Some unfortunate Dell PC homeowners have apparently run into bother with a recent BIOS replace issued by the producer which has prompted some nasty boot failures in some reported circumstances.
Each desktop PCs and Dell laptops are affected, and that features Dell’s Latitude 5320 and 5520 notebooks, plus the Inspiron 5680, together with the Alienware Aurora R8 gaming PC.
The issue rears its head after upgrading to BIOS model 1.14.3 with the Latitude portables, or v2.8.0 on the Inspiron, and v1.0.18 with the Aurora R8. So in case you’re mulling that improve proper now, iIt may be a good suggestion to carry off.
As Bleeping Laptop makes clear, there are numerous experiences of points on Reddit and a bunch on Dell’s personal neighborhood help boards, with complaints of boot failure – or getting trapped in boot loops – or being caught at a black display.
One other person on Dell.com reported issues with failing to get up from sleep mode, with one reply on that thread stating: “I had this challenge on my 5320 after updating to BIOS 1.14.3. With perseverance, the laptop computer would nonetheless activate and boot into Home windows (I didn’t take it aside for battery disconnect). However then the issue would begin once more as quickly because the laptop computer went to sleep.”
Others have reported a number of laptops failing as well, together with the Reddit thread above, and this one from Dell’s help web site: “About half of our Latitude 5520s now not boot after having been up to date from BIOS 1.12.2 to 1.14.3. System received’t activate. Solely life indicators are the three white LED flashes after resetting RTS clock by urgent down the Energy Button for 30ish seconds.”
Evaluation: This feels like a nasty one, however there may be an obvious workaround
This seems to be to be a nasty drawback, though what number of customers it impacts, we don’t know – although the experiences of a number of machines being hit from enterprise customers are, after all, worrying.
There may be an obvious workaround as described on a number of of the above threads, particularly right here and right here, which basically includes eradicating and reconnecting the battery, booting after which downgrading to BIOS 1.13.0. We have now not tried following this – we don’t personal any of the possibly affected machines anyway – so clearly in case you do give this a whirl, you accomplish that at your individual threat.
A safer choice may be to attend for an official put up from Dell on the matter, and hopefully that’ll be forthcoming quickly – and possibly a revised BIOS. Assuming you may stay with out your {hardware} being operational within the meantime…
A moderator on Dell’s discussion board instructed one affected individual: “We have now obtained the required particulars. We’ll work in the direction of a decision. Within the meantime, you may additionally obtain help or strategies from the neighborhood members.”
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