Direct2Dell

Hi, thanks for all the hard work.

I am wondering if there will be support for Jaunty

@Theosophe74: try again today.  I've restarted the autobuilder after it had been shut down for a power outage last week, and there are several new system BIOSes posted now.

Thanks,
Matt

I attempted to update my Dell OptiPlex 760 to BIOS version A02 (released 2/25/09), but "update_firmware" just says that there's no newer package than A01.

http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/format.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&deviceid=17138&libid=1&releaseid=R211565&vercnt=2&formatcnt=0&SystemID=PLX_760&servicetag=&os=BIOSA&osl=en&catid=-1&impid=-1

How do we get new BIOS versions into this repository?

Thanks,

Mike

hi, when i run aptitude install $(bootstrap_firmware -a) i get:

root@ixiam2-laptop:~# aptitude install $(bootstrap_firmware -a)
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree      
Reading state information... Done
Reading extended state information     
Initializing package states... Done
Writing extended state information... Done
Building tag database... Done            
Couldn't find any package whose name or description matched "pci-firmware-ven-0x8086-dev-0x2a02-subven-0x1028-subdev-0x0273"
Couldn't find any package whose name or description matched "pci-firmware-ven-0x8086-dev-0x2a02-subven-0x1028-subdev-0x0273"
Couldn't find any package whose name or description matched "pci-firmware-ven-0x8086-dev-0x2a03-subven-0x1028-subdev-0x0273"
Couldn't find any package whose name or description matched "pci-firmware-ven-0x8086-dev-0x2a03-subven-0x1028-subdev-0x0273"
Couldn't find any package whose name or description matched "pci-firmware-ven-0x8086-dev-0x2850-subven-0x1028-subdev-0x0273"
Couldn't find any package whose name or description matched "pci-firmware-ven-0x8086-dev-0x2850-subven-0x1028-subdev-0x0273"
Couldn't find any package whose name or description matched "pci-firmware-ven-0x8086-dev-0x2815-subven-0x1028-subdev-0x0273"
.....

and the list goes on.
any idea?

@Rob

You may want to repost your question to the Dell Community Forums.  I'm not sure how quickly you would get a response here on the blogs but the members of the forums are usually pretty quick to answer questions.

You can access the forums at www.Dell.com/forums

I tried tihs and it failed "Could not find flash image in memory"

Anyone?  Precision 690, 3.2ghz dualcore xeons with HT (ht off), 4G ram (4 * 1GB), 36G sas 15k

I tried this on my Hardy Precision 690, however it did not work.

So instead of piping the shell script to bash, I download it.  chmod u+x and "sudo ./shellscriptname.sh" gave me an error.  The word "function" needs to be removed from infront of all the functions.

I then proceeded to run the rest of the commands as described above, including firmware_update.  Upon reboot, the flash "failed" because the checksum didn't verify (IIRC).  The message flashed by fast so I am not sure if that was the exact message or not.

My precision 690 is at A07 and (for testing purposes) I'd like to flash it to A08.

Any idea why the checksum failed?  package bug?  Is the checksum that comes with the package/bios wrong?

All of my 1950 servers show:

Libsmbios: 0.13.10
System ID: 0x01B3
Product Name: PowerEdge 1950
BIOS Version: 2.2.6
Vendor: Dell Inc.
Is Dell: 1

yet running update_firmware shows:

Running system inventory...

Searching storage directory for available BIOS updates...
Checking System BIOS for PowerEdge 1950 - 2.2.6
  Did not find a newer package to install that meets all installation checks.

This system does not appear to have any updates available.
No action necessary.

However Bios 2.3.1 is there:

http://linux.dell.com/repo/software/bios-hdrs/system_bios_ven_0x1028_dev_0x01b3_version_2.3.1

Any idea why it tells me no update?  and how do we update ESM or Perc firmware?

Nevermind. I just downloaded the package from the repository and installed it manually. warm reboot and all is well. BIOS updated successfully.

I am trying to update the BIOS on an Optiples GX 270. It's currently at A04. A07 shows as available in the repository, but when I run update_firmware, it's telling me that there are no updates available.

Any ideas?

Hey, first of all let me thank you guys for bringing the bios update to the ubuntu repos, and thanks to all of Dell for bringing linux support to your products....that being said I have been having an issue doing this update on ubuntu hardy....Everything seems to download and install perfectly, however after I have done everything, I get the message telling me that I have completed the update and that all I have to do is do a warm reboot to flash my motherboard and be done, but when I do the reboot I get a message in the bios saying that it can't do the flash because it can't find the rom image, and I have to press y to continue and boot without doing the update.....This is on an inspiron 1420n notebook that I bought with feisty right when you guys started selling ubuntu boxs.....Any pointers as to whats going on? I would include some of the output from the commands, but it all just confirms that everything is being done successfully, except of course for once I get into the bios

--thanks for all your support efforts

Dave

hi math ,

i'm using hardy on xps m1330 and i should upgarde the bios but i have problem.

here's what i'v done:

i started with  "sudo -i" and everything was fine until i enter "  aptitude install $(bootstrap_firmware -a)" , it said http://paste.ubuntu.com/29693/.

i've installed "firmware-tools" by synaptec and entered last command again but this time it says it couldn't find any package.

http://paste.ubuntu.com/29695/

what shuld i do matt?.

.

.

.

when i

Alas! No such luck. It says there are no updated available, but when I reboot and check I'm still running the old BIOS -- 1.0.0. I'm running out of brain; any help?

Thanks!

...well, never mind! Got it running and it says no updates are necessary.

Which leaves me with the mouse problem, but this isn't the thread for that...

Matt, I'm having the same problem as converge2pi above:

Contacted Dell support and they told me to contact Ubuntu (Canonical)! I told them them Ubuntu/Canonical doesn't make Dell BIOS, Dell does! Yet, that's all I got from Dell suport.

Ended up having to install Windows just so I can update the BIOS.

That's a bit ridiculous, no?

What about providing the same facilities for Debian (especially etch and soon to be released lenny), for Dell servers (and maybe laptop as well).

And what about PERC firmwares, and stuff like that?

Hi to all!

Could anybody please explain to me how to do this with an Inspiron 1525 running SuSE 10.3 on it? Has anybody done this before?

Thanks!

Hi,

I know it's ugly, but this is one of the reasons i still dual boot wtih windows. Bios flashing and firmware updates are just easier. i'm not yet confident enough to run these kind of updates on ubuntu. Think i'll wait for it to be sorted out maybe one or two releases down the road.

Just thought i'd share. Thanks for all the useful posts.

When can I get the A11 bios for m1330, I can extract it from exe !

And I have not floppy .

Thanks to help me please :(

My Dimension L550r BIOS is at version A09:

Libsmbios:    0.13.10
System ID:    0x00BA
Error getting the Service Tag : std::exception
Product Name: L550cx
BIOS Version: A09
Vendor:       Dell Computer Corporation
Is Dell:      1

There's a version A14 available in the windows context on the Dell site, which I'm hoping will allow the system to recognized some RAM I purchased, but there isn't anything there for this system ID in the repository.  Any suggestions on how to find or extract one so I can update the BIOS from Ubuntu?

I have just installed the firmware tools, however, when I un the updater I get the following:

Running system inventory... Searching storage directory for available BIOS updates... Checking System BIOS for XPS M1330 - a09 Did not find a newer package to install that meets all installation checks. This system does not appear to have any updates available. No action necessary.

According to the Dell site a10 has been out for some time now, is there something incorrect that I am doing, or will it just be a little while before the update propogates to us linux users.

@Onno Benschop: I am also an ozzy, so far more or less everything works on my M1330 (although the fan runs 100% of the time, even when the CPU is 35C, which I am hoping is a BIOS thing)...

I'm in the process of attempting to finalise an order in Australia for several Insperon 1525 which I intend to install Ubuntu - to get the Australian equivalent of the 1525N which is not yet available here.

I'm heartened by the documentation here, but as I do not actually have the machines here I cannot determine if this software will work as described.

Can anyone enlighten me?

 The bios update facility was working in Gutsy as I updated from 06 to 07 on my XPSM1330 laptop
After upgrading to Hardy I found the DELL BIOS for my XPSM1330 was at 09. So I tried to update. Everything goes well during the sudo update_firmware -v -y command. However when I warm reboot the computer I get the following error at post:
Error! The BIOS update could not be performed because a valid ROM image file could not be found.

After running update_firmware --yes my Dell XPS m1330 my laptop will not reboot, even with bios=reboot on the kernel load line.

 Thanks Matt, updated the BIOS without any problems now.

Your reply on April 4th didn't mention my Inspiron 8000, nor was it listed in your  "appropriate linux.dell.com web page" as a reference.  Is it possible to update the BIOS of my Inspiron 8000 at all, using ubuntu?   It is currently at A02.  I enjoy ubuntu on this machine and don't want to install an inferior and proprietary OS just to update the BOIS.

Thank you.

I also have this problem of the "Couldn't find any package...". I have a dell xps 1330 with ubuntu 8.x. Any idea?

 I have the same problem.  When I run aptitude install $(bootstrap_firmware -a), I get the message on my Inspiron 1420N:

Couldn't find any package whose name or description matched "pci-firmware-ven-0x8086-dev-0x2a02-subven-0x1028-subdev-0x01f3"

  However, if I look at the package lists in Synaptic, I see a package called system-bios-inspiron-1420.  Is it safe to install it?  Does it do the same job?  It is nice of Dell to support Ubuntu, but without any documentation, I am not going to risk installing this.  Any help?

 Also--when I run the bootstrap.cgi I get:

Couldn't find any package whose name or description matched "pci-firmware-ven-0x8086-dev-0x2a02-subven-0x1028-subdev-0x022f"

Re: my note on the 10th,  

For some reason it works today (Apr 18th).  Unfortunately I didn't save an old copy of bootstrap.cgi to see if it was a change of the script, or something else.  Thanks to the spirits and goblins who fixed it.

I have the same issue as ik does.  A solution would be great.     

I tried this today (Apr 10) on an 1330 with Ubuntu 7.10.  

 $  wget -q -O - http://linux.dell.com/repo/firmware/bootstrap.cgi | bash

bash: line 108: syntax error near unexpected token `fi'
bash: line 108: `           fi'

 Hmm...Any suggestions?

 

Hmm... Not firmware, for my insp 1501 =(

root@dark-new-laptop:~# getSystemId
Libsmbios:    0.13.10
System ID:    0x01F5
Service Tag:  XXXXXXX
Express Service Code: XXXXXXXX
Product Name: Inspiron 1501
BIOS Version: 2.6.1
Vendor:       Dell Inc.
Is Dell:      1
root@dark-new-laptop:~# apt-cache search firmware | grep 1501
root@dark-new-laptop:~#

 

 Will there be an update for inspiron 1501 bios. I see there is one for windows here: http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=gen&releaseid=R174470&SystemID=INS_PNT_1501&servicetag=BJ1N73J&os=WW1&osl=en&deviceid=13120&devlib=0&typecnt=0&vercnt=9&catid=1&impid=-1&formatcnt=1&libid=1&fileid=236967  

but when I looked up for my system id in  http://linux.dell.com/repo/dists/cross-distro/dell-firmware/binary-amd64/  I didn't find it.

I just found on:

http://www.bay-wolf.com/flashbios.htm

that mentions:
   "If you are using Linux on an Inspiron 8000, do not upgrade the BIOS beyond version 17. All of the subsequent BIOS images are flawed. The kernel gives this message - 'Dell Inspiron with broken BIOS detected. Refusing to enable the local APIC.' Thanks go out to ErikK for bringing this to my attention."

    Of course, I'm not currently having problem with "broken BIOS".  I assumed that my laptop would potentially be improved by upgrading from a relatively ancient A02 BIOS (I don't want to introduce any more problems).  Please let me know if you can verify that updating my BIOS can help.

Thanks.

Guess I forgot to mention I'm running on Gutsy (7.10) and received an error RBU #00002 when the computer restarted (though I don't know where I can look that one up, sorry).  I hope this helps.

Thanks. 

Doesn't look like the BIOS update worked on my DELL Inspiron 8000 even though the commands did a LOT of processing.  My device manager still shows A02 (instead of A23 like the update said it was applying).  I guess now would have been a good time to keep the output from those 4 commands to debug (unless it all gets stored to a log anyway, I'm very new to ubuntu so please let me know).

Thanks.

I wonder if the "bios repositories" are up to date? On support.dell.com I can download version A.06 (ftp://ftp.dell.com/bios/1700_A06.EXE) for Windows, but the linux repositories only gives me A.04.

I am running Ubuntu 7.10 i386 on a Vostro 1700.

 Regards

Mats

worked flawlessly on a dell xps m1330 running 7.10 w/latest updates

not sure what i gained by the bios update...but it worked :-D 

Matt,

The BIOS update for the Inspiron 530 is listed as “Urgent” with no supporting documentation.

I called Dell to ask for more information.

The Dell tech rep said there is no additional information and that Ubuntu systems do not need it because the update is for Windows.

I’m left with an uneasy feeling that the rep may have not had all the information.

Do you happen to know who I can contact at Dell who might be able to provide some additional information on the BIOS update?

Regards,
Adam.

That's too bad, hopefully it will work soon.  For those of you looking for a workaround, as ugly as it may seem...

 I installed Bart's PE Builder on a windows machine, downloaded the bios file from dell, ran the PE Builder as described on bart's site and added the bios file to the Custom files.  This will get you a bootable CD in a windows environment that will let you run the bios update.
 

Another Inspiron 531S user here.  There is an "urgent" BIOS released for this machine (1.0.9) and I cannot seem to find any way to update this as the downloads page only has the exe for windoze. 

Libsmbios:    0.13.6
System ID:    0x020E
Service Tag:  XXXXXXX
Express Service Code: XXXXXXXXXXX
Product Name: Inspiron 531s
BIOS Version: 1.0.7
Vendor:       Dell Inc.
Is Dell:      1
 

What are the options?  A couple of other folks have asked above and I did not see an answer.  Thanks 

Got it! With Ubuntu, most people (like me) don't run as root. But: 

    sudo aptitude install $(bootstrap_firmware -a)

 
does not work correctly.

    sudo aptitude install $(sudo bootstrap_firmware -a)

does. It's because bootstrap_firmware needs to be run as root, and it's not the root user when it's running in the bash subshell.

The default Ubuntu installation doesn't have a root password enabled. Your instructions say "run as root", and many users have been used to just sticking a "sudo" in front of instructions as shown.

Bumping. :-) 

Well, since bootstrap_firmware seems to be letting me down for upgrading my Inspiron 1100, I did some package searching with  

apt-cache search firmware | grep 1100

and found the following package that seems to be the bios version I want. Can I just install it and have it work?

Package: system-bios-inspiron-51-1100
New: yes
State: not installed
Version: 0.a32-1
Priority: optional
Section: admin
Maintainer: firmware-tools developers <firmware-tools-devel@lists.us.dell.com>
Uncompressed Size: 1114k
Architecture: all
Compressed Size: 420k
Filename: dists/cross-distro/dell-firmware/binary-i386/system-bios-inspiron-51-1100_0.a32-1_all.deb
MD5sum: b3b01b91a78931f8a0f8e4a023078a51
Archive: cross-distro
Depends: firmware-addon-dell (>= 1.1), firmware-tools (>= 1.1)
Provides: system-bios-ven-0x1028-dev-0x0149
Description: BIOS upgrade package for System: Inspiron_51_1100
 This package contains BIOS update version a32 for System Inspiron_51_1100

 Couldn't find any package whose name or description matched "pci-firmware-ven-0x104c-dev-0xac56-subven-0x1028-subdev-0x0149"

Sounds like the same situation Jim Robinson above is dealing with.

error: Unable to open /usr/lib/rpm/rpmrc

 I keep getting the above error message from Ubuntu Gutsy. I suspect it's gumming up the

  aptitude install $(bootstrap_firmware -a)

 command.
 

Note:Ubuntu users... For anyone copy and pasting (which is normally what I do to avoid mistakes) take care to not include the $ as it is already in terminal and duplicating it corrupts the command....at least that's what initially happened to me.... 

I am running Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy) on a Dell Inspiron 9300 notebook and was able to run everything just fine  using sudo....however upon rebooting, bios update failed ...."unable to find valid ROM image"..... any ideas?

Just to follow up for anyone else with a 1420N, I did get courageous and performed the bios update.  No problems.

I have "2.6.22-14-generic #1 SMP Tue Dec 18 08:02:57 UTC 2007 i686 GNU/Linux" as well.  Maybe the 2.6.24.x kernels Matt is referring to are only in Hardy, and so wouldn't really be available to us Gutsy people. 

There was a kernel update today, literally a few minutes before I started doing the BIOS update.  I am now wondering if firmware-tools will work with today's update.  Probably not a problem, but this is a pretty delicate operation and I don't want to take any risks.   Can someone confirm the bios updates will work OK? 

I'm running Ubuntu Gutsy 32bit on an Inspiron 1420N.

Thanks for any help.

-tim 

Wow! that was fast. 

uname -a reports Linux 2.6.22-14-generic #1 SMP Tue Dec 18 08:02:57 UTC 2007 i686 GNU/Linux. I am running Release 7.10 (gutsy).

The update manager runs daily. Not sure why I don't have a newer kernel. I have recently switched to ubuntu, I have been running RH and Fedora for the last 8 years.
Thanks

I ran the scripts/commands above exactly as posted as root and when I rebooted the BIOS upgrade screen came up and then issued an error message saying that the BIOS could not be updated because a valid ROM image could not be found. I tried twice. Then uninstalled the all the packages installed by the scripts and tried it all again.  Same error message. I tried running  update_firmware --yes again and rebooted. Same error.

# getSystemId
Libsmbios:    0.13.6
System ID:    0x017F
Service Tag:  XXXXXXX
Express Service Code: XXXXXXXXXXX
Product Name: Inspiron 1150
BIOS Version: A05
Vendor:       Dell Computer Corporation
Is Dell:      1

system-bios-inspiron-1150_0.a07-1_all.deb exists in the 
http://linux.dell.com/repo/dists/cross-distro/dell-firmware/binary-i386/ 
repository. 

Hello 

I am running Kubunto 7.10 on a Dell Inspiron 531s. Since Dell does not sell Inspirons pre-loaded with Ubuntu in Canada, I installed Kubuntu myself.

My  BIOS version is 1.0.6 (see below) and it seems that 1.0.8 is the latest (http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&releaseid=R172546&SystemID=INSP_DSKTP_D531S&servicetag=HK9HZD1&os=BIOSA&osl=en&deviceid=14180&devlib=0&typecnt=0&vercnt=2&catid=-1&impid=-1&formatcnt=1&libid=1&fileid=234724).

However, when I attempt to follow the instructions, an update is not found. Like others I see many errors of the type "Couldn't find any package whose name ...".

Any help or explanation would be appreciated.

Thanks

Jim
 

getSystemId:

Libsmbios:    0.13.6
System ID:    0x020E
Service Tag:  XXXXXX
Express Service Code: XXXXXXXXX
Product Name: Inspiron 531s
BIOS Version: 1.0.6
Vendor:       Dell Inc.
Is Dell:      1

root@isomer:/home/jim# aptitude install $(bootstrap_firmware -a)
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Reading extended state information
Initializing package states... Done
Building tag database... Done
Couldn't find any package whose name or description matched "bmc-firmware-ven-0x1028-dev-0x020e"
Couldn't find any package whose name or description matched "system-bios-ven-0x1028-dev-0x020e"
Couldn't find any package whose name or description matched "pci-firmware-ven-0x10de-dev-0x03ea-subven-0x1028-subdev-0x020e"
Couldn't find any package whose name or description matched "pci-firmware-ven-0x10de-dev-0x03e0-subven-0x1028-subdev-0x020e"
Couldn't find any package whose name or description matched "pci-firmware-ven-0x10de-dev-0x03eb-subven-0x1028-subdev-0x020e"
...

...

 Matt,

 Thanks for all of the hard work.  I see that my system id (020D - Inspiron 530)  isn't supported as noted by others.  The bios update is available from the website as an EXE, but the deb package isn't yet available for apt.  Is it possible for end users to build the deb packages and submit them to you?  Is the process for doing this documented anywhere?

On a side note, is there a link anywhere that explains what the bios revision fixes (like release notes).  I couldn't find it on the download page:

http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&releaseid=R174855&SystemID=INSP_DSKTP_D530&servicetag=&os=WW1&osl=en&deviceid=14390&devlib=0&typecnt=0&vercnt=4&catid=-1&impid=2&formatcnt=1&libid=1&fileid=237513
 

Rob 

I am trying to update my bios on a Dell XPS T500, I ran the getSystemID and it does not give me the "System ID", here is the output:

 Is anyone able to tell me if my system is too old or is there anyway to find out the right System ID to get the firmware upgrade from http://linux.dell.com/repo/software/bios-hdrs/

Any help is appreicated,

Stephen 

Thanks Matt, I think that the install went well. I had a few errors similar to Adams

Couldn't find any package whose name or description matched "pci-firmware-ven-0x1000-dev-0x0054-subven-0x1028-subdev-0x1f09"
Couldn't find any package whose name or description matched "pci-firmware-ven-0x14e4-dev-0x1659-subven-0x1028-subdev-0x01e6"

 
but not sure if this is expected. I have a PE860 with Ubuntu server 7.10.

The update_firmware picked up an update which I already had but this was expected from reading the above posts. 

Thanks again for all the time and effort you put into this.

 
Jason

 

Hi Matt,

Thanks for all your work on this. I am getting the same problems as Adam. See below.

Am I doing something wrong? 

root@vmware-host:~# wget -q -O - http://linux.dell.com/repo/firmware/bootstrap.cgi | bash
Downloading GPG key: http://linux.dell.com/repo/GPG-KEY-libsmbios
    Importing key.
OK

The following NEW packages will be installed:
  dell-repository-keys
0 packages upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 21 not upgraded.
Need to get 4250B of archives. After unpacking 49.2kB will be used.
WARNING: untrusted versions of the following packages will be installed!

Untrusted packages could compromise your system's security.
You should only proceed with the installation if you are certain that
this is what you want to do.

  dell-repository-keys

Do you want to ignore this warning and proceed anyway?
To continue, enter "Yes"; to abort, enter "No": Unrecognized input.  Enter either "Yes" or "No".
Do you want to ignore this warning and proceed anyway?
To continue, enter "Yes"; to abort, enter "No": Unrecognized input.  Enter either "Yes" or "No".
Do you want to ignore this warning and proceed anyway?
To continue, enter "Yes"; to abort, enter "No": Unrecognized input.  Enter either "Yes" or "No".
Do you want to ignore this warning and proceed anyway?
To continue, enter "Yes"; to abort, enter "No": Abort.

The following NEW packages will be installed:
  dell-firmware-repository dell-repository-keys dell-software-repository
0 packages upgraded, 3 newly installed, 0 to remove and 21 not upgraded.
Need to get 8096B of archives. After unpacking 147kB will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n/?] Abort.
Get:1 http://ie.archive.ubuntu.com gutsy Release.gpg [191B]
I
Fetched 3B in 10s (0B/s)
Reading package lists... Done

Hmmm, I'm getting this:

root@ubuntu:~# aptitude install firmware-addon-dell
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree      
Reading state information... Done
Reading extended state information     
Initializing package states... Done
Building tag database... Done     
Couldn't find any package whose name or description matched "firmware-addon-dell"
No packages will be installed, upgraded, or removed.

I was able to simplify the process by adding the dell repository to my sources.list file.

deb http://linux.dell.com/repo gutsy dell-software

This took some thinking on my part but I prefer telling users to do this as opposed to running a script as root. 

I'm using an XPS 700, and everything seems to work out, until the end. I keep getting:

$update_firmware

bash: update_firmware: command not found

I'm logged in as root, and I've sudo bash'ed before the above, fourline script. I'm on Ubuntu 7.10, brand new install.

 Any suggestions? I'm boggling my mind, here.

Strange the 530n update doesn't seem to install at all. In the meanwhile, I'm stuck with a very annoying fan whirring on full constantly.

 Is there no alternative way to extract the BIOS from the windows EXE file and use a DOS bootcd to flash the BIOS?
 

Kubuntu

around line 88 Add

    [ "${DISTRIB_ID}" = "Kubuntu" ] && echo "LSB" && return
 

"There are a few exceptions.  Some of the newest systems, in particular some Vostro and Inspiron systems, don't have this capability.  We're investigating ways to provide the same functionality."

"Some of the newest Inspiron systems lack the feature, but some have it."

And from what I see the Inspiron 531 is one of them, right ? Well I have to be patient so :)
 

I installed the repositories and everything was fine until I tried to do the bootstrap_firmware install. It couldn't find anything for me. So I did the getSystemId and I have 0x01BD, which does exist in the repositories, but my firmware is A03 and I noticed that 0x01BD starts at A05. Does this mean I'm out of luck?
 

I have upgraded my Dell Inspiron 6400 to MM061-A17 on Fedora 8. However I need to do with a small change:

yum install firmware-addon-dell

rpm --import http://linux.dell.com/repo/GPG-KEY-libsmbios
# bootstrap.cgi should install GPG-KEY-libsmbios for us, however it didn't do that.

wget -q -O - http://linux.dell.com/repo/firmware/bootstrap.cgi | bash
# You should get "Done!" message

yum install $(bootstrap_firmware)
# You will see many "No package ... available.", but there should be a system_bios_MM061 can be installed.

update_firmware
# You should see an available firmware.

update_firmware --yes
# Install it

-----

I need to manually install GPG Key. Line 130 of bootstrap.cgi only allows $1 = "apt" to get the GPG Key. On Fedora, $1 will be "rpm", then Fedora's users will not get the key to import and they can't continue the process of updating.

After running update_firmware, I got no successful message. I check update_firmware, and this is what it should do: no successful message. However the firmware was updated after reboot.
 

I have an Inspiron 640m. I could install the repositories as you suggested and all worked fine. But getSystemId   returned "System ID:    0x01D8" and that number is not in the firmware repository page. Do I have to leave the utility installed for a future release of a new BIOS for my laptop model?

Thank you!

Jorge.
 

Matt,

 I noticed the same problem imneat did - the BIOS update doesn't clear even after it's installed.  I had to go back to  System > Administration > Software Sources > Third-Party Software and clear the checkmarks for the Dell repositories.

Mark

Matt,

Worked like a charm - thank you!

Regards,

Mark

Matt, imneat, Skwirkle etc.

 I have the same problem, update-manager and synaptic keep offering the BIOS update. Running "aptitude safe-upgrade" also offer the package over and over again.

 Example output blow.

Matt, have you been able to reproduce this?
What other information could help?

~$ sudo apt-get upgrade
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following packages will be upgraded:
  system-bios-dimension-8300
1 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0B/281kB of archives.
After unpacking 0B of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? Y
(Reading database ... 149874 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace system-bios-dimension-8300 0.a07-1 (using .../system-bios-dimension-8300_0.a07-1_all.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement system-bios-dimension-8300 ...
Setting up system-bios-dimension-8300 (0.a07-1) ...

Processing triggers for firmware-tools ...
error: Unable to open /usr/lib/rpm/rpmrc for reading: No such file or directory.
Config does not specify automatic install during package install.
Please run update_firmware manually to install updates.
$ update_firmware --yes
error: Unable to open /usr/lib/rpm/rpmrc for reading: No such file or directory.

Searching storage directory for available BIOS updates...

This system does not appear to have any updates available.
No action necessary.

$ sudo apt-get upgrade
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following packages will be upgraded:
  system-bios-dimension-8300
1 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0B/281kB of archives.
After unpacking 0B of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? n
Abort.

Add yet another user confirming the persistent "available bios update" notification from update manager after successfully executing the update.  Gutsy on a Latitude D410.  It appears that the most recent BIOS is from December '05, but it saw it as new and installed it.  But now I can't get update manager to ignore it.

Matt, I applied the update yesterday per the instructions, and for me the Synaptic update notification still appears, even after running the update several times. I see a couple other people reported this happening too

 However, my test machine already had the latest BIOS update in place at the time. Is it possible that this happens when updating the BIOS for the first time on a machine that's already been updated? I haven't had time to test myself yet.

error: Unable to open /usr/lib/rpm/rpmrc for reading: No such file or directory.

 
I get that error using Kubuntu Feisty  

Many thanks for doing this! I'm trying this out with my M1210 now :-).