dave
| |
| |
| |
| | "Tom Pepper Willett" <> wrote in message
| | news:...
| | | Dave: Then why does Dell recommend you upgrade the BIOS before
| installing
| | | SP2?
| | |
| | | Tom
| | |
| | | "David H. Lipman" <DLipman~nospam~@Verizon.Net> wrote in message
| | | news:...
| | | | There is no reason to upgrade the system BIOS prior to installing a
| | | Service Pack.
| | | |
| | | | If you were installing a NEW OS, yes (maybe) but not for a Service
| Pack.
| | | |
| | | | Dave
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | | "D." <> wrote in message
| | | | news:1CA045A6-8936-42A3-AEE1-...
| | | | | Running down the list of "to do" I've defragmented, run scandisk,
| have
| | | enough
| | | | | hard disk space, plenty of processor, the proper amount of RAM and
| | | checked my
| | | | | PC manufacturer's Web site. My anti-virus is up-to-date, the XP
| | | firewall is
| | | | | enabled, my drivers are fine. It is recommended that I obtain the
| | | latest
| | | | | upgrade to the BIOS. I have no clue and the instructions seem so
| | | | | complicated.
| | | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
| | |
| |
| |
|
|

I upgraded my Dell Dimension 8600 wo SP2 without upgrading the BIOS.
There has been a discussion of the issue in the Dell newsgroups and
most users upgraded to SP2 without doing a BIOS upgrade (My Bios is
over a year old and there have been about 5 new BIOS releases in the
interim).

On Sat, 9 Oct 2004 21:02:53 -0400, "David H. Lipman"
<DLipman~nospam~@Verizon.Net> wrote:

>Thanx Tom !
>
>I appreciate that information. It definitely looks as though Dell is recommending a BIOS
>update across the board. At least with dell it is relatively a safe endeavour since the
>BIOS update software checks the checksum and platform model before flashing the BIOS. This
>is also true for other vendors. However many generic platforms use an Award or AMI BIOS and
>there for a generic BIOS update utility and a binary file. With Dell the only possibility
>of a problem is power loss during the flashing process. With a generic flashing utility it
>doesn't always check if the BIOS is for the platform being updated. This can lead to
>catastrophe so it is usually dissuaded.
>
>I will definitely remember this thread and temper an answer based upon the platform being
>upgraded to WinXP SP2. Again -- Thanx Tom.
>
>Dave
>BTW: Do you know of other manufacturers who have similar recommendations ?
>
>
>
>"Tom Pepper Willett" <> wrote in message
>news:...
>| Here, Dave:
>|
>|
>http://support.dell.com/support/topi...hs&cs=19#step4
>|
>| Tom
>| "David H. Lipman" <DLipman~nospam~@Verizon.Net> wrote in message
>| news:...
>| | That's a good question. Do you have a URL Tom ? Is it an across the
>| board recommendation
>| | or is for specific Dell models ?
>| |
>| | As a matter of choice, I always upgrade the BIOS prior to installing a new
>| OS. When I
>| | upgraded all our Dell (IBM, Sony, etc) from Win2K to WinXP I updated the
>| BIOS prior to
>| | installing WinXP.
>| |
>| | With Dell there *may* be a good reason. However, I would not suggest it
>| if one was
>| | upgrading the BIOS for platforms based around ISA/ATX motherboards (ASUS,
>| GigaByte,
>| | MicroStar, etc.). There is always a risk factor when flashing the BIOS.
>| |
>| | Dave
>| |
>| |
>| |
>| | "Tom Pepper Willett" <> wrote in message
>| | news:...
>| | | Dave: Then why does Dell recommend you upgrade the BIOS before
>| installing
>| | | SP2?
>| | |
>| | | Tom
>| | |
>| | | "David H. Lipman" <DLipman~nospam~@Verizon.Net> wrote in message
>| | | news:...
>| | | | There is no reason to upgrade the system BIOS prior to installing a
>| | | Service Pack.
>| | | |
>| | | | If you were installing a NEW OS, yes (maybe) but not for a Service
>| Pack.
>| | | |
>| | | | Dave
>| | | |
>| | | |
>| | | |
>| | | |
>| | | | "D." <> wrote in message
>| | | | news:1CA045A6-8936-42A3-AEE1-...
>| | | | | Running down the list of "to do" I've defragmented, run scandisk,
>| have
>| | | enough
>| | | | | hard disk space, plenty of processor, the proper amount of RAM and
>| | | checked my
>| | | | | PC manufacturer's Web site. My anti-virus is up-to-date, the XP
>| | | firewall is
>| | | | | enabled, my drivers are fine. It is recommended that I obtain the
>| | | latest
>| | | | | upgrade to the BIOS. I have no clue and the instructions seem so
>| | | | | complicated.
>| | | | |
>| | | |
>| | | |
>| | |
>| | |
>| |
>| |
>|
>|
>

Thanx Jerome:

Are you indicating that you had an old BIOS, upgraded to WinXP SP2 and experienced no
problems ?

Dave




"Jerome M. Katz" <jerrymkatz@> wrote in message
news:...
| I upgraded my Dell Dimension 8600 wo SP2 without upgrading the BIOS.
| There has been a discussion of the issue in the Dell newsgroups and
| most users upgraded to SP2 without doing a BIOS upgrade (My Bios is
| over a year old and there have been about 5 new BIOS releases in the
| interim).

Dave,

That is exactly what I said. My BIOS is A02 (Dimension 4600). I
believe the current one is about A06 or later.

Jerome Katz


On Sun, 10 Oct 2004 08:52:04 -0400, "David H. Lipman"
<DLipman~nospam~@Verizon.Net> wrote:

>Thanx Jerome:
>
>Are you indicating that you had an old BIOS, upgraded to WinXP SP2 and experienced no
>problems ?
>
>Dave
>
>
>
>
>"Jerome M. Katz" <jerrymkatz@> wrote in message
>news:.. .
>| I upgraded my Dell Dimension 8600 wo SP2 without upgrading the BIOS.
>| There has been a discussion of the issue in the Dell newsgroups and
>| most users upgraded to SP2 without doing a BIOS upgrade (My Bios is
>| over a year old and there have been about 5 new BIOS releases in the
>| interim).
>

David H. Lipman wrote:

> Thanx Tom !
>
> I appreciate that information. It definitely looks as though Dell is
> recommending a BIOS update across the board.
Hi

http://support.dell.com/support/topi...hs&cs=19#step4
states

"It is recommended that you update to the newest BIOS available
for your Dell computer."

This is a very general statement and one I would think Dell recommends
for any type of "major" system update, software as well as hardware
based.

I have not seen or heard about any issues regarding Dell BIOS levels
and WinXP SP2, and I have watched it closely (e.g. in the newsgroups),
because the company I work for have Dell computers mostly (and we have
also installed SP2 on a lot of different Dell computers without having
the latest BIOS version installed, and have not experienced any issues).


--
torgeir, Microsoft MVP Scripting and WMI, Porsgrunn Norway
Administration scripting examples and an ONLINE version of
the 1328 page Scripting Guide:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scr...r/default.mspx