[Help?] M17x r4 Bricked after A09 Bios

Hello NBR,

My m17x R4 just got bricked after updating the bios to a09 with insyde flash. Everything was going fine, until it restarted, then it bluescreen and tried to startup recover.

I tried the BIOS Recovery fix with the FD file, and used the tool to make sure the name was correct, which it is, on the USB.

Now, my computer beeped 20-30 times like it said, i don't know if it restarted, but it's been the fans have been on for 30-40 minutes now, and I don't know what to do. The beeping stopped.

Please give me some advice, thank you!

 

this also happened to me, go into the bios and check the hard drive mode, it may have changed it to RAID or AHCI, my HDD was always on AHCI and a09 changed it to raid which screwed me up. Change it back to what u were using and it should be fine.

 

Well, I ed up & now it won't turn on. I tried the CMOS battery removal, it just won't boot. I held the power button, and pressed it 30 times. It just won't turn on.

 

Sadly I've seen this with two users who tried a blind flash after a failed bios update on an R4 (the A05 I believe). Can't find the thread but it's here somewhere. Both were running AMD if that makes any difference? Both ended up with a return-to-depot repair

 

is there any beeping sound coming from the laptop?
it probably looks like a corrupt bios

here is a fix
I WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR AN Y DAMAGE CAUSED. PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK!
Go to Dell Driver support and download the latest bios exe. Use winrar/7zip to extract this file, you will have a file named like this QBR00EC.fd, rename it to M17R4.hdr.
Now format an USB stick to fat/fat 32, and ONLY put this file on it. (preferably FAT)
Unplug the power cord
remove the battery
hold the power button for 30sec to dispel any static charge
*** put the usb drive into the E-SATA PORT ONLY, no other usb port will work for this
hold the end key
put back the power cord(w/o battery)

It will beep some times and restart few times.

There you go! your bios is back up and working

Even I had this problem once, corrupt download, i did it with the A05 bios exe(was the latest then)

NOTE: the cmos battery should not be removed and should be seated properly(if it has been removed)

 

Use this guide start from step 1/skip step 3, just Rename QBR00EC.fd to M17R4.hdr http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...ttling-m17x-r3-580m-without-120hz-screen.html

 

Don't think this is an option any more since it won't power at all now. But this did intrigue me as i had prepared a USB (sorry to go OT) with the file on it but used the guide to extract the .fd file from the latest A09 .exe. The file was larger (9675kb - 8320kb) than the one I had previously got . I thought all bios files for a specific model were the same size? Might have something to do with these 'dead' machines after a blind flash? Thanks.

 

Read before updating : [M17x R4] - 'unlocked' BIOS versions - Page 6

 

Well, what are my options here. I just left the battery out for 3 hours and tried it, but still nothing. I've reseated the ram chips. Do I have any other options besides calling tech support...

And no, there is no beeping. It's just dead. No response at all.

 

I'm sure you have no option except a replacement MB - total brick!

 

It doesn't even do anything when you take the battery out and then plug it in while holding the end key?

 

Nope, nothing whatsoever :I

 

Is there any power left in your battery?

 

Yes, I've already called dell, they're sending a mobo replacement. It's completely DEAD.

 

Worst case scenario. This is why I always hesitate to update my BIOS . GL with ya !

 

This seems to be happening to some, all of whom have AMD hardware....a coincidence? I feel not...the same when A05 appeared.

Also I find it strange they still havent changed the way the flash file works..It simply runs without any warning....I updated mine a few days ago...It rebooted on its own but went dead before the screen came on, again on its own it rebooted and the difference was the loading bar below alienware was red this time...otherwise no issues so far...

I am using Windows 8 Pro with 3D/ Nvidia GPU...So far to my knowledge this is the 4th AMD loaded system that has run foul during bios update..

I had downloaded the file from our forum here as I wasnt able to download it from the website.." file not found ". I dont know it its available now.

 

Exactly what I was saying earlier. There is something strange with the R4 and AMD that is causing a blind flash to completely brick the machine with NO power at all!

The update is terrible as you say. Just instantly running and flashing the machine without any warning about closing any open apps or such - same as the A05 one

 

Yup, same thing happend to me back in august for a05, the bios update failed, tryed to recover, 40 minute fan run.... in the end, no power at all, had to send to depot. 7970m video card too.

 

I wonder if there is a link between enduro mode vs dedicated when flashing?

 

It happened to me with a 680m. Don't think it's limited to the AMD side. I was able to reflash the bios using the USB and End key method though.

 

Call tech support and get a new board. If you do not have warranty, go get it

 

+1 brick w/ A09 680m with 3D screen

this is quite frustrating.. mine still has power.. but when trying to flash back to a05 with end key + esata USB.. lights and fans come on.. screen is dead.. no light on alienhead..

read in another thread, someone said to remove gpu first, then flash.. will try that tomorrow.. any other ideas?

thanks in advance

 

No real help I'm afraid but do not try removing the gpu (680). It's a waste of time as the iGPU is disabled on the 3d display models.

What filename did you use for the bios file on the USB? If that is wrong then it will never complete. Since we are seeing R4's ending up completly dead and a return to depot needed after a failed blind flash you might also think about just calling dell and getting them to go through it with you. At least then they might send a tech with a MB if it goes bad, which is the only fix for no power after a flash

 

i formatted the usb drive to fat32. extracted a05 and renamed the specified *.fd file to M17XR4.hdr

it still powers up. just no beeping or restarts as described in bios recovery instructions.

 

i had the same problem earlier bad bios flash
i formatted the drive to FAT and only that file in it

important thing to know that you cannot downgrade to a lower version, it had to be *.fd file from the same or a newer version
somehow flashing of lower version does not work (for me it does not)

 

Well, that's exactly as I read it should be. The only other thing I remember from when i did this on my R3 was the usb stick flashing at the start after doing the whole remove battery, hold down end key bit. have you tried removing the cmos battery and drain the power (hold down the power button for 30 seconds)to reset the BIOS, and try again

 

M8S, I WILL FIX THIS PROBLEM DW IM ON IT ;DD,

The problem is in the fact he tried to flash the new A09 bios, probalby a part of the flash ahppend, and the new bios uses technology to check if the bios is legit. He tried to blindflash back to old A05, which is not a legit bios(for the A09), so he should just extract an A09 bios and blind flash that, if that doesnt work contact me again, and I will put some effort in it

 

ow I just sawa some1 else posted the same haha my bad

 

thanks for all the replies

don't know what happened, but completely bricked now. won't power on. calling dell tomorrow. thanks again everyone

 

Damn, another one completely dead!!! I wish we knew what was causing this, I'm not touching my BIOS now since I have no confidence in blind flashing any more

Sorry to hear it dude

 

Seriously, dell needs to figure out what is causing all this bricking. I bricked on a stock bios from dell to update.

 

Yeah, me too. I try to never flash BIOS until it fixes a specific problem I am having. Hell, I am the same way with drivers..
If it isn't broken, why fix it?

 

I guess I got lucky with mine...I tried Windows 8 and wasn't a huge fan so I went back to Windows 7 and when i did I started getting adapter errors...which once I looked into it a bit could be solved by upgrading the bios. I download A09 and ran it no problems but it seems like I am the minority on this one. Hopefully Dell fixes it all up for you no problem.

 

You're absolutely right, problem is that like many other owners, Tweaking and tuning is an addictive hobby. If an update for anything is released, I want to try it!


After reading many threads on this (thanks to J95 and slv7) it seems that from A08/A09 you cannot go back, the BIOS file is larger than A05 and something is being added that cannot be 'downgraded'. By going the blind flash route it is forcing the old BIOS over the new one and then trashing the machine completely in some cases. I read someone that tried to rollback their bios using the EXE and got an error message about 'not being a valid image' (or something similar). Upshot is the bios file on the USB must be from the A08 or A09 if you have or was attempting to update to one of them. Not going to test this one though

 

I bricked my m17x r4 ,
Did anyone find a solution for this problem.
Mine does nothing at all.

I removed the bios chip and programmed to with a working bios but still doesn't work,

I just want to know if dell bios update messes with EC update too?

 

Got her back to normal.
She is rocking like a beast!!!

 

What did you have to do?

 

Flashed the bios and ec .
Had to do it through a programmer.

 

Hard core stuff .

 

I was wondering if you guys could help me. I've got a M17 R4 that has also been bricked and I've ordered and received the Preprogrammed Bios Chip and EC chip. I've located the bios chip but can't seem to locate the EC chip. Would anyone know what chip it is on the motherboard?

 

I have found the location I believe.... Could anyone verify please.


EC ROM : PMC PM25LD010 or MX25L1005A or other brands at U36
BIOS CHIP : Winbond W25Q64 or cFeon Q64 or other brands at U48

 

Hello guys,
My alienware m14x r2 is bricked the same.
I did the blind flash and while i was doing it i had the power cut and i lost everything.
Now i heard that it can be reprogrammed bios chip.

i took picture of my motherboad, but i see there are 2 chips
One is : W25Q80BVSIG 1303 on U604
the osecond is: W25Q64FVSIG 1301 on U48

And i dont know which one is bios installed
Do i need to update the second one only?
Please help.