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  • #2249502

    Dell Inspiron thinks it’s a Latitude?

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    by tink! ·

    I’m trying to fix a Dell Inspiron 600m laptop whose screen keeps dimming. Before I diagnosed it as the backlight I wanted to update the FlashBios.

    I downloaded the one from Dell for the Inspiron 600m and lo and behold when I go to run it a popup screen tells me that the current running Bios is Dell Latitude D600 and I therefore the Inspiron 600m bios will not install!

    Any ideas where to go from here?

    Tink 🙂

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    • #3288712

      Clarifications

      by tink! ·

      In reply to Dell Inspiron thinks it’s a Latitude?

      Clarifications

    • #3288708

      Lol

      by w2ktechman ·

      In reply to Dell Inspiron thinks it’s a Latitude?

      What a confused computer.

      I would assume that the wrong MB or BIOS was added at some point, maybe an upgrade. Did you try the Latitude BIOS?

      • #3288445

        NOTE — NOT Recommended

        by w2ktechman ·

        In reply to Lol

        I dont know about the BIOS flash disk for a Dell, but for an HP system, I have once had to alter the flash setup files to get it to flash.

        There may be a few .bat files that can be altered. I had to remove anything that had to do with checking the BIOS

        Aside from that, have you tried calling Dell?

        • #3289933

          Ok, I called Dell

          by tink! ·

          In reply to NOTE — NOT Recommended

          Actually I did the live online chat (I am a tech geek after all – phone? who uses a phone these days? 🙂 )

          And they were actually very helpful. Turns out Dell must have installed a Latitude motherboard in the laptop instead of the Inspiron…since the birth of the system!

          So they’re going to replace the motherboard and the LED at the same time.

          Thanks for your help!

          Tink

    • #3288515

      Ugh! Help!

      by tink! ·

      In reply to Dell Inspiron thinks it’s a Latitude?

      Ok, in an attempt to install a Dell Latitude D500 Bios update (since the computer thinks it is a Latitude) I accidentally installed an older version. Ugh! (Thanks alot Dell)

      Now I have to try to figure out how to get the original version I had. Ugh! I am going to keep hunting around the Dell site, but if anyone has any ideas please spout!

      Would preferably like to install the proper Inspiron 600m FlashBios as that is what the computer is supposed to be! But it still says it’s a Dell Latitude and won’t give me the option to install the Inspiron update.

      Help! Thanks!
      Tink 🙂

      • #3288426

        Kind of looks like only one option.

        by dawgit ·

        In reply to Ugh! Help!

        I hope some one has another too.
        It looks to me like it’s time to open the hood.
        all power off, and away. remove the silly battery. ( the BIOS / Clock Battery, the one that’s keeping it silly) let it sit and not think for a few minutes. Check with Dell to see if there is a jumper to clear BIOS. Then reassemble everthing. (don’t sneese here parts will come up missing for sure)

    • #2492161

      Need to use switches

      by darkwingwilly ·

      In reply to Dell Inspiron thinks it’s a Latitude?

      DELL uses the same motherboard in Inspiron and Latitude systems, the partnumber only decides if the the board has an Insprion or a Latitude BIOS preinstalled.

      To switch between the bios version you need to force it to be installed.

      For your Inspiron600m the current BIOS version would be A17.

      To overwrite the Latitude BIOS in the system you need to enter

      i600ma17.exe /forceit /forcetype

      Cheers

      DWW

      • #2508553

        thanks

        by tink! ·

        In reply to Need to use switches

        Thanks for replying. However the problem has already been fixed. The laptop was still under warranty so Dell switched the motherboards and the bulb.

        🙂
        Tink

      • #3014737

        All fixed!

        by goodwinje ·

        In reply to Need to use switches

        This fixed my problem. I’m the proud owener of an old Dell Inspiron once again.

        Thanks DWW for the valueable information.

    • #3014743

      I’ve got the same issue, I thought I was lossing my mind!

      by goodwinje ·

      In reply to Dell Inspiron thinks it’s a Latitude?

      Just wanted to let you know that you’re not the only one with this problem. I hope someone has a solution. I’d also like someone from Dell admit there might have been a problem with their updates.

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