Dell XPS 15 9530 BIOS Updates Not Detected By Fwupd

Apr 29, 2025 by ADMIN 52 views

Dell XPS 15 9530 BIOS Updates Not Detected by fwupd: A Critical Issue

As a Linux user, it's essential to keep your system up-to-date, including the BIOS. However, when using fwupd, a popular firmware update tool, some users may encounter issues with detecting available BIOS updates. In this article, we'll explore a critical issue with the Dell XPS 15 9530, where fwupd fails to detect available BIOS updates, despite them being listed on the Dell support website.

The issue at hand is that fwupd is not detecting available BIOS updates for the Dell XPS 15 9530, despite them being listed on the Dell support website. The Dell support site shows a critical BIOS update (version 1.21.0) released on April 11, 2025, but fwupd reports "No supported devices" when running fwupdmgr get-releases.

To better understand the issue, let's take a look at the hardware information:

Device: Dell XPS 15 9530
Current BIOS version (according to BIOS itself): 1.20.0
Current BIOS version (according to fwupd): 70656
Latest BIOS version on Dell support site: 1.21.0 (released April 2025, marked as critical)

To reproduce the issue, follow these steps:

Run sudo fwupdmgr refresh --force
Run sudo fwupdmgr get-releases
- Result: "No supported devices"
Run sudo fwupdmgr get-updates
- Result: "No updatable devices"

The expected behavior is that fwupd should detect and offer the 1.21.0 BIOS update that's available on Dell's support site, especially since it's marked as critical.

Let's take a look at the fwupd version information:

sudo fwupdmgr --version
runtime   org.freedesktop.fwupd         1.7.9
runtime   com.dell.libsmbios            2.4
compile   org.freedesktop.gusb          0.3.10
runtime   org.kernel                    6.8.0-58-generic
compile   com.hughsie.libjcat           0.1.9
compile   org.freedesktop.fwupd         1.7.9
runtime   org.freedesktop.gusb          0.3.10

When running fwupdtool get-updates, I discovered the following error:

failed to get releases for UEFI dbx: No releases found: Not compatible with org.freedesktop.fwupd version 1.7.9, requires >= 1.9.1, Not compatible with org.freedesktop.fwupd version 1.7.9, requires >= 1.9.28

This indicates that my fwupd version (1.7.9) is too old to support the firmware updates for my device, which require fwupd 1.9.28 or newer.

Here some additional information about my system:

$ inxi -Fxz
System:
  Kernel: 6.8.0-58-generic arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: N/A
    Desktop: Cinnamon v: 6.0.4 Distro: Linux Mint 21.3 Virginia
    base: Ubuntu 22.04 jammy
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: Dell product: XPS 15 9530 v: N/A
    serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: Dell model: 01WV13 v: A00 serial: <superuser required> UEFI: Dell
    v: 1.20.0 date: 02/11/2025

Here are some additional questions that may help resolve the issue:

Operating system and version: Linux Mint 21.3 Victoria (based on Ubuntu 22.04)
Have you tried rebooting? Yes
Is this a regression? No, first time trying to use fwupd for firmware updates
Are you using an NVMe disk? Yes, PC801 NVMe SK hynix 1TB
Is secure boot enabled? No
Is this a Lenovo system with 'Boot Order Lock' turned on in the BIOS? No, this is a Dell system

In conclusion, the Dell XPS 15 9530 BIOS updates not detected by fwupd is a critical issue that requires attention. The issue is caused by a version compatibility issue between fwupd and the firmware updates for the device. To resolve this issue, it's essential to update fwupd to a version that supports the firmware updates for the device.
Dell XPS 15 9530 BIOS Updates Not Detected by fwupd: A Critical Issue - Q&A

Q: What is the issue with fwupd and the Dell XPS 15 9530?

A: The issue is that fwupd is not detecting available BIOS updates for the Dell XPS 15 9530, despite them being listed on the Dell support website.

Q: What is the current BIOS version of the Dell XPS 15 9530?

A: The current BIOS version of the Dell XPS 15 9530 is 1.20.0, according to the BIOS itself. However, fwupd reports a different version, 70656.

Q: What is the latest BIOS version available on the Dell support website?

A: The latest BIOS version available on the Dell support website is 1.21.0, released on April 11, 2025, and marked as critical.

Q: What are the steps to reproduce the issue?

A: To reproduce the issue, follow these steps:

Run sudo fwupdmgr refresh --force
Run sudo fwupdmgr get-releases
- Result: "No supported devices"
Run sudo fwupdmgr get-updates
- Result: "No updatable devices"

Q: What is the expected behavior of fwupd?

A: The expected behavior of fwupd is to detect and offer the 1.21.0 BIOS update that's available on Dell's support site, especially since it's marked as critical.

Q: What is the version compatibility issue with fwupd?

A: The version compatibility issue with fwupd is that my fwupd version (1.7.9) is too old to support the firmware updates for my device, which require fwupd 1.9.28 or newer.

Q: What are the system specifications of the Dell XPS 15 9530?

A: The system specifications of the Dell XPS 15 9530 are:

Operating system and version: Linux Mint 21.3 Victoria (based on Ubuntu 22.04)
Kernel: 6.8.0-58-generic
Desktop: Cinnamon v: 6.0.4
Distro: Linux Mint 21.3 Virginia
Base: Ubuntu 22.04 jammy
Machine: Type: Laptop
System: Dell product: XPS 15 9530 v: N/A
Serial:
Mobo: Dell model: 01WV13 v: A00
Serial:
UEFI: Dell v: 1.20.0 date: 02/11/2025

Q: Have you tried rebooting the system?

A: Yes, I have tried rebooting the system.

Q: Is this a regression?

: No, this is the first time I'm trying to use fwupd for firmware updates.

Q: Are you using an NVMe disk?

A: Yes, I am using an NVMe disk, PC801 NVMe SK hynix 1TB.

Q: Is secure boot enabled?

A: No, secure boot is not enabled.

Q: Is this a Lenovo system with 'Boot Order Lock' turned on in the BIOS?

A: No, this is a Dell system.