Bios showing black screen on Swift 3 (SF314-57G-58PQ)

Hello, yesterday I decided to update my bios to the latest version on the acer website. I check my bios version and it shows "Insyde Corp. V1.21". I didn't read it carefully and thought it is V1.12 so I download the V1.18 installer. I run it and it show "the version of rom file isn't newer than that of bios". I proceed to run it a few more times and it still didn't work. Then I give up on updating it and tried to enter the bios. It only show a black screen while the keyboard blacklit and the fan is on.

I've tried enter the bios from windows and grub menu but it still shows a back screen while the keyboard backlit and the fan is on. I've also reset the bios with a pin. I dualboot linux and windows and both of them works fine. I can also use the boot menu as usual. Is there a way that I can fix the bios?

Laptop Information

Model: Swift 3 (SF314-57G-58PQ)

Specs: i5-1035G1, MX350, 8GB ram, 512GB SSD

OS: Windows 11 Home and Manjaro
Bios version: Insyde Corp. V1.21

Accepted answers

StevenGen

John435 said:

Hello, yesterday I decided to update my bios to the latest version on the acer website. I check my bios version and it shows "Insyde Corp. V1.21". I didn't read it carefully and thought it is V1.12 so I download the V1.18 installer. I run it and it show "the version of rom file isn't newer than that of bios". I proceed to run it a few more times and it still didn't work. Then I give up on updating it and tried to enter the bios. It only show a black screen while the keyboard blacklit and the fan is on.
I've tried enter the bios from windows and grub menu but it still shows a back screen while the keyboard backlit and the fan is on. I've also reset the bios with a pin. I dualboot linux and windows and both of them works fine. I can also use the boot menu as usual. Is there a way that I can fix the bios?

Laptop Information
Model: Swift 3 (SF314-57G-58PQ)
Specs: i5-1035G1, MX350, 8GB ram, 512GB SSD
OS: Windows 11 Home and Manjaro
Bios version: Insyde Corp. V1.21

Try this from the previous Swift SF314-56 and SF314-56G sevice guide which is recommended by Acer.

BIOS Flash Utilities

BIOS Flash memory updates are required for the following conditions:

New versions of system programs.
New features or options.
Restore a BIOS when it becomes corrupted.

Use the Flash utility to update the system BIOS Flash ROM.

NOTE: If a Crisis Recovery Disc is not available, create one before Flash utility is used.

NOTE: Do not install memory related drivers (XMS, EMS, DPMI) when Flash is used.

NOTE: Use AC adapter power supply when running Flash utility. If battery pack does not contain power to finish loading BIOS Flash, do not boot system.

Perform the following to run Flash.

1. Turn off the computer.

2. Insert the USB device containing the BIOS file and the Crisis Recovery disk files to any USB port.

3. Press and hold the Fn + Esc keys (this is the BIOS recovery hotkey), then press the power button. 4. Release the Fn + Esc keys after POST.

NOTE: Flash utility has auto execution function

Crisis Disk

This document is for testers who wants to do the BIOS crisis recovery test, or the users whose bios is crashed, But this action is not guaranteed to fix the BIOS recovery 100% and successfully (EX: when the PEI region part is crashed, the crisis recovery cannot fix the BIOS). The below steps are the detail for doing the crisis recovery:

Steps for BIOS Recovery from USB Storage

Please do the following steps as shown:

1. Prepare a USB flash disk. The USB flash disk must be formatted to FAT32 format.

2. Copy BIOS file “Icelake.fd” to USB flash disk.

3. Make sure your DUT battery capacity is above or equal 20%, then power off the DUT. Plug-in the USB flash disk that contains “Icelake.fd” file.

4. After power on the DUT, hold the “FN” + “ESC” Key about 4s right away to make sure the DUT has entered crisis recovery process, the DUT will keep being black during this process, and the LED light of your USB flash disk may be blinking at first.

5. When the crisis recovery process is completed, the DUT shutdown automatically. You can power on the DUT and it will show Acer logo, which represents the crisis recovery has been done successfully. Then plug out the usb flash disk, and you also can enter to OS to check the BIOS version.

NOTE:

1. Before you do the crisis recovery, make sure your USB flash disk is formatted to FAT32, and you have put the right “Icelake.fd” file in the USB flash disk.

2. In the whole crisis recovery process, it will take a few minutes (about 3 minutes), and have no display during this time, which is normal

All comments

billsey

The 1.21 version is something Microsoft pushed as an update outside the Acer sequence. Usually it does work, but the Linux install often sets the wait time for the BIOS keypress to zero. Try holding the key down when turning the system on to see if you can sneak in anyway. Once in the BIOs a reset to defaults (F9) and save and exit (F10) should get you back to normal.

StevenGen

John435 said:

Hello, yesterday I decided to update my bios to the latest version on the acer website. I check my bios version and it shows "Insyde Corp. V1.21". I didn't read it carefully and thought it is V1.12 so I download the V1.18 installer. I run it and it show "the version of rom file isn't newer than that of bios". I proceed to run it a few more times and it still didn't work. Then I give up on updating it and tried to enter the bios. It only show a black screen while the keyboard blacklit and the fan is on.
I've tried enter the bios from windows and grub menu but it still shows a back screen while the keyboard backlit and the fan is on. I've also reset the bios with a pin. I dualboot linux and windows and both of them works fine. I can also use the boot menu as usual. Is there a way that I can fix the bios?

Laptop Information
Model: Swift 3 (SF314-57G-58PQ)
Specs: i5-1035G1, MX350, 8GB ram, 512GB SSD
OS: Windows 11 Home and Manjaro
Bios version: Insyde Corp. V1.21

Try this from the previous Swift SF314-56 and SF314-56G sevice guide which is recommended by Acer.

BIOS Flash Utilities

BIOS Flash memory updates are required for the following conditions:

New versions of system programs.
New features or options.
Restore a BIOS when it becomes corrupted.

Use the Flash utility to update the system BIOS Flash ROM.

NOTE: If a Crisis Recovery Disc is not available, create one before Flash utility is used.

NOTE: Do not install memory related drivers (XMS, EMS, DPMI) when Flash is used.

NOTE: Use AC adapter power supply when running Flash utility. If battery pack does not contain power to finish loading BIOS Flash, do not boot system.

Perform the following to run Flash.

1. Turn off the computer.

2. Insert the USB device containing the BIOS file and the Crisis Recovery disk files to any USB port.

3. Press and hold the Fn + Esc keys (this is the BIOS recovery hotkey), then press the power button. 4. Release the Fn + Esc keys after POST.

NOTE: Flash utility has auto execution function

Crisis Disk

This document is for testers who wants to do the BIOS crisis recovery test, or the users whose bios is crashed, But this action is not guaranteed to fix the BIOS recovery 100% and successfully (EX: when the PEI region part is crashed, the crisis recovery cannot fix the BIOS). The below steps are the detail for doing the crisis recovery:

Steps for BIOS Recovery from USB Storage

Please do the following steps as shown:

1. Prepare a USB flash disk. The USB flash disk must be formatted to FAT32 format.

2. Copy BIOS file “Icelake.fd” to USB flash disk.

3. Make sure your DUT battery capacity is above or equal 20%, then power off the DUT. Plug-in the USB flash disk that contains “Icelake.fd” file.

4. After power on the DUT, hold the “FN” + “ESC” Key about 4s right away to make sure the DUT has entered crisis recovery process, the DUT will keep being black during this process, and the LED light of your USB flash disk may be blinking at first.

5. When the crisis recovery process is completed, the DUT shutdown automatically. You can power on the DUT and it will show Acer logo, which represents the crisis recovery has been done successfully. Then plug out the usb flash disk, and you also can enter to OS to check the BIOS version.

NOTE:

1. Before you do the crisis recovery, make sure your USB flash disk is formatted to FAT32, and you have put the right “Icelake.fd” file in the USB flash disk.

2. In the whole crisis recovery process, it will take a few minutes (about 3 minutes), and have no display during this time, which is normal

Easwar

Hi @John435,

Reset this PC and keep my files

1. Shutdown the unit. Press and hold alt+F10 key. Then turn ON the unit.
2. You will get a blue screen. Choose the option troubleshoot.

3 Ways to Reset Acer Laptop to Factory Settings without Password

3. Select Keep my files to refresh your PC and reinstall your operating system without removing your personal files. Click Next to continue. Important If you have apps installed on your PC, they will be removed.
4. Resetting the PC will reinstall Windows, change settings back to their factory defaults and remove all preinstalled apps and programs without removing your personal files. Click Reset to continue.
5. You will be shown the reset progress on the screen. The screen will turn off during the reset process.
6. The screen will turn back on when it is installing Windows. Your PC will restart several times during the reset process.
7. Follow the process until it completes.
8. When your PC has completed the reset process, Windows will have been reset back to its factory default settings without removing your personal files.

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