N3530 Vista Sleep Mode / BIOS rev

I clean installed Vista Ultimate on my N3530 referencing the Vista FAQ on Fujitsu PC's website. I'm impressed with the effort they put into the FAQ and drivers. There is only one driver (or BIOS) problem that I have discovered.

The FAQ instructs you to upgrade the BIOS using Win-XP prior to installing Vista. The BIOS version on the support website is rev 1.05. It's the same BIOS that has been there for approx. 6 months. The BIOS on my notebook is 1.09 and it is the version that was on it when I bought it. In my logic, installing 1.05 would be downgrading rather than upgrading so I let it ride.

On Vista, after installing all the Vista specific drivers, the notebook will not sleep (suspend). After setting the power button or lid close switch to sleep the notebook, activating either just returns the PC to the login screen. Hibernate works ok.

I have talked to Fujitsu support a few times but they don't have a clear understanding of the BIOS versioning or implications. Flash Aid (the BIOS update tool) will not install under Vista, even in compatibility mode. I can't install the 1.05 BIOS even if I wanted to without downgrading back to XP for just that purpose. That's a lot of trouble at this point, for what is a relatively minor annoyance. However, this is Fujitsu's suggested remedy.

Does anyone have any info regarding the BIOS revs? This just doesn't make sense, unless they removed features for compatibility by reverting to a prior rev. Nothing newer than 1.05 has ever been on the support site and I've had 1.09 since I bought my PC last Aug.

 

check the back of sleeve that came with recovery cd it gives instructions what to do when reinstalling os. the bios must set in a certain order before installing the os afterwards when installing your it must set again. this makes sure drivers are installed properly eg. using phoenix bios on amilo l 1310g and reinstalling os the bios must be set as follows 1. cd rom 2.hard disk 3.floppy. these three steps is boot priority. when installing drivers bios must be set as follows 1.floppy drive 2.hard disk 3. cd rom. when i didnt follow the boot procedure when installing drivers the drivers werent installed properly. check device manager for yellow question marks if there is the drivers are not installed correctly

 

Thanks for the reply. The boot order before, during or after the installation is not associated with the problem I have. I did a clean install of Vista Ultimate. Afterwards, I was able to resolve all of my outstanding driver issues (those exclaimed out in device manager) by simply installing the latest drivers off the webpage. The only problem I currently have is the PC won't sleep. Nobody at Fujitsu can tell me what version of the BIOS I need for Vista. I'm investigating multiboot options to get a stock XP config on the PC so I can upgrade the BIOS, since there is no Vista BIOS updater (Flash aid). I also toyed around with a WinXP USB bootable (customized for a thumb drive) build but I can't determine which BIOS version to install off the Vista upgrade prep DVD Fujitsu sent me.

This is a total mess. They need an OS independent bootable CD image for BIOS updates and / or a BIOS updater for Vista. However, Fujitsu is slow on BIOS upgrades so it may never come to fruition.

The notion that the BIOS must be set prior to the install and nothing can be done afterwards is total bunk. I don't accept their resolution.

 

Just an update. I tried to upgrade to the new 1.12 BIOS on Fujitsu's support website. Followed the instruction precisely and ended up with a bricked N3530. Exercise caution when updating the BIOS.

The unit is en-route to Fujitsu for a re-flashing.