Dell XPS 15 9550 BIOS Update Not Applying?

I seem to be having a problem with BIOS updates. I had thought I had successfully updated my BIOS to 1.1.15 back when it was first released - the firmware updating process seemed to go through without a hitch, and claimed the firmware update passed.

I decided to download the new 1/27 "update" and the update dialogue claims I still have 1.01.15 installed.

So, I installed it, it rebooted, it said it was doing the BIOS updates. But when I reboot, I still seem to be on 1.01.15 (CPU-Z says this, and when I try to run the BIOS updater again it also still reports I'm on 1.01.15 and thinks I should still be able to update.

To be specific, I'm using the download from this link:

https://www.dell.com/support/home/u...-15-9550-laptop&languageCode=EN&categoryId=BI

 

It looks like exactly the same update.
1.1.15 and 01.01.15

It probably just has something to do with the way the factory-configuration BIOS reports the version number. I really wouldn't worry too much about it.

 

OK, thanks. I guess it just seems very hard to tell because the updating utility at least isn't telling me it's already installed, and the reporting in CPU-Z indicates a BIOS from back in December. I guess it would feel better to just be sure (I'm mostly just confused about why the BIOS updater doesn't tell me everything is up to date if it is).

 

Trust the BIOS installer.

If it isn't flashing a BIOS for some reason (when it should), then the worst that happens is that you wait slightly longer for Dell to sort the problem out.

If you somehow "force" it to flash a BIOS (when it shouldn't), then the worst that happens is that you entirely brick your laptop.

You'd probably agree that it's a lot better to just be slightly inconvenienced with a wait time, than to be slightly inconvenienced with a bricked laptop.

 

I agree.

I'm trying to find out why the BIOS installer doesn't actually seem to be doing what it says it does?

When I install from the BIOS installer, it reboots, it goes through the BIOS update procedure, I see it updating the firmware and BIOS and some other elements and at the end it says the update was successful and it reboots.

But upon reboot, I can't find any evidence that I'm on the new BIOS.

My question is why and what I can do about it.

At the very least I'm hoping someone else with an XPS 15 9550 can actually confirm if what I'm seeing makes sense (i.e. is it odd that CPU-Z shows the BIOS as 1.01.15 and a date in December 18th, and that the BIOS updater indicates the old BIOS is still installed).

 

Hi Zadillo,

I am experiencing the exact same issue as you are describing. I see the firmware as 1.01.15 as well in device manager and in the bios itself after updating. I honestly just think that the difference for 1.1.15 and 01.01.15 that you are seeing on the drivers page of the Dell driver site may just be a type, I do not think they changed the version number for this updated release of the Bios. However, what does confuse me is that after flashing the Bios that if you go and try to apply the update again, the system does not show that the Berlinetta Board Map 1.0.1 and PCR0 XML 0.0.0.1 as being installed (as seen in your second screen shot). I also thought that it didn't update the system correctly so I actually went and downgraded my system bios to 1.0.07 (whatever came with the laptop) and then installed 1.1.15 bios update after downgrading. This did not make a difference and I still show the same bios update with the same 12/18/15 date on the firmware section of device manager. Honestly, I think this is just a matter of the system not picking up the bottom two items as being installed or dell flubbed the bios update and we only are seeing or system update part of the bios.

If anyone can shed any light on this and take a look at what version number is listed in device manager under firmware as well as the driver date, it would be much appreciated. Thanks!

 

Thanks for confirming! Yeah, that seemed odd about those last two elements.

I mainly will just be happy to know when I'm completely up to date, since the BIOS notes do mention some pretty key things like better battery life, etc. that I'd' want to be sure I was getting the benefits from.

 

Mine is the same as yours.

 

Same issue here

 

It is not an issue, it is another container holding THE SAME updates as you can plainly see in the description.
The update is blind by design in case you have a corruption or are told to reflash by Dell to fix a problem (I Assume it was you I already told?)

 

But it doesn't contain the same updates, as seen in the description. The newer BIOS 1.1.15 update includes additional items that aren't in the first one (.

I just can't seem to find any indication that I'm properly up to date or not.

My biggest question is, does it make sense that the main BIOS 1.05.15 is listed with a date of 12/18/2015 in CPU-Z? Is that actually the most recent update of the actual BIOS itself?

I don't particularly care about the details as long as I can verify that I'm up to date on the main BIOS improvements that help with battery life, etc.

 

According to some of us, the new bios makes boot up faster, by half.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...ime-with-new-bios-and-chipset-drivers.787623/

My theory is the original release had some bug (slow boot up time) and Dell just silently fix that and re-release it as the same bios version

 

Doubtful. A change like that almost always would equate to a new bios version #.

 

Mine shows exactly the same as yours. For some reason the last two items doesn't install but the main fix with the 1.1.15 is the ac-dc-ac bug. You can test your system to see if the bug is fixed. Battery life also improved


EDIT: Regarding the updated 1.1.15, I never seen any improvement on boot times going from the first 1.1.15 to latest 1.1.15.

 

I'm now having a semi-similar issue, related to the latest BIOS 1.1.19 which came out this week.

Ran the update. Went successfully. When I go into BIOS by hitting F12 during startup, shows 1.1.19, no issue

But under Device Manager in Control Panel, under the Firmware option, it still shows System Firmware as 01.01. 15

Anyone encountering this?

 

I just tried to apply the latest bios update and it's stuck at a blank screen. The executable ran as normal, restarted my pc, and now Im at the step where it should be applying the bios update but the screen is blank. the keyboard lights up when i press a key or the track pad so the pc is responsive. I'm afraid to pull the plug if its hanging during the update though.

 

Yeah mine is showing 01.01.19 and if i boot into the BIOS it shows 01.01.19 so everything is working fine

 

Aida64 reports version 19

 

The new BIOS 1.1.19 update worked for me and is reporting as 1.1.19

 

So - I went to my device manager and it was showing something much older - I went ahead and did update driver but now it's showing 01.01.15 instead. Not sure what I just did.

 

Under firmware mine doesn't say a thing, I assume it is due to me doing my own install.

 

Nvm. Fixed

 

Here, it did after Rightclick & Update

 

Same

But most importantly the reboot bug is now fixed!!

 

The "no hard drive" on AHCI reboot is fixed??

 

Yes!

 

Has to be an information driver as there is no way that just updated my BIOS!

 

Hey there, hopefully you fixed the problem. If not...
I was having the same issue with the new bios not showing up on the system info. I purchased my laptop about two months ago. I was having some headphone jack issues( not the most tech savvy), and everyone online recommended updating the system bios. I did as told and download the most recent system bios( 01.02.00 4/7/16), and noticed no change. I started wondering if the bios had actually updated, I checked the system info and noticed I was still on the bios the laptop was shipped with 01.01.15. I decided to download the bios for two more times and nothing changed. Yesterday i decided to download the most urgent driver updates that dell suggested on its page. After those downloads i once again downloaded the bios. This time the reboot was much longer and there was evidence that something were updating. Now the system info says im on version 01.02.00.

Maybe this can help.

p.s.headphone jack issue no solved as well as my problem with any type of video in web browser not playing after a cold boot.

 

My problem is a bit different. Just downloaded the new 1.2.21 and the message says I am on 1.02.00. When it reboots it just restarts Windows without doing anything. Also tried reinstalling 1.1.15 and the same happens. Any ideas?

TIA

I've also now tried with a DOS boot USB. Same thing. When it reboots to start the update, after a little pause it just boots back into Windows. It does not flash anything.