A03 Bios bricked my M15x

Alright well as well all know the new A03 bios is out. This time around I noticed that is an excutable program rather than an image/burn it to a cd like A02 was.

Okay so basically I ran the program and it confirmed that all went well and that it was going to shutdown my machine automatically.

Anyways it did so and I waited for awhile to see if it would boot up my system just to be safe. Nothing happened.

I proceeded to power on the unit after waiting and I see the Alienhead logo and then afterward it displays a "-" at the top left and does nothing else.

To check if A03 did get flashed I rebooted and went in to the bios and yup it was there. I look at all my settings and nothing is wrong. I proceeded to even try loading factory defaults and still the same thing.

I have no idea what caused this problem for I never have had issues like this.

Any ideas?


EDIT BY NBR MOD STAFF:
Response from Dell on this issue can be found here -
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showpost.php?p=5718795&postcount=252

 

Well it's not bricked if it's still starting up. Take out your battery, hold down the power button for 10 seconds, replace the battery and restart. See if that fixes it.

 

If you bricked it you wouldn't be able to get into the bios. Check your hdd configuration in the bios. Normally when you flash your bios it gets reset to factory defaults. You need to put it back the way it was.

 

Well my Alienware has a sata 320gb 7200rpm drive so it isn't raid and if anything what settings would I put in for the HD? Wow this is such a first for me and I can't believe that this would occur.

Alright well I appreciate your prompt replies guys so my respects for that.

Okay well lets see what I can do in terms of taking out the battery and doing the whole power hold for awhile.

I wonder though should I unplug the system if I decide to pull out the batter because I do not want to get electrocuted lol

 

AHCI vs SATA options? I'd help more but I don't have a M15x.

 

Yes of course you should unplug it..lol.

 

LoL man you don't let a guy have any fun!

Okay well I am trying the HD thing first just for the hell of it.

Alright well in the BIOS I notice that it has a SATA Operation and it was on AHCI mode all this time. Well I changed it to ATA and rebooted and now it stays stuck on the Alienhead logo for about close to a minute and then goes to the"-" again. While the previous AHCI mode was the typical normal bootuo alienhead for a few seconds and then "-".

The Advanced mode also has an option for the SATA Hard Drive and its sub menu has options to change the Type: Auto/User/ATAPI Removable/CD-ROM.

 

anyone else has this problem with new a03 bios?

i abit scare to apply the new bios now! lolz

better wait 1st ^^

 

this happen to me before! when i try to install xp on the m15x

i change the sata mode to ata and it will just go blank screen after the alienhead

 

Okay Joker it is time for your method...

Alright what I want to know is when do you unplug and plug back in according to your set of instructions.

Right now I have taken out the plug and removed the battery so according to your next instruction "hold down the power for 10 seconds" do I have to plug back in and hold it down for 10 then unplug, put battery in... plug in and restart lol?

Do you see what I am saying LMAO

 

Leave the battery out and don't plug it in.
There should be no power going to the unit.

Then hold the power button.

 

Okay so basically I turn off the system + unplug it... remove the battery. Then hold the power button for 10 seconds with no power (not plugged in) and no battery either?

 

Yes, that's a power drain.

 

Okay well I have tried stuff here and there with the whole battery and power etc but there is still nothing working.

I don't understand what the hell happened but Alienware has really pissed me off with this issue. It shouldn't matter about me changing settings again in my bios... I have flashed bios so many times and even had put factory defaults in other systems and still no issues like this.

This issue is really ridiculous and makes no sense. I mean think about it, you have an automated program confirming to you that it has flashed fine and it will shut down your system. From there you boot up as usual and all should be well but it isn't. My bios settings are also no different than what they were with A02 as they were default then also.

I am really speechless but I will say one thing, luckly I have a new M15x coming to me because a week or so ago I complained that this one was acting like garbage and displayed ackward behavior etc or I would really give hell to Dell.

On the bright side this complaint I did resulted in me getting an additional 250$ off of the price and an extra 1 year warranty added to the included I have.

All I have to do now is wait for my new M15x to come and give them back this messed up unit which now doesn't even boot since their bios update program.

These machines I am sorry to say are not that great and I have experienced odd things with them. I have seen it be unresponsive and boot/reboot itself...hang and stall and for no reason considering it was fresh from factory with update drivers.

I even formatted it cleanly and still this machine has been odd. I am not impressed with their quality and if anything I should probably return this new unit that I mentioned which is supposed to come sooner or later.

 

STOP!! Ive been on the phone with dell this update will brick your laptop. They are having to send me a new motherboard because of this update. I've been on the phone with support for over an hour. They tryed to say updating your bios voids your warranty...

 

Where is the proof of this? If what you say is true, then there is going to be hell to pay. They are in deep crap.

That is disgusting if this is true and they have the nerve to say it voids you warranty if you update your bios yet they are the ones who released and have it available for download in the first place which causes all this b.s?

This ordeal I went through is inexcusable. I don't need to waste my time with this dumb company and at this point nothing they can offer me is acceptable.

What they need is a lawsuit. Any takers?

 

Guys-
I am having the same problem. Very unfortunate if this means a whole new motherboard is needed. Unbelievable - it was a program that came from their website and says "recommended".

The symptoms are as follows:
You get the alienhead splash screen and can actually use F2 to get to the bios setup screen or F12 to even get to the boot menu order screen.

But then NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO, the next thing after exiting each of those is a blank screen with a flashing underscore cursor in the upper left part of the screen and nothing else. Doesn't matter if you tell it to go to CD-ROM, or to Hard Disk or whatever.

I have a bootable CD-ROM with the A02 bios to try and reflash, but you CAN"T GET TO IT.

THis is unbelievable.

 

Proof is that I myself a 15 year computer repair and business owner has just spent the past 2 hours on the phone trying all possible methods to resolve this. Its bricked to put it simply. try everything you can think of pull cmos , pull harddrive , try to boot from a cd.... without a harddrive or with you cant even load the old bios because it wont boot from a cd. they should be pulling the update down i was very clear about that with the support line.

 

Uh-oh...

Dell's in for some long phone calls. I hate when OEMs get BIOS flashes wrong....

 

OMG are you guys serious? I also am an A+ Certfied PC Technician and I knew that is wasn't me only. This was to stupid to be my fault hence why I was asking over and over a proper procedure on how to do the power thing for the CMOS.

I was making absolutely sure I was covering things by referencing with whomever.

Alright well this is golden now. We have something going here and now I want to purposely strike back at Dell for screwing us over. Our systems are garbage. What can they do to fix this? Send a new mobo? I am sorry but I really do not want to take apart this machine, laptops are way to delicate for complete gut-outs and repositioning of parts especially with their heatpipe design. I already did that and have yet to make it flush with the vent in the back.

I don't know btm line is they screwed us and now something has to be done.
I suggest you all get refunded because this company shows they are incapable of quality anything nowadays.

 

How in the world could they have let this happen?
This is SO UNCONSCIONABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All the other issues raised with this laptop have been problematic but not ridiculous.

They have just ruined mine and whomever else downloaded this tonight's laptop and now we need an idiot outsourced repair-person to come try and replace a motherboard? Disgusting....

 

Where is JohnBatDell? This is a real deal customer service problem. I thought I had done something wrong, but clearly not - since I seem to be in very good company.

If this was an enterprise, they would send out an entire new "case" (e.g., everything but hard drive) and we would swap hard drives. That is what they should do...configured in exactly the same way we ordered it

 

Sorry man it sucks and crap happens... This laptop is very service friendly thank god , i already have mine apart awaiting my new motherboard. It does show very badly for them though that this happened at all. i was told 2 days ago that this bios was going through final QA before release , they sure missed something. I in all my years have never had this happen to any laptop i've own or worked on. I starting to miss my Gateway FX series that i sold when i got this.

thank god i do these repairs all the time for dell so my motherboard is coming direct to me.

 

This is pretty bad if the phoenix flasher is failing. Dell will resolve the issue for you guys through tech support. I wouldn't sweat it.

 

it would be real nice if another update could fix this but in this case its a no go because it killed the ability to reflash you cant boot from any other devices no cd no usb no nothing. Myself and the support team i spoke with tryed all that and final solution is new MB plain and simple.

 

I totally understand, *sigh*I totally understand...

I don't know whether or not I should be happy that I came out first with this but you know the fact is this everyone... Dell screwed us with a release that was supposed to be okay.

How the hell would anybody know it isn't? Luckily for all of us we know this site and can reference with each other but for every other user, they would have no clue.

Dell needs more responsibility to warn people like how we all conference with one another.

I personally complained about the quality of this machine a week or so ago and I managed for them to end up sending me a new machine (which has yet come) + take off $250 off of the original price and give me an additional 1 year warranty.

Now here we are as I was awaiting the new one to come in and this current one which was going to be sent back is now bricked cause of their stupidity.

I cant figure out whether to be mad or glad that I already had a new one coming from before hand with those perks.

But you know what? This doesn't please me. If it is one thing I learned is that this system is not quality built, I have had issues with it and odd behaviors which is why I called in not to long ago and they offered me a new one and those "perks" as I mentioned.

How ironic is it that this company who tried to keep me as a customer by offering this new stuff coming my way managed to bomb the current one I have (bricked)and that it is awaiting a return once I got the new one.

I honestly feel as if I can't trust them no matter what they tell me now and I feel as if I should return the new one. What happens next time they release something and it screws up the system?

What would you guys do and if anything is there a better alternative then Alienware? I believe there is but what, Sagers? I don't trust Sager and do not like how their whole setup is with ordering and or returning.

As a Canadian resident from Toronto, if I ordered a Sager it would end up costing me less than the M15x with better specs but here is where it costs more.... once the Sager would reach my door they will add UPS brokerage fees and then they would charge me taxes. I would up paying an additonal 200-400$ Not worth it.

Next would be ASUS. Asus as we know under-clocks their GPU and so that is not okay with me either. I guess you can't buy quality systems anymore.
Anybody know what to do from here on?

 

Btw, do you guys have the "accidental support" insurance? does this cover this?

I think its stupid if i have to use my insurance on this crap.. this is actually dell's damage.. not mine ffs.

 

Well if that's what it takes then they'll do it. It sucks that you guys have to go through the mess of dealing with tech support and having the laptops mainboard replaced but as long as the tech doesn't screw up, it should be fine. If the tech messes up, Dell will remedy it in one way or another. I do agree it's a headache but there are solutions.

 

While I totally understand the frustration surrounding this issue, I am asking everyone to respect NBR's forum rules.

Thanks guys.

 

i do not buy those warranties , i have the standard warranty and this is covered they issue this update on there site for end users and if you followed there steps and it messed up under warranty it should be covered by standard warranty. There are too many people affected right now and im sure the number will grow this cant be blamed on us owners.

 

I agree with you Joker conceptually.
But the outsourced techs that they have are really clueless.
The guy that replaced my keyboard (for flex) didn't know how to reconnect the ribbon cable and cable for the backlight to the mainboard connector.
And now someone similar is going to replace my mainboard?
Does this mean they are going to take out the CPU and Graphics chips and then reseat them with the heatsink and ensure this is enough thermal compound? I can barely deal with the thought...

 

baaah, i dont think there are tech guys in Norway for privat costumers. only companys. that means that i will probably need to send it back to irland for reasembling.. that will take a month. and the worst thing is that theres no tech support on(phone) here in the weekends... :S

 

Your statement completely reinforces my rant. Nothing makes you feel real secure especially if it is true about these techs they send who are clueless.
Wow *shakes head* ...unbelievable company...

 

My question is how did it pass tests that are required to release it to the public? Did it work on dell test M15X's? Wow, dell has a lot of techs that are going to be gettin to work

 

well guys.. Next time we update to A04 BIOS lets google it first

 

Have they pulled it off the website yet?

 

yes - that teaches me to download new BIOS when it is first released
I am tempted to wait a few days to contact tech support - i feel like tonight the India folks will be clueless

 

No they havent and i was very vocal about that with support.

 

Nope - I just looked 2 mins ago and I could still pull down the file.
I posted a warning note on the Dell support forums...

 

I believe it is a matter of "human error". We are not a perfect world or a society and mistakes are made easily.

It is no different than a car company releases a tested vehicle to the masses and then all of a sudden there are recalls and goof up's on it. Dell has done the same issue.

Regardless they will have a big problem here and it doesn't make it okay because what can they offer for those who want to keep their systems?
Shady quality assurance? Bad tech recruits coming to your house? There is no sense of feeling as though they will make it right.

I luckily complained originally about my system before there update bricked the thing. I have a new one coming with 250$ off of the price and an extra 1 year warranty and this one is going back as soon as it arrives.

This would be the only okay standard of remedy. I doubt Dell would actually help benefit the customers for once like they did to me.

 

bios updates shouldnt be feared like this , they REALLY REALLY screwed this one up bad. i havent had a bad bios flash since 1999 on a really bad FIC brand amd motherboard. and ive done way to many to count.

 

If anyone wants a new refreshed Alienware, get the BIOS lol (only if your within 21 days) The fact that they havn't taken it down yet is amazing. The money it's going to cost them. Wow. Can't understand what they are thinking

 

Its the weekend, the last thing they are thinking is work now. Wait till Monday comes around... I guarantee this issue will become known on many popular blogs. If Engadget covers it or whomever else then we know it became very serious.

Heck it is regardless now.

 

Get your popcorn ready. It's the weekend let's see if it stats up until Monday.

 

It's surprising this slipped through quality assurance. But look on the bright side guys, this might get them to create yet another bios and they might throw M15x owners a bone by fixing the throttling--hahahahahahahahaa..yeah like that will ever happen!

 

Yeah this would be funny if good people weren't getting their hardware bricked.

 

I really don't want to stay with them anymore even with my new machine coming and perks along with it.

Is there anything better out there for less? You would think a system that costed $2713 (canadian) would be quality. Nope but overpriced for sure.

 

WOW did i dodge a bullet...

I downloaded the Bios update, and went onto installing it. but nothing ever happened...

It just sat there and froze up my computer.. to the point where i had to unplug and pull the battery out

but the bios didnt flash and the computer is still running fine... WHEEWW

 

I've already posted this thread link over at hardocp so it should get around real fast.

 

How do we get this on Engadget or Gizmodo? At least it would let people know not to download it under any circumstances. From what we are reading, this looks to be a 100% brick issue. Is there anyone who has used the program (the R252901.exe file) with success? I'd love to hear it. We know folks getting new systems have A03, but has anyone successfully updated A02 to A03 with the file posted tonight?