BIOS Revision Not Showing Up
Why do some newer model Dells show a Bios version 6222004 no matter what level the Bios is at? Makes it hard to inventory on what computers need an update.
So far I am seeing this on my Optiplex 990 Models and Latitude E5420 Models.
My KBOX 1000 is at software version 5.3.53053 and says it is up to date.
Answers (3)
Does running the following in Powershell give you the same result?
Get-WMIObject Win32_BIOS
Comments:
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I have never used PowerShell to connect to the KACE before. I am new to KACE as I am new to the organization that uses it. I am just trying to use the device to its potential as it currently is not being utilized. - bwilkerson 12 years ago
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Here is an example on how to run it with Kace http://www.itninja.com/blog/view/get-system-model.
I was more curious on just running it on the local machine. It will query the machine and return the results. I was more curious if that output matched the screenshot. - dugullett 12 years ago
I ran across the below custom inventory rule that can be created to return the BIOS revision for machines that are experiencing the issue.
To Display the desired BIOS value.
• Create a Custom Inventory rule
(Inventory > Software > Choose Action > Add New Item)
• Input a Display Name Title
such as "BIOS Revision"
• Select Operating Systems for which you wish to display the custom inventory field
• Paste the following line into the "Custom Inventory Rule:" field:
ShellCommandTextReturn(wmic bios get smbiosbiosversion)
• Click the Save button
Once a machine completes an inventory update, the desired BIOS Version information will be displayed on its inventory page in the Custom Inventory Fields section.
I am seeing the same thing on 990's. Powershell does show that under BIOS Version but does show the Axx formatted version under SMBIOSBIOSVersion. Is there a way to access that field in KBOX?
Also, the A13 BIOS for the 990 has been released for several weeks but A11 is the latest available in the KBOX. How long does it take for those to mormally become available?
Comments:
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Note that I did find that the correct value (A05, A11, A13, etc.) is captured in the database as VERSION in table DELL_INVENTORY_APPLICATION_DEVICE_JT.
So the following report SQL generates a list of all machines that should have the Optiplex 990 BIOS that is not at version A13:
SELECT M.NAME AS MACHINE_NAME, DIAD.VERSION AS MACHINE_VERSION
FROM DELL_MACHINE_STATUS MS JOIN MACHINE M ON M.ID=MS.MACHINE_ID JOIN KBSYS.DELL_PKG DP ON DP.DELL_CATALOG_ID=MS.CATALOG_ID AND DP.PACKAGE_DID=MS.PACKAGE_DID JOIN DELL_PKG_STATUS DPS ON DPS.DELL_PKG_ID=DP.ID AND DPS.STATUS=0 JOIN DELL_INVENTORY_APPLICATION_DEVICE_JT DIAD ON DIAD.DEVICE_ID=MS.DEVICE_ID
WHERE DP.NAME LIKE 'OptiPlex 990 System BIOS%' AND DIAD.VERSION != 'A13' ORDER BY M.NAME,DP.COMPONENT_DESC,DP.NAME - reburger 12 years ago -
There are several models that are a few revisions behind on the latest BIOS. I have had some success in making a seperate distribution package simply using the downloaded BIOS EXE from dell and setting up a task to distribut it using "/s /r" or "/s /r /forceit" (without the quotes) in the run parameters. The only problem is that it does not work with the dell inventory so well and is not always successful. I had many Optiplex 990 computers running BIOS A03 that needed to be updated to BIOS A05 before going any higher. The same with the Latitude E5420's that all had BIOS level A01 and needed to go to A02 before going to the latest.
Off course this is information Dell does not give you until you try and install it manually and it gives you that error. Would be nice if they put that in the notes when downloading an update that requires a previous update to be already applied.
Still would be interested in a custom report though that can show the proper BIOS level so I can see which machines may have been missed for whatever reason. - bwilkerson 12 years ago
