My new M17x is now a brick thanx to dell....

I downloaded the BIOS patch and at 14 of 32 my computer locked up and now it wont post. Im in Iraq so now i have a net book to use for the next 2 months until i can get it fixed after i send it back home. Im so f'in angry right. I paid 2500 dollars for a computer andnow its a brick. I had everything shut down and antivirus off before running WIN Phlash.

SO MADDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

 

umm software errors happen, plus Dell is not creator of WINPhlash, that is Phoenix.


but that is a shame..might be able post more help after get settled in at work.

 

Updating BIOS is always a risky and you should know that.

And you can't blame dell.

 

cant you always reflash it to original?

 

Are there any known options/precedents of recovering from a BIOS brick?

 

the computer wont start, and i have to be angry at someone so it might as well be dell.

 

The update failed after the bios erase so he can't boot the system to flash it back.

Some BIOS system's have ways to recover the system (put a pen drive with the original bios file/cd generally) but i don't know about M17x.

 

Silly that companies didnt find solutions yet to avoid these problems... I mean its almost 2010, they should implement something as a backup in cases like this one.

 

im trying to find out if i can, the Bios is phoneix in these correct?

 

Did you tried to contact dell support?

 

the bios is like 6 bucks if you can get to it... you could have someone jumpl flash it... moo might be able to do this for you if he is around... i havent taken this thing apart yet, but it is possible... anyone else know if we can get to the bios chip? also, never flash out of windows always use a usb boot drive... i know that that does not help you now, but if you like i can call alienware for you and see if they will send a bios chip... pm me if you want, i know what it is like to have this happen...

 

Do these machines have Nvidia BIOS shadowed by Phoenix BIOS?

I suspect that the flash drive option may be doable. Not sure of the exact procedure for saving BIOS to flashdrive or which button to push when powering on though.

 

yes it is Phoenix, I remember moo doing some guide!

 

I dont know if the BIOS is sodered in, (my spellign sucks) im looking online on how to recover from it if possible. but i dont know how

 

Try saving the old BIOS to usb flashdrive, put it in laptop, take out battery, unplug power adapter, hold b and fn keys without letting go while plugging in adapter. The system should power up with no led's, if you get LED's use win key + b. If the USB is flashing, the BIOS is being read, let go of the keys and wait 5 min. unplug, then try to start.

 

It's fn + esc i think

 

im trying that now. but problem is i cant download thbios from dell. its giving me errors. can anyone upload one to a fileshare place?

 

I feel sorry for you Axman. I hope you get it working again. I am awaiting my delivery of m17x. Hopefully it arrives on time.

 

It wouldnt be as bad if i wasnt in Iraq right now. it takes 10 days to get stuff shipped back home. so my girlfriend will have to try and get dell to fix it if i cant and it will be over a month before i see it again

 

ok, got the bios downloaded. i try putting in a bootable usb drive without hitting the FN+b key and the usb drive blinks for a second. If i hold the FN+B on a start up for a bit the USB stays illuminated like its working and the eyes illuminate (HDD lights) on the alienware head. Now the USB drive isnt blinking and the HDD lights are solid but i just started it. gonna give it about 10 mins and see what happens. Z or moo if your on your help would be apreciated

 

normally does not work that way with a usb stick. you usually need a usb floppy for crisis methods. can you by chance see anything on a external display?

when you boot and see the lights does the keyboard work? can you say hit the caps lock or num lock and see them illuminate?

 

If it work the computer gonna turn off by itself but it can take a bit longer (30-40 min).

 

^^^ correct i have seen some turn themselves on after almost an hour

 

The bios file has a Crisis file with it in a zip. and it seems to be working with the USB. it creates it automatically and there is no need to change any file names. the light on the USB drive is flashing constantly as if it is being read. I just restarted the process after i found it. I will keep you updated.

 

IT WORKED!!!!!. the bios file has a winflash that all you need to do is run it with a usb drive and Press FN+B and hold it until the Eyes illuminate on the alien head and it takes 5 mins.

 

yea! good for you!

 

I did a write up on how to do it. so if we could add it to the M17x thread as a link. It will help someone else from pulling their hair out

 

Nightmare avoided, good job man.

 

Glad you got that fixed. great work!!!

 

ummm you do see during the process of flashing it says backing up and creating a backup BIOS ...

Yea there is actually like 3 different BIOS's in the thing .... i extract the .exe and use a EXACT BIOS so there is no error capable of happening ....


Hell i have flashed mine over 20 times

 

MOO COMES TO THE RESCUE

a few minutes too late

 

hey even moo's have to work

 

"Let me get a footlong chicken teryaki on honey oat bread, pepper jack cheese toasted. Lettuce, onion, jalepenos, and sweet onion sauce, that's all".

Sorry, moo.. I had to do it! That's my conversation every time I go to Subway

Anyway, to keep this on-topic, flashing is ALWAYS a risk and you should know that bad things can happen.

With that said I have NEVER once bricked any system from a bad BIOS flash....

 

Lol poor Moo at subway . Wish he would get someone to take a pic of him behind the counter working .

 

Now THAT I would want to see! LOL

Forget red chassis' and m15x refreshes for a minute

 

.... ill be sure to get a picture in the mirror

 

MMmmmm Subway.. I could use some actual subway. The ones here always run out of lett, tomato, onions, roast beef, turkey, cheese, and ham. Oh and sometimes no wheat bread either. So sadly we're stuck with week old tuna and olives.

Stupid Iraq.. =P

Actually stupid me for coming here. lol

 

the subway at BIAP is not to bad...they normally make a tasty tuna sammich...and if you about them not putting enough meat on there, they normally hook you up with double meat for free!!!

 

Nice! Though I'm not near BIAP. I'm stuck in Anbar.. =(
Funny enough though, the DFAC here has a nice samich bar so it's all good.

 

I've never bricked a system either flashing it. (Just ignore the fact that to date I've only flashed my bios twice...and one of those were the keyboard bios )

Anyway, glad to hear that you managed to save your system from the dead. I wonder if this would work with the M17 too, seeming as both use a phoenix bios. (Hey, it always helps to know just in case!)

 

oh come on EvilCorsair.....2 BIOS flashes does not count!! lol

Yeah I too followed the thread rated it as excellent for its usefulness and +1 rep to axman for doing it himself with the aid of the guys on here!

See...we dont always need to call Dell or Alienware straight away as we can fix things ourselves, this is what having a PC is all about.
(just referring to someone in another thread who was complaining about the M17X)

 

Oh...apart from Moo...LOL