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

Sometime soon I suppose I'll install SP2. I saw some discussion here that
Dell suggests updating your BIOS first, but I'm not inclined to do that-
unless Dell says that the service pack update will definitely not work
without it.

I have a 2 year old 8200 which so far works just fine.

When I do it, I presume I should turn off the Windows firewall, disable my
McAfee AV. Maybe also do a scandisk, defrag- anything else? As far as
peripherals, I have an ancient but dependable HP 4p laser printer, an HP
DeskJet 970Cse printer and an HP scanjet 4570C scanner- and no exotic
software, mostly I use Office and little else.

Oh, I haven't yet installed any anti spyware software, but I'll do that
first too.
--
*************
Joe Zorzin

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

"Joe Zorzin" <abc@xyz> writes:
>Sometime soon I suppose I'll install SP2. I saw some discussion here that
>Dell suggests updating your BIOS first, but I'm not inclined to do that-
>unless Dell says that the service pack update will definitely not work
>without it.

There was an announcement from Dell that said somehow a rumor got started
that updating the bios was needed in Dell machines before installing SP2.
The announcement said they didn't know how this rumor got started but it
was not necessary.

You should search for that an confirm it, rather than accepting just any
old wild raving off the net, just to make sure I haven't made a mistake.

>I have a 2 year old 8200 which so far works just fine.

>When I do it, I presume I should turn off the Windows firewall, disable my
>McAfee AV. Maybe also do a scandisk, defrag- anything else? As far as
>peripherals, I have an ancient but dependable HP 4p laser printer, an HP
>DeskJet 970Cse printer and an HP scanjet 4570C scanner- and no exotic
>software, mostly I use Office and little else.

>Oh, I haven't yet installed any anti spyware software, but I'll do that
>first too.
>--
>*************
>Joe Zorzin

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

Well, I finally updated my bios on a 4600 purchased last November from A06
to the current A10.

Upon completion, it did NOT say "relax, David, you can start breathing
again!" <g> but it **does show A10** as the bios version.

So I guess it went ok.

Now then, my next step is to finally install XP2. I've tried to do 'all the
right things' and bought a Maxtor one-step and backed up my hard drive. But,
the one-step comes with the most useless softwate (Dantz Retrospective 6.0)
in the world.

I'm inclined to reformat the Maxtor and but decent backup s/w for future
use.

--
David Nimon
dnimonREMOVE@##sympatico.ca

"Joe Zorzin" <abc@xyz> wrote in message
news:10jpk3m6k3kv7d2@corp.supernews.com...
> Sometime soon I suppose I'll install SP2. I saw some discussion here that
> Dell suggests updating your BIOS first, but I'm not inclined to do that-

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

On Mon, 06 Sep 2004 17:31:46 -0500, dont@agora.rdrop.com (Don Taylor)
wrote:

>"Joe Zorzin" <abc@xyz> writes:
>>Sometime soon I suppose I'll install SP2. I saw some discussion here that
>>Dell suggests updating your BIOS first, but I'm not inclined to do that-
>>unless Dell says that the service pack update will definitely not work
>>without it.
>
>There was an announcement from Dell that said somehow a rumor got started
>that updating the bios was needed in Dell machines before installing SP2.
>The announcement said they didn't know how this rumor got started but it
>was not necessary.
>
>You should search for that an confirm it, rather than accepting just any
>old wild raving off the net, just to make sure I haven't made a mistake.
>
>>I have a 2 year old 8200 which so far works just fine.
>
>>When I do it, I presume I should turn off the Windows firewall, disable my
>>McAfee AV. Maybe also do a scandisk, defrag- anything else? As far as
>>peripherals, I have an ancient but dependable HP 4p laser printer, an HP
>>DeskJet 970Cse printer and an HP scanjet 4570C scanner- and no exotic
>>software, mostly I use Office and little else.
>
>>Oh, I haven't yet installed any anti spyware software, but I'll do that
>>first too.
>>--
>>*************
>>Joe Zorzin
>
>
>
Is this what they call a rumor?

http://support.dell.com/support/to [...] =dhs#step4

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

"Joe Zorzin" <abc@xyz> wrote in message
news:10jpk3m6k3kv7d2@corp.supernews.com...
> Sometime soon I suppose I'll install SP2. I saw some discussion here that
> Dell suggests updating your BIOS first, but I'm not inclined to do that-
> unless Dell says that the service pack update will definitely not work
> without it.

Always update to the latest BIOS...forget the old wives tales.

> I have a 2 year old 8200 which so far works just fine.
>
> When I do it, I presume I should turn off the Windows firewall,

Keep SP2's firewall.

>disable my
> McAfee AV. Maybe also do a scandisk, defrag- anything else? As far as
> peripherals, I have an ancient but dependable HP 4p laser printer, an HP
> DeskJet 970Cse printer and an HP scanjet 4570C scanner- and no exotic
> software, mostly I use Office and little else.
>
> Oh, I haven't yet installed any anti spyware software, but I'll do that
> first too.
> --
> *************
> Joe Zorzin
>
>
>
>

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

"David Nimon" <dnimonREMOVE@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:Sn5%c.8790$lP4.625536@news20.bellglobal.com...
> Well, I finally updated my bios on a 4600 purchased last November from A06
> to the current A10.
>
> Upon completion, it did NOT say "relax, David, you can start breathing
> again!" <g> but it **does show A10** as the bios version.
>
> So I guess it went ok.
>
> Now then, my next step is to finally install XP2. I've tried to do 'all
the
> right things' and bought a Maxtor one-step and backed up my hard drive.
But,
> the one-step comes with the most useless softwate (Dantz Retrospective
6.0)
> in the world.
>
> I'm inclined to reformat the Maxtor and but decent backup s/w for future
> use.

Do imaging like Ghost or www.acronis.com

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

"Don Taylor" <dont@agora.rdrop.com> wrote in message
news:1pSdnZXOEsHPeKHcRVn-og@scnresearch.com...
> "Joe Zorzin" <abc@xyz> writes:
> >Sometime soon I suppose I'll install SP2. I saw some discussion here that
> >Dell suggests updating your BIOS first, but I'm not inclined to do that-
> >unless Dell says that the service pack update will definitely not work
> >without it.
>
> There was an announcement from Dell that said somehow a rumor got started
> that updating the bios was needed in Dell machines before installing SP2.

It's likely true but ONLY if one has a Prescott, Celeron D or Extreme
Edition CPU.
Update the BIOS anyway.

> The announcement said they didn't know how this rumor got started but it
> was not necessary.
>
> You should search for that an confirm it, rather than accepting just any
> old wild raving off the net, just to make sure I haven't made a mistake.
>
> >I have a 2 year old 8200 which so far works just fine.
>
> >When I do it, I presume I should turn off the Windows firewall, disable
my
> >McAfee AV. Maybe also do a scandisk, defrag- anything else? As far as
> >peripherals, I have an ancient but dependable HP 4p laser printer, an HP
> >DeskJet 970Cse printer and an HP scanjet 4570C scanner- and no exotic
> >software, mostly I use Office and little else.
>
> >Oh, I haven't yet installed any anti spyware software, but I'll do that
> >first too.
> >--
> >*************
> >Joe Zorzin
>
>
>
>

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

I just finished installing SP2 on my four machines. No apparent
problems, and wireless networking is just fine. One a Dell 4550, a
Dell 4100, an HP zx5078 laptop, and a 9-year old, home-built, P1-233
SuperMicro with a 9 year-old bios. The Dell's are running XP Pro.
The other two, XP Home. All are working just fine.

Dick

On Mon, 6 Sep 2004 17:02:43 -0400, "Joe Zorzin" <abc@xyz> wrote:

>Sometime soon I suppose I'll install SP2. I saw some discussion here that
>Dell suggests updating your BIOS first, but I'm not inclined to do that-
>unless Dell says that the service pack update will definitely not work
>without it.
>
>I have a 2 year old 8200 which so far works just fine.
>
>When I do it, I presume I should turn off the Windows firewall, disable my
>McAfee AV. Maybe also do a scandisk, defrag- anything else? As far as
>peripherals, I have an ancient but dependable HP 4p laser printer, an HP
>DeskJet 970Cse printer and an HP scanjet 4570C scanner- and no exotic
>software, mostly I use Office and little else.
>
>Oh, I haven't yet installed any anti spyware software, but I'll do that
>first too.

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

Gmom <dontcallus@wellcall.you> writes:
>On Mon, 06 Sep 2004 17:31:46 -0500, dont@agora.rdrop.com (Don Taylor) wrote:
>>"Joe Zorzin" <abc@xyz> writes:
>>>Sometime soon I suppose I'll install SP2. I saw some discussion here that
>>>Dell suggests updating your BIOS first, but I'm not inclined to do that-
>>>unless Dell says that the service pack update will definitely not work
>>>without it.
>>
>>There was an announcement from Dell that said somehow a rumor got started
>>that updating the bios was needed in Dell machines before installing SP2.
>>The announcement said they didn't know how this rumor got started but it
>>was not necessary.
>>
>>You should search for that an confirm it, rather than accepting just any
>>old wild raving off the net, just to make sure I haven't made a mistake.

>Is this what they call a rumor?

>http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/kb/en/document?c=us&cs=19&DN=1089836&l=en&s=dhs#step4

Well, see, my generally excessive cautions may have paid off.
I went to find the exact newsgroup posting that I based mine on.
This is what I just found with a google newsgroup search:
========================================================================
http://www.google.com/groups?q=del [...] gbl&rnum=1

From: Torgeir Bakken (MVP) (Torgeir.Bakken-spam@hydro.com)
Subject: Re: Blue screen of death after XP SP2 upgrade...
Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
Date: 2004-08-31 10:33:22 PST neo [mvp outlook] wrote:

> Any chance that you are working with a Dell Latitude D600? If yes, you need
> BIOS update A12 or newer or you will be a very unhappy camper. (D600's will
> blue screen and corrupt the hard drive.
Hi

Here is what Dell responded to us about the D600 laptop rumor:

<quote>

On Monday a Dell customer posted a dire warning on a listserve
concerning BIOS issues with the D600 and Windows XP SP2.

This has now made it's way onto the Dell Talk Forums and is
being repeated at an alarming rate.

Dell engineering has gone back and tested the D600 using numerous
prior versions of BIOS and cannot reproduce the issue.

To date, there are no known issues with any Dell systems and BIOS
related to XP SP2.

</quote>

--
torgeir, Microsoft MVP Scripting and WMI, Porsgrunn Norway
Administration scripting examples and an ONLINE version of
the 1328 page Scripting Guide:
========================================================================

SP2 has turned into a zoo with everybody pointing fingers at everybody
but themselves.

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

Note the Dell website article has a date of 8/27 and the post about an
earlier Dell email was 8/31. This issue has been relatively fast breaking.
Therefore the two are not at great odds with one another..big company.

"Don Taylor" <dont@agora.rdrop.com> wrote in message
news:N42dnbp5kqqghqDcRVn-jg@scnresearch.com...
> Gmom <dontcallus@wellcall.you> writes:
> >On Mon, 06 Sep 2004 17:31:46 -0500, dont@agora.rdrop.com (Don Taylor)
wrote:
> >>"Joe Zorzin" <abc@xyz> writes:
> >>>Sometime soon I suppose I'll install SP2. I saw some discussion here
that
> >>>Dell suggests updating your BIOS first, but I'm not inclined to do
that-
> >>>unless Dell says that the service pack update will definitely not work
> >>>without it.
> >>
> >>There was an announcement from Dell that said somehow a rumor got
started
> >>that updating the bios was needed in Dell machines before installing
SP2.
> >>The announcement said they didn't know how this rumor got started but it
> >>was not necessary.
> >>
> >>You should search for that an confirm it, rather than accepting just any
> >>old wild raving off the net, just to make sure I haven't made a mistake.
>
> >Is this what they call a rumor?
>
>
>http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/kb/en/document?c
=us&cs=19&DN=1089836&l=en&s=dhs#step4
>
> Well, see, my generally excessive cautions may have paid off.
> I went to find the exact newsgroup posting that I based mine on.
> This is what I just found with a google newsgroup search:
> ========================================================================
>
http://www.google.com/groups?q=del [...] gbl&rnum=1
>
> From: Torgeir Bakken (MVP) (Torgeir.Bakken-spam@hydro.com)
> Subject: Re: Blue screen of death after XP SP2 upgrade...
> Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
> Date: 2004-08-31 10:33:22 PST neo [mvp outlook] wrote:
>
> > Any chance that you are working with a Dell Latitude D600? If yes, you
need
> > BIOS update A12 or newer or you will be a very unhappy camper. (D600's
will
> > blue screen and corrupt the hard drive.
> Hi
>
> Here is what Dell responded to us about the D600 laptop rumor:
>
> <quote>
>
> On Monday a Dell customer posted a dire warning on a listserve
> concerning BIOS issues with the D600 and Windows XP SP2.
>
> This has now made it's way onto the Dell Talk Forums and is
> being repeated at an alarming rate.
>
> Dell engineering has gone back and tested the D600 using numerous
> prior versions of BIOS and cannot reproduce the issue.
>
> To date, there are no known issues with any Dell systems and BIOS
> related to XP SP2.
>
> </quote>
>
> --
> torgeir, Microsoft MVP Scripting and WMI, Porsgrunn Norway
> Administration scripting examples and an ONLINE version of
> the 1328 page Scripting Guide:
> ========================================================================
>
> SP2 has turned into a zoo with everybody pointing fingers at everybody
> but themselves.

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

"Ron Reaugh" <rondashreaugh@att.net> writes:
>Note the Dell website article has a date of 8/27 and the post about an
>earlier Dell email was 8/31. This issue has been relatively fast breaking.
>Therefore the two are not at great odds with one another..big company.

I tend to agree. There are all kinds of people running around shrieking
that they know the real poop and everybody else is wrong. One swore that
second level management at Microsoft promised him there would be a new
version of SP2 out at the end of the month, presumably to make up for the
recent events. Others swore even more loudly that this was impossible
and he had no idea what he was talking about or that it was just one
more, uh, I think he wrote "phone dweeb just trying to get you off the
line so he can maintain his quota."

I'd DEARLY love to see the number of people with problems in SP2 when
a randomly selected group of 10,000 were polled, the real data.

>"Don Taylor" <dont@agora.rdrop.com> wrote in message
>news:N42dnbp5kqqghqDcRVn-jg@scnresearch.com...
>> Gmom <dontcallus@wellcall.you> writes:
>> >On Mon, 06 Sep 2004 17:31:46 -0500, dont@agora.rdrop.com (Don Taylor)
>wrote:
>> >>"Joe Zorzin" <abc@xyz> writes:
>> >>>Sometime soon I suppose I'll install SP2. I saw some discussion here
>that
>> >>>Dell suggests updating your BIOS first, but I'm not inclined to do
>that-
>> >>>unless Dell says that the service pack update will definitely not work
>> >>>without it.
>> >>
>> >>There was an announcement from Dell that said somehow a rumor got
>started
>> >>that updating the bios was needed in Dell machines before installing
>SP2.
>> >>The announcement said they didn't know how this rumor got started but it
>> >>was not necessary.
>> >>
>> >>You should search for that an confirm it, rather than accepting just any
>> >>old wild raving off the net, just to make sure I haven't made a mistake.
>>
>> >Is this what they call a rumor?
>>
>>
>>http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/kb/en/document?c
>=us&cs=19&DN=1089836&l=en&s=dhs#step4
>>
>> Well, see, my generally excessive cautions may have paid off.
>> I went to find the exact newsgroup posting that I based mine on.
>> This is what I just found with a google newsgroup search:
>> ========================================================================
>>
>http://www.google.com/groups?q=dell+bios+rumor+sp2&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&scoring=r&selm=OTJ2vB4jEHA.2500%40TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl&rnum=1
>>
>> From: Torgeir Bakken (MVP) (Torgeir.Bakken-spam@hydro.com)
>> Subject: Re: Blue screen of death after XP SP2 upgrade...
>> Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
>> Date: 2004-08-31 10:33:22 PST neo [mvp outlook] wrote:
>>
>> > Any chance that you are working with a Dell Latitude D600? If yes, you
>need
>> > BIOS update A12 or newer or you will be a very unhappy camper. (D600's
>will
>> > blue screen and corrupt the hard drive.
>> Hi
>>
>> Here is what Dell responded to us about the D600 laptop rumor:
>>
>> <quote>
>>
>> On Monday a Dell customer posted a dire warning on a listserve
>> concerning BIOS issues with the D600 and Windows XP SP2.
>>
>> This has now made it's way onto the Dell Talk Forums and is
>> being repeated at an alarming rate.
>>
>> Dell engineering has gone back and tested the D600 using numerous
>> prior versions of BIOS and cannot reproduce the issue.
>>
>> To date, there are no known issues with any Dell systems and BIOS
>> related to XP SP2.
>>
>> </quote>
>>
>> --
>> torgeir, Microsoft MVP Scripting and WMI, Porsgrunn Norway
>> Administration scripting examples and an ONLINE version of
>> the 1328 page Scripting Guide:
>> ========================================================================
>>
>> SP2 has turned into a zoo with everybody pointing fingers at everybody
>> but themselves.

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

"Don Taylor" <dont@agora.rdrop.com> wrote in message

> I'd DEARLY love to see the number of people with problems in SP2 when
> a randomly selected group of 10,000 were polled, the real data.

Small percentage would be the result. Most find it works just fine.

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

"Ted Zieglar" <teddyz@notmail.com> wrote in message
news:Aen%c.1510$8H6.1024@roc.nntpserver.com...
> Do you have anything more to do with your time than fight with people over
> BIOS updates? By now everyone has heard your opinion. It's time to move
> on.
> --
> Ted Zieglar
>


Must we? I was really enjoying watching any trace of credibility vaporize so
spectacularly.


Stew