Flash BIOS / battery problem

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Hi all.
I have an old Latitude HS 400ST. It doesn't have a CD drive nor A drive.
My battery suddenly stopped working (was holding several hours charge
before this) a week ago and the research I have done suggests upgrading
the BIOS to A09 (which I believe has a battery re-calibration tool)
might solve the problem. However, I have now discovered what should have
been obvious - I can't boot to DOS and therefore can't flash the BIOS.
I have acquired a USB A and CD drive and both of these are not bootable.
The BIOS upgrade won't run from Windows. I would appreciate help on how
to overcome this problem.
Thanks
Paul

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

St Paul wrote:

> Hi all.
> I have an old Latitude HS 400ST. It doesn't have a CD drive nor A drive.
> My battery suddenly stopped working (was holding several hours charge
> before this) a week ago and the research I have done suggests
> upgrading the BIOS to A09 (which I believe has a battery
> re-calibration tool) might solve the problem. However, I have now
> discovered what should have been obvious - I can't boot to DOS and
> therefore can't flash the BIOS. I have acquired a USB A and CD drive
> and both of these are not bootable. The BIOS upgrade won't run from
> Windows. I would appreciate help on how to overcome this problem.
> Thanks
> Paul

I couldn't find your particular model on Dell's site (but you obviously
did). Dell generally provides several different files for BIOS upgrade
-- one of which does not require a floppy or bootable device other than
the hard disk. Are you certain there is not a BIOS upgrade for that
model which doesn't require another device?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Jerry Park wrote:
> St Paul wrote:
>
>> Hi all.
>> I have an old Latitude HS 400ST. It doesn't have a CD drive nor A drive.
>> My battery suddenly stopped working (was holding several hours charge
>> before this) a week ago and the research I have done suggests
>> upgrading the BIOS to A09 (which I believe has a battery
>> re-calibration tool) might solve the problem. However, I have now
>> discovered what should have been obvious - I can't boot to DOS and
>> therefore can't flash the BIOS. I have acquired a USB A and CD drive
>> and both of these are not bootable. The BIOS upgrade won't run from
>> Windows. I would appreciate help on how to overcome this problem.
>> Thanks
>> Paul
>
>
> I couldn't find your particular model on Dell's site (but you obviously
> did). Dell generally provides several different files for BIOS upgrade
> -- one of which does not require a floppy or bootable device other than
> the hard disk. Are you certain there is not a BIOS upgrade for that
> model which doesn't require another device?

I will go and look again and report back here.
Thnx.
Paul