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Using Available Utilities to Check Hardware Devices Current Firmware Version

Summary: The following article is a guide to firmware updates and several ways you can confirm or check the firmware version of various hardware devices.

This article applies to This article does not apply to This article is not tied to any specific product. Not all product versions are identified in this article.
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Instructions

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction to Firmware Updates
  2. How to locate Firmware Updates on the Dell Support Site
  3. Checking Firmware version using /componentsvers
  4. Checking Firmware version using Device Manager

Introduction to Firmware Updates

What is Firmware?

Firmware is data that is stored on a device's read-only memory (ROM) or on an Erasable Programmable ROM (EPROM). It consists of programs that are written by developers to make devices work. Without firmware, most of the devices we use daily would not be able to work. Firmware is the software responsible for allowing our hardware devices to communicate with each other and do what they are supposed to do.

What are Firmware Updates?

Many of the devices that we use today require that sometimes the manufacturer makes improvements to the programs that run the device (firmware). These improvements are released as firmware updates if a device has an EPROM. (If there is only a ROM then the device cannot be updated and to make changes, the physical ROM module has to be updated.)

Why should I care?

There are several reasons why you would need to know the particular firmware version on a particular device. These range from:

  • Confirming that the device is running on the latest and best instruction sets possible.
  • Troubleshooting an issue with the device.
  • Making sure you do not try to install an older version of the firmware on a computer than already has it installed.

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How to locate Firmware Updates on the Dell Support Site

  1. Open a browser and go to the Dell Support site and download the latest firmware update for the hardware device.

  2. Enter your computers service tag or select the system type from the product list.

  3. Select Drivers and Downloads from the menu down the left side of the page.

  4. Ensure that the correct Operating System is set to match that of the system in use.

  5. Click the Category drop-down box and select the one which most closely matches the device. (That is Docks, Network, so on)

  6. Select firmware update utility from the list generated on-screen and follow the on-screen instructions to download it.

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Checking Firmware version using /componentsvers

Connect the device to a compatible system and follow the steps below:

  1. Open a browser and go to the Dell Support site and download the latest firmware update for the device.

  2. Open an elevated Command Prompt or PowerShell window.

  3. Run the following command: (Where [firmware.exe] is the location and name of the downloaded firmware update.)

     

    C:\>[Firmware.exe] /componentsvers

     

  4. A message pops up with the installed firmware. The message lists the firmware: (The example below is for a WD15 wired dock.)

    •  

      Thunderbolt Dock EC .... 00.00.00.49

       

    •  

      Thunderbolt Dock USB PD2 .... 01.02.32

       

    •  

      Thunderbolt Dock USB PD1 .... 01.02.11

       

    •  

      Thunderbolt Cable PD .... 00.03.16

       

    •  

      Multi Stream Transport (MST) Hub#1 Firmware: .... 03.10.00.02

       

    •  

      Multi Stream Transport (MST) Hub#2 Firmware: .... 03.10.00.02

       

    •  

      ASMedia USB 3.0 Host Controller Firmware: .... 00.10.11.23

       

    •  

      Thunderbolt(TM) Dock Firmware: .... 16

       

    •  

      Thunderbolt(TM) Dock Firmware: .... 16

       

You can find out more on the following article:

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Checking Firmware version using Device Manager

  1. For Windows 8 and 10, right-click the Start Menu button and select Device Manager from the menu.

  2. Click the left-hand side of the needed hardware category to expand it.

  3. Right-click the appropriate hardware device entry and select Properties.

  4. Click the Details tab and select Hardware Ids from the Property drop-down box.

  5. Get the Firmware version from the entries under Value. (See Figure.1)

Device Manager Hardware IDs

(Figure.1 Device Manager window showing Hardware ID values)

Note: Be aware that while some devices such as the Realtek USB NIC, for example, may now show the current firmware version. The company may decide this function is not needed going forward. It will stop at the current revision number or not show at all in the Hardware ID.

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Additional Information

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Article Properties
Article Number: 000134797
Article Type: How To
Last Modified: 20 jún 2024
Version:  8
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