Dell Mini 1012 brick during bios update

[shbris]

having some problems with my dell mini 1012, so was updating drivers and stuff. while trying to update the BIOS from A09 to A11, the computer froze. i left it, always worried about turning it off during an update, then it turned itself off.

now when i try and boot it, nothing, the light comes on but no one is home, doesn't even post

what are my options?

[shbris]

ok panic over. here's what i have discovered:

1. DON'T FLASH YOUR BIOS, EVER!

2. This will apply to most Dells that use phoenix bios

3. Find 'Crisis Bios Recovery' tool

4. Find the appropriate bios (ie. the one you were trying to update to or an older one)

5. Follow instructions that come with the tool

6. WHEN it doesn't work, try with other USB sticks and different versions of 'phlash16' that are found online until you want to tear your hair out

7. Learn a lesson

[GoNz0]

this is why i try and buy dual bios boards, just in case !

[caliston]

You're in luck:
http://www.mydellmini.com/forum/dell...ecovery-4.html

If you don't have a USB floppy drive, some people have made USB flashdrive images that do the same job. One of those gives 404 now, but you might find a link if you poke around mydellmini. Note the keypress varies between models: some it's FN+END, some it's FN+B, etc