Hey Im a bit of a newb when it comes to flashing and I was just wondering what diffrences do bios updates useally make?
I just updated my dell 8200 from bios A01 to A09.

Normally they have fixes for things...

Your BIOS update came with a list of updates made or at least you saw the list of improvements on the Dell webpage.

Usually it's bugfixes (now your computer doesn't crash every 13th bootup) , new features (they found the time to implement some extra settings) and support for newer technology (new CPUs, bigger hard disks, etc.)

looking at dell's site, there's a long list of fixes, simply from A08 to A09. but iirc jumping from around A03 to A08 added quite a few options into my bios menu, as well as fixing some issues i had (this was a gx1 i think).

Yeah dell dosent seem to have the list of fixs makes you wonder.....

what? i looked at the list of fixes from A08 to A09 on dells site...
http://support.ap.dell.com/ap/en/filelib/download/index.asp?fileid=R57452&devid=2287&sid=INS_PNT_P4_8200&lang=EN&lib=1&os=WW1&searchtype=filter
also there appears to be an A10 bios too. link (http://support.ap.dell.com/ap/en/filelib/resultstype.asp?devid=2287&sid=INS_PNT_P4_8200&lang=EN&lib=1&os=WW1&searchtype=filter) if you look at the previos versions im sure you can see all the fixes.

fair enough but that wasnt on the european version of the support sit thanks krugger

Krugger that link was to an inspiration and I have a demention, thanks anyway!

inspiration and I have a demention
lol, I thought we were talking about a psychological problem for a minute there....(hehe..It's Inpiron, and Dimension)

Originally posted by shnig
Krugger that link was to an inspiration and I have a demention, thanks anyway!
sorry bout that: Dell Dimension System BIOS (http://support.dell.com/FileLib/Format.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=gen&Category=1&OS=NAA&OSL=EN&SvcTag=&SysID=DIM_PNT_P4_8200&DeviceID=308&Type=&ReleaseID=R49451)
The following changes have been made to the A08 BIOS to create A09: 1. Fixed resource allocation to some PCI devices when multiple adapters with bridges are in the system. 2. Properly set system power state when AC Power is lost in S3. 3. Added additional system board information into SMBIOS type 2 structure. 4. Fixed possible hang when exiting Diagnostic programs that access KB ports directly and USB Emulation is On. 5. Fixed possible issue with the Date and Time being changed after consecutive reboots. 6. Added new SMBIOS token definitions for UDMA, Hard Disk Acoustic, S1/S3.

same true for previos versions as from before.

Thank you.