I wouldn't say we do it for every point release, but do so for a majority. If you look over the fixes, there can be a laundry list of fixes or improvements. Fixes for PXE, updated Management Engine for VPro, new microcode for the processor, etc etc. I don't think I have ever come across a group of machines that were all of a sudden buggy because the BIOS was flashed.
Mark Kent (MCP) Sr. Desktop Systems Engineer Computing & Technology Services - SUNY Buffalo State From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Ryan Sent: Monday, October 07, 2013 11:08 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [mssms] RE: Updating BIOS I never really saw the point of frequent BIOS upgrades. You're just upgrading to upgrade. Each BIOS version has it's own set of bugs, none of them are perfect. If your environment doesn't encounter any of the bugs in the current version, why upgrade? You're potentially introducing new bugs to the environment to fix problems you haven't encountered. I'll upgrade for new features, but never to fix bugs no one has encountered. The same rule applies to drivers. I've had blue screens and network outages from driver updates; there's a certain network driver for the Optiplex 745 which will cause a broadcast storm when the computer is asleep and specific WOL settings are set. I don't fix things that aren't broken. On Mon, Oct 7, 2013 at 8:25 AM, Kent, Mark <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: We update them all the time and have for years. Probably have done 10's of thousands of them and have yet to brick a machine. We are an all Dell shop too. We have done it in the task sequence in the past. I stopped it not that long ago because of some of the requirements for certain models to have a certain bios version to go to the next (the laptops have been some of the worst....if you have below A05 you need to install A05 first, then A09, before you can go to A10, which you then need for A15...etc.). But I have seen a couple good blog articles on how to handle this mess, just haven't put it into production yet. Mark Kent (MCP) Sr. Desktop Systems Engineer Computing & Technology Services - SUNY Buffalo State From: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> [mailto:[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>] On Behalf Of Miller, Todd Sent: Monday, October 07, 2013 9:06 AM To: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> Subject: [mssms] RE: Updating BIOS I have pushed out BIOS updates to solve particular problems, but not to just keep the BIOS up-to-date. The only problem that I have run into (on Dell hardware) is that the BIOS update requires a reboot. If you (or the user) shuts down instead of rebooting the computer after the BIOS is staged, the computer may require an in-person visit to recover. So rather than stage the BIOS upgrade and let the user reboot naturally, I have switched to forcing a reboot once the BIOS update is staged/pending on the computer. ________________________________ From: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> [[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>] on behalf of Brandon Linton [[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>] Sent: Friday, October 04, 2013 10:34 AM To: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> Subject: [mssms] RE: Updating BIOS I always update them as part of the task sequence. Thanks, Brandon A. Linton | [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> | Work 484.323.7205<tel:484.323.7205> | Mobile 610.883.2453<tel:610.883.2453> From: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of SCOTT Nick D Sent: Friday, October 4, 2013 11:29 AM To: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> Subject: [mssms] Updating BIOS What's everyone's opinion on updating the BIOS on your agencies computers? Is it something you actively do or do you just leave them alone once they go out the door? Nick Scott City of Eugene ISD Desktop Team (541) 682-8171<tel:%28541%29%20682-8171> ________________________________ Notice: This UI Health Care e-mail (including attachments) is covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. 2510-2521, is confidential and may be legally privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any retention, dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. Please reply to the sender that you have received the message in error, then delete it. Thank you. ________________________________
