Inspiron 3800 BIOS flash gone bad...

[unkn2232324]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Was flashing the BIOS of my Inspiron 3800 and it stopped/hung at 50%, now I have
a useless laptop. Was doing an A: drive BIOS update, everything was going fine
until it started writing the new bios and it then froze 50% thru and never
finished. Now it doesn't even boot.

Anyone know of any "easy" solutions. If all else fails, ill just sell it for
parts, since everywhere I looked a replacement motherboard for this was around
$150 and Dell wants $550 for a motherboard.

Thanks for any suggestions, please feel free to laugh as well, HAH.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"G" <.@.> wrote in message
news:4r66u0dgicet311tn936f14q88l8d5g30r@4ax.com...
> Was flashing the BIOS of my Inspiron 3800 and it stopped/hung at 50%, now
I have
> a useless laptop. Was doing an A: drive BIOS update, everything was going
fine
> until it started writing the new bios and it then froze 50% thru and never
> finished. Now it doesn't even boot.
>
> Anyone know of any "easy" solutions. If all else fails, ill just sell it
for
> parts, since everywhere I looked a replacement motherboard for this was
around
> $150 and Dell wants $550 for a motherboard.
>
> Thanks for any suggestions, please feel free to laugh as well, HAH.

G,

Have you tried to reflash? Also what BIOS do you have? This *may* help
you:

http://pages.sbcglobal.net/jefn/bootblock.html

http://forum.iamnotageek.com/t-77604.html

HTH
Louie
Chiefland, FL,USA

 

[unkn2232324]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

On Mon, 10 Jan 2005 20:17:56 -0500, "Louie" <louie@spammenot.com> wrote:

>"G" <.@.> wrote in message
>news:4r66u0dgicet311tn936f14q88l8d5g30r@4ax.com...
>> Was flashing the BIOS of my Inspiron 3800 and it stopped/hung at 50%, now
>I have
>> a useless laptop. Was doing an A: drive BIOS update, everything was going
>fine
>> until it started writing the new bios and it then froze 50% thru and never
>> finished. Now it doesn't even boot.
>>
>> Anyone know of any "easy" solutions. If all else fails, ill just sell it
>for
>> parts, since everywhere I looked a replacement motherboard for this was
>around
>> $150 and Dell wants $550 for a motherboard.
>>
>> Thanks for any suggestions, please feel free to laugh as well, HAH.
>
>G,
>
>Have you tried to reflash? Also what BIOS do you have? This *may* help
>you:
>
>http://pages.sbcglobal.net/jefn/bootblock.html
>
>http://forum.iamnotageek.com/t-77604.html
>
>HTH
>Louie
>Chiefland, FL,USA
>

I appreciate the quick reply, but I am not sure which type of BIOS is on this
laptop. I am unable to "reflash" considering the system is pretty much dead, it
doesn't appear to do much of anything, it powers up for about 5-10 seconds then
shuts itself down. I have a disk floppy disk in drive but it doesn't access it.

Thanks for the links, I will read thru them, but on a quick read thru I didn't
see anything that would help, will look closer though.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

> I appreciate the quick reply, but I am not sure which type of BIOS is on
this
> laptop. I am unable to "reflash" considering the system is pretty much
dead, it
> doesn't appear to do much of anything, it powers up for about 5-10 seconds
then
> shuts itself down. I have a disk floppy disk in drive but it doesn't
access it.
>
> Thanks for the links, I will read thru them, but on a quick read thru I
didn't
> see anything that would help, will look closer though.

Mmmm, take a look here:

http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=insp_bios&mes
sage.id=25932&c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19

May have to open it up and reset CMOS pin or reseat CPU:

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/pstar/en/sm_en/r_r.htm?c=us&l=
en&s=dhs&cs=19

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/pstar/en/sm_en/index.htm?c=us&
l=en&s=dhs&cs=19

Sorry I can't be of more help.

Louie
Chiefland, FL, USA

 

[unkn2232324]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

On Mon, 10 Jan 2005 21:37:18 -0500, "Louie" <louie@spammenot.com> wrote:

> I appreciate the quick reply, but I am not sure which type of BIOS is on this
> laptop. I am unable to "reflash" considering the system is pretty much dead, it
> doesn't appear to do much of anything, it powers up for about 5-10 seconds then
> shuts itself down. I have a disk floppy disk in drive but it doesn't access it.
>
> Thanks for the links, I will read thru them, but on a quick read thru I didn't
> see anything that would help, will look closer though.
>
>Mmmm, take a look here:
>
>http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=insp_bios&message.id=25932&c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19
>
>May have to open it up and reset CMOS pin or reseat CPU:
>
>http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/pstar/en/sm_en/r_r.htm?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19
>
>http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/pstar/en/sm_en/index.htm?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19
>
>Sorry I can't be of more help.
>
>Louie
>Chiefland, FL, USA
>

Thanks again, but I have looked these pages over before, I posted here (except
for the first one) and were helpful in telling me how to break it down, but
nothing else.

I already stripped down the entire laptop, pulled everything out except the
fan/heatpipe unit. I never did see or read anything about a CMOS jumper. Even
though there was a jumper over by the PCMCIA slots. I could not even locate
anything that looked like a BIOS chip. I was going to see if I could just
remove it and get a replacement from an online "bad flash" vendor, but I didn't
see any "removable" type chips, so if its there, its soldered to the board.

I'm just considering it a lost cause now, considering trying to get a used
motherboard from someone on eBay, least it will be cheaper that way, riskier
though.

Know where I can get a parts breakdown for this laptop? How to determine the
motherboard rev/model number?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Does pressing the master reset switch on the rear of the system have any
effect?

I was thinking of flashing my BIOS but now I'm not so sure.

How can I tell which version of the BIOS I have installed?

Thanks.





In message <n8b6u05ddvbj4h2anqh16k0di8gqtcedtt@4ax.com>, G
<?.?@?.?.invalid> writes
>On Mon, 10 Jan 2005 20:17:56 -0500, "Louie" <louie@spammenot.com> wrote:
>
>>"G" <.@.> wrote in message
>>news:4r66u0dgicet311tn936f14q88l8d5g30r@4ax.com...
>>> Was flashing the BIOS of my Inspiron 3800 and it stopped/hung at 50%, now
>>I have
>>> a useless laptop. Was doing an A: drive BIOS update, everything was going
>>fine
>>> until it started writing the new bios and it then froze 50% thru and never
>>> finished. Now it doesn't even boot.
>>>
>>> Anyone know of any "easy" solutions. If all else fails, ill just sell it
>>for
>>> parts, since everywhere I looked a replacement motherboard for this was
>>around
>>> $150 and Dell wants $550 for a motherboard.
>>>
>>> Thanks for any suggestions, please feel free to laugh as well, HAH.
>>
>>G,
>>
>>Have you tried to reflash? Also what BIOS do you have? This *may* help
>>you:
>>
>>http://pages.sbcglobal.net/jefn/bootblock.html
>>
>>http://forum.iamnotageek.com/t-77604.html
>>
>>HTH
>>Louie
>>Chiefland, FL,USA
>>
>
>I appreciate the quick reply, but I am not sure which type of BIOS is on this
>laptop. I am unable to "reflash" considering the system is pretty much
>dead, it
>doesn't appear to do much of anything, it powers up for about 5-10 seconds then
>shuts itself down. I have a disk floppy disk in drive but it doesn't
>access it.
>
>Thanks for the links, I will read thru them, but on a quick read thru I didn't
>see anything that would help, will look closer though.

--
Harry Gilbertson

 

[unkn2232324]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

On Tue, 11 Jan 2005 02:29:00 +0000, nospam <nospam@nospam.demon.co.uk> wrote:

>Does pressing the master reset switch on the rear of the system have any
>effect?
>
>I was thinking of flashing my BIOS but now I'm not so sure.
>
>How can I tell which version of the BIOS I have installed?
>
>Thanks.
>
>
>

There is no master reset switch on the back of this Inspiron 3800, that I know
of.

I have flashed many desktops and never had a problem, course the first laptop I
do and it takes a dump, just my luck.

You can usually tell which version of BIOS you have when you boot up, there will
be a long string some where near the bottom of the screen, the last couple
digits should be the BIOS rev.

 

[Fixer]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

What Master reset switch??? new one on me
"nospam" <nospam@nospam.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:qCmyhkCsnz4BFwqI@cobe.demon.co.uk...
> Does pressing the master reset switch on the rear of the system have any
> effect?
>
> I was thinking of flashing my BIOS but now I'm not so sure.
>
> How can I tell which version of the BIOS I have installed?
>
> Thanks.
>
>
>
>
>
> In message <n8b6u05ddvbj4h2anqh16k0di8gqtcedtt@4ax.com>, G
> <?.?@?.?.invalid> writes
>>On Mon, 10 Jan 2005 20:17:56 -0500, "Louie" <louie@spammenot.com> wrote:
>>
>>>"G" <.@.> wrote in message
>>>news:4r66u0dgicet311tn936f14q88l8d5g30r@4ax.com...
>>>> Was flashing the BIOS of my Inspiron 3800 and it stopped/hung at 50%,
>>>> now
>>>I have
>>>> a useless laptop. Was doing an A: drive BIOS update, everything was
>>>> going
>>>fine
>>>> until it started writing the new bios and it then froze 50% thru and
>>>> never
>>>> finished. Now it doesn't even boot.
>>>>
>>>> Anyone know of any "easy" solutions. If all else fails, ill just sell
>>>> it
>>>for
>>>> parts, since everywhere I looked a replacement motherboard for this was
>>>around
>>>> $150 and Dell wants $550 for a motherboard.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks for any suggestions, please feel free to laugh as well, HAH.
>>>
>>>G,
>>>
>>>Have you tried to reflash? Also what BIOS do you have? This *may* help
>>>you:
>>>
>>>http://pages.sbcglobal.net/jefn/bootblock.html
>>>
>>>http://forum.iamnotageek.com/t-77604.html
>>>
>>>HTH
>>>Louie
>>>Chiefland, FL,USA
>>>
>>
>>I appreciate the quick reply, but I am not sure which type of BIOS is on
>>this
>>laptop. I am unable to "reflash" considering the system is pretty much
>>dead, it
>>doesn't appear to do much of anything, it powers up for about 5-10 seconds
>>then
>>shuts itself down. I have a disk floppy disk in drive but it doesn't
>>access it.
>>
>>Thanks for the links, I will read thru them, but on a quick read thru I
>>didn't
>>see anything that would help, will look closer though.
>
> --
> Harry Gilbertson

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Sorry, my Inspiron 3100 has a small hole which has a reset switch behind
it, it can be reset with the pointy end of a pen.

The 3800 must have a different design.


In message <ofq6u09pfddgd0r3lljv8j4m72nncsltot@4ax.com>, G
<?.?@?.?.invalid> writes
>On Tue, 11 Jan 2005 02:29:00 +0000, nospam <nospam@nospam.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>Does pressing the master reset switch on the rear of the system have any
>>effect?
>>
>>I was thinking of flashing my BIOS but now I'm not so sure.
>>
>>How can I tell which version of the BIOS I have installed?
>>
>>Thanks.
>>
>>
>>
>
>There is no master reset switch on the back of this Inspiron 3800, that I know
>of.
>
>I have flashed many desktops and never had a problem, course the first laptop I
>do and it takes a dump, just my luck.
>
>You can usually tell which version of BIOS you have when you boot up,
>there will
>be a long string some where near the bottom of the screen, the last couple
>digits should be the BIOS rev.

--