BIOS update for Dell Precision M4500 and checking for a BIOS virus

[PHF-GB]

•  Having recently installed Ubuntu 20.04.02      LTS, the new experience is rather disappointing.

  **1. sluggish in booting and starting programs:
  when transferring volumes of data, such that a progress-window appears in previous Ubuntu, there is no such item now - only a small blue rotating disc/arrow: very slow
  **2. during the boot procedure, there is some pixelating
  **3. closing the lid for a break, I frequently find a screen full of coloured pixels on a generally white background:
  I did discover that the latest BIOS is A16, with interim BIOS updates necessary - firstly A08.
  Dell’s URL pages drives one into a reference loop …
  I found my current BIOS is old, namely A07.
  ++This raises a number of questions.++
  Does A07 have a virus? How can one ensure it is clean?
  Using a USB thumb drive, how should I properly update the current BIOS to A08, then A09, eventually to A16?
  
  Thank you.
  George Broom

[veeg]

Hello

Hopefully some of our members will chime in soon.

@Rustys

[Rustys]

Which desktop environment are you using with Ubuntu

without knowing complete system specs there may be other issues with incompatibility.

Did you update from previous install or is this a clean install?

No there may be fixes in the newer version that may be beneficial for your system.

Using a USB thumb drive, how should I properly update the current BIOS to A08, then A09, eventually to A16?

From what I have read they state to do each one in order.

This is the only issue that you may have since the system now has Linux on it

This file format consists of a BIOS executable file. The Universal (Windows/MS DOS) format can be used to install from any Windows or MS DOS environment.

[Rustys]

Abandoned thread