Studio 540 BIOS, etc updates?

You should not have to update the bios on a new computer. Bios updates are available at Dell Support Drivers and Downloads. You also do not need any other updated drivers, just the Vista updates that you've already done. Use the Support link on the top of this page to access the download page.

3rd try

Wrong answer. I just bought the Dell Studio 540 two weeks ago, and there were a lot of updates for the chipset, audio, graphics etc. The BIOS was also two releases out of date, and my computer shipped from the factory less than a month before I purchased it. The BIOS still has unresolved issues, and Dell couldn't care less. This is my first and last Dell. I will go back to doing what I've done for the last 17 years....build my own.

Please don't assume that just because something is new that all is well. That couldn't be further from the truth. Not to mention the Dell drivers for the ATI HD 4350 card kept blue screening my computer. I downloaded the lastest drivers from the actual ATI site, and it became stable after installing THEM.

Do you have the 4350 amd or the 3450?  I have the 3450 and I'm having the same vid issue with spontaneous freezes.  I called tech support today RE the vid issue with the amd and their answer was to update the bios!?!

Please, exactly which driver version did you download from amd that worked.  I had tried the one posted on their sight dated as 12/10/08 - before the bios update today - and after downloading and installation vista gave me an error message and would not allow it to run, so I had to re-install the driver that came with.  Running 64 bit and using dvi connectors.

Also, you noted continued unresolved issues with the bios.. examples?

Thanks :)

Addendum for dcnutter RE the bios..  I found ur replies on another thread and wanted to let you know that my system came with version 1.0.4 and is now updated to version 1.0.6.  The update is available on the dell site - was apparently posted there on the 17 of December.  FYI, the beeps are still there. 

Hi Lynnmann,

I apologize, that was a typo regarding the model of the video card I have. Like you, I also have the ATI Radeon HD 3450 video card installed. My typo is actually good news for you because at least you now have some hope....LOL. :)

Just to clarify, When I first brought my computer home, and powered it on after doing the initial setup I went to use Internet Explorer (I usually use Firefox, but it wasn't installed yet) and after a few seconds I noticed the title bar was looking and acting funny. It's hard to explain, but it seemed like the Aero skin was not right and the browser title bar extended upward off the screen. Within seconds I got the BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) and my system crashed. After restarting it it seems fine, but not much time would pass before it would reoccur.

At that point I went to the Dell site, and started downloading the system updates for anything that needed it...including the BIOS. I was able to install...rather update the drivers with no issues with the exception of the video driver. I usually have Nvidia card on my custom built systems so this was my first real experience with ATI drivers and the Catalyst Manager. When I installed the new video card driver from the Dell site it seemed like the driver portion itself would install and update alright, but the Catalyst Manager program was giving me an error whenever I rebooted to the desktop, and well as when I went to run the program itself. Video drivers can be funny at times, and I've never had any issues updated Nvidia drivers ontop of the older version. It seems that ATI isn't as forgiving though. At this point I when to the Control Panel, and comnpleted uninstalled ANYTHING ATI video card related. Drivers and Catalyst Manager. I rebooted, and let my computer use the Vista default driver. Obviously slow, and not the optimum resolution. I rebooted again to the desktop, and then installed the driver for the Vista 64 bit Radeon HD 3400 series off of the actual AMD site. I haven't had any video related issues since then. It has been rock solid for the last two weeks. I am using the Catalyst Software Suite 8-11_vista64_dd_ccc_wdm_enu_70230.exe. The file name is different now, but 8.11 files can be found under the previous versions link near the bottom of the current driver page. I would try that, but definately uninstall all drivers you have installed now. Your problem might be a little different from the one I had, but you never know if it's related.

I had issues updating the BIOS due to the lack (at the time at least) of a 64 bit installer. Believe it or not...what I actually had to do was wipe my drives clean, install another 32 bit version of Vista that I have, update the BIOS...and then reinstall the 64 bit OS.

Important to note here: Since I had to update the BIOS anyway I took advantage of having clean drives, and blew away the RAID configuration. I have the system with the two 640 drives in RAID 0 for an apparent total drive space of 1.2 Terabytes. I didn't was my system setup this way. I gladly gave up what unnoticable performance gains to get two discrete drives for use in other ways. When I reinstalled Vista I DID NOT do a factory restore. I installed the OS, then the chipset drivers, the network, audio, and video drivers separately, Vista updates etc., and only a few extra programs that Dell included. In otherwords, I installed it my way, and not some image blown on to my drives. Clean and stable.

Now, with that said. The video driver install I detailed above was stable Before AND After my re installation so please don't think I am advising you to do a clean install and then that driver version. I don't think you have to go to that extremes. I did that to accomplish other unrelated things that I wanted.

Another video related thing worth mentioning. Not only is my video stable with one monitor....it's stable with two. I run two 22" Samsung 2253LW's off the card using both the DVI and Analog outputs. Make sure whatever monitor(s) you are running have the right updated drivers, and that your system is not set to default or plug and play monitors...and also make sure the refresh rate at the monitors native resolution is set correctly as well. Any of this being off could cause your system freezes.

In my other posts that you read I basically stated that my system in general runs great, and is stable with no apparent other issues except for the BIOS beeps during the start up POST. I know through extensive trial and error, that the beeps are related to how the system see's USB devices at startup. All of my USB devices and hubs work correctly after booting to the desktop so at this point in time is more of an annoyance to me rather than an obvious problem. I still feel it is how Dell is setting up the BIOS, and it pains me to think that they have to lock us out of majority of board settings so I can't see what's going on there. It might be something simple that most people with experience like myself could fix in a few minutes.grrrrrrrrrrrr! It's even more frustration to hear from you that going from BIOS version 1.03 to 1.06 will still not fix the beeps. GRRRRRRRRRRRRR! COME ON DELL....GET ON THE BALL!

What also frustrates me...since I'm on a roll....Where are the Windows XP Pro drivers? For crying out loud...people still love to run XP, and I want to dual boot. I need these drivers released!

I hope this book helps...LOL. Keep in touch with me in this thread so we can deal with and get some of these issues fixed, and answers we need.

David

Thanks a lot for informing me of this. Seem my large post to your regarding some of my findings etc.

David

So far my system has been stable even with addition of my own software. But I'm running BIOS 1.0.1, ATI HD3450, 64bit Vista OS. I don't want to reformat my drive to update the BIOS, so maybe I will wait until somone posts another method.

I did notice when I go into setup it list my ram as 6gig which is correct, but only shows about 3gig as usable. So what's going on here... anyone know? I do plan to install a 1TB drive for my video projects and a better ATI graphics card that support dual monitors.

I view the problems as minor. After all it's an Intel motherboard and processor along with afew other addons all trying to run Vista. Can't really blame Dell for that!

Lynnmann,

Update: I just updated to BIOS ver 1.06, and everything is still running fine on my computer including the video drivers. I think you have a driver issue, or a conflicting program etc. Are there any other hardware devices or software programs that you installed that could be creating a problem for you?

Nice to see that Dell compiled a 64 bit BIOS install this time around.....and you are correct...the beeps are still there on my system as well.

David

You haven't been having any problems with ur ati hd3450 crashing ur system?  Lucky!

I watched the dell tech guy update the bios on my machine today via a remote connection.  It was super simple.  He went to the dell drivers website via internet explorer and clicked to download the new bios.  He didn't "run" it.  He saved it to my desktop.  Then he exited the web browser and double clicked on the file on my desktop/  The file executed.  The machine rebooted.  And that was that!  The whole thing took like 4 minutes!  Oh, and somehow he maintained his remote connection through all of that!  (Unfortunately the bios update had no effect on my vid problem, but it's nice to know I have the most recent bios!)

Sounds like u need to talk to dcnutter about the bios thing because he noted the same thing that you did about the memory - in another thread.  If u click on his username it will show u all the threads he has commented on and I think u will be interested in the thread about Dell 540 Studio bios beeps 

Hope this helps!

Well, as far as the usable memory issue goes...that's been corrected in the BIOS update. I went from ver 1.01 to 1.03 at first, and it was fixed at that point (it might have even been fixed in 1.02, but I skipped over that version and went to 1.03 which was the latest at the time.)

I just updated my BIOS to 1.06 a few minutes ago. You don't have to reinstall your OS. You can now run the BIOS update program within windows, and it takes only a few minutes...if that. They released it with a 64 bit installer so all is good. That's a plus at least.

The issues could be minor, and I agree...that right now my system is stable and working. I haven't put anything into the two smaller PCIe slots, and who knows if there will be issues with the BIOS when I do. We'll see.

As for the Intel board etc. I wouldn't have it any other way. I've used Intel boards, chipsets and processors in every computer I've built the last 17 years, and I've NEVER had any issue....from Windows 3.0 and 3.11, all the way up to Vista. They make great products, and as far as I am concerned...it's NOT Intel, Not Microsoft, Not AMD or even ATI. The problem IS caused by Dell, and they are responsible for fixing it. They choose to modify a good BIOS given to them from AMI, choosing what and what not to lock the end user out of thinking that they know best. Trust me...they don't. I've never overclocked a motherboard or video card in my life, but I know the best and most stable settings for hardware. I've been an engineering technician my whole adult life (I'm 46).  I don't know about you, but this is the very first time that I've bought a computer off the shelf. I've always put them together myself...therefore I had full access to the BIOS. If this same board was sold out on the open market, the BIOS would be unlocked, and those with system knowledge could get more out of it. I can deal with being locked out of some thing, but that's under the expectation that those who can get in there and tweak things know what they are doingm, and fix things as they arise. Dell apparently terrible at it (or whomever does it for Dell), and the lack of XP drivers blows me away. Crazy stuff. :)

You, sir, srsly ROCK!  I uninstalled the existing video driver stuff (which I didn't do the first time I tried this) and then I downloaded and uninstalled the November'08 driver release you referenced (instead of the newer December'08 release I tried before) and well, it's only been like 30 miinutes so it's rly too soon to be sure, but so far so good!!!  Thank u so so much!

Just cuz u asked, and fyi, I wiped and reinstalled only the os and drivers. umm, for the third time.  in a week.  it's been fun :)  And now that I'm sur that my vid problem is resolved I can start loading on my software and see what new adventures vista 64 has for me!

Awesome!! Thanks for you kind words. :) I hope you have continued ejoyment with your new Studio 540. I know despite the BIOS issues, I am enjoying the speed and stabiltiy of mine. Not to mention Vista....I love it, and I can't wait for Windows 7 to come out. Enjoy, and let me know if you have any other issues I can help resolve.

David