Acer AO751h will not boot after a botched BIOS ver. 3212 update . . .

I need help. After trying to update the BIOS version 3204 to 3212 something went wrong. Now, when I boot, it has a black screen, I can hear the drive take a turn or two and the power swt. is lite. I have tried to use forum advice using a USB thumb drive to load in special files, and the "Fn + ESC" key combo. The power swt. blinks, the USB drive blinks, but no proper action is really taking place. It seems obvious to me that I am not loading the correct files to the flash thumb drive. When BIOS update version 3212 downloads, it unzippes into 10 files. I need instructions as what to do at that point to load up my USB flash drive such that the Acer can properly use the programs and get itself to a BIOS recovery and bootable again. Thnaks for any assistance. .

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skywagon

Acer AO751h Botched Bios fix is finally figured out. And, it works. No help from the Acer Tech Staff on this one. I will include a detailed set of instructions in a day or two as I need to get all my notes and files cleaned up from all the work on this.

skywagon

Repairing an Acer model AO751h notebook after a BIOS update or similar goes bad and the computer turns into a "brick". ( A year from now, some of these links may not be active and you will have to search for similar active web sites) When this happened to my ACER with Vista, I was attempting to update the BIOS from ver. 3204 (factory) to 3212 (most recent version). Something happened during the update and my computer when shut off would not do anything when restarted except show the power switch light and the disk drive would spin for a second or two and stop. Screen black. (After reading my Solution, if you want to tackle this, print my instruction set for easier referring) This condition, a botched BIOS, can be fixed. To make this work, you need the following. . . * A 1Gb thumb/flash drive. It is reported on other forums that the typical larger memory flash drive may botch the final set-up.(1) * Access to a working computer that runs Windows XP.(1) * Download several files using the XP computer. * Review a couple of websites and possibly print the instructions to make doing the steps easier. ( I assume everyone that tries this knows how to Copy text from a web site and then Paste it to WordPad or Word for printing.) * Pay close attention to the steps envolved as these will lead to a successful flash drive containing the correct files. * This recovery flash drive will be used to bring life back to your ACER "brick" . . . Action: 1. Go to the three weblinks listed here: http://www.laptop-forums.com/threads/acer-ao751h-black-screen-how-do-i-get-the-bios-in.18954/ ( scroll down to the answer by "altman", "I found a solution for the AO751h". His answer is only part of the solution and the web links he shows do not work anymore. But, many of his steps are part of the solution. Print out his answer) http://gammarco.wordpress.com/tag/bios/ (This web author gives detail steps on what to do when the mini-menu comes up dealing with "Phoenix Crisis Disk Build". Print his answers and underline each step so that you won't have to do this twice. .!!). He is repairing an HP computer and I will note which of his steps to not follow. From his web site, you will also download this file Wincrisis 1.0.0.4 to a folder on the XP computer. http://us.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/drivers Under ACER Support click the tab for Driver and Manuals. In box Search by Product Model type in "AO751h" Next click the tab "BIOS" and you want to "download" the version 3212 BIOS. BUT, before you download any of these files (to the XP computer) make & name a folder so that you can locate easily these files later. I used a new file folder named BIOS FIX. STEPS: 1.) Put the flash drive into an XP USB slot and open it. Erase any files that are on this drive. Next, format the drive using a FAT format as it is reported other formats may not work (1) 2.) Now, you will follow the printed instructions from the gammarko web site. . Download the Wincrisis 1.0.0.4 file from his site into a folder. It is zipped file and needs to unzipped. Unzipping with produce about 10 files. You only will use a couple of them. Some of his instructions must not be done as he is working with a broken HP laptop. Do not follow his steps on finding the "30CCF08.WPH file and dragging to the flash drive. We are working with an ACER and we will do this step next. 3.) The Acer BIOS download brings a zipped file called "BIOS_Acer_A_A" When you un-zip, it produces 4 folders with several files in some folders. The only file you need is in the folder "ROM File". This file is named "ZA33212.WPH". Drag the ZA3212.WPH file and drop it in the WINCRIS folder where you unzipped WINCRIS files.. 4.) Rename the flash drive file ZAQ3212.WPH to BIOS.WPH and leave it in the WINCRIS folder. 5.) Next, run the file WINCRIS.EXE application, and carefully follow gammarko steps and refer to his web site page showing the image called "Phoenix Crisis Disk Build". This is the delicate part of the procedure. 6.) Running WINCRIS.EXE brings up a small menu screen that you deal with. Highlight the choice "Removeable disk" (flash drive in our case) Click Start button on the small menu screen. This will build a bootable flash drive. After a moment, it will say REMOVE your stick and reconnect. Use gammarko's instruction set to follow important details. 7.) At the end of the WINCRIS operation again, refer to gammarkos notes. Disconnect the flash drive and close WINCRIS 8.) Now, reconnect the flash drive to the XP USB port (you are almost done). Get into the WINCRIS folder that contains WINCRIS.EXE and other unzipped files and your file that you renamed to BIOS.WPH. Copy 3 files to the flash drive: MINIDOS.SYS, PHLASH16.EXE, AND BIOS.WPH. 9.) When you are done open your flash drive on the XP machine and check that you have only 3 files on this drive. BIOS.WPH MINIDOS.SYS PHLASH16 3 files located in the flash drive root directory; meaning no folders or subfolders. NEXT YOU GET TO FIX YOUR ACER COMPUTER . . . . 1.) Don't follow gammarko's steps at this point. Again he is dealing with an HP computer. 2.) Remove the battery and AC charging cord from the ACER. We want it totally dead. 3.) Plug your special flash drive into the ACER. I used the left USB port next to the power socket. 4.) With one hand press and hold down the Fn and ESC keys thru the next steps. 5.) Plug in the AC chargine cord to the ACER. 6.) Now, tap the power switch once. 7.) When you see the LED on the flash drive active, you let go of the Fn and ESC keys. 8.) you should see activity on the flash drive for a few seconds (nothing on the screen) . 9.) Wait about one minute, activity should have stopped, and turn the compute off using the power switch. 10.) unplug the flash drive and press power. If all goes well the ACER will boot normally. 11.) once booted and running normally, it is Ok to slip the battery back into place. Hope this procedure works for you as it did for me and you will also have the newer BIOS version installed. _____________________________________________________________ Notes: (1) I cannot personally verify this limitation.

skywagon

The following steps will "FIX" the BIOS failure in the AO751h laptop/netbook.*** My format will be compressed by this forum's method of posting Replies.. .Sorry about that. Suggestion. .Copy the whole answer and paste into Wordpad or Word and then reformat the verbage so it is readable and not all compressed *******************

Repairing an Acer model AO751h notebook after a BIOS update or similar goes bad and the computer turns into a "brick". ( A year from now, some of these links may not be active and you will have to search for similar active web sites) When this happened to my ACER with Vista, I was attempting to update the BIOS from ver. 3204 (factory) to 3212 (most recent version). Something happened during the update and my computer when shut off would not do anything when restarted except show the power switch light and the disk drive would spin for a second or two and stop. Screen black. (After reading my Solution, if you want to tackle this, print my instruction set for easier referring)

This condition, a botched BIOS, can be fixed. To make this work, you need the following. . . * A 1Gb thumb/flash drive. It is reported on other forums that the typical larger memory flash drive may botch the final set-up.

(1) * Access to a working computer that runs Windows XP.

(1) * Download several files using the XP computer. * Review a couple of websites and possibly print the instructions to make doing the steps easier. ( I assume everyone that tries this knows how to Copy text from a web site and then Paste it to WordPad or Word for printing.) * Pay close attention to the steps envolved as these will lead to a successful flash drive containing the correct files. * This recovery flash drive will be used to bring life back to your ACER "brick" . . .

Action: 1. Go to the three weblinks listed here: http://www.laptop-forums.com/threads/acer-ao751h-black-screen-how-do-i-get-the-bios-in.18954/ ( scroll down to the answer by "altman", "I found a solution for the AO751h". His answer is only part of the solution and the web links he shows do not work anymore. But, many of his steps are part of the solution. Print out his answer) http://gammarco.wordpress.com/tag/bios/ (This web author gives detail steps on what to do when the mini-menu comes up dealing with "Phoenix Crisis Disk Build". Print his answers and underline each step so that you won't have to do this twice. .!!).

He is repairing an HP computer and I will note which of his steps to not follow. From his web site, you will also download this file Wincrisis 1.0.0.4 to a folder on the XP computer.

http://us.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/drivers Under ACER Support click the tab for Driver and Manuals. In box Search by Product Model type in "AO751h" Next click the tab "BIOS" and you want to "download" the version 3212 BIOS. BUT, before you download any of these files (to the XP computer) make & name a folder so that you can locate easily these files later. I used a new file folder named BIOS FIX.

STEPS: 1.) Put the flash drive into an XP USB slot and open it. Erase any files that are on this drive. Next, format the drive using a FAT format as it is reported other formats may not work (1)

2.) Now, you will follow the printed instructions from the gammarko web site. . Download the Wincrisis 1.0.0.4 file from his site into a folder. It is zipped file and needs to unzipped. Unzipping with produce about 10 files. You only will use a couple of them. Some of his instructions must not be done as he is working with a broken HP laptop. Do not follow his steps on finding the "30CCF08.WPH file and dragging to the flash drive. We are working with an ACER and we will do this step next.

3.) The Acer BIOS download brings a zipped file called "BIOS_Acer_A_A" When you un-zip, it produces 4 folders with several files in some folders. The only file you need is in the folder "ROM File". This file is named "ZA33212.WPH". Drag the ZA3212.WPH file and drop it in the WINCRIS folder where you unzipped WINCRIS files..

4.) Rename the flash drive file ZAQ3212.WPH to BIOS.WPH and leave it in the WINCRIS folder.

5.) Next, run the file WINCRIS.EXE application, and carefully follow gammarko steps and refer to his web site page showing the image called "Phoenix Crisis Disk Build". This is the delicate part of the procedure.

6.) Running WINCRIS.EXE brings up a small menu screen that you deal with. Highlight the choice "Removeable disk" (flash drive in our case) Click Start button on the small menu screen. This will build a bootable flash drive. After a moment, it will say REMOVE your stick and reconnect. Use gammarko's instruction set to follow important details.

7.) At the end of the WINCRIS operation again, refer to gammarkos notes. Disconnect the flash drive and close WINCRIS

8.) Now, reconnect the flash drive to the XP USB port (you are almost done). Get into the WINCRIS folder that contains WINCRIS.EXE and other unzipped files and your file that you renamed to BIOS.WPH. Copy 3 files to the flash drive: MINIDOS.SYS, PHLASH16.EXE, AND BIOS.WPH.

9.) When you are done open your flash drive on the XP machine and check that you have only 3 files on this drive. BIOS.WPH MINIDOS.SYS PHLASH16 3 files located in the flash drive root directory; meaning no folders or subfolders.

NEXT YOU GET TO FIX YOUR ACER COMPUTER . . . .

1.) Don't follow gammarko's steps at this point. Again he is dealing with an HP computer.

2.) Remove the battery and AC charging cord from the ACER. We want it totally dead.

3.) Plug your special flash drive into the ACER. I used the left USB port next to the power socket.

4.) With one hand press and hold down the Fn and ESC keys thru the next steps.

5.) Plug in the AC chargine cord to the ACER.

6.) Now, tap the power switch once.

7.) When you see the LED on the flash drive active, you let go of the Fn and ESC keys.

8.) you should see activity on the flash drive for a few seconds (nothing on the screen) .

9.) Wait about one minute, activity should have stopped, and turn the compute off using the power switch.

10.) unplug the flash drive and press power. If all goes well the ACER will boot normally.

11.) once booted and running normally, it is Ok to slip the battery back into place. Hope this procedure works for you as it did for me and you will also have the newer BIOS version installed.

Notes: (1) I cannot personally verify this limitation.

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