This guide will show you how to upgrade your bios while running Mac OS X.

DO NOT DO THIS AT NIGHT WHEN PEOPLE ARE SLEEPING, IT WILL START BEEPING LIKE CRAZY AND BE VERY LOUD.

Just to let everyone know i only tried this on a Mini 10v so it is not my fault if you try this upgrade on any other system and breaks, not my fault.

Now that we got that over with, first you will need:

-Windows 98 System Files (Google is your friend)
-PC Running Windows
-Bios Driver (DOS Version) from dell.com drivers page. MAKE SURE ITS THE DOS VERSION
-USB drive (preferably 1GB or higher)
-HP USB Utility HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool - v2.1.8 Download - EXTREME Overclocking

On The Windows PC

1. First off install HP USB Utility
2. Extract the windows 98 System files to your desktop (if its a zip)
3. Plug in your USB
4. Back up your USB (This will format your drive)
5. Run HP USB Utility
6. Select FAT32
7. Select Quick Format and Create DOS Startup Disk
8. Browse to the Windows 98 System Files folder
9. Select the Folder and press Ok
10. Press Format and wait.
11. Once it's done, drag the Bios Driver you downloaded earlier into the USB
12. Eject your USB and pull it out

On The Dell Mini

1. Plug in your USB and boot up.
2. Go into Bios by pressing F2 (on 10v)
3. Under the advanced tab, make sure USB Bios Legacy Support is ENABLED.
4. Exit saving settings and go into Boot Options by pressing F12 (on 10v)
5. Select 'USB Device' and wait for it to boot up, it should flash a Windows 98 boot up screen and go into a command prompt type thing.
6.Go onto your PC and type in the Driver file name (Something like R21041) DO NOT PUT THE .EXE, ONLY THE NAME, NO EXTENSION. (So it should be something like C:>R21041)
7. Press Enter.
8. It should go into a blue screen and start beeping like crazy, wait until the beeping is done and your computer should turn off. DO NOT TURN IT ON, IT SHOULD BOOT UP IT SELF.
9. Once it boots up go into BIOS and it should say Axx (x is your bios number)
10. If your USB BIOS Legacy was disabled, enable it and Exit while saving.

You have just updated your bios

-IDK

[ninvin21]

Nice Guide easy to follow.Just wanted to add,

Turn your Dell's volume all the way down before applying this and you won't hear any LOUD Beeps.

[dad2ways]

This really isn't a guide for how to upgrade your Dell's BIOS under OS X. It is a guide for how to use Windows to create a USB stick to upgrade your BIOS.

I was hoping someone had actually come up with a BIOS flash for OS X.

OS X isn't my hobby and I just did it because I wanted to prove I could, like some of the posters in this forum obviously have done, OS X is all I use. This is my first non-Apple branded hardware to run OS X. I don't want to use Windows.

That said, I am a profession PC network technician and just happen to be Dell certified. I live in the Windows world professionally and prefer to leave it there and escape to the blissfully peaceful world of OS X at all other times.

[IDKwutName]

Originally Posted by ninvin21

Nice Guide easy to follow.Just wanted to add,

Turn your Dell's volume all the way down before applying this and you won't hear any LOUD Beeps.

did it work for u? tried muting it and didnt work

[IDKwutName]

Originally Posted by dad2ways

This really isn't a guide for how to upgrade your Dell's BIOS under OS X. It is a guide for how to use Windows to create a USB stick to upgrade your BIOS.

I was hoping someone had actually come up with a BIOS flash for OS X.

OS X isn't my hobby and I just did it because I wanted to prove I could, like some of the posters in this forum obviously have done, OS X is all I use. This is my first non-Apple branded hardware to run OS X. I don't want to use Windows.

That said, I am a profession PC network technician and just happen to be Dell certified. I live in the Windows world professionally and prefer to leave it there and escape to the blissfully peaceful world of OS X at all other times.

just use a virtual machine?

[osxq]

Do you think it may be possible to flash the bios by booting off an USB Floppy? heh, I would save me the $$ for the USB Stick


Just went ahead and purchased the USB Stick and then followed this other solution. A few minutes later the Bios was upgraded.

HOWTO: Upgrade your bios with OS X