BIOS A13 for M1330

Already available
http://ftp.us.dell.com/bios/M1330A13.EXE

official Changelog:
Fixes/Enhancements
------------------
1. Added support for new versions of Intel CPUs.
2. Added support for 8GB memory.

8GB support implemented according to
http://www.ideastorm.com/apex/ideaView?id=087700000000BvcAAE

 

I agree, 8 or even 6gb support would be awesome.

 

Thanks for the heads up.

 

Sounds to me like the fan is kicking in at high speed whenever my CPU temperature reaches 60 °C. This wasn't the case with BIOS A12. When I installed the BIOS the fan roared when the computer restarted, but I'm not sure if this is normal for a BIOS update. I wouldn't say that the fan comes on when in idle, though, since GPU is still reading between 55 - 60 °C when idle and no fan comes on.

 

is it worth updating?
and is this a bios updater within windows?

 

I think its an .exe to be run in windows, not yet uplaoded when I checked earlier to dell UK

 

Yeah dude where did you find that? I looked over the Dell updates and drivers and what not page and couldn't find anything above the A12.

 

http://ftp.us.dell.com/

BUT don't just start downloading and using everything you find there.. LOL. Be patient for Dell to announce it or update the information on the drivers n downloads page specific to your system. We never know, they might even make some new changes before they make it 'official'...

 

^^^Oh Thanks...yeah I'll wait for the official one

 

8gb of ram PLEASE!.

 

official Changelog:
Fixes/Enhancements
------------------
1. Added support for new versions of Intel CPUs.
2. Added support for 8GB memory.

---

I'd be curious which CPUs these are:
. It can't be the overclocking feature of the X9000 since this has been proven not being the case for the M1530 with its A11 BIOS, which is very related to the A13 of the M1330. And TDP of X9000 is 44W and I doubt you'd be even able to use 2,8GHz primestable without TM1/TM2 throttle on M1330.
. Some FSB1066 Centrino2 CPUs? This might sound stupid since running those at FSB800 speed results the maximum clock being reduced by 33%, which is a lot. However this depends on what these CPUs will cost in say 1/2 year. And maybe there is a way to overcome this once you discovered how to use the additional multipliers of a X9100 CPU.
. Q9100, QX9300? Might sound stupid for the same reasons above. However I'm compiling a lot of software, which scales nicely with quadcores. In my particular case (not yours!) I'd even run the Quad Q9100 with FSB800 at 1,70GHz and prefer that over a T9500 Dual@2,6GHz. Running the Q9100 @1,7GHz would greatly reduce TDP of 45W. Doing this undervolted is even better.

 

I think they might actually decide to keep the M1330 looking at the support for new intel chips. Yes I think your x9000/q9100 theories are ridiculous because of heat! I reckon its the P8000 series and that their update the m1330 to montevina.

 

The difference is: These are no theories. I've done a tremendous amount of testing as you can check here.

I know already the Q9100 will run undervolted at 0,9V/0,95V at 1,7GHz speed and for the applications I use this will give me a better performance per Watt than a T9500. My application portfolio is different than yours.

For the time being I'll just illustrate the performance aspect: TechARPs x264 HD benchmark:
http://www.techarp.com/showarticle.aspx?artno=520#data
. Q6600@3GHz takes 110 sec
. E8400@3GHz takes 203 sec
Interpolating the E8400@2,5GHz and the Q6600@1,7GHz assuming linear clock performance:
. Q6600@1,7GHz takes 194 sec
. E8400@2,5GHz takes 244 sec
The overall gain is 25,5%, which leaves even room to reduce the 1,7GHz clock even further down to 1,3GHz (which could have been guessed without any maths, since x264 scales almost linear from 1/2/4 cores and 1,3GHz represents 50% of 2,5GHz of the T9500).

It remains to be shown whether the M1330 can cope the heat of a
. Q9100@1,7GHz ~0,9/0,95V
. T9500@2,5GHz ~1,05V (= about the best undervolting you could expect from this CPU)
and compare the results with a Q9100@1,3GHz.

 

Right let me clear this up a bit. I must be honest and say I didn't read your original post as i should have but... Dell would be crazy and I would be crazy if I woke up one day and dell started selling M1330's with Q9100's. Only gaming / desktop replacement laptops have desktop processors in them! And seeing all the heat issues of the M1330 anyway its totally unviable.

 

Some of my Asian friends are skipping this update. According to them 13 which reduces to (1+3=4) 4 represents death. Installing this update on an M1330 that too with a weak nVidia chip is asking for disaster

 

1. Added support for new versions of Intel CPUs.

what CPU do they mean? i read about there will be some new penryn CPU..

 

Installed here yesterday with no issues so far... My M1330 has the integrated graphics, if that matters.

 

so this a13 bios will support 8gb of memory with 64bit vista?

 

"Added support for new versions of Intel CPUs."

No more CPU whine?

 

I'm still on A09 without a lick of trouble or problems. I doubt any BIOS updates after A12 will really be of much benefit to older 1330s like mine.

 

I'm quite sure you could be on A02 and wouldn't notice a difference. If you would upgrade to A10 you would notice for example that ejecting a DVD wouldn't hang your notebook for 3 secs instead the DVD ejects without interrupted mouse movements etc.

For somebody who doesn't experience problems, I wouldn't recommend flashing the BIOS in general. However for M1330 owners:
. with GeForce 8400M GS video Dell recommends to upgrade to A12.
. with X3100 (GM965) video I'm the one that strongly suggests updating your BIOS to at least A12 in order to prevent memory and finally data corruption on your harddrive with recent video drivers.

For every BIOS update ever be released - there will always be those that claim "I'm not updating, since I don't see the benefit". The question is: Do we really need to discuss this in every thread, which contains information about new BIOS versions?

 

Any difference in terms of fan noise?

 

I have been running A13 since the weekend and haven't noticed any changes in frequency or loudness of the fan, but I have the integrated graphics.

 

i just installed the A13 bios too but am feeling paraniod because my fan is runs most of the time.. albert a low speed but audible is a silent room. does yours act this way? and what is the average tempreture of your cpu mine is 45C on slight usage (mainly firefox office and some pdfs are running) i use the intergrated card too.

 

Is this official on the regular website?

 

Yes, it is now official on the support pages.

I don't think my fan is running all/most of the time. I use it in a quiet but not totally silent room. I haven't checked the average temps lately. Totally subjectively I think the temps are about the same - I haven't noticed any change in the temp of the palmrest. I haven't run checks on CPU temps in a long time (around the time A12 was released).

 

Yeah, that's why I said updates after A12 probably won't benefit older 1330's like mine (regardless of the fact I didn't like A12). It's not always about whether or not "we see" a benefit, as BIOS updates are targeted at specific issues. Supporting the latest processors or all the RAM in the world isn't going to help my year-and-a-half old 1330 one iota; that's a fact.

Generally, though, you're right: there's little point in discussing personal preferences. I guess my comment just meant to say: my (and others') old 1330, won't see a benefit from A13. That's where people should heed your advice against blindly updating the BIOS.

 

I have a XPS 1330 with T9300, 4GB of Ram NVIDIA Ge Force 8400 GS 128 MB Ram. Will the new BIOS A13 will help me in any way ?

 

On the chance that I'm missing something, what does the age of the machine have to do with the usefulness of the BIOS update?

 

I think what Pookieprancer meant was that since the new update added support for new versions of Intel CPUs and his/her laptop obviously isn't using a new one, there is no need to flash the BIOS?

 

So does anybody know what these new supported processors are?

 

i want to know too

 

Hello any one there ! Any news on the update ?

 

I havent been able to find anything else from the dell website

 

The update is gone from Dell Canada site.

 

same thing on the US site they went back to A12, what does that mean!! was it a bad one or what, is it going to damage our laptops!!!!!!

 

It's a good thing I stuck with A12.

 

So what does it mean? Do we have to downgrade back to A12? Any official info on that?

 

Both A11 BIOS for the M1530 as well as the A13 BIOS for the M1330 have been pulled off Dell's website. There is no official comment on that.

I doubt those that currently benefit from the 8GB support for either of those versions will go back to the last version and find themself with 4GB.

Do you remember what happened at Windows Update prior to releasing Vista SP1? There had several Updates removed removed since they didn't work on all systems. Those that had already successfully installed the corresponding Windows Update were certainly not affected.

I don't know either why they removed it, but if I should guess:
. It's still on the FTP server and available for download by means of the direct link. I don't think that would be the case if it would be really harmful to install.
. The changelog intersection of the pulled back M1530 and M1330 BIOS is
1. Added support for new versions of Intel CPUs.
Since intel didn't release any new notebook CPUs for the santa rosa platform I can tell you what happened: They accidently compiled in QuadCore support that they have to remove now

 

M1330 have issues with the nVidia GPU as you all should know, there is also a design fault in the Thermal Cooling Assembly contact with the GPU. All these BIOS updates are to prolong the time before the fatal result of the GPU over-heating. When the GPU burn out, the Warranty would probably have expired and DELL will not be obligated for repairs. Wonder about the Legality of this deception on DELL part in not rectifying the Thermal Cooling Assembly design.
BIOS UPDATES TO DECEIVE US THAT DELL HAS SOLVED THE OVER-HEATING PROBLEMS.

 

I am currently seeing lower GPU/CPU temps With the A13 BIOS, that is.. On the stock cooling.. Had my mobo changed once.. and didn't go back to the copper mod again.. The Fan's still not on always.. I think they have lowered the default clocks for the GPU.. It doesn't keep jumping to 600/400 all the time now, while invoking aero on the Vista desktop..

 

M1330 BIOS A13 has been withdrawn from DELL site. The current version has reverted back to A12.

DELL is such a great company, they even locked-out my Account from their DELL Forum, for not saying good things about their products.

 

Wow I never know about the deception issue about the GPU dying. Is this true please let me know so I can back up my data and try to dump this system on ebay. (XPS m1330) if the issue is that serious I need to change laptops please explain to me whats going on .

 

And this means what?

 

Sorry if I have alarmed you. Basically, it is not financially viable for Dell to have Total Product Recall, How many M1330 sold World-wide ? other Models are also said to be affected. Dell at present is repairing or replacing parts with faulty parts, the reason for some people to have had multiple motherboard replacements.They have extended the Warranty to the nVidia GPU by 12 Months, any other components damaged will be chargeable if out of Warranty. It is best to back up important data , rather than being sorry when the inevitable occurs. To keep or discard the laptop is entirely your own decision.

Since the BIOS A13 no longer exists, it's best to search other Threads for relevant information.

NB: Some Threads have Dell Staffs replying to reassure M1330 owners that there are no faults/problems and that any problems occurred have now been rectified (believe what you will).

 

I installed A13 after they posted it on the main support site and have been using it with no issues whatsoever since then. I have a copy of the A12 exe but don't see any reason to go back at this time.

 

Same here... And 8 GB of RAM is awesome.. I probably would switch the sticks to another laptop in a while.. But A12 still lacks 8gig support..

 

Did you install 8 GB notebook RAM , the G. Skill 2 x 4GB DDR2 RAM at 667 Mhz ?
If so, how did they perform ?
8 GB RAM would be superfluous.
Version A13 BIOS may do more harm than enhance the System ? Maybe that's why it was pulled by DELL ?

 

Don't think it does any harm..prob sucky battery life...cuz my fan comes on very early on

 

mine too. Like you, I also don't think there's any serious concerns with the A13 bios.

I'm still on my second motherboard; had it since mid year and too be honest I've been babying it. I've been running mostly on powersaver mode during the summer and switched to an Xbox 360 to play any games. Still, nothing I've read will give me faith that anything that's been done by Dell will stave off an eventual failure of these motherboards in the M1330 that have the NVidia chip. As far as I'm concerned it's not if it will fail, it's when. Dell will just redesign the motherboard, Nvidia will create a better chip for the next generation M1330 and we'll be left with a questionable notebook that never was ready for primetime.