Just for info

I am running Dell Dimension XPS (liquid cooled) 710 quad core 3.2. with
high spec guts, and recently upgraded to vista ultimate.

Even after installing the latest graphics/sound card drivers etc from the
relevant manufacturers (which dell alert you to as soon as they are tested)
I still had numerous blue screens of death. Dell have now released the
latest bios upgrade for the motherboard, and guess what - no more crashes -
despite my numerous attempts to induce one. Vista is also remarkably
faster. Amazing what a wee bios upgrade can do.

"david ford" <zoomkid_scotland@msn.com> wrote in
news:OTzSdaDeHHA.284@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl:

> Just for info
>
> I am running Dell Dimension XPS (liquid cooled) 710 quad core 3.2.
> with high spec guts, and recently upgraded to vista ultimate.
>
> Even after installing the latest graphics/sound card drivers etc
> from the relevant manufacturers (which dell alert you to as soon
> as they are tested) I still had numerous blue screens of death.
> Dell have now released the latest bios upgrade for the
> motherboard, and guess what - no more crashes - despite my
> numerous attempts to induce one. Vista is also remarkably
> faster. Amazing what a wee bios upgrade can do.
>

So many people don't have a clue about flashing the bios on the
motherboard, they are always so quick to blame the OS for issues.
Great post!

Checking to see if your system motherboard has an update for the bios
before upgrading to Vista or any OS should be top priority. Check
your documentation for your MOBO(Mother Board) manufacture/model
number, go to their web site and do a search for any bios update
(flash bios). Make sure to follow the procedure exactly as
instructed. Always backup your system/personal files before any flash
updates or OS upgrades.

Be certain you are using the correct flash Bios update for your
MOBO!!!

On a personal note: I wouldn't upgrade any system to Vista that is
older then 1 year just for the simple fact that you might have driver
issues with older hardware ie: video,sound,network cards etc etc.
Many companies discontinue support for older models and do not offer
updated drivers. Make sure to check for Vista compatable drivers for
all your hardware before attempting to upgrade. Do not just rely on
the Windows compatablity test. Go to the manufactures web site for
each piece of hardware in your system and check for the latest
drivers. Also do yourself a favor and do a clean install of Vista
when you upgrade, it will take longer to reinstall the software that
you want.......but it will pay off in the long run.

Software progress is/has always been faster then hardware
progress....If we all want to move forward you just got to let the
old technology slip into the past and can't complain when your old
hardware wont work with new software you want.

DOS 5.0 still works great on a 486 but is that where we want to be?

Hope this helps.

On Fri, 6 Apr 2007 11:30:14 +0100, "david ford"
<zoomkid_scotland@msn.com> wrote:

>Just for info
>
>I am running Dell Dimension XPS (liquid cooled) 710 quad core 3.2. with
>high spec guts, and recently upgraded to vista ultimate.
>
>Even after installing the latest graphics/sound card drivers etc from the
>relevant manufacturers (which dell alert you to as soon as they are tested)
>I still had numerous blue screens of death. Dell have now released the
>latest bios upgrade for the motherboard, and guess what - no more crashes -
>despite my numerous attempts to induce one. Vista is also remarkably
>faster. Amazing what a wee bios upgrade can do.

Yep, of course the nay sayers will tell you don't flash BIOS. Glad you
didn't listen to them.

Adam Albright wrote:
> On Fri, 6 Apr 2007 11:30:14 +0100, "david ford"
> <zoomkid_scotland@msn.com> wrote:
>
>> Just for info
>>
>> I am running Dell Dimension XPS (liquid cooled) 710 quad core 3.2.
>> with high spec guts, and recently upgraded to vista ultimate.
>>
>> Even after installing the latest graphics/sound card drivers etc
>> from the relevant manufacturers (which dell alert you to as soon as
>> they are tested) I still had numerous blue screens of death. Dell
>> have now released the latest bios upgrade for the motherboard, and
>> guess what - no more crashes - despite my numerous attempts to
>> induce one. Vista is also remarkably faster. Amazing what a wee
>> bios upgrade can do.
>
> Yep, of course the nay sayers will tell you don't flash BIOS. Glad you
> didn't listen to them.
==============================
When I first installed Vista...every action
resulted in some type of error. Flashing
the BIOS cured everything...now it runs
error free.

--
John Inzer
MS Picture It! -
Digital Image MVP

Digital Image
Highlights and FAQs
http://tinyurl.com/aczzp

Notice
This is not tech support
I am a volunteer

Solutions that work for
me may not work for you

Proceed at your own risk

"david ford" <zoomkid_scotland@msn.com> wrote:

> Just for info
>
> I am running Dell Dimension XPS (liquid cooled) 710 quad core 3.2.
> with high spec guts, and recently upgraded to vista ultimate.
>
> Even after installing the latest graphics/sound card drivers etc
> from the relevant manufacturers (which dell alert you to as soon
> as they are tested) I still had numerous blue screens of death.
> Dell have now released the latest bios upgrade for the
> motherboard, and guess what - no more crashes - despite my
> numerous attempts to induce one. Vista is also remarkably
> faster. Amazing what a wee bios upgrade can do.

My experience was the reverse. I have an ASUS K8v SE Deluxe and Vista
64 failed to install at all, it would boot on the CD, run through the
loading files sequence and stop cold!

I tried several things to no avail and then the light went on, I'd
tried to install Mandriva Linux a year or more ago with the same
results and I remembered the fix, I flashed the BIOS to the original
that came with the MB (the original BIOS is located on the CD that came
with the MB) and all is well.

Moral of the story: You never know? I strongly recommend upgrading the
BIOS but I'll even more strongly recommend saving the old BIOS!