How Long for BIOS Update?

Coastie3202 · 14 Mar 2010

I purchased a new system with Windows 7. It is the Dell i1764. Dell put a small piece of paper in with the documentation that states "Before Using Your Computer.....Update to the latest computer BIOS and drivers."

I followed their link, read the instructions carefully, and did everything that they said. The BIOS update has been running for over 2 hours now, with no movement of the status bar. It has been sitting on "2 of 84" for that length of time.

How long does a BIOS update normally take? If it is stuck, what are my options?

Thanks for your help.

pebbly · 14 Mar 2010

a bios update should not take that long , normally less than 1 minute , how did you perform this update? :)

Suspekt · 14 Mar 2010

I think you made a bad move there :). I hope your mobo it's ok

Usually a bios update/flash takes up to a maximum of 1 minute ( mine took about 20-25 seconds ).

pebbly · 14 Mar 2010

you may be lucky and be able to use the backdoor recovery, turn off the laptop ,hold down the "del" key and reboot that should reset the bios defaults bact to factory settings, good luck

Coastie3202 · 14 Mar 2010

Well.....I attempted to halt the operation, with no luck. The BIOS update process froze everything, including the mouse and keyboard, and the power button. So, to turn off the system I was forced to remove the battery. Once I replaced the battery and had the laptop hooked to external power I attempted to turn the computer back on. Seems everything is dead, no power button input at all. The laptop just sits and looks at me like I am stupid...which my wife just told me I am.

Any suggestions, other than taking it back to Best Buy?

pebbly · 14 Mar 2010

did you try the backdoor recovery i suggested? :)

StealthyBoss · 14 Mar 2010

never update bios... that way your safe :)

BWK · 14 Mar 2010

Why would they sell you something that needed a bios update to begin with? Don't they have on site geeks for that stuff. It seems kinda weird that they sold a system telling you to update bios. I would take it back, make sure you have that piece of paper that they gave you telling you to update bios...this may turn into a BIG mess and they might tell you they did nothing of the sort. Good Luck!

pebbly · 14 Mar 2010

sorry coastie its the "end" key you have to hold down

Coastie3202 · 14 Mar 2010

pebbly said:

did you try the backdoor recovery i suggested? :)

Never got the chance to do the backdoor. Everything is dead. It would not power off and won't power back up. It is dead dead dead.

I will be taking it back and will show them the piece of paper from Dell that states to do the updates, including BIOS before using the computer. What's a pain in the ass is that the store is 65 miles away. Oh well!