Question How update BIOS Toshiba L875D with Win10 ver1903

[JPJPAK]

I have located the BIOS update but don't know how to install it.
Can't be done in Toshiba Utility (Service Station).
I have the new BIOS on a usb stick. It's from Dynabook file skbqv610.exe.
Please help with instructions, baby-step, instructions.
Or
Tell me there is no good reason to update the BIOS, current ver/Insyde Corp. ver1.10 dated 4/20/2012.
The laptop is running slow but no real problems.

 

[britechguy]

Unless Toshiba has a BIOS update listed on the support page for your precise model, then don't touch it. Never, ever, ever, ever, use something from a different class or brand of machine.

Toshiba, like virtually all the major computer makers, has issued fully self-contained BIOS (or UEFI) flashing update programs as the standard method for years now.

I would be surprised if the support page doesn't show something newer than 2012, but on occasion the BIOS/UEFI will simply never have needed updating. It's rare, but it happens.

By the way, a BIOS/UEFI update very, very seldom has much of any impact at all on speed/performance.

 

[JPJPAK]

Unless Toshiba has a BIOS update listed on the support page for your precise model, then don't touch it. Never, ever, ever, ever, use something from a different class or brand of machine.

Toshiba, like virtually all the major computer makers, has issued fully self-contained BIOS (or UEFI) flashing update programs as the standard method for years now.

I would be surprised if the support page doesn't show something newer than 2012, but on occasion the BIOS/UEFI will simply never have needed updating. It's rare, but it happens.

By the way, a BIOS/UEFI update very, very seldom has much of any impact at all on speed/performance.

https://support.dynabook.com/ is the"support" for Toshiba now, since they dropped out of laptops. but I haven't
found their "how to" install. Go see for yourself, maybe I'm not seeing something. You can start at Toshiba/support.
Thanks for your reply. JimK

 

[britechguy]

Well, that October 2018 "deconsolidation" escaped my notice, hence the reason I did not know that support was passed off.

There are lots of "sub-models" of the L875D, so you'd need to look to see exactly which one you've got. The support page for one of them is:

https://support.dynabook.com/support/modelHome?freeText=3574893&osId=3333728

It looks like these were issued pre-Windows 10 (and my partner has a Satellite model that fits that bill) so for the OS choice use Win 8.1 64-bit [as I presume this is a 64-bit model]. When I do that and pull up the BIOS update for the specific model above it dates from 2016 (and there are two, but I would have no idea regarding how to choose which one as I don't have the additional data needed to click through and make an informed decision).

The updaters are, as I suspected, self-contained programs that will flash BIOS then restart the computer.

If the machine came with Windows 8.1 or later it's perfectly safe to use the most recent BIOS that's associated with the Windows 8.1 OS choice. If it came with something earlier than Windows 8.1, then I'd choose the OS it came with.

 

[JPJPAK]

Well, that October 2018 "deconsolidation" escaped my notice, hence the reason I did not know that support was passed off.

There are lots of "sub-models" of the L875D, so you'd need to look to see exactly which one you've got. The support page for one of them is:

https://support.dynabook.com/support/modelHome?freeText=3574893&osId=3333728

It looks like these were issued pre-Windows 10 (and my partner has a Satellite model that fits that bill) so for the OS choice use Win 8.1 64-bit [as I presume this is a 64-bit model]. When I do that and pull up the BIOS update for the specific model above it dates from 2016 (and there are two, but I would have no idea regarding how to choose which one as I don't have the additional data needed to click through and make an informed decision).

The updaters are, as I suspected, self-contained programs that will flash BIOS then restart the computer.

If the machine came with Windows 8.1 or later it's perfectly safe to use the most recent BIOS that's associated with the Windows 8.1 OS choice. If it came with something earlier than Windows 8.1, then I'd choose the OS it came with.

The machine came with Win7, I don't recall ever putting Win8 on it, but do you mean the BIOS file is just
run in Win10? Just insert usb-stick and run it? JimK

 

[britechguy]

You don't use a USB stick at all.

BIOS updaters are programs, just like any other program. The one I saw (I've closed the window) listed for the model I was looking at was called AHCI Flash Updater Program or something very similar.

You just download the program and run it. It flashes BIOS from within Windows and then triggers a restart to actually finish off the process.

If your machine came with Windows 7 then, after you've entered your serial number [which is the surest way to get to the correct support page] and gone into the software and drivers category and located the BIOS update, if it's newer than what you have just download it and run it. The rest will take care of itself.

 

[britechguy]

By the way, I just went back and checked and Toshiba is a bit odd.

In the case of the model I gave the link for, the thing with the lower version number, 1.20, is the actual flasher/installer program that can be triggered from Windows (and it appears to include the necessary BIOS files) while the higher version number is actually just the underlying files used to make that update.

Most peculiar.

 

[JPJPAK]

You don't use a USB stick at all.

BIOS updaters are programs, just like any other program. The one I saw (I've closed the window) listed for the model I was looking at was called AHCI Flash Updater Program or something very similar.

You just download the program and run it. It flashes BIOS from within Windows and then triggers a restart to actually finish off the process.

If your machine came with Windows 7 then, after you've entered your serial number [which is the surest way to get to the correct support page] and gone into the software and drivers category and located the BIOS update, if it's newer than what you have just download it and run it. The rest will take care of itself.

Here's the page I ended on, it reads

ACPI Flash BIOS version 6.10 for Satellite C870D/C875D/L870D/L875D
Printer Friendly
« Return to List
File: skbqv610.exe (18.15M)
DOWNLOAD



Version: 6.10 Posted Date: 2012-10-29 Release Date: 2016-08-24 Other Versions

Release Date:​	Version:​
2014-08-28​	1.40​
2014-08-28​	1.30​
2014-03-25​	1.20​
2012-08-14​	1.20​

PackageWinRAR self-extracting ZIP file includes both Windows-based and diskette based BIOS update installation options. See the included documentation for details.Description:
Release Notes

• For CD-ROM BIOS updates in Windows 8: (1) Shut down the system while pressing the SHIFT key to completely power off. (2) Power on and press F2 while the TOSHIBA logo is displayed to enter the BIOS Setup Menu. (3) Go to the Security tab and set the "Secure Boot" setting to "Disabled". (4) Go to the Advanced tab, enter "System Configuration" and set the Boot Mode to "CSM Boot." (5) Press F10 to save and exit. (6) Boot from the BIOS CD-ROM and type BIOS at the C:\ prompt. (7) After the BIOS update has completed, restore the Boot Mode setting to "UEFI Boot" and the Secure Boot setting to Enabled.
• For CD-ROM BIOS updates in Windows 7: Type BIOS then press enter at the C:\ prompt.
• For all updates: The BIOS update will force the computer to shut down or restart. Please make sure to save all work in progress before starting BIOS updates.
• Power on the computer if it is off.
• While the "Toshiba" LOGO is displayed, press the F2 function key to start BIOS Setup.
• Check the version of BIOS and press the F9 function key then Enter to load setup defaults.
• Press the F10 function key then Enter to save settings and exit. The computer will automatically reboot.

Change History

• Version 6.10 - 2012-10-02
  • Fixed: Boot issue.
  • Updated: GPU video BIOS to improve a graphics issue.
• Version 6.00 - 2012-09-03
  • Added: Support for Windows 8 platforms.
  • Fixed: No display when raising the LCD (Lid) to wake the system from hibernation.
• Version 1.20 - 2012-07-31
  • Improved: Brightness levels in both Windows 7 and Windows 8.
• Version 1.10 - 2012-04-20
  • Fixed: L/R sound tracks switch when using HDMI output.
• Version 1.00 - 2012-03-20
  • Initial production release for these models.

Export Control and EULAUse of any software made available for download from this system constitutes your acceptance of the Export Control Terms and the terms in the Toshiba end-user license agreement both of which you can view before downloading any such software.

So all that stuff about

• While the "Toshiba" LOGO is displayed, press the F2 function key to start BIOS Setup.
• Check the version of BIOS and press the F9 function key then Enter to load setup defaults.
• Press the F10 function key then Enter to save settings and exit. The computer will automatically reboot.

won't apply, I just download the file and run it.JimK

 

[britechguy]

I just checked on my partner's old Satellite.

I have BIOS version 1.80 (InSyde) on that particular box and it's the latest. All I did at the time was download the file like you note above and run it to do the extraction, then in the resulting folder there is an EXE file that is the "Windows based" BIOS flasher program. I just ran that and the rest took care of itself. The machine does need to restart as part of the process.

 

[JPJPAK]

I just checked on my partner's old Satellite.

I have BIOS version 1.80 (InSyde) on that particular box and it's the latest. All I did at the time was download the file like you note above and run it to do the extraction, then in the resulting folder there is an EXE file that is the "Windows based" BIOS flasher program. I just ran that and the rest took care of itself. The machine does need to restart as part of the process.

Greetings from the L875D! Worked like a champ!
What a relief, the last tie I messed with a new BIOS I was
pulling and plugging chip sets into a 386DX40!
This way is MUCH nicer, thanks very much. JimK

 

[britechguy]

Yet another example of why I don't think of "the good old days" as "good," just "old," when it comes to computer technology.

Flashing BIOS/UEFI can be done by anyone, with ease, these days. As you've noted, that certainly was not always the case, and one had to look at BIOS updates with more than a bit of trepidation.

Now, barring some really exceptional circumstances, it's "run and done."