Flashing the bios on a Dell Dimension 5150 - risky?

Eliot Rosewater

Hey, all! I'm running a multi-boot system on a Dell Dimension 5150. On the primary hard drive I've Windows XP and two versions of Ubuntu Linux. The latest version of the latter doesn't work properly so I want to reinstall my bios; this has worked for others.

I found the required update: http://support.us.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=gen&releaseid=R144763&formatcnt=0&libid=0&typeid=-1&dateid=-1&formatid=-1&source=-1&fileid=192898

It looks like an easy enough job. Question is, how risky is this? Is there a lot of scope for messing up? Do you think I'm silly to undertake it?

Cheers!

BostonB

By re-install you mean update I assume. Whats it meant ot fix specifically. I never had a problem with flashing bios. That said people find new ways to do things wrong all the time.

That bios fixes just say Improve OROM Intialization. How that helps your Linux I have no idea.

Eliot Rosewater

BostonB wrote: »

How that helps your Linux I have no idea.

I've no idea either! I've just heard it works for some people.

bhickey

Eliot Rosewater wrote: »

It looks like an easy enough job. Question is, how risky is this? Is there a lot of scope for messing up? Do you think I'm silly to undertake it?

Upgrading a BIOS is pretty much always a good idea and I've never seen it cause any probems.

Eliot Rosewater

All done; a very simple procedure. Did nothing for the shutdown problem, though. :pac:

Cheers for the comments.

BostonB

did it fix the linux problem?

Skerries

BostonB wrote: »

did it fix the linux problem?

the fact that it's still there

BostonB

Skerries wrote: »

the fact that it's still there

no idea what you mean sorry...

Eliot Rosewater

BostonB wrote: »

did it fix the linux problem?

Nope! It was always a long shot!

Skerries wrote: »

the fact that it's still there

Naughty!