BIOS updates are bricking some Dell and Alienware PCs

As users, we’re in general conditioned to implicitly belief tool and updates that lengthen from the folk that construct our computer programs. But these other folks are additionally, correctly, other folks, and frequently construct errors. Such appears to be like to be the case for a rising option of laptops and desktops made by Dell, and as a minimum some sold below its Alienware sub-trace. Contemporary BIOS updates for some Inspiron, Latitude, and Aurora computer programs are causing them as well into blue shows.

As chronicled because it’ll be by Bleeping Computer, Dell customer boards and Reddit threads are filling up with complaints from house owners of Lattitude 5320 and 5520 laptops (BIOS version 1.14.3), Inspiron 5680 desktops (BIOS version 2.8.0), and the Aurora R8 desktop series (BIOS version 1.0.18). Upon applying the associated updates, users account that the computer programs will boot to a blue display disguise and then straight shut down all any other time. Some others are getting “Time-of-day now no longer plight” error messages, adopted by shutdown with any input.

About a users dangle reported success by downgrading their BIOS to the earlier version, but that’s a extra special project that’s beyond the comfort zone of the identical old laptop laptop or desktop purchaser, and it isn’t working for everybody. The project additionally requires the interior battery to be eradicated and an affect button sequence on the Lattitude laptops.

We’ve contacted representatives for Dell and are awaiting a respond on these points.