Aspire 4937 Model KAL90 black screen after BIOS update

Greetings Acer community!

 

I tried to update my BIOS from v1.2 to v1.8 (latest bios for my machine), I did it with the DOS update method.

However, I got an error after booting to DOS and running flashit.exe that says "ROM image is different", the current BIOS Model name (KALG0), which sounds wrong because my machine is KAL90 and that's what it says on the bottom of the laptop.

 

Anyway, I did something stupid which is downloading the KALG0 update from another notebook version, the update was smooth and successfully finished updating. Unfortunately, it went black.. 

I have tried almost every method to crisis boot (pressing fn + esc) but the LED is not flashing the way its meant to. its dead black. I tried esc+ fn / win+esc / fn+b / win+b and i got nothing.

 

I think the problem is because of a wrong way of setting up the USB bios crisis disk, can someone please explain in details?

 

I don't want to trash it..

 

 [edited to override word filter]

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Answers

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,912 Trailblazer

    What was the original name of the BIOS.FD that you used? Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ

  • AbodyRulez
    AbodyRulez Member Posts: 5 New User
    Thank you for responding Jack.
    Do you mean the new BIOS.FD that i used to update my old bios version?
    Abdullah.
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,912 Trailblazer

    >>>I tried to update my BIOS from v1.2 to v1.8 (latest bios for my machine), I did it with the DOS update method.>>>

     

    What was the original name of the FD file in v1.8? I assume you had to decompress whatever bios file you downloaded---it should be in the DOS subdirectory. Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ

  • AbodyRulez
    AbodyRulez Member Posts: 5 New User

    I apologize, it took me a while to reply, had to get on another computer to check the previously downloaded BIOS.FD version.

    The downloaded BIOS dos driver contained 3 files [KAL90108.bat - KAL90108.fd - FLASHIT.exe], but as I mentioned before, this FD showed an incompatible different version.

     

    The laptop's SNID: 91414543816

    Model Name: AS4937G

    Part Number: LX.P430X.017

     

    However, The FD BIOS I used to update was KALG0208.FD (Which belongs to Acer 4736).

    Abdullah.

     

    [edited to override word filter]

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,912 Trailblazer

    >>>KAL90108.fd>>>

     

    Try this. FAT format a USB stick with an activity LED. Copy KAL90108.fd to the stick. No other files or folders should be on this stick. Power down your machine. Insert the USB stick. Press & hold Fn+Esc keys. Then power up while still holding the Fn+Esc keys. You should soon see USB LED activity if the bios boot block hasn't been corrupted. Let go of the Fn+Esc only after you see significant LED activity. Report back. Jack E/NJ      

    Jack E/NJ

  • AbodyRulez
    AbodyRulez Member Posts: 5 New User
    Unfortunately, the USB LED didn't blink.
    Any other ideas?
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,912 Trailblazer

    I need to know the name of the compressed bios file that you downloaded and the website from which you downloaded it. Jack E/NJ

     

     

    Jack E/NJ

  • Hazx
    Hazx Member Posts: 10

    Tinkerer

    Hello 

     

    The name of the compressed file is (BIOS_Acer_1.08_A_A.zip)

     

    downloded from 

     

    https://www.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/support-product/1091?b=1

  • AbodyRulez
    AbodyRulez Member Posts: 5 New User
    Hello Jack,

    Its correct what Hazx said about the compressed file name. However, the BIOS that was installed which corrupted the system was named (BIOS_Acer_2.08_A_A.zip) which brlongs to Acer Model 4736.

    Downloded from:

    http://global-download.acer.com/GDFiles/BIOS/BIOS/BIOS_Acer_2.08_A_A.zip?acerid=634031802645673357&Step1=NOTEBOOK&Step2=ASPIRE&Step3=ASPIRE%204736&OS=ALL&LC=en&BC=ACER&SC=PA_6#_ga=1.197581800.659049266.1483318005
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,912 Trailblazer

    OK. Power down machine. Remove battery and charger. Press and hold the power button for a minute or so. Re-insert the FAT stick with the .fd file. Press and hold the Fn+Esc keys and don't let go. Re-insert the charger only, no battery. Then press & hold the power button. If you see USB LED activity, release the power button and Fn+Esc keys. The machine may or may not shut off after LED activity stops. If not, power down by pressing and holding power button. Remove USB stick. Then power up again. Report back with results. Jack E/NJ 

    Jack E/NJ

  • Hazx
    Hazx Member Posts: 10

    Tinkerer

    the laptop powers up by  by pressing the button then releasing it ,,so  pressing the button and holding it wont turn it on 

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,912 Trailblazer

    Then release the power button if it won't power up by holding it down. Jack E/NJ 

    Jack E/NJ

  • Hazx
    Hazx Member Posts: 10

    Tinkerer

    The led flash worked , the laptop didnt shutdown by it self , i tried holding the power button but it didnt work , had to unplug power cable,, i turn it back on and black screen still exist
  • Hazx
    Hazx Member Posts: 10

    Tinkerer

    Note: Shutting down the laptop with power button works fine without previous method
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,912 Trailblazer

    >>>The led flash worked , the laptop didnt shutdown by it self , i tried holding the power button but it didnt work , had to unplug power cable,, i turn it back on and black screen still exist >>>

     

    OK. Let's try it this way. Reformat the USB-LED stick to FAT32 and copy the .FD to it. The only file on it. Then remove battery and power supply. Press & hold power button for a minute or so without the battery or charger.

     

    Then insert the FAT32 stick with the FD file. Press & hold Fn+Esc. Don't let go. Plug in charger, no battery. Then push power button to power up (don't hold the power button if it won't power up) while still holding the Fn+Esc keys. Release keys when LED activity is confirmed. Hopefully machine will now shut down on it's own. Report back with results.

     

    Jack E/NJ  

    Jack E/NJ

  • Hazx
    Hazx Member Posts: 10

    Tinkerer

    The machine still on , it did not shut down , power button still not working
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,912 Trailblazer

    Then pull plug again. Re-power up without the stick inserted. If the screen is still black, do you get any audio hints that Windows may in fact be booting? Such as a welcoming melody? If not, please try to toggle the screen on and off with the Fn+F5 or Fn+F6 toggle switch combinations. Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ

  • Hazx
    Hazx Member Posts: 10

    Tinkerer

    Fn+f5 or f6 didnt work ,

    Actually after powering it up , the fan and the dvd reader work for 3 seconds (noise) then shut down ,
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,912 Trailblazer

    >>>Fn+f5 or f6 didnt work , Actually after powering it up , the fan and the dvd reader work for 3 seconds (noise) then shut down ,>>>

     

    You mean the whole machine shut down by itself? Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ

  • Hazx
    Hazx Member Posts: 10

    Tinkerer

    Oh not i mean the fan and the dvd drive