5920G Aspire - Bios Flash from DOS help please

[belmontmilds]

Hello I've flashed the 5920 to the oldest 3508 from:
ftp://ftp.support.acer-euro.com/note...20/vista/BIOS/

I was very much in a hurry to format to reinstall XP and picked the wrong one, instead of 3811, I got 3508. Flashing went fine, except now from BIOS the option under Main tab there's no option to change the SATA type: IDE or AHCI.

Under Boot tab my harddrive is detected though and when I load a win98 boot disk in DOS I can access the C: with the program file, windows files etc. When I start the notebook like normal it asks if I want to Start Windows Normally, Safe Mode etc. If I choose any of them, it'll show the XP loading screen with the bars but will BSOD (blue screen of death).

Now my question is how can I flash the BIOS to the latest 3811 from DOS?
I can't install any OS or load any OS except for DOS (see above).

Thanks ahead

[bigozone]

why downgrade to IDE it;s easy to slipstream the SATA drivers using NLITE

http://soulpass.com/2007/11/10/insta...5-2153-laptop/

use the CD-INTERNET method described here,,, just besure to have all your XP drivers burned on a seperate CD before downgrading,,

and install sound driver FIRST.... solves problems with sound not working
infact follow the driver install order shown on this page,, just substitute the drivers for your model instead of the drivers for the 5315... but the order is important for getting sound to work without issue,, they have a good modem driver install tutorial also

later,
bigO

[belmontmilds]

Hey bigO, thanks for your reply. But the problem is that I can't even install any OS's because it's not detected (hard drive not detected during XP/Vista install, though it is detected in BIOS for priority boot).

What I need is "how to flash BIOS from DOS", since I can't load or install any OS except DOS. Like in my first post the option to change IDE/AHCI is missing since I BIOS'd the oldest BIOS instead of the latest, I was an idiot for rushing.

Hope someone has an answer on how to flash BIOS from DOS

[elbubi]

Hi Belmont Nice little mess you have combined there

What you have to do to solve it is this:

1.- Create a booteable cd/dvd with Nero Burning Rom, adding the proper files for DOS Bios flash (***.bat; ****.exe; Bios File)
2.- Boot from cd and execute "if50.bat", wait till it´s done and it will reboot by itself.
3.- Enter Bios and restore your hdd to "IDE" mode.
4.- NOW YOU HAVE YOUR LAP AGAIN!!!

Hope it helps, let us known how it went

Any further questions will be welcomed. Kind Regards!!!

PS: Bigo it´s right concerning there´s no need to downgrade to IDE just to use Xp. If you still feel to format and reinstall Xp, first use NLite to integrate the proper S-ATA drivers to Xp Installation Disk, so to use Xp under S-Ata tech . If you decide not to reinstall, then download and install Intel S-Ata drivers "on the go" and then try changing to "ACHI" mode

[bigozone]

Vista install can't see it??

very strange... it's standard for XP not to see a sata HDD unless you have the sata drivers slipstreamed into the XP install CD...

but if vista wont see the HDD the you will have to flash thru dos

see this link on creating a bootable CD... and include the download BIOS files in the CD image before you burn it...
Latest BIOS update v3517 will not work with

follow the instructions for DOS flashing in the BIOS FILE

[elbubi]

Hi agree with Bigo, Vista install MUST see the hard disk cause it has Native SATA Support. If not, I may guees you´re having some kind of trouble with your hard disk.

However, try Dos Bios Flash and let us know how it went.

Regards.

[belmontmilds]

Thank you guys for your help...but during the DOS BIOS flash, I had a power outage................. ! *SIGH*

Now all I see when I turn it back on is unpowered screen (blank). I gave up and called Acer to ship it to their shop across the country (to Ontario Canada) for repairs.

BigO, elbubi - Yes the Vista and XP installed fine until to the point where you choose which drive/partition screen install it to. But instead of giving me the option of which drive/partition, it says XP/VISTA unable to find a hard drive. To make sure it wasn't a hard drive failure, I removed it and attached to regular PC, worked fine, the XP I had installed previously booted (during the first BIOS flash in win).

Anyways thanks again for your replies BigO, elbubi

-EDIT-

DO you guys know where I can download the "Acer Empowering Technology" software for XP? I can only see them for Vista on the download site. Just want to use the power management part.

[elbubi]

Hi once again Belmont

God you are hazardous!!! . One little and humble advice: How did you have a power outage??? Did you flash without battery inserted??? . If so, never do it again!!! . If you didn´t send it yet (avoid Acer SAT at any cost if possible), try this procedure to recover your damaged Bios:

Please note, This is known as a "BLIND FLASH" and is difficult to do with no screen working.

The procedure is as follows:

1 - Download the latest (or the version you are after) from the Acer website. (once you have gained access to a computer)

2 - Extract the files from the archive that are for the dos update.

3 - Next, write a small autoexec.bat file using notepad containing the ".bat" file included with Dos Bios files. Make sure you save it as "autoexec.bat" and not as ".txt"

4 - Using nero express (or any cdr program that can create bootable cd's) and start a new project to make a bootable disc.

5 - Put all the files from the bios archive (as explained in no3) and the autoexec.bat into the root of the new disc

6 - click "burn disc" and use the native boot image within nero. I used english US Boot Locale.

7 - Finalise the disc.

8 - Put disc in affected Laptop. (Remember, this will only work if your laptop will switch on, fan noise, lights etc.)

9 - Switch off Laptop and remove battery and AC/DC Power cable.

10 - Whilst holding down "Fn + Esc", plug in the power cable, and switch on the laptop but dont let go of the keys yet.

11 - disc will begin to spin, fans will come on full speed, but no lights.
Release the buttons, wait a couple of seconds and press the buttons "Fn + Esc" again breifly, then wait for a good 5 - 10 mins.

12 - The laptop should shut down by itself, then once you switch it back on, it should recover itself and boot normally.


Good Luck!!! . Let us know

Kind Regards


Ps: I have downloaded Empowering Tech for Xp but never used it, another little advice... IT SUCKS!!! . The only useful thing is LaunchManager, the rest is all cra*... I really don´t remember where I got it, but if you still want it I can upload it for you to RapidShare (almost 200Mb w/.Net Framework)

[belmontmilds]

Hey again elbubi
What's wrong with Acer SAT?? I sent it in early this mourning before work...now I'm worried again lol... one bad thing after another, it's one of those days but stretched out over a whole week.

The procedure were the exact steps I took during the power outage at my apartment (yes without batteries). Found it through the search here on this forum (I didn't have the search feature when I first signed up, I guess it shows after first post. Otherwise I wouldn't have posted this thread :P).

If you can, can you please upload the Empowering Tech? I know it's really bloaty but this is actually my sisters notebook and she wants it back the way it was before....had it installed while ago but forget the download link, I believe I used a different model of Empowering tech for XP. Also already have .Net Framework slipstreamed to XP.

Thank again elbubi for your efforts, much appreciated!

[elbubi]

Hi Belmont


Don´t worry, there´s nothing "terrible" wrong with Acer SAT, but it´s not rare seeing laptops coming back with scratches or similar...

I did not understand if after your update failure you had applied "blind flash" or not. If so, did it not work?

I´ve found the link where I´d downloaded Empowering Technology for Xp .

Link => http://www.acerpanam.com/flex/acerdr...TOKEN=60027800

Once in there, go to Notebooks - Travelmate 6592G. There you have all Emp. Tech. applications either for Vista and for Xp. I´ve tried a couple of them with my 7720G and they seemed to work fine .

Hope it helps!!!


PS: Any idea when is your lappy coming home again???
PS2: Sorry for my bad English
PS3: It´s always a pleasure to help kind and grateful people (or at least trying )