Upgrading BIOS

cricri29 · 10-12-2006, 06:33 AM

Hi everyone,
My new (old auction) Dell Latitude lalptop does not charge the battery, I tried charging it on another laptop of exactly the same model and it gets charged 100%. Someone told me that it might be the BIOS. I searched and found that the BIOS is A16, I saved it on a CD, but in the instructions it is said that I should save it on a floppy or a: diskette. I don't have a floppy or diskette drive in the laptop. I know that executing the BIOS incorrectly could harm my laptop and I could find myself with many other problems. So, I want to know if it's ok to execute from a CD and if it's really dangerous for my laptop as I am no expert.
Thank you in advance

**Terrister** · 10-12-2006, 05:20 PM

Please post the model of your Dell laptop.

~~OMGmissinglink~~ · 10-12-2006, 05:31 PM

If the laptop is running nix the bios upgrade/ bios is not the cause of your battery not charging, you get a bottle of denatured or rubbing alcohol and Q tips and carefully clean the contacts on the laptop where the batt inserts, if that does not fix the problem then you've got internal problems.

**PanamaGal** · 10-12-2006, 08:15 PM

I've seen quite a few Dell laptops have this problem. It's usually either the pins on the ac port, or the port itself goes bad (usually the contacts with the motherboard get broken). It's easy to visually inspect the pins, but you'd have to take the laptop apart to inspect the port contacts and capacitors.

cricri29 · 10-13-2006, 05:23 AM

Thank you all for your help.
Terrister, my laptop is a DELL latitude cpx.

**Terrister** · 10-13-2006, 05:45 AM

I agree you should try the above suggestions before doing a bios upgrade.

**laboye** · 10-13-2006, 08:56 PM

Most of the BIOS update programs check the integrity of the data file with a checksum before flashing to ensure the file isn't corrupt. You should be safe, but as said, try the suggestions, first.

cricri29 · 10-16-2006, 05:42 AM

Thank you, I will do that!

cricri29 · 10-23-2006, 06:03 AM

It's me again, I still did not open my laptop to inspect the inside (too afraid and don't have the screwdriver). Now when I go on powermeter to check what is happening with my battery, it says: charging. But actually the battery keeps loosing power until it becomes 0% capacity. How come it says charging if it is not? is there any other thing I could try before opening my laptop? Oh, and I did clean the AC port with alcohool, no avail.

**laboye** · 11-06-2006, 05:39 PM

The cells may have died. Checkout BatteryMon here

http://www.passmark.com/ftp/batmon.exe

Install and monitor the charge and discharge. If you see sudden drops, the battery is shot. If it charges and drains OK in another machine, it's a machine problem.

cricri29 · 11-07-2006, 05:48 AM

Thank you but I tried it on another laptop and it worked perfectly well, so I am sure it's a problem with the machine. I don't know if it's worth being fixed because if that costs too much, it will be a waste of money on a computer that is already not such a great buy!!

10-12-2006, 06:33 AM	#1 (permalink)
cricri29 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 42 OS: xp	Upgrading BIOS Hi everyone, My new (old auction) Dell Latitude lalptop does not charge the battery, I tried charging it on another laptop of exactly the same model and it gets charged 100%. Someone told me that it might be the BIOS. I searched and found that the BIOS is A16, I saved it on a CD, but in the instructions it is said that I should save it on a floppy or a: diskette. I don't have a floppy or diskette drive in the laptop. I know that executing the BIOS incorrectly could harm my laptop and I could find myself with many other problems. So, I want to know if it's ok to execute from a CD and if it's really dangerous for my laptop as I am no expert. Thank you in advance

10-12-2006, 05:20 PM	#2 (permalink)
Terrister Moderator Hardware Forum Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: West Georgia, USA Posts: 7,081 OS: Xp	Please post the model of your Dell laptop. __________________

10-12-2006, 05:31 PM	#3 (permalink)
~~OMGmissinglink~~ Troubled Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 1,535 OS: XP Pro sp2 My System	If the laptop is running nix the bios upgrade/ bios is not the cause of your battery not charging, you get a bottle of denatured or rubbing alcohol and Q tips and carefully clean the contacts on the laptop where the batt inserts, if that does not fix the problem then you've got internal problems. Last edited by OMGmissinglink; 10-12-2006 at 05:46 PM.

10-12-2006, 08:15 PM	#4 (permalink)
PanamaGal Mentor Hardware Team Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Panama Posts: 1,240 OS: WinXP Pro SP2; Windows Server 2003; Windows Vista Ultimate; Vista Business	I've seen quite a few Dell laptops have this problem. It's usually either the pins on the ac port, or the port itself goes bad (usually the contacts with the motherboard get broken). It's easy to visually inspect the pins, but you'd have to take the laptop apart to inspect the port contacts and capacitors. __________________ It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.

10-13-2006, 05:45 AM	#6 (permalink)
Terrister Moderator Hardware Forum Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: West Georgia, USA Posts: 7,081 OS: Xp	I agree you should try the above suggestions before doing a bios upgrade. __________________

10-13-2006, 05:23 AM	#5 (permalink)
cricri29 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 42 OS: xp	Thank you all for your help. Terrister, my laptop is a DELL latitude cpx.

10-13-2006, 08:56 PM	#7 (permalink)
laboye TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Hollywood, FL Posts: 1,246 OS: Windows xp Pro/Vista Beta 2/Ubuntu 6.06 LTS My System	Most of the BIOS update programs check the integrity of the data file with a checksum before flashing to ensure the file isn't corrupt. You should be safe, but as said, try the suggestions, first. __________________ Repair Windows XP Guide --- Resolutions Crazy Computer that I'm saving up for::Antec P180 Case;PC Pwr&Cooling 1kW Quad SLI PSU;Asus P5N32-SLI SE Deluxe;Intel Core2 XE X6800;Corsair TWIN2XP2048 2GB PC2-6400 DDR2 RAM;2xAsus GeForce 7950 GX2;BFG PhysX Accel.;IBM DVD-RAM/Plextor DVD±RW;Seagate 750GB HD 7200RPM;WDX 150GB 10000RPM;Vigor Monsoon TEC Cooler

10-16-2006, 05:42 AM	#8 (permalink)
cricri29 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 42 OS: xp	Thank you, I will do that!

10-23-2006, 06:03 AM	#9 (permalink)
cricri29 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 42 OS: xp	It's me again, I still did not open my laptop to inspect the inside (too afraid and don't have the screwdriver). Now when I go on powermeter to check what is happening with my battery, it says: charging. But actually the battery keeps loosing power until it becomes 0% capacity. How come it says charging if it is not? is there any other thing I could try before opening my laptop? Oh, and I did clean the AC port with alcohool, no avail.

11-06-2006, 05:39 PM	#10 (permalink)
laboye TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Hollywood, FL Posts: 1,246 OS: Windows xp Pro/Vista Beta 2/Ubuntu 6.06 LTS My System	The cells may have died. Checkout BatteryMon here http://www.passmark.com/ftp/batmon.exe Install and monitor the charge and discharge. If you see sudden drops, the battery is shot. If it charges and drains OK in another machine, it's a machine problem. __________________ Repair Windows XP Guide --- Resolutions Crazy Computer that I'm saving up for::Antec P180 Case;PC Pwr&Cooling 1kW Quad SLI PSU;Asus P5N32-SLI SE Deluxe;Intel Core2 XE X6800;Corsair TWIN2XP2048 2GB PC2-6400 DDR2 RAM;2xAsus GeForce 7950 GX2;BFG PhysX Accel.;IBM DVD-RAM/Plextor DVD±RW;Seagate 750GB HD 7200RPM;WDX 150GB 10000RPM;Vigor Monsoon TEC Cooler

11-07-2006, 05:48 AM	#11 (permalink)
cricri29 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 42 OS: xp	Thank you but I tried it on another laptop and it worked perfectly well, so I am sure it's a problem with the machine. I don't know if it's worth being fixed because if that costs too much, it will be a waste of money on a computer that is already not such a great buy!!