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Dell Precision 3431 Small Form Factor Setup and specifications guide

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Flashing the BIOS from the F12 One-Time boot menu

Updating your system BIOS using a BIOS update .exe file copied to a FAT32 USB key and booting from the F12 one time boot menu.

BIOS Update

You can run the BIOS update file from Windows using a bootable USB key or you can also update the BIOS from the F12 One-Time boot menu on the system.

Most Dell systems built after 2012 have this capability and you can confirm by booting your system to the F12 One-Time Boot Menu to see if BIOS FLASH UPDATE is listed as a boot option for your system. If the option is listed, then the BIOS supports this BIOS update option.

NOTE:Only systems with BIOS Flash Update option in the F12 One-Time Boot Menu can use this function.
Updating from the One-Time Boot Menu

To update your BIOS from the F12 One-Time boot menu, you will need:

  • USB key formatted to the FAT32 file system (key does not have to be bootable)
  • BIOS executable file that you downloaded from the Dell Support website and copied to the root of the USB key
  • AC power adapter connected to the system
  • Functional system battery to flash the BIOS

Perform the following steps to execute the BIOS update flash process from the F12 menu:

CAUTION:Do not power off the system during the BIOS update process. Powering off the system could make the system fail to boot.
  1. From a power off state, insert the USB key where you copied the flash into a USB port of the system .
  2. Power on the system and press the F12 key to access the One-Time Boot Menu, Highlight BIOS Flash Update using the arrow keys then press Enter.
    Flashing the BIOS from the F12 One-Time boot menu
  3. The Bios Flash Update dialog box menu is opened. Click BIOS Update file browse button to select the BIOS file.
    Flashing the BIOS from the F12 One-Time boot menu
  4. Select the BIOS executable file and then press OK. Switch to correct catalogue of your external USB device by File system if you do not find the BIOS executable file.
    Flashing the BIOS from the F12 One-Time boot menu
  5. Click Begin Flash Update, and then a warning message is displayed.
    Flashing the BIOS from the F12 One-Time boot menu
  6. Click Yes. The systems restarts automatically and starts BIOS Flash.
    Flashing the BIOS from the F12 One-Time boot menu
  7. Once complete, the system will reboot and the BIOS update process is completed.
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