Re: [PLUG] Dell BIOS update when I have Linux

[Mark Casimer]

I don't know if my experience is similar to or helpful to you. But I 
decided to share it anyway. Please let me know if this info is 
inappropriate.


Here is how I updated BIOS on my Dell desktop that runs Ubuntu 22.04.

My computer is not on Dell’s certified list for Linux installations, but 
I loaded Linux on it anyway. It wasn't as straightforward as I had 
hoped, but with enough effort it is now running fine. It is a Dell XPS 
8940 bought from Costco.


Copied from my notes ...

Before updating the BIOS I had

#*dmidecode*
Getting SMBIOS data from sysfs.
SMBIOS 3.2.0 present.
Table at 0x000E.

Handle 0x, DMI type 0, 26 bytes
BIOS Information
Vendor: Dell Inc.
Version: 2.4.0
*Release Date: 12/08/2021*

On my system anyway I discovered that even though Linux cannot open 
the|||exe| natively,the BIOS deals with it properly.


On 1/18/2023 I did update the BIOS. I went to the site 
https://www.dell.com, clicked on |desktops|, then |S||upport|, then 
chose |Drivers & Downloads| from the dropdown. I entered XPS 8940 in the 
I|dentify your Product| box. I downloaded the file 
|XPS_8940_2.13.1.exe|. I put this file on a thumb drive, formatted as FAT.


Then I shutdown my computer, inserted the thumb drive with the BIOS 
file, and rebooted, pressing F12 during reboot. The |One-Time Boot Menu| 
appears. Why this is called the |One-Time Boot Menu |is beyond me.


I selected |BIOS Flash Update|. I was presented with a screen that 
allowed me to navigate to my thumb drive and select the BIOS exe. The 
new BIOS was installed and my system rebooted.


# *dmidecode* Getting SMBIOS data from sysfs. SMBIOS 3.2.0 present. 
Table at 0x000E. Handle 0x, DMI type 0, 26 bytes BIOS 
Information Vendor: Dell Inc. Version: 2.13.1 R*elease Date: 05/11/2023*


On 1/1/24 8:06 PM, VY wrote:

Thanks for your info

On Mon, Jan 1, 2024, 7:59 PM Ted Mittelstaedt
wrote:


Find a spare SSD, download the win10 install USB ISO, temporarily swap out
the hard disk with the SSD, install windows, update bios, replace old disk
and wipe the SSD for some other use

The BIOS update almost certainly does nothing to the machine that helps
you with Mint on it.  Most of the BIOS updates seem to be released when
the
CPU makers release updates to their microcode, so all that happens after a
BIOS update is the CPU gets updated microcode loaded during POST instead
of
during the Linux kernel boot.

Ted

-Original Message-
From: PLUG  On Behalf Of VY
Sent: Monday, January 1, 2024 4:51 PM
To: Portland Linux/Unix Group
Subject: Re: [PLUG] Dell BIOS update when I have Linux

So sorry to hear.

Have you try this page?


https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000131486/update-the-dell-bios-in-a-linux-or-ubuntu-environment

I am tempted but also worry it may causes unexpected damages



On Mon, Jan 1, 2024, 4:20 PM Chuck Hast  wrote:


I am in the same bucket. I have a Dell that I want to update the BIOS,
and it is the same thing. I followed the "create a dos bootable USB"
as that was offered as a solution with the comment that this may not
work on USB3 machines... Well guess what?? So I am in the same boat.
Kind of like selling you a car and telling you that you can only burn
Shell gas in it.
Microsoft has wreaked more damage on this planet than folks realize.
My wake up was in Spain at a glass container plant, dealing with
something called Conficker on the plant backend network. To say that I
came to hate MS is being nice.

On Mon, Jan 1, 2024 at 5:57 PM VY  wrote:


Dear All:

I bought a refurbished Dell laptop last year.  It has been working
well

so

far.
I just visited Dell.com support and they said I have a new BIOS I
can update.
However, their update "executable" is a Windows EXE and I am running

Linux

Mint and I am not going to move to Windows.

Is there a way I can update my BIOS on my Dell laptop while running

Linux?

thanks

-v

Re: [PLUG] email issues

[Mark Casimer]

Yes, I meant the PLUG Clinic. It was socially fun as well as technically 
useful. But I've lost touch since I moved to the Coast.


 -mark

On 1/1/24 7:17 PM, Russell Senior wrote:

On Mon, Jan 1, 2024 at 6:27 PM Ted Mittelstaedt
wrote:


Free Geek is not what it was.



Fwiw, Mark wasn't asking about Free Geek. He only mentioned it because
that's where we used to have the PLUG Clinic. Free Geek's only involvement
in the Clinic was that they provided the space, it was staffed entirely by
PLUG volunteers.

Re: [PLUG] Dell BIOS update when I have Linux

[VY]

Thanks for your info

On Mon, Jan 1, 2024, 7:59 PM Ted Mittelstaedt 
wrote:

> Find a spare SSD, download the win10 install USB ISO, temporarily swap out
> the hard disk with the SSD, install windows, update bios, replace old disk
> and wipe the SSD for some other use
>
> The BIOS update almost certainly does nothing to the machine that helps
> you with Mint on it.  Most of the BIOS updates seem to be released when the
> CPU makers release updates to their microcode, so all that happens after a
> BIOS update is the CPU gets updated microcode loaded during POST instead of
> during the Linux kernel boot.
>
> Ted
>
> -Original Message-
> From: PLUG  On Behalf Of VY
> Sent: Monday, January 1, 2024 4:51 PM
> To: Portland Linux/Unix Group 
> Subject: Re: [PLUG] Dell BIOS update when I have Linux
>
> So sorry to hear.
>
> Have you try this page?
>
>
> https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000131486/update-the-dell-bios-in-a-linux-or-ubuntu-environment
>
> I am tempted but also worry it may causes unexpected damages
>
>
>
> On Mon, Jan 1, 2024, 4:20 PM Chuck Hast  wrote:
>
> > I am in the same bucket. I have a Dell that I want to update the BIOS,
> > and it is the same thing. I followed the "create a dos bootable USB"
> > as that was offered as a solution with the comment that this may not
> > work on USB3 machines... Well guess what?? So I am in the same boat.
> > Kind of like selling you a car and telling you that you can only burn
> > Shell gas in it.
> > Microsoft has wreaked more damage on this planet than folks realize.
> > My wake up was in Spain at a glass container plant, dealing with
> > something called Conficker on the plant backend network. To say that I
> > came to hate MS is being nice.
> >
> > On Mon, Jan 1, 2024 at 5:57 PM VY  wrote:
> >
> > > Dear All:
> > >
> > > I bought a refurbished Dell laptop last year.  It has been working
> > > well
> > so
> > > far.
> > > I just visited Dell.com support and they said I have a new BIOS I
> > > can update.
> > > However, their update "executable" is a Windows EXE and I am running
> > Linux
> > > Mint and I am not going to move to Windows.
> > >
> > > Is there a way I can update my BIOS on my Dell laptop while running
> > Linux?
> > >
> > > thanks
> > >
> > > -v
> > >
> >
>
>

Re: [PLUG] Dell BIOS update when I have Linux

[Ted Mittelstaedt]

Find a spare SSD, download the win10 install USB ISO, temporarily swap out the 
hard disk with the SSD, install windows, update bios, replace old disk and wipe 
the SSD for some other use

The BIOS update almost certainly does nothing to the machine that helps you 
with Mint on it.  Most of the BIOS updates seem to be released when the CPU 
makers release updates to their microcode, so all that happens after a BIOS 
update is the CPU gets updated microcode loaded during POST instead of during 
the Linux kernel boot.

Ted

-Original Message-
From: PLUG  On Behalf Of VY
Sent: Monday, January 1, 2024 4:51 PM
To: Portland Linux/Unix Group 
Subject: Re: [PLUG] Dell BIOS update when I have Linux

So sorry to hear.

Have you try this page?

https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000131486/update-the-dell-bios-in-a-linux-or-ubuntu-environment

I am tempted but also worry it may causes unexpected damages



On Mon, Jan 1, 2024, 4:20 PM Chuck Hast  wrote:

> I am in the same bucket. I have a Dell that I want to update the BIOS, 
> and it is the same thing. I followed the "create a dos bootable USB" 
> as that was offered as a solution with the comment that this may not 
> work on USB3 machines... Well guess what?? So I am in the same boat. 
> Kind of like selling you a car and telling you that you can only burn 
> Shell gas in it.
> Microsoft has wreaked more damage on this planet than folks realize. 
> My wake up was in Spain at a glass container plant, dealing with 
> something called Conficker on the plant backend network. To say that I 
> came to hate MS is being nice.
>
> On Mon, Jan 1, 2024 at 5:57 PM VY  wrote:
>
> > Dear All:
> >
> > I bought a refurbished Dell laptop last year.  It has been working 
> > well
> so
> > far.
> > I just visited Dell.com support and they said I have a new BIOS I 
> > can update.
> > However, their update "executable" is a Windows EXE and I am running
> Linux
> > Mint and I am not going to move to Windows.
> >
> > Is there a way I can update my BIOS on my Dell laptop while running
> Linux?
> >
> > thanks
> >
> > -v
> >
>

Re: [PLUG] email issues

[Russell Senior]

On Mon, Jan 1, 2024 at 6:27 PM Ted Mittelstaedt 
wrote:

> Free Geek is not what it was.
>
>
Fwiw, Mark wasn't asking about Free Geek. He only mentioned it because
that's where we used to have the PLUG Clinic. Free Geek's only involvement
in the Clinic was that they provided the space, it was staffed entirely by
PLUG volunteers.

-- 
Russell Senior
russ...@personaltelco.net

Re: [PLUG] email issues

[Ted Mittelstaedt]

Free Geek is not what it was.

They used to have all these programs to grant computers to low income
individuals and school kids and those were all shut down during COVID

Their programs to grant to non-profits are also closed.

The only thing they have left is the online ebay store and if you are a
non-profit that needs more than 10 computers you can contact them for a bulk
buy of used computers.  However, they mainly are dealing in Dell.

To understand what's going on with them you have to understand that at least
80% of their computers pushed out the door with Linux on them were
immediately reformatted with Windows.  The reason this worked well for them
is that the non-profit organizations that were doing this would then be
unable to go back to Free Geek and obtain any kind of technical support
other than hardware replacement.  So they people crowding into their support
programs for support were a small minority of recipients of computers they
sent out the door.

The problem today is win11's demands.  The only used computers nowadays that
can run it are coming from off-lease programs, such programs are heavily
used by Fortune 1000 and above, the majority of which are congregated on the
East Coast.

Nowadays I'm doing a LOT of buying of used win11-capable machines and ALL of
them are coming out of the East Coast.  On occasion I'll see win11 capable
machines on the used market by ones and twos but not available in large
lots.  FreeGeek cannot support my purchasing needs so they are clearly not
tapped into the off-lease market on the West Coast, what little of it there
is.  Also, Dell is mostly sold direct and most direct buys of computers are
to small businesses.  Large orgs tend to buy from dealers and HP, Lenovo and
so on are favored by those because they are sold through distribution while
Dell is not.

As a result most of what FG is flooded with are computers that are donated
yet have no commercial value at all.  My guess is they are not making a lot
of money off their sale programs, and won't for another 3-4 years.

Ted


-Original Message-
From: PLUG  On Behalf Of
markcasi...@comcast.net
Sent: Monday, January 1, 2024 11:48 AM
To: p...@pdxlinux.org
Subject: [PLUG] email issues

 

It seems I only post to this forum when I have an issue. I do read the
postings and if could contribute to the solutions I would. But I do
appreciate being able to ask questions of a group of experts.

 

In my younger days I used to attend meetings at Free Geek. Does it still
exist? I even saw names on the PLUG list that I remember.  Some of you may
even be older than I am. I remember a guy named Keith that solved a lot of
my problems.

 

Here is my issue. I have put in a lot of time trying to solve this, but have
made zip progress. I even posted on the Xfinity forum but have received no
replies (lots of views though)

My Comcast/Charter email is unreliable

When I talk with Comcast Support, they tell me it is Charter's problem. When
I talk with Charter Support, they tell me it is Comcast's problem. I've done
a number of tests (described below). I think (although I am far from
certain) that it is a Comcast issue.

 

Has anyone else experienced this problem? Can anyone suggest why I am
experiencing it?

 

Sorry for the length of this post. I've been doing tests for days. I've
summarized those tests that I think contribute to characterizing the
problem.

 

Background

I have two ISPs, Comcast and Charter. I have Comcast in Portland and Charter
in Cannon Beach.   I have mail accounts with Comcast. I have mail accounts
with Charter.

 

Here is the problem.

When I send mail from my Charter account to my Comcast account, it does not
arrive. Comcast receives mail from all other sources. Comcast does not
receive mail from Charter.

 

Before Testing

I changed the passwords on all my Comcast accounts (they had that data
breach, you know). I changed the passwords on all my Charter accounts. I
cleared the cache and cookies from my browser and then I log onto the
servers. My issue is not dependent on my browser and OS. I see the same
problem with Edge on win10, Edge on win11, Firefox on Ubuntu, Safari on IOS.

 

Here is how I tested.

I send/receive mail directly on the Comcast and Charter websites.  I am not
using an email client (although when I do, I see the same issue). So there
is no 3rd party application involved. (Even when I tell Comcast and Charter
support I am not using an email client, they reply that they cannot help me
because they do not support 3rd party applications.) My primary charter
account is .

 

Mail from charter to comcast does not arrive at comcast

Mail from comcast to charter does arrive at charter

Mail from charter to Gmail does arrive at Gmail

Mail from Gmail to charter does arrive at charter

 

Mail from charter to comcast does not arrive at comcast

I log into   www.charter.net as .

I send mail to . I do not get an error message.
Really no error message!

I 

Re: [PLUG] Dell BIOS update when I have Linux

[VY]

So sorry to hear.

Have you try this page?

https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000131486/update-the-dell-bios-in-a-linux-or-ubuntu-environment

I am tempted but also worry it may causes unexpected damages



On Mon, Jan 1, 2024, 4:20 PM Chuck Hast  wrote:

> I am in the same bucket. I have a Dell that I want to update the BIOS, and
> it is the
> same thing. I followed the "create a dos bootable USB" as that was offered
> as a
> solution with the comment that this may not work on USB3 machines... Well
> guess
> what?? So I am in the same boat. Kind of like selling you a car and telling
> you that
> you can only burn Shell gas in it.
> Microsoft has wreaked more damage on this planet than folks realize. My
> wake up
> was in Spain at a glass container plant, dealing with something called
> Conficker on
> the plant backend network. To say that I came to hate MS is being nice.
>
> On Mon, Jan 1, 2024 at 5:57 PM VY  wrote:
>
> > Dear All:
> >
> > I bought a refurbished Dell laptop last year.  It has been working well
> so
> > far.
> > I just visited Dell.com support and they said I have a new BIOS I can
> > update.
> > However, their update "executable" is a Windows EXE and I am running
> Linux
> > Mint and I am not going to move to Windows.
> >
> > Is there a way I can update my BIOS on my Dell laptop while running
> Linux?
> >
> > thanks
> >
> > -v
> >
>

Re: [PLUG] Dell BIOS update when I have Linux

[Chuck Hast]

I am in the same bucket. I have a Dell that I want to update the BIOS, and
it is the
same thing. I followed the "create a dos bootable USB" as that was offered
as a
solution with the comment that this may not work on USB3 machines... Well
guess
what?? So I am in the same boat. Kind of like selling you a car and telling
you that
you can only burn Shell gas in it.
Microsoft has wreaked more damage on this planet than folks realize. My
wake up
was in Spain at a glass container plant, dealing with something called
Conficker on
the plant backend network. To say that I came to hate MS is being nice.

On Mon, Jan 1, 2024 at 5:57 PM VY  wrote:

> Dear All:
>
> I bought a refurbished Dell laptop last year.  It has been working well so
> far.
> I just visited Dell.com support and they said I have a new BIOS I can
> update.
> However, their update "executable" is a Windows EXE and I am running Linux
> Mint and I am not going to move to Windows.
>
> Is there a way I can update my BIOS on my Dell laptop while running Linux?
>
> thanks
>
> -v
>

[PLUG] Dell BIOS update when I have Linux

[VY]

Dear All:

I bought a refurbished Dell laptop last year.  It has been working well so
far.
I just visited Dell.com support and they said I have a new BIOS I can
update.
However, their update "executable" is a Windows EXE and I am running Linux
Mint and I am not going to move to Windows.

Is there a way I can update my BIOS on my Dell laptop while running Linux?

thanks

-v

Re: [PLUG] email issues

[Russell Senior]

Getting on the wild-assed guess train, if you are using a firefox browser,
you might consider (if you aren't already) using the quite nice
Multi-Account Containers extension, and connect to each service in a
different browser container. The only reason I suggest this is because
*maybe* there is some alien cookie that is setting off a trigger, although
as I think about this more this seems quite unlikely to be the problem and
I only leave this in because I think this extension is really great and I
want to make sure everyone knows about it. It lets me stay logged in to
numerous different google accounts at the same time, without google getting
confused about which tab is associated with which account.

I concur with Paul, that it sounds like Comcast is not delivering the email
for some reason, and with his other advice.

The only further advice I'd give is to avoid using ISP provided email
addresses for anything other than communicating with that ISP. They use it
to reinforce vendor lock-in. Until there is some institution equipped and
willing to vindicate subscriber rights (spoiler: there isn't), you are
completely at the mercy of the carrier. You might consider, if you have the
option, of switching carriers away from Comcast. I'm not claiming that
either of their "competitors" is "better" in terms of their business
practices, but "churn" is something that costs them money and they pay
attention to. There is a fair chance that you can get one of (depending on
whose service territory you live in) either Ziply or CenturyLink/Quantum
fiber. Your only point of leverage with carriers is your option (if you
have one) of not paying them money. They love your money, but they hate
you. If you can credibly threaten to not give them your money every month,
they might become more pliable when it comes to satisfying your technical
support requirements.

-- 
Russell Senior
russ...@personaltelco.net

On Mon, Jan 1, 2024 at 12:41 PM Paul Heinlein  wrote:

> On Mon, 1 Jan 2024, markcasi...@comcast.net wrote:
>
> > Here is my issue. I have put in a lot of time trying to solve this, but
> have
> > made zip progress. I even posted on the Xfinity forum but have received
> no
> > replies (lots of views though)
> >
> > My Comcast/Charter email is unreliable
> >
> > [... lots of good testing material snipped ...]
> >
> > Mail from charter to comcast does not arrive at comcast
> >
> > Mail from comcast to charter does arrive at charter
> >
> > Mail from charter to Gmail does arrive at Gmail
> >
> > Mail from Gmail to charter does arrive at charter
>
> My initial assessment is that it's Comcast's problem. Without any
> further information, I'd say that Comcast is silently deleting or
> withholding the messages from Charter.
>
> I've never used Comcast e-mail, and I don't know what filtering
> techniques its system employes, so here are two WAGs:
>
> Have you checked your Comcast spam folder for your Charter messages?
>
> Does Comcast have a way to check (and hopefully whitelist) messages it
> thinks might be spam?
>
>
> Since you never received a "message not delivered" error regarding
> your Charter-to-Comcast messages, my thinking is that they were
> delivered but were somehow blacklisted or marked as spam.
>
> But that's all I've got. Your testing is otherwise very thorough and
> exactly what I would have done.
>
> --
> Paul Heinlein
> heinl...@madboa.com
> 45°22'48" N, 122°35'36" W
>

Re: [PLUG] email issues

[Paul Heinlein]

On Mon, 1 Jan 2024, markcasi...@comcast.net wrote:


Here is my issue. I have put in a lot of time trying to solve this, but have
made zip progress. I even posted on the Xfinity forum but have received no
replies (lots of views though)

My Comcast/Charter email is unreliable

[... lots of good testing material snipped ...]

Mail from charter to comcast does not arrive at comcast

Mail from comcast to charter does arrive at charter

Mail from charter to Gmail does arrive at Gmail

Mail from Gmail to charter does arrive at charter


My initial assessment is that it's Comcast's problem. Without any 
further information, I'd say that Comcast is silently deleting or 
withholding the messages from Charter.


I've never used Comcast e-mail, and I don't know what filtering 
techniques its system employes, so here are two WAGs:


Have you checked your Comcast spam folder for your Charter messages?

Does Comcast have a way to check (and hopefully whitelist) messages it 
thinks might be spam?



Since you never received a "message not delivered" error regarding 
your Charter-to-Comcast messages, my thinking is that they were 
delivered but were somehow blacklisted or marked as spam.


But that's all I've got. Your testing is otherwise very thorough and 
exactly what I would have done.


--
Paul Heinlein
heinl...@madboa.com
45°22'48" N, 122°35'36" W

[PLUG] email issues

[markcasimer]

 

It seems I only post to this forum when I have an issue. I do read the
postings and if could contribute to the solutions I would. But I do
appreciate being able to ask questions of a group of experts.

 

In my younger days I used to attend meetings at Free Geek. Does it still
exist? I even saw names on the PLUG list that I remember.  Some of you may
even be older than I am. I remember a guy named Keith that solved a lot of
my problems.

 

Here is my issue. I have put in a lot of time trying to solve this, but have
made zip progress. I even posted on the Xfinity forum but have received no
replies (lots of views though)

My Comcast/Charter email is unreliable

When I talk with Comcast Support, they tell me it is Charter's problem. When
I talk with Charter Support, they tell me it is Comcast's problem. I've done
a number of tests (described below). I think (although I am far from
certain) that it is a Comcast issue.

 

Has anyone else experienced this problem? Can anyone suggest why I am
experiencing it?

 

Sorry for the length of this post. I've been doing tests for days. I've
summarized those tests that I think contribute to characterizing the
problem.

 

Background

I have two ISPs, Comcast and Charter. I have Comcast in Portland and Charter
in Cannon Beach.   I have mail accounts with Comcast. I have mail accounts
with Charter.

 

Here is the problem.

When I send mail from my Charter account to my Comcast account, it does not
arrive. Comcast receives mail from all other sources. Comcast does not
receive mail from Charter.

 

Before Testing

I changed the passwords on all my Comcast accounts (they had that data
breach, you know). I changed the passwords on all my Charter accounts. I
cleared the cache and cookies from my browser and then I log onto the
servers. My issue is not dependent on my browser and OS. I see the same
problem with Edge on win10, Edge on win11, Firefox on Ubuntu, Safari on IOS.

 

Here is how I tested.

I send/receive mail directly on the Comcast and Charter websites.  I am not
using an email client (although when I do, I see the same issue). So there
is no 3rd party application involved. (Even when I tell Comcast and Charter
support I am not using an email client, they reply that they cannot help me
because they do not support 3rd party applications.) My primary charter
account is .

 

Mail from charter to comcast does not arrive at comcast

Mail from comcast to charter does arrive at charter

Mail from charter to Gmail does arrive at Gmail

Mail from Gmail to charter does arrive at charter

 

Mail from charter to comcast does not arrive at comcast

I log into   www.charter.net as .

I send mail to . I do not get an error message.
Really no error message!

I see the mail I sent appear in the Sent folder on
 www.charter.net.

I log onto   www.comcast.net as .

I do not see the mail I sent from . It never
arrives.

 

Mail from comcast to charter does arrive at charter

I log onto   www.comcast.net as .

I send mail to .

I see the mail I sent appear in the Sent folder on
 www.comcast.net.

I log onto   www.charter.net as .

I see the mail I sent from  arrive.

 

Mail from charter to Gmail does arrive at Gmail

As another test, I log onto gmail.com as . I send mail from
 while on   
www.charter.com in another window. The mail arrives at .

 

Mail from Gmail to charter does arrive at charter

As another test, I log onto gmail.com as . I send mail from
 to . On  
www.charter.net I see the mail from  arrive.

 

Summary

I am at a loss. The Comcast/Charter connection is unreliable enough to be
dangerous. If someone (a business, for example) has a Charter email address
and records my connection as a Comcast email address, I can lose valuable
information. I would never see that information.

 

It is possible that the problem only exists with my Comcast/Charter
accounts. I doubt that because there is nothing special about my
Comcast/Charter accounts.