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Corrupted bios?

mdbir
Beginner
2,005 Views

Hello,

I have a Dell Inspiron 5521 laptop that after going to Windows 10 and some updates started shutting down every 30 minutes.  Intel Power Management is not present in device manager and I have updated the bios from Dell's website and still shuts down every 30 minutes.  I have replaced memory, replaced hard drive, redone heat sink paste, and changed OS to Linux 21.3, re-installed windows 8.1 and re-loaded the bios and still shuts down every 30 minutes.  From what I have read I may have a corrupted bios and I need to know if there is a way forward?  I hate to throw what appears to be a perfectly good laptop into the trash as it runs great for 30 minutes at a time!  Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

 

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7 Replies
n_scott_pearson
Super User
1,979 Views

If a machine is shutting off after being powered on for 30 minutes, this means that the Intel Management Engine (MS) is not operating. (and yes, this is typically because of corrupted firmware). This is usually solved by doing a recovery installation of the BIOS, which typically also installs the firmware for the ME. In some cases, a separate tool is used for ME firmware installation/recovery. Since this is a Dell machine with a Dell BIOS, you need to be talking to Dell about how to do this recovery; there is little that we can do to help you with this.

Hope this helps,

...S

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mdbir
Beginner
1,958 Views

Thank you Scott,

Here is Dell's reply to my request for bios recovery.

 

Please be informed that its a 10 Years, 324 Days old system.  Its end of life system.  Its out of support boundaries.  We suggest you to invest in new system or you may contact a local technician.  
 

 

Thank you for choosing Dell Technologies.

 

 

It is a very clean Laptop and works perfect for that 30 minutes.  I just hate to chunk it in garbage.

Mike

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n_scott_pearson
Super User
1,946 Views

No surprise there; Dell's support is run for profit, so you get NOTHING for systems with expired warranties (well, unless you pay through the nose).

Your only option may be to try and find the BIOS download via the Wayback Machine. I made a stab at it but didn't have much luck accessing BIOS downloads for that long ago.

...S

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AlHill
Super User
1,942 Views

Here is bios A04 for  your laptop.   No guarantees.

 

Doc (not an Intel employee or contractor)
[Maybe Windows 12 will be better]

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mdbir
Beginner
1,838 Views

Hello AlHill,

I was able to re-install windows 8.1 ( came with laptop ) and install bios A04, but when I tried to install the Intel Management Engine driver (*1724_A01.exe ) from Dell's website.  It has always returned an error message ( no matter what bios was installed ) I attached the driver log of what is says happened.  I don't understand it completely but it appears it is missing the name for IME.  Have no idea what to do from here.

Mike

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AlHill
Super User
1,834 Views

Bios A04 "should" have contained the ME to be installed with the bios.  But, as I said, no guarantees.  I am not sure why you were messing with the IME.  Installing the  bios a04 should have been adequate (it is on my dell laptop).

 

Doc (not an Intel employee or contractor)
[Maybe Windows 12 will be better]

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mdbir
Beginner
1,826 Views

When this problem started IME was missing from Device Manager and updated the bios to A16 as Dell's website stated was Critical.

The Website also recommended installing the updated IME driver for my laptop so I tried that as well.  It appears to me that the IME is seperate from the bios.  But it fails to install IME driver files to bios for some reason.  I can only guess there is a corrupted bios and something is preventing ME from being installed.

Installing A04 seemed to load fine and settings in bios show it is there.  I tried the laptop and it shut down after 30 min. after installing just the A04 bios.

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