m17 R5, issues with BIOS 1.12.0

1.21.1 is here

This looks to be available for M15 R7, can I install it on M17 R5 ?

I've tried it anyway, just gets stuck like this.

1.10.1 is the latest for that model.

https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us/product-support/product/alienware-m17-r5-amd-gaming-laptop/drivers

Then how could I possibly have version 1.11.1 installed ? 

And why would Support Assist prompt me to install 1.12.0 ?

Thanks.

It may be the system shipped with firmware not supplied later as an update, or that you updated to a version that was later removed for whatever reason.

Unless the system isn't working and you're sure a firmware update (in this case, a downgrade) is needed, leave the system as is. Firmware updates can just as easily cause problems as solve them.

Understood, thanks for the quick response.

I received the same critical update notification from Alienware Update for the past several days.  When the update wasn't found using the supplied full details link, I never attempted the update.   Alienware Update no longer lists this BIOS update as of today (12/29/2023).  I did find the following three links on Dell website mentioning that the 112.0 BIOS update was designed to fix several AMD BIOS vulnerabilities:

https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000218423/dsa-2023-386

https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-in/000217573/dsa-2023-332-security-update-for-multiple-amd-bios-vulnerabilities

https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000216422/dsa-2023-289

There will probably be a BIOS released soon to fix these vulnerabilities as it appears the earlier 112.0 BIOS was pulled due to issues that they are likely working to fix now. 

@ejn63​ I have 1.11.1 as well, and it was the Alienware auto-update that installed it. I've asked support why it shows that 1.10.1 is the latest available, and they never answered. I didn't update that BIOS myself, it happened automatically from Dell's automation. Something is very off here. And since that 1.11.1 was installed, my m17 r5 hangs/freezes several times every day.

@ejn63​ I thought it was impossible to downgrade? Dell auto-installed 1.11.1 on my m17 r5, and since then it's been freezing/hanging multiple times per day. I've spent hours on support with them, but they never asked about the BIOS version. Now I wonder if that's what's gone wrong, if Dell messed up my laptop by forcing 1.11.1 on me, realized they'd messed something up, pulled it, and now they aren't doing anything to fix it for those of us affected.

@jenvander​ I've downgraded from 1.11.1 to 1.10.1 last week with no changes as per DELL support request, now I've seen that they released 1.13.1  (https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us/drivers/driversdetails?driverid=rpycx&oscode=w2021&productcode=alienware-m17-r5-amd-gaming-laptop)

Try updating to this version see if it works, just updated myself now.

Seems like someone at DELL is doing an absolute poor job with version management. Releasing and then recalling versions of BIOS....

It's a bit concerning to encounter these kinds of problems, especially when considering long-term reliability, especially for such a premium, high-priced machine...

I've had a 17 R4 for the past years, that thing was built like an absolute TANK compared to this m17 R5.....granted that software problems were present in that model also...

@jenvander​ hope that update works for you, let us know....

Have you installed BIOS 1.31.1 and retested?

Had/have the same problem. Due to the auto update to 1.11. my m17r5 kept getting the "video_dxgkrnl_fatal_error" especially when I opened the GeForce experience application for a bit or had league of legends open.

i did everything I could afterwards:

-update the bios to 1.13.1

-clean uninstall and reinstall graphic drivers several times

-clean reset of windows 4 times at this point because it kept getting worse with other fixes

-scanned for and repaired system files(made the BSoD worse/glitch when shown)

-Dell support also looked through it via remote control and looking at the minidumps, only to leave with the suggestion that I need the 1.13.1 bios

I feel like the newest bios is still very faulty and I really hope that the next bios update will come soon and actually fix the issues. I am exhausted to have paid a good amount of money for the laptop and not being able to use it for anything but watching videos and even then it is crashing every couple hours when it was my workstation before that. Very disappointed with dell

A versão 1.13 foi removida também, porque não está funcionando, e o pior, não tem mais volta depois que coloca a 1.13, só tem como fazer o downgrade se for da 1.11 para 1.10 (essa funciona) o meu também não presta mais, só fica reiniciando, é só acessar a RTX que reinicia, eu tenho que manter usando o vídeo integrado para que funcione.

Isso, acabou com nosso notebook, caríssimo por sinal.