Dapper corrupts Dell laptop BIOS!

[Tod Merley]

On 8/22/06, Francisco Borges <f.borges at rug.nl> wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I just discovered that [1] Dapper corrupts the BIOS of some Dell
> laptops.
>
> [1]:
> https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+source/linux-source-2.6.15/+bug/43745
>
> Honestly, I fell cheated.
>
> My laptop is unuseable. It won't boot from a CD, or an external
> USB stick.
>
>
> My biggest trouble with this is:
>
> 1. this bug is known for months;
> 2. it renders a laptop *completely*broken*;
> 3. there is no warning, or note about "serious risk of totally breaking
>    your Dell laptop" at the laptop support page or at the download site
>    for Ubuntu CDs.
> 4. the bug is CONFIRMED but (a) hasn't been assigned to anyone and (b)
>    is not CRITICAL!!!
>
> The motherboard bios gets corrupted by Ubuntu and the bug is not
> critical?!?
>
> I can deal with a broken upgrade, for as long as I still have the option
> to go back, I'll make no big deal of it. But this is another order of
> magnitute.
>
> BTW this is only repport for Ubuntu Dapper, no other distro seems to
> have the problem.
>
> [...]
>
> Right now I still trying to find out where exactly is the coin cell
> battery, and what are the risks of removing it...
>
> Any help or advice is heartily appreciated.
>
> thanks,
> --
> Francisco
>
>
> --
> ubuntu-users mailing list
> ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com
> https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-users
>

Hi Francisco Borges!

First of all, my regrets at the loss of your time and efforts.

If it were me, I would switch distro or OS immediately.  You do not
have time for this.  The PhD is more important, simply!  Linux is
"volunteer" software without any promise.

Still, if you want to pursue this I would:

0. Change out the CMOS battery.  They do go flaky.  Also check the
connections to the battery!!!

0.a Update your flash BIOS!  This may have been fixed by this time or
a mistake corrected (an unlikely crash of mistakes now corrected).

1. Go to www.dell.com - obtain the service manual for my machine -
read the critical pages on the CMOS battery - replace the battery.

2. Google the bug (looks like you have) and specifically your machine
(with particularly HW - they have options) and try to get a handle on
what in the world tromps on CMOS in what settings (shadow - no?!?).
This is a strange bug!  And apparently hard to verify.  We all would
like to know what causes it.

3. Consider what you need Linux for.  If business simply try FC5.  If
you need a Debian flavor but have not the time to deal with Debian
consider Knoppix.  There are a lot of other options out there.

Francisco Borges, you are correct that we did not warn you properly
about the risks.  I stand corrected!  Thank you!

May the thesis go well!

Good Hunting!

Tod