I am sick and tired of Acer and Windows 8.1!

petrosd2012

Acer Aspire V5-571, Win 8

What started as simple upgrade to 8.1 has become a nightmare of wasted and frustrating time. Acer Support is useless, but maybe community can help. Or maybe Costco will read th elist of uselessness and take it back and stop selling Acer altogether. I used to be a big fan but this experience has turned me off the brand completely.

I've updated FOUR other brands with no problem. I've spen t th best part of two days with this Acer and nothing I've tried works.

After I decided to check out the BIPS to see if UEFI was part of th eproblem, I changed the BIOS to Lagacy and now it won't boot to the BIOS Menu (F2). NOTHING on the Acer site tells you how to fix this. Whoever heard of a BIOS that can't load without the operating system. The error is "Operating System not found" and F2 doesn't work.

Ideas anyone? Please no regurgitating of "press F2 on POST". It doesn't work -- see above.

Accepted answers

vaizaren

its okay..

btw, try again the 2.17 sir...

unzip the exe there...

after that...

locate the update.bat then run it...

All comments

vaizaren

1st of all,,, NEVER update bios if you have no problems with it..

and never try anything you dont know about.

2nd., before searching, i think you can search for similar problems to yours which is mine here:

http://community.acer.com/t5/Notebooks-Netbooks/aspire-v5-471g-notebook-problems/m-p/159191#M30857

3rd... follow my steps there..

all you need is

1. bootable flash drive.. (any windows, better if 8 or 8.1)

2. the latest bios update... or if you updated it, then the previous working version
3. winrar on your primary driver.. or anything that can extract files..

follow those steps from the url

there is a 2nd option, you can opt to fix yours by going to windows repair, (i forgot the button, try going for f3 to f12)

as i know, f12 shows you the boot menu, if you enabled it in the past..

also, try ctrl+alt+esc... that is for the bios setup of older acer laptops

and f2 of course, if not responding, but sends a beep..

go to windows repair, then advance options then go change uefi or firmware settings, if not present, then go to the another option which is in the url..

hoped i helped and you learned your lesson..

petrosd2012

F12 won't work -- because it's not actually loading the BIOS. That's why F2 won't work. I've worked on hundreds of systems over 30 years and I've NEVER had one that can't go to the BIOS. Until this Acer. Any BIOS setup that requires the OS to load it is useless precisely because of situiations like this.

As for unpacking and installing a BIOS update, the C drive isn't accessible -- see above.

petrosd2012

PS. Lose the superior attitude as well. It's not helping. You might know what you're talking about but your 'advice' gets lost in the noise of your crowing. It might work on the minion crowd, but it's lost on me.

vaizaren

you can access it using the command prompt..

basics are..

cd for change directory..
dir for knowing what files and folders are present there

you should what is in the url

vaizaren

does clicking f2 makes a beeP?

vaizaren

first of all... for all i know,, that problem still LOADS the BIOS... BUT... it doesnt go to the setup...

Loading the bios and going to bios setup is different...

vaizaren

The fundamental purposes of the BIOS are to initialize and test the system hardware components, and to load a bootloader or an operating system from a mass memory device. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BIOS

KevGo

absolutly upgrade to windows 8.1 take a long time on blank screen.
if you want to re-install or repair it you may try to boot from installation or make it enter to safe mode (recovery emvironment).
Change to legacy make your windows won't boot because you install your windows on UEFI mode, there's a system configuration difference of them.

petrosd2012

I know what a BIOS does. I was probably configuring BIOSes before you were born! :-)

I know what it shoud do. That's not the problem. It's not doing it is the problem. Once again.... <sigh>

IF you change the BIOS Setting from UEFI to Legacy when you restart the system you CANNOT get into the BIOS -- by pressing F2, or any other key or combination. Not even by or standing in the corner on your head and whistling the theme from "Man of La Mancha".

Why? Because the dafault BIOS Boot Order is "Secure Boot Manager" and for that you have to have an accessible Windows 8 drive. And that Windows 8 drive will only boot when the BIOS is set to UEFI.

Is that clear enough? No? Then I can't help you any more, and I do request that you stop injecting your "I'm a superior tech" into the thread. You're not helping. Thank you.

petrosd2012

You can't go to a command prompt if you can't load the OS

PS. I know the various DOS commands. I was using them long before Windows.

I knwo you think you know a lot, but you really don't. I'd appreciate if you go stroke your ego somewhere else. You're just not helping here. Thank you.

Cory-Acer

petro,

The UEFI (which is a replacement for the BIOS we've all grown up) has legacy support, and that's what you've said you enabled. The OS won't load in legacy, but you would need to use legacy to boot USB drives, or DVDs, so that is why the option is there. I'm not sure why you can't get back into the BIOS, you should be able to power on from a cold boot, F2 to get into the BIOS. I would suggest F9 to reset defaults and F10 to save and exit. If we can get that far, hopefully getting help for the rest of your issues with the 8.1 update will be easier.

vaizaren

you can use cmd just using a bootable OS in a flash drive... even you dont have your precious OS being read by the bios..

it's in advance options -_-

vaizaren

try reading this..

cant go cmd without an OS? Man LOL
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/139810-sfc-scannow-run-command-prompt-boot.html

petrosd2012

Acer-Cory wrote:
The UEFI (which is a replacement for the BIOS we've all grown up) has legacy support, and that's what you've said you enabled. The OS won't load in legacy, but you would need to use legacy to boot USB drives, or DVDs, so that is why the option is there. I'm not sure why you can't get back into the BIOS, you should be able to power on from a cold boot, F2 to get into the BIOS. I would suggest F9 to reset defaults and F10 to save and exit. If we can get that far, hopefully getting help for the rest of your issues with the 8.1 update will be easier.

I should, but there it is. I can't sumply start the machine and press F2 to go into the BIOS (and change it backto UEFI). No matter how many times I do it, the result is always the same -- "Operating system not found". I've sent hours with Acer Support telling me to power onand press F2 and the results are always the same. It doens't work once the BIOS setting has been changed to Legacy.

I booted with an Acer Recovery Windows 7 DVD. It runs the recovery software but still won't allow me to enter the BIOS via F2.

As I've said, my suspicion is that Acer has configured this laptop so that it wll not go into the BIOS unless the Windows 8.0 is booted, and it will not boot it unless EUFI is chosen. So, when you choose Legacy and restart your laptop is made useless.

petrosd2012

I'm issueing a challenge -- especially to Acer Technicians.

On a non-upgraded Windows 8.0 laptop with EUFI, go into the BIOS and change it to Legacy. Shut Down. Power on and press F2 repeatedly. What happens?

Please don't comment unless you've actually done this. Please don't tell me what it should do.

This is for people who actually did it with an actual Acer with an Actual Winsow 8.0 OS, and an Actual UEFI BIOS, and actually change it.

Thanks :-)

vaizaren

that is what i did....

the same as you..

to solve this kind of mess..

first, you need to download from acer site the latest bios driver they have for your laptop.

(use another laptop)

http://us.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/drivers/4252;-;Aspire%20V5-571G (if this is not like yours, you can find it at acer support)

but you must install only one... but dont worry, it will prompt you if the file you are trying to install is not the one needed.. i used the 1.22 version... (it depends on the bios version, the starting number of the version must be the same., mine is from 1.xxx to 1.22, i was prompted that installing the other one is not right, it said that it is incompatible)

then, after you downloaded it, extract it..

make sure you have the it on a flash drive (usb)

second, since you have the disc... use it..

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/139810-sfc-scannow-run-command-prompt-boot.html

this shows how to go to command prompt using disc repair (this may be win7 it is practically the same, only gui is different)

go to repair your computer option where you will find many options..

choose the option open a command prompt..

as your in the X: drive which is the container of the disc., go to the current folder of the file..

X: > F: (if F is the drive letter of the usb, then F, if not, then use the drive letter corresponding to the usb)
go to... the bios folder
F: > cd BIOS_Acer_1.22_A_A/BIOS_Acer_1.22_Windows/Windows

then run the Update.bat

(it requires that your battery must be greater than 30%..)

if then, just execute the Update.bat

F:/BIOS_Acer_1.22_A_A/BIOS_Acer_1.22_Windows/Windows > Update.bat

just wait and voila... it is fixed

mine is aspire v3 471g

just tried the legacy boot.... and f2 was (as expected... doesnt work)

i just did what i stated here and it was working again, bios was returned to default settings, and i just sit here having a smiling face...

and also., a very big reminder...

what ever happens, never turn off your computer while updating bios..just to be sure anything silly happens

btw, sorry for the past attitude...i hope i can be of service..

Cory-Acer

I've got an R7-571 here that I worked with this morning, and I was able to acheive what you're talking about. Legacy is only there so you can boot non UEFI stuff such as USB or DVDs like we've done for years. There is nothing that prevents you from taking any Acer product and putting any OS on it. We may not provide drivers or qualify the OS, but that doesn't mean it can't be done.

I made a quick video to demonstrate what I've always seen when having to enable legacy, and what I expect to happen on any Acer notebook.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Oddyoq_9wI&feature=youtu.be

petrosd2012

I did as you suggested (a good idea). I booted with Win8.1 and chose Repair and worked my way through the Command Prompt. I had downloaded and copied the 1.22 BIOS and 2.17 (UEFI/Windows) BIOS as recommended by Acer for this specific model. I tried them both. 2.17 gave an error "the command subset isn't present" (I forget the exact wording). I tried 1.22 and ran the update.bat file. It started but hten returned an error "ERROR 235 - OEM Check failed from BIOS Service".

At this point, I'll be happy if I can get into the BIOS and change it back to UEFI or remove the Secure Boot somehow, and copy the Files and Settings so I can install Windows 7 and be done with it.

Thank you for your help. I apologize for my own rudeness. I was frustrated at the situation and took it out on you. That was unfair.

vaizaren

its okay..

btw, try again the 2.17 sir...

unzip the exe there...

after that...

locate the update.bat then run it...

petrosd2012

Extracting BIOS 2.17 and updating BIOS worked. Thank you for the suggestion. :-)

Here's the steps I took to get the system bootable (and BIOS accessible via F2)

System powered off.

Insert USB System Recovery Drive (I used Windows 8.1 but it probably will work with a Windows 8.0 version) or Windows 8.0/8.1 Install DVD) and power on. Don't bother pressing F2 (it won't acces the BIOS).

Insert USB drive with *unpacked* BIOS 2.17 installer files

Select Language

Go to Repair, Advanced Option, Command Prompt

Change to the USB drive containing the BIOS 2.17 *unpacked* files

type update.bat (you might get a DNS error message -- no idea why)

The updater will check if the current BIOS is the same or earlier (so if you have updated to a later BIOS, you'll have to use that BIOS install instead) then go through the update process. Be sure to read ALL the instructions as you proceed.