Hi, I assume your acer happy one uses an Insyde BIOS. Insyde Bios recovery procedure is different. Did you have a look at the thread 13095-Undocumented-INSYDE-BIOS-recovery-method-Use-andy-s-tool-to-obtain-possible-names ? Without more information about what exactly you already tried, it will be difficult to help you...
Hi Yes tried the procedures for thread 13095. Using andys tools have found that the PAV70d3 bios keeps the same name and does not need to be changed. Have tried it with and without the flas**t.exe. Using Fn + Esc to get to bootblock but then nothing happens. Have tried on several different usb sticks and sd cards with card reader...Only thing haven't tried is usb floppy. Steps I take is....remove battery and power ac - plug in usb stick - hold Fn + Esc and plug in AC - while still holding Fn Esc press power button. Release fn esc after 10 secs.........Power button never flashes like I have read in many posts.
@fusionfixes, it's not about whether the bios keeps the same name, as there are two on the latest download anyway and the platform.ini gives an indication as well. Have you checked previous versions... ? I dont think a floppy will work in your case as the files are too large (at least the ones under the Acer /windows folder, maybe try the DOS ones). However since you state that your computer is in recovery mode, i guess your filenames are not correct. Looking at the platform.ini file for your netbook: [ApplicatonFlash] Flag=0 Model= ;Some specific platforms need to flash by application. Only support 32bit Windows. ;Flag 1-> Flash by application ;Flag 0-> Flash by BIOS ;Model is the name of the platform. and [Platform_Check] flag=1 PlatformName=AA PlatformName2=BB PlatformName3= PlatformName4= PlatformName5= PlatformName6= PlatformName7= PlatformName8= PlatformName9= Check_Before_ROM_Size=0 ;This flag is the switch of comparing bios project ID with ROM file project ID. ;When flag is 1, utility will check project ID of new file.If ID doesn't match, utility will ;close the application. When flag is 0, utility won't check project id. ;When flag is 2, utility will check 9 platform IDs. If one is match, it will go flash. ;When flag is 3, this depend on BIOS report. ;PlatformName -> If ROM file do not contain correct ID, user can define ID in this file. ;Check_Before_ROM_Size -> Check platform name before rom size. you can see that your model is empty. In this case try to rename your bios file to the following as per Yen's posting (13095-Undocumented-INSYDE-BIOS-recovery-method-Use-andy-s-tool-to-obtain-possible-names/page2): AA.FD BB.FD AAHD.FD BBHD.FD PAV70D3.FD and also try the .ROM and .BIN filetypes. Best to use a usb stick with a flashlite, so you can see whether the usb stick is being read at all. If you dont see any reading activity on your stick, your netbook is not in bcr mode (try a different key combination for crisis recovery mode or indeed you need a floppy?) Checking the download for your BIOS I can also see that the filesize of the BIOS under DOS is different to the one under Windows, so not sure wether this is always the case for Acer and hence which ones to use in your case. And have you checked older BIOS versions for your netbook, maybe the naming is different there, after all you try to revert back! Furthermore I can see both PAV70D2.FD and PAV70D3.FD in the bios download, maybe also check out above for PAV70D2.FD. I am not sure why there are two as I am not familiar with the Insyde Bios. Final thought, some people reported success with ACER doing it via cd drive. You could try an external usb cd drive. Also check whether it couldn't be done from the sd card reader, it's probably more likely than an external cd drive. I guess it is try and error for you! (And don't be discouraged, recovering the BIOS for the first time on a lifebook S6420 took about 6h to figure out precisely, even though looking back it should have just happened in less than 1h) Keep us posted!
@thack Hi thanks for the info you have provided. I have tried all the above throughout today but still no joy....the issue appears to be accessing the usb stick. with 1 stick I get a quick blink of light at start up but nothing else. With another stick I get a constant blue light, but no flickering to suggest data reading. tried with sd card too, but left that for a good 50 mins but system was just sat with power light on, and power button light on. Any suggestions?
@fusionfixes, sorry to hear that, I know it feels discouraging. Have you tried with alternative combinations to get into BCR mode ? Again, some people report that only FAt16 sticks (<2GB) work to recover, not sure how applicable that is for acer ? The missing flicker of data reading however suggests that you might not have hit on the right key combination or filenames for recovery yet ... Good luck!
@thack Have tried various key combinations even those listed for other makes...Only ones that have any response are Fn + Esc and Fn + B. These 2 allow the system to stay on and provide power to the usb device....any other combinations result in the system switching itself off after about 5 seconds. Unfortunately I have no smaller sticks than 4gb, but I have used diskpart.exe to change the primary partition to 64mb, then formatted partition with FAT16...this did not help though. I feel the above key combinations must be doing something right to get the response I do, its just so annoying that it gets no further
Changing the primary partition wont succeed if it really asks for a stick <2GB, however dd copying the setup from one a smaller stick to a larger one usually works.... (this is usually also true for a working setup on memory card copied to usb stick) That you have read acivity at all is already promising, if everything would be dead, you would not see it! Sorry, I can't be more specific as I am not an Acer user... Maybe you should repost in the Insyde Bios Recovery threat, people might have more experience, but try to be as explicit as you can in your problem description in order to avoid duplicate work... Are you sure you followed all tips above and all tips from the Insyde threat, sometimes after a break you might hit on a new idea... ? Good luck!
@thack I feel maybe its time to sort a usb cd drive to give a try, as I don't seem to be able to locate a smaller usb stick at present. Thanks for your help so far and if you think of anything else please let me know, I will keep you posted on any results I have.
@fusionfixes Sorry not to be of more help, it really comes down to try and error and having the system in front of you! Best of luck! Remember to post a solution if you are successful, so that others can benefit....
@thack now have small pen drive that is 128mb.....not getting any read lights....would the incorrect file name cause this or would it still read regardless?
Can anyone help me? i have a Lenovo Thinkpad W510. I was trying to update the BIOS yesterday via the thinkpad update than all of a sudden my laptop jammed and auto shut down. After that i tried to on my laptop but nothing happens on screen and the typing light thing flashes for 1 sec. I really dont know how to ?boot? the Bios. Do the methods work with Lenovo W510? i cant find the special key to startup the boot.(read online Fn+B does not work for W510 also tried it myself.)
cant u use winflash to make backup (or ask someoen with a working 510 to make it) then see if that can be used in crisdisk recovery?
Hi, as of today, I also seem to have a bricked P8P67 (EVO) Rev 3. I am looking desperately for a way to maybe recover the bios. I wanted to update my board to the latest Asus Bios today, v 3207. After flashing, PC reset itself but didn't post anymore. cpu led on the board stays red, fans are turning etc. Tried everything, only one stick of ram, different slots, reseated cpu, took board out of the case, got it on my desk now with the power supply. Bios flash seems to have gone wrong. I doubt that it destroyed the cpu. cpu was not overclocked when flashing. Could anyone of you guys give me detailed instructions? What is my bios type anyway? I know its a uefi bios, but is it AMI? Phoenix? or what? What are the exact recovery steps I could try? Thanks for any help polford
Full format an USB flash drive with filesystem FAT32 and copy on it the original (unmodded) biosfile, rename it to P8P67EV.ROM. Then follow the instructions in the post above. Good luck.
Thanks for the advice, though I don't have much hope. I already tried this with the slic modded version of 2302 and 3207. The board powers on, hangs at the cpu_led red light and stays there. I don't see any access from the board to the usb stick when plugged in. I'll try with the original bios files once more. Anyway I ordered a replacement bios chip yesterday. Should arrive on wednesday. Hope its really only the bios that is bricked. polford