Problems with flashing BIOS on Dell XPS 1340

Hey

Last week I received my brand new Dell Studio XPS 1340. After some days I got the "Power Adapter cannot be determined .....". So I called Dell Tech Support. He told me to flash the BIOS from A02 to A03. So I did. Under the flashing I got a bluescreen. So the information on the BIOS was gone. So yesterday a Dell Techincan came to my house and replaced the motherboard with a new one. I noticed that this motherboard has BIOS version A01 (the oldest one). I also noticed that the processor fans is always on 4000 RPM. It never slows down to 2000 RPM, even if the temperature is on 40 degree celcius.

So I though this had to be something with the old BIOS version. So I called Dell, and I tried to flash from A01 to A02. But the same bluescreen came, this time, lucky for me, before the flashing! So nothing get destroyed!

Anyway, Copy paste the dump file here:

Seems like PHLASHNT.SYS has something to with this? Have someone have this same problem as me? The fans never stop, and I think its because of the old bios version. And:

1) No errors on the diagnosic test (full system scan)
2) I switched from Vista 32 bit to Vista Business 64 bit (original) with the signed drivers from dell.com (all my drivers are verified)

Code:

*******************************************************************************
*                                                                             *
*                        Bugcheck Analysis                                    *
*                                                                             *
*******************************************************************************

DRIVER_VERIFIER_DETECTED_VIOLATION (c4)
A device driver attempting to corrupt the system has been caught.  This is
because the driver was specified in the registry as being suspect (by the
administrator) and the kernel has enabled substantial checking of this driver.
If the driver attempts to corrupt the system, bugchecks 0xC4, 0xC1 and 0xA will
be among the most commonly seen crashes.
Arguments:
Arg1: 0000000000000081, MmMapLockedPages called without MDL_MAPPING_CAN_FAIL
Arg2: fffffa800b7a5120, MDL address.
Arg3: 000000000000008a, MDL flags.
Arg4: 0000000000000000, 0.

Debugging Details:
------------------


BUGCHECK_STR:  0xc4_81

CUSTOMER_CRASH_COUNT:  2

DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID:  VERIFIER_ENABLED_VISTA_MINIDUMP

PROCESS_NAME:  WinPhlash64.exe

CURRENT_IRQL:  0

LAST_CONTROL_TRANSFER:  from fffff800022ab54d to fffff80001eb7350

STACK_TEXT:  
fffffa60`0eb81898 fffff800`022ab54d : 00000000`000000c4 00000000`00000081 fffffa80`0b7a5120 00000000`0000008a : nt!KeBugCheckEx
fffffa60`0eb818a0 fffff800`022bcd3d : fffffa80`0b7a5120 00000000`000000c4 fffffa80`05eefe40 00000000`00000001 : nt!VerifierBugCheckIfAppropriate+0x3d
fffffa60`0eb818e0 fffffa60`0e9478af : fffff980`58162ee0 00000000`00000002 fffffa80`05eefe40 fffffa60`0e947590 : nt!VerifierMmMapLockedPages+0x10d
fffffa60`0eb81920 fffff980`58162ee0 : 00000000`00000002 fffffa80`05eefe40 fffffa60`0e947590 fffff980`58162ee0 : PHLASHNT+0x18af
fffffa60`0eb81928 00000000`00000002 : fffffa80`05eefe40 fffffa60`0e947590 fffff980`58162ee0 fffff980`58162fb0 : 0xfffff980`58162ee0
fffffa60`0eb81930 fffffa80`05eefe40 : fffffa60`0e947590 fffff980`58162ee0 fffff980`58162fb0 00000004`00010008 : 0x2
fffffa60`0eb81938 fffffa60`0e947590 : fffff980`58162ee0 fffff980`58162fb0 00000004`00010008 fffff6fb`7dbed000 : 0xfffffa80`05eefe40
fffffa60`0eb81940 fffff980`58162ee0 : fffff980`58162fb0 00000004`00010008 fffff6fb`7dbed000 00000000`00000002 : PHLASHNT+0x1590
fffffa60`0eb81948 fffff980`58162fb0 : 00000004`00010008 fffff6fb`7dbed000 00000000`00000002 fffffa60`0e94762e : 0xfffff980`58162ee0
fffffa60`0eb81950 00000004`00010008 : fffff6fb`7dbed000 00000000`00000002 fffffa60`0e94762e fffff980`58162ee0 : 0xfffff980`58162fb0
fffffa60`0eb81958 fffff6fb`7dbed000 : 00000000`00000002 fffffa60`0e94762e fffff980`58162ee0 fffff800`022b95ac : 0x4`00010008
fffffa60`0eb81960 00000000`00000002 : fffffa60`0e94762e fffff980`58162ee0 fffff800`022b95ac fffff980`58162ee0 : 0xfffff6fb`7dbed000
fffffa60`0eb81968 fffffa60`0e94762e : fffff980`58162ee0 fffff800`022b95ac fffff980`58162ee0 fffffa80`05eefe40 : 0x2
fffffa60`0eb81970 fffff980`58162ee0 : fffff800`022b95ac fffff980`58162ee0 fffffa80`05eefe40 fffff980`58162fb0 : PHLASHNT+0x162e
fffffa60`0eb81978 fffff800`022b95ac : fffff980`58162ee0 fffffa80`05eefe40 fffff980`58162fb0 8000200a`c0000010 : 0xfffff980`58162ee0
fffffa60`0eb81980 fffff800`022c759a : fffffa80`05eefe40 fffff980`58162ee0 00000000`00000000 fffffa80`0521cab8 : nt!VfCancelBeforeCallDriver+0x3c
fffffa60`0eb819b0 fffff800`0213b31a : fffffa80`056f0200 fffffa60`0eb81ca0 00000000`00000001 fffffa80`052230b0 : nt!IovCallDriver+0x34a
fffffa60`0eb819f0 fffff800`02153fe6 : fffffa80`03997f80 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000001 00000000`00000000 : nt!IopXxxControlFile+0x5da
fffffa60`0eb81b40 fffff800`01eb6df3 : ffffffff`00000000 fffff680`00015100 00000000`00000280 00000980`00000000 : nt!NtDeviceIoControlFile+0x56
fffffa60`0eb81bb0 00000000`75f4385e : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : nt!KiSystemServiceCopyEnd+0x13
00000000`0007edf8 00000000`00000000 : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : 0x75f4385e


STACK_COMMAND:  kb

FOLLOWUP_IP: 
PHLASHNT+18af
fffffa60`0e9478af ??              ???

SYMBOL_STACK_INDEX:  3

SYMBOL_NAME:  PHLASHNT+18af

FOLLOWUP_NAME:  MachineOwner

MODULE_NAME: PHLASHNT

IMAGE_NAME:  PHLASHNT.SYS

DEBUG_FLR_IMAGE_TIMESTAMP:  482171c7

FAILURE_BUCKET_ID:  X64_0xc4_81_VRF_PHLASHNT+18af

BUCKET_ID:  X64_0xc4_81_VRF_PHLASHNT+18af

Followup: MachineOwner
---------

0: kd> lmvm PHLASHNT
start             end                 module name
fffffa60`0e946000 fffffa60`0e956000   PHLASHNT T (no symbols)           
    Loaded symbol image file: PHLASHNT.SYS
    Image path: \??\C:\Users\Steffan\AppData\Local\Temp\SWF\PHLASHNT.SYS
    Image name: PHLASHNT.SYS
    Timestamp:        Wed May 07 11:09:27 2008 (482171C7)
    CheckSum:         00012001
    ImageSize:        00010000
    Translations:     0000.04b0 0000.04e4 0409.04b0 0409.04e4

 

I would check whether main memory is broken. This can be done by:

. press F8 while booting windows and then perform the Vista embedded memory check
. press F2 (?) to run Dell diagnostics
. use memtest86+

Your crashes do sound suspicious to memory errors.

 

Hmm, I tested memory and stuff for about 5 hours yesterday. There is nothing wrong with the memory.

 

Another possibility would be that the flash utility is not 64-bit compatible in the sense that since 64-Bit Vista only executes trusted code. There are several security mechanisms in 64-Bit Vista that enable these (e.g. see here "Security Features"), which are not present in Vista 32-Bit:
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/winvista_ff_x64.asp

Maybe Dell's 64-Bit Vista installation is prepared for running the Flash utility and a generic 64-Bit Vista install will complain (you said you upgraded your own). I'm sorry this is just a vague idea.

 

That can be the case. But I thougt, when I have an application that is not 64-bit compatible, I would receive an error message at once. In my first attemtp to flash the BIOS the bluescreen came in the middle of the flash process resulting in an destroyed BIOS.

 

I know the Dell BIOS utility crashes in Windows 7. Works fine for me in Vista Home Premium 64. The fans are always on when in Hybrid SLI mode though - that's normal.

 

I turned the Hybrid to "save power" graphic modus, and the computer actually became more quiet :O so its normal that the fans always are on in hybrid mode?

 

It might be worth a try to add the Bios Flash Utility to the DEP:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_Execution_Prevention#Configuration

Just the Windows Control panel - don't mess with bcdedit.

 

no computer should be shut down. the ram memory is saved to hdd and when it turns on it should be transfered to ram. Your laptop should be completely off in hybrid !!!

 

What do you mean here?? :S Should my computer be off in hybrid mode? OFF??

I dont mean hybrid sleep, I mean hybrid sli graphic mode

 

Is it not healthy to turn the hybrid sli mode off? Now I always have the Hybrid SLI off, and turn it when I am going to play games. Is that wrong?

 

add me to the list of people who cannot get the flash bios working. i was able to flash a05 once, but i tried to get a06 and it wont flash, it says
system unknown
vendor not dell inc. !!
machine information not detected
version information not detected

dell offered to do that remote access thing, but i can't think of anything they can accomplish. i already tried to boot into safe mode. it did not help. i tried to make a windows xp service pack 2 live cd with the ubcdwin freeware but it does a stop 07 during booting. sucks.

personally the only thing i can think of is activating the computrace after paying for it, prevents the flash rom from ever being written again. other then that i have no idea.

i even tried older versions like a02 same result

are there any dos flashers for this laptop?

i read somewhere theres a dell dst iso? can that force the a06 to flash? i hear dell dst iso is used for changing your service tag

 

problem solved. i eventually opened r211749 with notepad to get the command line parameters.

problem was "machine information not deteected" and "version information not detected".

solution

start run cmd
cd \users\your name\desktop
r217749 /forcetype /nopause

replace r217749 with the name of the exe you get from dell.