The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    New BIOS A11 for 1330

    Discussion in 'Dell XPS and Studio XPS' started by roy_bo, Jun 20, 2008.

  1. roy_bo

    roy_bo Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    65
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    roy_bo, Jun 20, 2008
    #1
  2. Chrysaor

    Chrysaor Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    36
    Messages:
    172
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Enhancements
    ------------------
    1. Added enhancement for thermal control.
     
    Chrysaor, Jun 20, 2008
    #2
  3. lennynjnets

    lennynjnets Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    102
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Is this a must or A10 is just fine?
     
    lennynjnets, Jun 20, 2008
    #3
  4. Bauer418

    Bauer418 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    70
    Messages:
    488
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    It improves thermal control...I'd install it ASAP.
     
    Bauer418, Jun 20, 2008
    #4
  5. Bowlerguy92

    Bowlerguy92 Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    50
    Messages:
    788
    Likes Received:
    7
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Where are the bios revisions for the M1530? No where to be found...........
     
    Bowlerguy92, Jun 20, 2008
    #5
  6. Chrysaor

    Chrysaor Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    36
    Messages:
    172
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Dell said it is coming in June, but no news so far. :(
     
    Chrysaor, Jun 20, 2008
    #6
  7. Bowlerguy92

    Bowlerguy92 Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    50
    Messages:
    788
    Likes Received:
    7
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Oh, nice I didn't know that. Well then something to look forward to I guess.........
     
    Bowlerguy92, Jun 20, 2008
    #7
  8. L.Rawlins

    L.Rawlins Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    29
    Messages:
    576
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Is their a changelog for all these things or are we just to assume that every subsequent number is just... better?

    Thanks in advance.
     
    L.Rawlins, Jun 20, 2008
    #8
  9. roy_bo

    roy_bo Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    65
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    i always upgrade my bios whenever a new bios revision is released.
     
    roy_bo, Jun 20, 2008
    #9
  10. Chrysaor

    Chrysaor Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    36
    Messages:
    172
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    see 2nd post.
     
    Chrysaor, Jun 20, 2008
    #10
  11. L.Rawlins

    L.Rawlins Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    29
    Messages:
    576
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    I'd like to have a look at what's been going on version to version ideally, and having not referenced your source I have absolutely no reason to put stock in that rather vague comment I'm afraid.

    Do you have any official links to back that up? Cheers.
     
    L.Rawlins, Jun 20, 2008
    #11
  12. KenHT

    KenHT Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    17
    Messages:
    70
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    One thing I liked with A10 is they fixed the problem where the system hangs for a few moments when you hit the EJECT button.

    I'm running A11 now. Just more agressive (noisy) fan settings to keep the GPU overheat problem from destroying the motherboard. <Sigh>
     
    KenHT, Jun 20, 2008
    #12
  13. ghost_boxer

    ghost_boxer Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    48
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    any other users seen this bios fix the hot GPU???????????????
     
    ghost_boxer, Jun 22, 2008
    #13
  14. yasdaz

    yasdaz Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    38
    Messages:
    328
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Is there anyway to save the A10 bios before upgrading? I would like to upgrade but would like the 'safety net' so to speak :D!
     
    yasdaz, Jun 23, 2008
    #14
  15. KenHT

    KenHT Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    17
    Messages:
    70
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    KenHT, Jun 23, 2008
    #15
  16. yasdaz

    yasdaz Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    38
    Messages:
    328
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    I so appreciate your help! Out of curiosity, how did you find that bios on the Dell website? When you look up the download files for the 1330, only the A11 bios show up. Much obliged for your time :D!
     
    yasdaz, Jun 24, 2008
    #16
  17. KenHT

    KenHT Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    17
    Messages:
    70
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15

    If you did the by model or by service tag. You'd get the latest version only. Do a keyword search.

    http://search.dell.com/results.aspx?s=gen&c=us&l=en&cs=&k=M1330+bios&cat=sup
     
    KenHT, Jun 24, 2008
    #17
  18. lordnikon

    lordnikon Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    17
    Messages:
    399
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Updated to A11. The fans kick in earlier
     
    lordnikon, Jun 24, 2008
    #18
  19. DJY

    DJY Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    70
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Can you jump from A08 or A09 to A11 or do you have to go through all bios updates in sequence.
     
    DJY, Jun 24, 2008
    #19
  20. paper_wastage

    paper_wastage Beat this 7x7x7 Cube

    Reputations:
    486
    Messages:
    2,596
    Likes Received:
    24
    Trophy Points:
    56
    flash straight to A11
     
    paper_wastage, Jun 24, 2008
    #20
  21. sinstoic

    sinstoic Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    214
    Messages:
    1,028
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    Upgrade to A11 if you have A10. Why? Read here.
     
    sinstoic, Jun 25, 2008
    #21
  22. awais

    awais Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    37
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    I noticed with A11 bios the fan is constantly on at very low rpm. Even though the CPU/GPU temps are 37/61C, the fan still stays on.

    Its barely audible but I saw a drop in battery life compared to A10 bios. I'm thinking of doing the copper GPU mod now.

    Anyone else observe the same fan behaviour?
     
    awais, Jun 28, 2008
    #22
  23. roy_bo

    roy_bo Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    65
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    After I did the copper mod
    the fan even on when the gpu is 50-60c
    when the gpu goes down to 50 the fan stops
    until the gpu get back to around 62c.
     
    roy_bo, Jun 28, 2008
    #23
  24. chelet

    chelet Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    170
    Messages:
    1,501
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    I just updated the BIOS on my M1330 to A11, and now I'm not sure if it was necessary, or even desirable if it cuts battery life. I have the X3100 graphics, and can't see the graphics chip temperature, but my other temperatures look the same (for CPU, ACPI, and hard drive).

    When you run the updater file from Windows, it reboots the system, shows a BIOS flash screen, then continues to boot back to Windows. Is it normal for Windows to spend an unusually long time at the screen with the white Windows progress bar immediately after flashing the BIOS? Does Windows have to adjust to the change in the BIOS on these laptops, or is it loading part of the BIOS update at this screen?
     
    chelet, Jun 28, 2008
    #24
  25. KenHT

    KenHT Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    17
    Messages:
    70
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    With the copper mod, the GPU temp. will drop low enough for the fan to cycle off and back on again when the temp goes back up.
     
    KenHT, Jun 28, 2008
    #25
  26. KenHT

    KenHT Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    17
    Messages:
    70
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Yes, it happens each time the BIOS is flashed.
     
    KenHT, Jun 28, 2008
    #26
  27. awais

    awais Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    37
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    That's good to know. Looks like I'll be doing the copper mod.
     
    awais, Jun 28, 2008
    #27