Acer 5520G. Is it dead

[naton]

Hi nklive
thanks for your post (lot of valuable information)

I tried the BIOS recovery with bootable USB stick and no availe. It like the laptop doesn't recognise the USB stick.

I tried BIOS 1.33 and 1.32 sofar. I'll try again with an older version and see. I tried method 1 and 2 from here http://forums.mydigitallife.info/showthread.php?t=2105

It is difficult to pin point the problem as I was not around when this happend.

I don't think it's the graphic card since laptop should've gone to BIOS loading page even without graphic card.

I thought that if the GPU is faulty (i.e. dead) nothing will be displied on the screen?

[nklive]

I know for some people, it worked after using a couple of USB sticks.
So it might be the USB stick you used.
Did you remember to remove the hard drive and the battery? This is very important.
Another think to do in order to see if the USB is being used by the laptop is to modify the autoexec.bat file
If you right click the file and then select edit, the notepad will open the file.
In there you will see the two lines of code I think, so replace the last line

phlash16.exe /x /s bios.WPH

with this

PHLASH16 bios.WPH /mode=3 /X

This line will make the laptop to beep as the usb is doing to BIOS flashing so you will know if the USB is recognised and being used.

The credit should go to Frank1608 which suggested this type of modification
you will find his post #18 here and the thread about USB flashing
BIOS flashing

Now the important tips are to remove the hard drive and battery, to use a fresh phlash16.exe (preferably one from the BIOS update file), try different USB and BIOS and be sure you have rename the new bios file to bios.WPH

I remember once when I had removed my GPU and the laptop went to BIOS but then it crashed. If the GPU is faulty though, it might a different case. So you are right, I don't know.

[naton]

I know for some people, it worked after using a couple of USB sticks.
So it might be the USB stick you used.

I'll give it a go with another stick. Though, I don't think that there is anything wrong with it since it booted well (to DOS) on another laptop.
Also I tried a USB Floppy drive and it didn't work.

Did you remember to remove the hard drive and the battery? This is very important.

Both were removed before attempting to reflash the bios.

Another thing to do in order to see if the USB is being used by the laptop is to modify the autoexec.bat file
If you right click the file and then select edit, the notepad will open the file.
In there you will see the two lines of code I think, so replace the last line

phlash16.exe /x /s bios.WPH

with this

PHLASH16 bios.WPH /mode=3 /X

This line will make the laptop to beep as the usb is doing to BIOS flashing so you will know if the USB is recognised and being used.

I'll try this this evening

I remember once when I had removed my GPU and the laptop went to BIOS but then it crashed. If the GPU is faulty though, it might a different case. So you are right, I don't know.

This is the second time that I'm told that I could power the laptop up without the GPU. I'll try this tonight.

[naton]

I tried without the GPU and same result. I think that the motherboard is dead.

Is there anyway to test the Graphics card?

[triturbo]

In another MXM enabled laptop Sorry, that's the only option I can think of, that and some exotic solutions like: ASUS Splendid and ASUS Trinity

[naton]

In another MXM enabled laptop Sorry, that's the only option I can think of, that and some exotic solutions like: ASUS Splendid and ASUS Trinity

nice links. I guess the laptop is going back to its owner since I tried everything I know to fix it.

[um02122]

That laptop is dead, because you need to change the motherboard (damaged in time by high temperatures, especially on the MCP). The motherboard replacement costs too much, so try selling the laptop by parts on eBay.

Mine had the same behavior when it died and kept restarting even after I removed everything from it (CPU, VGA, cooling system, WLAN, DVD-RAM drive etc.). RIP for that AS5520G

[WindDrake]

Your 5520G is equipped with the nVidia MCP Unibridge Chipset. BGA Failure (Cold Solder/Cracked Spheres) is causing the issue you're describing. Common failure in that unit, sadly.

Only fix for it is a reflow (resolder) of the Unibridge BGA, which requires specialized equipment.

The reason you can't use Phoenix Crisis Recovery Mode is because the Unibridge is incapable of accessing the i2c Bus required to read the BIOS ROM, due to the BGA failure.

[TehSuigi]

Guys, please do not bump old topics. Check the date of the most recent post before adding your thoughts.
This thread is almost a year old!

[um02122]

I'm sorry, my laptop died on 26 april 2010, so the topic it's pretty new for me. And I can testify that not the bios update caused the death of this crappy laptop, but the poor design of the cooling system. I posted because in time every AS5520G owner will find the post, when they will try to find an explination of their laptop death. I know at least 15 people in my country (Romania) with this problem on AS5520G, all bought from the same lot. Acer didn't recall them. Most of them died a little bit after one year. Maybe the post should be closed.