Solved Dell laptop. Is there any reason NOT to have automatic BIOS updates?

markw51 · Mar 8, 2024

_william said:
@Try3

Thanks. Yes that would be easy enough for me to just go and get that Recovery-File before letting "Dell Command | Update" run. How does such an RCV file work? Where should I store it in the OS? Does it need manual activation in the scenario that it is needed to fix a corrupted BIOS?

You don't need the rcv file that is a BIOS recovery file used I assume by technicians. You just need to download the executable file .exe and click on it to run, making sure it's plugged in. I have a 2023 Dell Inspiron 5430 and use Windows Update and Dell Update to keep it up to date. No issues with hardware or drivers and I usually update the day a new driver/bios gets released. I've suffered no issues in all the years I've owned PCs and Laptops.

Try3 · Mar 8, 2024

markw51 said:
You don't need the rcv file that is a BIOS recovery file used I assume by technicians

The method & type of file varies between models.
I posted a link to the procedure that identifies the correct method & file for each model - How to Recover the BIOS - Dell.

markw51 said:
... rcv file ... used I assume by technicians

For those models to which it applies, the procedure is easy and can be used by consumers.

Denis

antspants · Mar 8, 2024

_william said:
I see. Yes, thanks, it's easy enough to find the latest BIOS-update through that link. And then I guess just google "are there any problems with the latest Dell BIOS-update?" a month or so after discovering, through that link, that there is a new BIOS-update?

yes, downloads specific to your Laptop are in this link. it only takes a week or two for people to complain about issues and googling the BIOS/Firmware version ‘can’ yield results.

Support for Latitude 7430 | Drivers & Downloads | Dell US

Or you can use the service tag as Denis mentions, if you have it that is.
There's a link somewhere on the Dell site you can have it scan your Laptop, I believe, to give you the Tag.

markw51 · Mar 8, 2024

Try3 said:
The method & type of file varies between models.
I posted a link to the procedure that identifies the correct method & file for each model - How to Recover the BIOS - Dell.

For those models to which it applies, the procedure is easy and can be used by consumers.

Denis

Seems very easy to do, thankfully i've never had to do it! But to simply update the BIOS, easiest just to download the .exe and run it.

Try3 · Mar 8, 2024

antspants said:
Or you can use the service tag

NO NO NO
You must use the Service tag.

You must always use your Dell Service tag when using the Dell support site for updates.
Dell Drivers & downloads [multi-region link] - Dell
The Dell Service tag identifies the particular hardware set in that computer when it was sold.
The hardware set in computers varies even within the same model. Only the Dell Service tag makes sure you are referencing the correct hardware.

And, to give Dell their due, their Dell Service tag system works. Unlike HP who invite me to enter the computer serial number but still manage to give me a list of four Bios updates, only one of which is the correct one for my computer.

All the best,
Denis

antspants · Mar 8, 2024

Try3 said:
NO NO NO
You must use the Service tag.

If you say so, Denis. I’m certain opinions vary. And to be honest, I’d find it redundant of Dell to have a model specific support and downloads page if there was only one way to get updates, the service Tag.

markw51 · Mar 8, 2024

antspants said:
If you say so, Denis. I’m certain opinions vary. And to be honest, I’d find it redundant of Dell to have a model specific support and downloads page if there was only one way to get updates, the service Tag.

But there isn't as Dell support assistant uses your service tag to get the correct drivers for computer. As @Try3 stated above the service tag is essential as if I search for my model (Inspiron 14 5430) on Dell's page I get 53 results, whereas based on my service tag I get 29 results.

Try3 · Mar 8, 2024

antspants said:
I’m certain opinions vary

Well, what you could do is
- get all the updates for that model from its Drivers & downloads page, analyse their contents [many of their *.inf files contain device HardwareIDs in plain text] to identify the hardware for which they are valid, run a Dell / Intel / Windows hardware analysis then match up the updates with the hardware analysis of that computer.
Or
- you could just use the Dell Service tag to do all that for you.

As Mark noted,

markw51 said:
I get 53 results, whereas based on my service tag I get 29 results

the Dell Service tag extracts the updates for that specific hardware configuration.
It's a good system.

All the best,
Denis

antspants · Mar 8, 2024

Try3 said:
Or
- you could just use the Dell Service tag to do all that for you.

Yes, I agreed with you earlier that the tag use was an option.

However, as Dell suggests both avenues are fine:

Dell drivers are available on Dell Support , and you can either select the Dell computer or enter the Service Tag to search for updates. You can also manually download drivers by selecting the operating system and driver category. After downloading, install the drivers and restart the computer.

Drivers and Downloads FAQs | Dell Australia

pseymour · Mar 8, 2024

Try3 said:
The Dell Service tag identifies the particular hardware set in that computer when it was sold.

Yep. For example, we have many (many) Latitude 3520 devices, with two different SKUs. The hardware is slightly different, even though they're the same model.

Megahertz · Mar 8, 2024

Try3 said:
Personally, I always update my Bios manually so that I can save that Bios recovery file first.

All the best,
Denis

Agree
BIOS is the first software to be loaded on a computer and it controls the hardware on the first level. I consider very important to be up to date.
To wait a month or two after the BIOS release is a good safety precaution against bug versions.
Whenever possible, update BIOS from BIOS update function or from a Win PE environment (avoid updating under Windows)

markw51 · Mar 8, 2024

Megahertz said:
Agree
BIOS is the first software to be loaded on a computer and it controls the hardware on the first level. I consider very important to be up to date.
To wait a month or two after the BIOS release is a good safety precaution against bug versions.
Whenever possible, update BIOS from BIOS update function or from a Win PE environment (avoid updating under Windows)

I've always updated under Windows and never had an issue.

Bree · Mar 8, 2024

_william said:
I checked my BIOS and there's a log-history there of several BIOS-firmware updates stretching back to the date I bought the laptop late last year. I've never manually updated the BIOS. I'm reading online that people sometimes have problems with BIOS-updates wrecking their machines; I haven't experienced any problems in this regard myself. My thoughts are that if Dell have set these BIOS updates as default then it's normal and nothing to worry about.

antspants said:
Dells SupportAssist software will do that. I have it. But mine will only update if I ask it to, so perhaps I have disabled it in the settings....

Steve C said:
I regard DSA as bug prone software to be avoided.....

I have a Dell Latitude 5410, like @_william's Dell Latitude 7430 it too has regular bios updates issued.

Mine has a clean install of Windows 11 with none of the Dell utilities, and certainly not Dell SupportAssist (of which I've heard some bad reports).

But I still get all the bios updates. Dell also provides their bios updates to Microsoft, who offer them as an optional update through Windows Update. I've never had any issues letting Windows Update do the bios updates for me.

markw51 · Mar 8, 2024

Bree said:
I have a Dell Latitude 5410, like @_william's Dell Latitude 7430 it too has regular bios updates issued.

Mine has a clean install of Windows 11 with none of the Dell utilities, and certainly not Dell SupportAssist (of which I've heard some bad reports).

But I still get all the bios updates. Dell also provides their bios updates to Microsoft, who offer them as an optional update through Windows Update. I've never had any issues letting Windows Update do the bios updates for me.

View attachment 89505

I find Windows Update is at least a revision behind. I've got 1.12.0 on mine whereas WU offers 1.10.0

Bree · Mar 8, 2024

markw51 said:
I find Windows Update is at least a revision behind. I've got 1.12.0 on mine whereas WU offers 1.10.0

I generally find WU offers mine a few weeks after Dell issue a new bios update. It should mean that it's been passed as not having any serious bugs by the time MS approves it for WU. That should satisfy Steve C's precautions.....

Steve C said:
I generally wait at least a month before updating the BIOS to avoid a buggy release.

Edit: we have an opportunity to see just how long it takes to get into WU. Dell released the next bios update for my machine four days ago.

antspants · Mar 8, 2024

Well, my 2017 model Dell Inspiron 13-7378 has been updated manually from the sites since my service ran out and I bought a new one. Last time I updated the BIOS was actually 2022, I thought it was later than that but regardless, it’s running fine. I have no problem that people insist that the TAG needs to be used but I personally think that’s not correct. I do have a service tag underneath the Laptop, but I haven’t paid attention to that because I only used it for support issues back in the day to ensure warranty held.
Dell makes no suggestion that I shouldn’t download a bios from the site, in fact as I posted above, says it is fine to do so.

We all do things differently, I think that should be respected.

antspants · Mar 8, 2024

pseymour said:
Yep. For example, we have many (many) Latitude 3520 devices, with two different SKUs. The hardware is slightly different, even though they're the same model.

I’d honestly like to be educated on all this. So you’re telling me that a Latitude 3520 which has 2 different SKU’s needs two separate pages for the model 3520 to obtain two separate BIOS/Firmware for the model? I’d like to see two separate pages for Latitude 3520 to be convinced. Or two separate BIOS updates for the same model on a page. Because as per the first post, we’re discussing BIOS/Firmware, correct?

Bree · Mar 8, 2024

antspants said:
....people insist that the TAG needs to be used but I personally think that’s not correct. I do have a service tag underneath the Laptop, but I haven’t paid attention to that because I only used it for support issues back in the day....

Some models came with alternative hardware devices installed, the WiFi card for example. Using the service tag ensures you see the drivers specific to your machine's hardware configuration.

The 'This Device:' tab lists just those drivers that match my machine's service tag. Only the two Intel drivers in this list are applicable to my particular machine.

pseymour · Mar 8, 2024

antspants said:
I’d honestly like to be educated on all this. So you’re telling me that a Latitude 3520 which has 2 different SKU’s needs two separate pages for the model 3520 to obtain two separate BIOS/Firmware for the model? I’d like to see two separate pages for Latitude 3520 to be convinced. Or two separate BIOS updates for the same model on a page. Because as per the first post, we’re discussing BIOS/Firmware, correct?

No, it's all on one page, if you search by model. But if you put in different service tag numbers, you'll get different driver sets if the devices are of different SKUs.

Denis had said, "You must always use your Dell Service tag when using the Dell support site for updates." I think he was referring to all updates for a device, not just firmware. And I was confirming that yes, you can have Dell devices with the same model name on the outside but different hardware on the inside.

I have never seen one that had different BIOS downloads for the same model. I suppose it could happen, but in my 10+ years of well over 50 Dell models now, I've never seen it. Indeed, in the business machines, even Latitudes and Precisions use the same BIOS sometimes. I can't speak for consumer machines like the Inspiron.

Try3 · Mar 8, 2024

antspants said:
you’re telling me that a Latitude 3520 which has 2 different SKU’s needs two separate pages for the model 3520 to obtain two separate BIOS/Firmware for the model?

No, it's one page for the model.
It will list updates for the hardware in both SKUs.

Denis