Question regarding Sager BIOS updates

How exactly do you guys go about obtaining a BIOS update? The Sager site doesn't have them so where do you get them and how do you even know when there's a new BIOS update?

Also, is there a difference in obtaining a BIOS update through the manufacturer of the notebook rather than Sager itself? For instance, the Sager NP2096 is a Compal model and Compal recently released the 1.08 BIOS update. I downloaded this update from the Compal site and flashed my notebook with no problems. Should I avoid these updates and get them from Sager directly or is this okay?

 

how big is that bios file??

 

Not that big, actually Compal just posted the 1.09 BIOS update which is 2.1 MB.

 

Why does the size matter by the way?

 

im sorry...got side tracked....

if it's over 1m i think it needs a special bios editor to read it. we use to use phoenix bios editor to view and make changes to the bios, but as the bios got bigger...phoenix wouldn't read it. so i take it they are using a different way to read and edit the bigger bios files.

 

But where do you even get the BIOS to begin with? And how do you know when a BIOS update is available?

 

usually from the manufacturer. and they usually post it on their websites

 

So then you get your BIOS updates directly from the Clevo site rather than from Sager? I just find it odd that Sager doesn't post BIOS updates on their site...I mean what would happen if I use a BIOS update from the Compal site and it screws up my system, would it somehow void my warranty and give me problems with Sager because I didn't use their BIOS?

 

Very, very unlikely that it would have any effect on your warranty; however, at the end of the day, it's the written terms of the warranty itself that counts, so see what it says.

Also, why would it be so surprising that Sager would not post BIOS updates on its website? Sager is still small enough that I would guess that they don't write/customize their own BIOS but instead just use the BIOS written/customized by Clevo - at this point, it probably wouldn't be cost-effective for them to maintain their own BIOS coders and the support infrastructure that would entail. On the other hand, the national retail brands (_HP, _Dell, etc) are big enough that they can afford to maintain their own BIOS coders.

 

shyster is correct. i already emailed sager about updating the bios to support over clocking the extreme cpu and they sent it to someone else who replied back saying. no! not going to happen any time soon.(not in those exact words, but it's what i got out of the reply) *LOL*

from them:
Overclocking requires extreme edition processors, and at this time none of the current extreme editions processors can be approved in the NP9262.

The manufacture will not make available support for the extreme CPU.



David Liu
Sager Notebook Computer Inc.
18005 Cortney CT.
City of Industry, CA. 91748
Tech Support Dept.

keyword: manufacturer

 

I see. I just don't want to run into any problems with Sager if I keep updating the BIOS through Compal.

 

Nothing wrong with wanting to be careful If I were you, I'd call up Sager (or, better yet, send 'em an email so you get written confirmation back) and ask them if using a BIOS update straight from the ODM who manufactured your Sager system would have any effect on your warranty, such as voiding it.

 

only one reason why i would update the bios..and that's to over clock the cpu. nothing else.

 

i have a quick question:

do i update the BIOS before or after i update my processor

 

you dont need to, it should take as is. and even if it didn't..install old cpu and then update bios. make sure you have extra thermal compound on hand

 

will it damage anything if i install the new BIOS before i install the Q6600?
as i dont want to have to pay again to put the old CPU back in just so i can install the new BIOS

 

in my opinion..nope, wont damage or hurt anything...unless of course you mess up the flash. which some have done, including myslef. but lucky i knew how to recover it so all was well.

besides...dont you want to see the performance difference before and after?

 

Yeah, I went ahead and shot them an email. But if there is no consequence in regards to Sager warranty, then updating through Compal is perfectly fine right?

By the way, the last Compal JHL90 BIOS has the following modification:
Add command notify KBC for different CPU information.

However, no issues are fixed in this revision. Am I correct in thinking that this isn't an important update?

The reason I have been so interested in BIOS updates is because I've experienced some sudden crashes and an unresponsive system at times which I'm told will be fixed by a BIOS fix.

 

All depends on how they define an "issue," doesn't it?

 

lol exactly, the modification is the only thing listed so I'm assuming it's not that major. Does anyone know anything specifically about the command notify KBC for different CPU information?

 

im not sure what you mean by this?
great, knowing my luck i will mess soemthing up.

is it requried to upgrade it?

 

personal...i would just wait if i we're you..better to be safe than sorry.

i would do a fresh install on a new hard drive or a new partition. if that drive or partition runs with out fault...then it has nothing to do with bios but rather software conflict or not the correct driver. (speculation of course)

could be like gateway told me one time...get your recovery cd and boot from it and follow the on screen instruction to restore your system...my reply "what does that have to do with me hitting f10 to get into the bios?" *LMAO*

inother words...in cant hurt and takes like 20 minutes to install a new os.

 

Yeah I did a fresh install, and same things happened. My system is flawless without the random crashes after recovery from sleep mode though and I tested the individual components like RAM and CPU and everything is fine so it has to be the BIOS. Plus I've read documented incidents of the same pattern of behavior in some HP models which were of course fixed with a BIOS update.

I got an interesting response from Sager. Basically, the guy said if I update the BIOS through Compal and if something goes wrong during the process, then I would have to ship my laptop to them for repairs but ONLY the labor would be covered and NOT the parts. Even if it is during my first year of ownership, which includes PARTS AND LABOR. What the hell is going on here?

 

it's to easy for them to fix the bios. they would do what is called a blind flash, takes a few minutes and done. and i remember that stuff with hp. i use to have an hp dv9740us that i just got rid of. i would just not use hibernation for the time being....but then you said it does it in sleep mode? is that correct? or is it when it goes into sleep mode, then falls into hibernation afterwords... then you come back and try to turn it on and get the black screen or corrupted data or hib file corrput or what ever the error is now a days...not sure

 

Still, that's very troubling to know that if my system gets messed up because of me trying to do a BIOS update then Sager won't cover the parts if something becomes damaged. That's just absurd.

 

Well, seeing as how fixing a bum BIOS flash is, generally, a matter of blind reflashing, there's not a lot of parts involved.

 

That's true, I mean 99% of the time that wouldn't be an issue. But what if, for whatever reason, something goes wrong and a part is damaged? Then I'm responsible for it...that doesn't make any sense to me whatsoever. It's within the warranty!

Which brings me to my original point...I guess I have to email Sager every time I want a BIOS update?

 

so wait til after i have upgraded then if there are any issues update the BIOS?

 

Which version of the bios are you currently using?

 

i dont know, how do i find it?

 

correct...

 

right thanx for the helpp.

do you know how i find out what my BIOS is?

 

If you have the boot splash screen then go into the bios and it should be on the main page. If you do not have the boot splash screen, it is listed as the comp boots

 

boot spash screen?

 

yeah the riko...break out the screen shot...*LOL*

when you first turn your computer on..it shows some information. some times you will need to hit the tab key or esc (speculation) key to actually see it. (depending on make & model - speculation)
this is some times used to bypass the boot slash screen..

 

when you turn on your comp, does it give you a picture, or text telling you whats loading? pic=splash screen, text=no splash screen.

just go into the bios, and it should tell you the version on the first page

 

you dont even have to do that.

just run cpuz. it shows your bios id right there. under mainboard

 

unfortunately, for these clevos, that id is not the correct bios version

Just so you know, the latest bios version for the d90xc is 1.00.20

 

Im still waiting for ocing ability. Maybe now that the nagamaki is out they will do it to gain customers. We should start a petition.

 

which bios... the original shipping bios or the update bios on clevo's domain.
the clevos from last year or the clevos from this year. the ones with 8800m gtx's or the ones with 9800m series. because now you have struck my curiosity...and i want to make sure i have the lastest bios if it's an improvement over the one on my machine now. which was purchased last week.

 

according to CPU-Z this is my BIOS:

Brand: Phoenix Technologies LTD
Version: 6.00
Date: 04/16/2008

 

i did, they flat out said no.....

and in other news...the ocz whitebook can be over clocked in upwards of 3.5 ghz

http://www.fudzilla.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10065&Itemid=1

which means...if they allowed over clocking of the np9262...it could reach speads of close to 4+ ghz

 

@johnkss -the 1.00.20 bios is for any d90xc (900/901). I'm not sure exactly what changes it makes, but it would work on your machine. Also, you should have this version as the main change was support of the Q9550...

@ArmageddonAsh - I need the number it says in the bios (format 1.00.xx) as the cpuz one is inaccurate on these machines.

 

i cant i have just dropped it off to be upgraded

 

upgraded you say....and just what did you upgrade....

 

im not doing ive dropped it off to be upgraded.

the CPU to Q6600, adding 2GB ram, replaing 120GB hd with 320GB - with clone of 120GB HD on it

 

nice! wish i had been paying closer attention...i would have sold you my q6600

 

Did you take it to kobalt in the end?

If the upgrade is done by someone who knows clevo systems then they should update the bios if necessary. Still, when you get it back you may want to check what version is on there.

 

No, its being done by a company conencted to our university - its quite good really, a bit on the dear side but the place its getting done is only a 10min walk from where im staying.

i should get it back monday
no computer for 4 days is going to kill me
but atleast it will be better