Updating a dell inspiron 1300 BIOS without battery (also reported working for Dell Inspiron 9400 and Dell Latitude 2100 Mini)

I have a Dell Inspiron 1300 laptop and I wanted to upgrade its BIOS from version A07 to A10
The problem was it did not have a battery and the manufacturer provided BIOS upgrade file (ME051A10.exe) refuses to run without battery.

So what can I do?
The battery condition is to ensure that  that the BIOS update does not face a flash failure due to a power interrupt resulting in your laptop becoming a little more useful than a paper weight. (Of course, there are ways to rewrite a BIOS but that needs another compatible BIOS. Lot of efforts once your BIOS becomes corrupt)

After reading the above warning if you still want to take the risk of updating your BIOS and believe there will be no power failure leaving your BIOS corrupted and laptop useless.

Here is how to do it?
You will need the following things
1. A USB drive

2. Windows 98 boot files to allow you to boot in dos mode.
Download link: http://www.bay-wolf.com/utility/usbkey/win98boot.zip
Alternate link (Use in case if Download link is down): Link

3. HP USB disk format tool (Don't worry it works for all not just HP!)  This software will turn your usb into a bootable usb using the above windows 98 boot files.
Download link: http://www.bay-wolf.com/utility/usbkey/usbmemkeyboot.zip
Alternate Link (Use in case if Download link is down): Link

4. Latest Bios driver from the manufacturer's website.
In this case ME051A10.exe. Please rename the file to bios.exe for the sake of easily remembering the file when we use it later.

Now after you have downloaded all the above
Step1: Extract the zip to their respective folders.
So for win98boot.zip you have win98boot folder
and usbmemkeyboot.zip you have a corresponding usbmemkeyboot.zip folder

Step 2:Install the HP USB disk format tool by running the application file (SP27608.EXE) on your laptop.

Step 3: It will install the software in folder C:\Drive Key (I am assuming C is your root drive). Run HPUSBFW application present in the folder.

Step 4: For the Device drop box select the USB drive (Here it's H:)

Step 5: Select the file system as fat32

Step 6: Check Create a DOS startup disk

Step 7 - Now click on the square box with 3 dots and find the directory where you extracted the win 98 boot files. So In this case you would select the win98boot folder, you made earlier.

Step 8: Click OK button

Step 9: Select yes for the warning

Step 10 - Your USB memory key is now being formated and the DOS system files will be copied onto it.

Once the program has completed the operation, click on the Close button.

You now have a bootable USB memory key.

Step 11: Now copy the bios upgrade file (bios.exe) in the bootable USB

Step 12: Now boot your laptop using bootable USB device. You should get a stark command prompt

Step 13: Run the following command on dos prompt

bios.exe /forceit /nvram

Explaining the above override parameters:
forceit parameter: The /nvram switch will flash the BIOS even when it detects low battery or no battery
nvram parameter: The /nvram switch will make sure that you keep the Dell Splash Screen.

Step 14: Take action as the bios demands.

If all proceeds well Voila! You have upgraded your bios.

P.S: 
1. The same procedure also works for Dell Inspiron 9400 and Latitude 2100 Mini as per user feedback but please know that I have applied it only on my Dell Inspiron 1300.  :)

2. I have done the above process for Dell Inspiron 1300 and it worked. My limited intellect does not allow me to answer queries for any other model which may all have their respective override parameters. So Google is your guy. :)

Pic Courtesty: http://www.bay-wolf.com/usbmemstick.htm