I need to upgrade BIOS. Help!

melancholy · #1 12th December 2009, 08:28 PM

Hi.

Does anyone REALLY know how to upgrade BIOS?. I have an Acer 5315 and Im trying that in order to solve my fan/overheating problem. In Ubuntu Forums there is more information about this issue precisely on this model of machine, but Im using Fedora 12 and obviously the wordarounds are not the same.

I have downloaded the latest version (1.45) from

http://www.acer.com/worldwide/support/download.htm >> PanAmerica >> Driver&Download >> Notebook >> Aspire >> 5315 >> BIOS

That is a zipfile.

marcrblevins · #2 12th December 2009, 08:54 PM

You are aware its an .exe file inside the zip file.

You need to put Windows back on that laptop and run that .exe to update you BIOS. That is the way they designed it.

When done, put Fedora back on.

I was thinking of VirtualBox session and do it that way, don't know if that would help you go thru.

leigh123linux · #3 12th December 2009, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marcrblevins

You are aware its an .exe file inside the zip file.

You need to put Windows back on that laptop and run that .exe to update you BIOS. That is the way they designed it.

When done, put Fedora back on.

I was thinking of VirtualBox session and do it that way, don't know if that would help you go thru.

I would strongly recommend that the OP doesn't try this as it is likely to end in disaster ( thats if it can even see the real hardware ).

pete_1967 · #4 12th December 2009, 10:05 PM

Make a bootable Win98 startup disc on USB stick, copy the BIOS upgrade on it and boot to that, run update and be done with it, that's how I do it.

You can pick one from http://www.bootdisk.com/ or search for more instructions and do it from scratch.

How to from USB stick: http://www.bootdisk.com/pendrive.htm

This is what I used to create mine: http://www.bay-wolf.com/usbmemstick.htm

melancholy · #5 13th December 2009, 01:36 AM

Ok I would try. By the way, what is the worst disaster can occur to my machine? (Even assuming I ve taken care with each step of that installation)

marcrblevins · #6 13th December 2009, 02:18 AM

Worse would be shutdown your lappy while BIOS was halfway writing!

Just plug in your battery charger plug, that run 100% power.

Are you really sure to do the BIOS update?

CSchwangler · #7 13th December 2009, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by melancholy

Ok I would try. By the way, what is the worst disaster can occur to my machine? (Even assuming I ve taken care with each step of that installation)

The worst disaster is that the upgrade fail and your computer would then be a more or less useless piece of plastic and metal. Do some googling and you will see that the web is full of stories of failed BIOS upgrades.

melancholy · #8 13th December 2009, 11:32 AM

Oh, the fear is filling me!

Well, the only reason I would consider to do that, is the overheating/fan problem I have. The search of this topic in Fedora Forums is useless, almost nobody has the same problem of mine! Where is the help located when it is needed?

David Batson · #9 13th December 2009, 12:21 PM

I've updated the BIOS on my computers a number of times without incident. That's not to say that something can go wrong. I prefer updating from a CD or Floppy (USB ok too). I don't like updating from the Windows interface. The bootable Win 98 USB stick as pete_1967 suggested does sound like a very good way to do it.

That said, I doubt if a BIOS update will solve your overheating problem. You probably need a new fan. I had to replace the fan in my laptop when it was about 3 years old. Same problem - overheating and shutting down. Fortunately for me my laptop was still under the extended warranty, so it did not cost me anything.

Magickman · #10 13th December 2009, 04:08 PM

Well, I have tried the BIOS flash upgrade a few times. One time it was successful, the rest of the times the BOIS was shot after.
If it were me, today, with motherboards so cheap, I would replace the MB before I would go through all that trouble.

bbfuller · #11 13th December 2009, 04:16 PM

I did it on my NC10 netbook the other day and it worked fine. Followed the instructions on the manufacturers web site to the letter.

However, I needed to do it to get the screen backlight working - and I offered up a few prayers before I started.

I certainly wouldn't do it unless I really needed to though.

As to your zip file melancholy, unzip it and see if there are any instructions in it and see how comfortable you feel with them.