BIOS Flash Issue

Hello,

I just received a new Alienware 17 (2015 version) which came loaded with BIOS A04. In the process of setting up the machine, I started flashing A05 and half way through the flash the system locked up with fans on full speed. The power button would not work and there was no way to power the system down other than opening the back panel and disconnecting the battery. After doing this, the system would not POST (presumably due to a bad/incomplete flash).

I called tech support and they said I would have to ship it in. Are there any other options I have for rectifying this? I know there is typically a "blind flash" method on most motherboards but I haven't been able to find any information on this system specifically.

Has anybody else had this issue?

 

Next time read the forums before flashing. You would have seen that the A05 is rubbish like all of the others.

I think you need to unplug the CMOS battery and reset. Going by your ineptness, I would send it in to Dell for them to do it.

 

The same thing happened to me check my post had my motherboard replaced.

Sent from my SM-N910S using Tapatalk

 

I'm assuming since your online, you have access to another machine.. Lets fix yours..
We're going to do a AMI BIOS Bootblock recovery.. It requires a USB stick.. Simple fix.

Follow these instructions to get back on your system WITHOUT a MB replacement.

1. Do a bootblock recovery to flash the proper rom.

2. If you have access to another machine, format a USB stick to FAT32.

3. Run AW15A05.EXE /writehdrfile. (Or whatever version you used BEFORE you bricked, as usually the bootblock isn't updated, but with some BIOS updates, it can be, so your more safe to use the same version you had on the machine BEFORE it bricked from improper flash.)

4. Now take this HDR file and rename it to AAP10.hdr. Put it on the root of the USB.

5. Now make a copy of this file and rename it AMIBOOT.ROM (all caps) so now there's 2 files on the USB key, AMIBOOT.ROM and AAP10.hdr. (Unconfirmed if uses old AMIBOOT.ROM or the new filename I found.. New aptio platform we haven't really played with yet, so lets use both..)

6. Now here's the fun part, you need the technical guide from dell and disconnect your MAIN battery, not the CMOS battery.. And unplug the PSU..

7. Now, insert your USB stick, hold down END key, plug PSU back in with battery removed.

8. It should turn on and after 5-10 mins, you should see USB activity.. Wait the FULL 10 mins. (Or until it shuts off on its own). Some have reported it took 2 mins when we were testing.

9. After this, try to shut it down using POWER if it didn't on its own, but it should. Then turn it back on.. You should be back on your system.

You don't need to flash again after, as this recovery will flash the complete ROM.. And don't' forget to reconnect your battery..

Now, If Dell would be so kind to tell us this info for the other machines, this would be helpful.. ALL AMI bios's have Bootblock Recovery! (AmiBIOS, AmiBIOS8, Aptio 4 and 5...) Just up to the manufacturer to tell us if its default from the AMI Guides (NDA, don't ask), or if they made a change to the proper boot key to activate it if the BIOS doesn't initialize it automatically.. The filenames I can get if they don't want to share.

 

THank you very much for this explanation. I am not that afraid now to flash the bios with this machine when it arrives. I expect my AW15 will arrive with the 05 bios.

 

You saved my life, really , thank you. If i can, i would give you a medal right now.

 

Great to hear that you could fix it by following these steps. I'll try to get that info and report back.

 

Glad you noticed, maybe you should report back and make it an official pinned thread? May help someone else too.

 

When I do, I'll check if that's a possibility.

 

I know this post is super old but you just saved me so much heart ache!!!! Simple and straightforward and the best part? It worked!!!!!!!! Thank you thank you thank you!!!!

 

the better BIOS for this model is A06 .. is the last one

 

Haha i dont have an aw15r1 anymore for almost a year.

 

Hello, I'm having this issue too but I can't solve it . My PC crashed when it was going to flash the EC controller, so I had to turn it off as I couln't do anything and the pc doesn't start (AlienFX starts then it power cycles). I was on A09 and tried to downgrade to A00 as A09 f-up the usb ports when I installed the nvidia driver.
So I've tried this procedure, I get the fans spinning at full speed and that's it. The USB LED just flashes once when the PC gets powered on and nothing else, I get no activity on it.
I kept the pc in that state for 10 hours and it is still the same.

I've read somewere in the net that this procedure doesn't work in this pc because the only has USB 3.0 ports, and the BIOS recovery procedure requires USB 2.0.

Can someone help me?

Many Thanks!

 

See this post here and it might help you https://na.alienwarearena.com/ucf/s.../ForumPost/urgent-aw-17-r2-bios-update-failed

 

Went ahead and showed this to some friends and 1 of them was literally hugging me and saying thank you...I’m not a hugger!

 

Did it work?

 

None of these steps helped me. I did manage to fix it but with an eeprom programmer.

 

Can i flash bios without battery to be charged ? I have some problems with my charger. Alienware 17 r4