A recent batch of BIOS updates for Dell and Alienware systems turned out to be a bad thing. As first discovered by Computer bleeding, many Dell-made PC owners – including Alienware Aurora R8 and the Inspiron 5680 gaming desktop, as well as the Latitude 5320 and 5520 business laptops – started to develop major problems after installing new BIOS versions. Mostly the boot fails, of course, which makes it harder to apply potential fixes.
An Aurora R8 owner, for example, is reported stuck in an infinite crash loop after what initially appeared to be a regular BIOS update. Also have at least one Inspiron 5680 can’t start correctly almost immediately after the update is downloaded. Sorry.
The problem appeared with BIOS version 2.8.0 for Inspiron desktops and version 1.0.18 for Alienware systems, with version 1.14.3 causing the same problem for Latitude laptops. If you have a potentially vulnerable Dell system and have downloaded “critical updates” including one of these latest BIOS versions, you should probably roll back to the old version as soon as possible. the better. Rolling back also seems to fix any problems as they appear, as long as you can get into the BIOS while all boot fails.
Dell hasn’t provided an official explanation for the series of problems, which sound more like new bugs than long-standing hardware problems, although they pulled the Alienware 1.0.18 and Latitude update. 1.14.3 so they can’t tamper with anyone else’s rig. At the time of writing, the most recent BIOS versions available for download are 1.0.17 and 1.13.0 respective versions. BIOS 2.8.0 for Inspiron computers is still listed on Dell’s support site, however – luckily the previous one is also available by clicking “Older Version”.
It’s easy to go for pre-built PCs when the DIY build route tends to be more value (and more fun, frankly). Manufacturer updates that leave the entire system temporarily commission-free probably won’t help with that kind of perception. Pre-builds can have their uses, though: with GPU inventory so hard to find at the moment, purchasing the entire system is one of the more reliable ways to ensure your PC’s safety. self best graphics card.
