Updating BIOS and Firmware for DELL and Fedora 37

Introduction

These are excellent guides

• https://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/uefi-bios-update-usb/
• https://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/linux-vendor-firmware-service-uefi-bios-update-ubuntu/
• https://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/fedora-34/
• https://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/fedora-36/

To check BIOS version from Fedora

$ sudo dmidecode -s bios-version
1.23.0

$ sudo dmidecode 
# dmidecode 3.4
Getting SMBIOS data from sysfs.
SMBIOS 2.8 present.
...
BIOS Information
	Vendor: Dell Inc.
	Version: 1.23.0
	Release Date: 07/06/2022
...
	Characteristics:
		PCI is supported
		PNP is supported
		BIOS is upgradeable
		BIOS shadowing is allowed
		Boot from CD is supported
		Selectable boot is supported
		EDD is supported
		5.25"/1.2 MB floppy services are supported (int 13h)
		3.5"/720 kB floppy services are supported (int 13h)
		3.5"/2.88 MB floppy services are supported (int 13h)
		Print screen service is supported (int 5h)
		8042 keyboard services are supported (int 9h)
		Serial services are supported (int 14h)
		Printer services are supported (int 17h)
		ACPI is supported
		USB legacy is supported
		Smart battery is supported
		BIOS boot specification is supported
		Function key-initiated network boot is supported
		Targeted content distribution is supported
		UEFI is supported
	BIOS Revision: 1.23
...

Glossary

• Basic Input Output System (BIOS)
• Unified Extensive Firmware Interface (UEFI)
• System Management BIOS (SMBIOS)

"In 2012 the BIOS was superseded with the much more advanced Unified Extensive Firmware Interface (UEFI)."

"Another term that gets often confused with BIOS is the System Management BIOS. The system management BIOS doesn't change unless you physically upgrade the motherboard or purchase a new computer. It is a reflection of the age of the hardware and the number of technologies made available."

To check Firmware version from Fedora

When updating BIOS, you do not update Firmware (FW), such as Solid State Drive (SSD), Thunderbolt Dock Firmware, etc

$ sudo fwupdmgr get-devices
Dell Inc. XPS 15 9550
│
├─Core™ i7-6700HQ CPU @ 2.60GHz:
│     Device ID:          4bde70ba4e39b28f9eab1628f9dd6e6244c03027
│     Current version:    0x000000f0
│     Vendor:             Intel
│     GUIDs:              b9a2dd81-159e-5537-a7db-e7101d164d3f ← cpu
...
│     Device Flags:       • Internal device
│   
├─GM107M [GeForce GTX 960M] (XPS 15 9550):
...

"The Linux Vendor Firmware Service (LVFS) has been put together by Device Vendors or OEMs as a means for users to easily update their devices firmware using Linux. Dell and Lenovo in particular have been widely using the LVFS."

https://fwupd.org/lvfs/devices/

To Update BIOS and Firmware from Fedora with LVFS

List all devices.

$ sudo fwupdmgr refresh --force
$ sudo fwupdmgr get-devices

Check for updates for all devices.

$ sudo fwupdmgr get-updates

Updates all devices.

$ sudo fwupdmgr update

If your system isn't supported by the Linux Vendor Firmware Service (LVFS), then you must use BIOS Flash Update. Use a blank USB Flash Drive (FAT32 formatted) that contains the UEFI BIOS Update, that you download from Dell Support Website - https://www.dell.com/support/home/

Clear TPM https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000184894/how-to-successfully-update-the-tpm-firmware-on-your-dell-computer

Update Error:        Updating disabled due to TPM ownership