Dell complaints

JimH8189

I was recently rebuilding an Image on an Inspiron 9100 when I updated the BIOS from A01 to A06. On the next boot the system couldn’t find the hard drive.

Upon contacting Dell’s chat support I was told that by not updating the BIOS from A01 to A02 to A03 in order………up to the current BIOS that the board was more than likely damaged and that this is a know issue. I was told to re-flash the BIOS back to A01 and then try and do the updates in order. If this failed then the system board would have to be replaced. Of course it failed!

All Dell can say is the System is out of warranty and even though this is a know bug in their BIOS code they adamantly refuse to accept the fact that the failure of this and probably many other system boards is their fault.

I’ve asked Dell to post on the BIOS page a document explaining the importance of proper BIOS update procedures so damage doesn’t happen to other systems in the future……..of course that never happened.

I have so many emails from Dell support that now won’t mention a word about the BIOS bug even though I’ve sent them copies of the chat transcript where their own tech admits this is a known issue and the tech even posted a copy of the exact error the system was giving me at boot. Dell’s probable fired the poor tech for being honest by now!

I have tons of documents if anyone’s interested. Thanks for letting me vent!

...............Jim

HellResident · Dances with Hate Joined: 20 Nov 2005 Posts: 123

It may or may not be a known issue. You cant really believe much a Dell Tech tells you . It may be something he found on google ( the #1 research tool they use , I know I am one) but that doesnt mean dell has it documented in their own database. It matters not if the board is out of warranty, but check the warranty status online anyway as they arent always accurate or truthful. Now most dell bioses I know of contain the code for all previous revisions at Dell. Usually though only on certain revisions a05 if I recall correctly but I dont work there anymore and would have to check.
If reflashing with a05 doesnt work, consider the possibility it could be something stupid like he cable needs replacing or reseating, stranger things have happened especially if you've been in the case in the same time period.
If all else fails check what your board goes for on ebay, it's not worth your farting with if you can get a replacement board for $25 and there are tons of parts scroungers for most Dells .Just as with all things on Ebay, Caveat Empor.

HellResident

JimH8189 · Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 8:37 am Post subject:

Thanks for the post HellResident

I started flashing the BIOS back to A01 and went up to maybe A03 or A04, I sure I didn't flash it back up as far as A05. I'll do that now. It just chaps my ass that Dell would not help fix this machine.

I was a ThinkPad engineer for years and when our BIOS's killed a system board IBM and now Lenovo are great about accepting their responsibilty and replacing the boards that their code damaged.

Thanks again for the tip, I'm on it now................

.....................Jim

Rocke_T_Sinetist · Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 10:07 am Post subject:

Dell denies all responsibility out of warranty, unless you're a large institutional customer, or if the product catches fire (because their compliance underwriting agencies force them to).

Further, Dell has sloughed off all BIOS engineering, including verification, onto their halfass Chinese vendors.

Yes, a requirement that you upflash 'in order' is a bug. It was never the case when I worked there, and Dell still verified their own products.
_________________
Rocke T Sinetist
as in, 'it doesn't take a...'

JimH8189 · Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 11:38 am Post subject:

It's really pretty sad, I've been a ThinkPad engineer for years and have worked with a lot of BIOS problems and IBM/Lenove is great about owning up to known issues in their code when these kind of problems arise. Dells continuing denial about this know issue shows what they really think about their individual customers and their own products.

I'll never touch another Dell and look forward to the day when my customers (which is most everyday) ask me my opinion about a Dell or what kind of machine to purchase.

........................Jimj