Acer Swift 1 SF114-32 P6M2 Insyde BIOS update via USB stick

After a classic BIOS upgrade that failed, the screen of my laptop stays black.

There is just one beep when I plug or unplug the AC power.

I'd like to know how to recover that Insyde BIOS.

For the time being, I have downloaded the latest v1.14 BIOS archive file. It's an EXE file (BIOS_114.exe) that can be extracted via 7zr.

So I have extracted all the files from it. The bios seems the file isflash.bin.

When via an hexadecimal editor you look for "2E0066006400" or in text ".fd", you will find the name of this BIOS. Here for this model SF114-32 P6M2, the BIOS is named SapporoGL.fd

I've put the renamed BIOS file, SapporoGL.fd, to an empty USB fat32 flashdrive.

I've removed the torx T6 screws and opened the laptop carefully then unpluged the battery connector.

I've disconnected the AC power adapter too.

I've inserted the USB flashdrive into one of the USB ports on the computer (I've tried every port).

Then I've holded down the Windows key and the B key (I've also tried with FN + ESC).

Then I connected the AC power adapter to the computer.

Then pressed the power button.

Then I released the two keys from step above.

But unfortunally nothing happened. I noticed that the led of the USB flash drive did not blink as expected for a file access.

Is the procedure for an Insyde BIOS on Swift 1 different?

Should the USB flash drive be labelled?

Another key combination?

Any idea would be welcome.

Accepted answers

Puraw

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1197628#Comment_1197628

For ACER BIOS it is Fn+ESC.

JackE wrote last year: "The FN+ESC method often fails because the BIOS boot section has failed and can no longer read from the USB port". In that case you have to bring/send your laptop to Acer Services install a new EEPROM with BIOS pre-loaded.

Also there are sometimes two ….bin files after unzipping, if you had 2 bin files did you try both of them?

All comments

Hurley994

Hello, Did you ever get your swift up and running again? I have the exact same problem after a Bios update.

Natal

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/984926#Comment_984926

Any update on this? I regret updating my bios to 1.15, never seen a bios update brick a computer before.

Natal

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/630089/acer-swift-1-sf114-32-p6m2-insyde-bios-update-via-usb-stick

OMG! I got it to boot - I'm so happy.

I used a 4GB Verbatim USB stick and format it to Fat32, then extract the "isflash.bin" file from the 1.15 bios update to the flash drive. I renamed it "SapporoGL.fd" idk if the name matters. I plug it to the usb 3.0 port near the hdmi on the left side. At first I plug it in press alt+esc and waited nothing happen. I gave up and start browsing the web for other methods but i saw the blinking "power light" but I didn't see anything on the usb but after a few minutes the USB started blinking a few times and all of sudden computer turn off. I thought it was just going to sleep mode but i turn it on and I saw the acer boot screen!

I'm never updating the bios again on this computer

😣

Billery

I'm stuck again with one of my three SF-114-32 via a BIOS update (v1.15).

@Natal: you say you have pressed ALT+ESC instead of FN+ESC ?

Are there guys who have success in such an operation.

Puraw

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1197628#Comment_1197628

For ACER BIOS it is Fn+ESC.

JackE wrote last year: "The FN+ESC method often fails because the BIOS boot section has failed and can no longer read from the USB port". In that case you have to bring/send your laptop to Acer Services install a new EEPROM with BIOS pre-loaded.

Also there are sometimes two ….bin files after unzipping, if you had 2 bin files did you try both of them?

Billery

Maybe this evokes something to someone, the Swift1 SF-114-32 P6M2 notebook can't be turned off: the power button seems to work but the computer powers itself after a few seconds: lighting up of the led of a USB key on the effective USB port, same for the keyboard led.

The FN+ESC manipulation seems to give nothing for the moment.
Should I disconnect the battery?

I have read that the boot process could be damaged. If so, what a lack of reliability for these models! I have flashed bios and firmwares in my life without ever having this total lack of reliability.

The Bios file BIOS_115.exe is dated 03/11/2020 15:31, MD5 is 0c94de58ca171d9b7a9184098f0a7a57

I've extracted it with 7zr:
7zr e BIOS_115.exe

Scanning the drive for archives:
1 file, 6262112 bytes (6116 KiB)

Extracting archive: BIOS_115.exe

Path = BIOS_115.exe
Type = 7z
Offset = 590965
Physical Size = 5671147
Headers Size = 507
Method = LZMA:24 BCJ
Solid = +
Blocks = 2

Everything is Ok

Files: 15
Size: 14635078
Compressed: 6262112

It gives an isflash.bin file with MDS ea80622a1e1500397e5e29695160e0ff

according to the platform ini file, section [MULTI_FD]
FD#01=IO,C0,5AABFE02,5AABFE02,BIOS.fd,ME.fd
FD#02=PCI,0,1F,2,80,FFFFFFFF,00007007,BIOS.fd,ME.fd
FD#03=MPCIIO,2,PCI-0-1F-0-00-FFFFFFFF-3B0B8086,IO-538-0100-0000,BIOS.fd,ME.fd
FD#04=ID,ModelName,BIOS.fd
FD#05=OS,32,32bios.bin,,32.ini
FD#06=OS,64,64bios.bin,me.bin,64.ini
FD#07=MEMORY,FF679000,FFFFFFFF,A2346578,BIOS.fd,ME.bin,config.ini
FD#08=CPUID,FFFFFFFF,000406E3,BIOS.fd,ME.bin,config.ini

I renamed iflash.bin to BIOS.fd, 64bios.bin that I put on the root of a fat32 formatted USB key

Your advises are welcome

Billery

I've also written on the USB stick with led a file named SapporoGL.fd

Billery

Still stuck wit that horrible Swift1

billsey

Here are the key press steps:

As Natal said about a year ago, rename the file to SapporoGL.fd.

Billery

Thank you for the answer billsey, have you seen my message since

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1197687#Comment_1197687

billsey

And what happens when you have the SapporoGL.fd file in the root of a FAT32 formatted USB flash drive while following those directions? Remember you have to hold the keys down until POST has been completed…

You might also try putting the Windows BIOS install image on a Windows install flash drive, boot from that and run the BIOS installed from the command prompt…

Billery

Thank you for your concern. It's not so lonely when someone who cares replies to you.
I've tried the procedure on several Led USB sticks formatted in fat32 and containing the SapporoGL.fd file at the root of the stick. But alas, it doesn't work and no boot on the key, whatever the USB port used, occurs allowing a BIOS update. I think I'll try an EEPROM flasher like a CH341A 24 25