Acer Aspire 5 A515-54 UEFI-BIOS update from UBUNTU (LINUX)

Hi, I've got installed Ubuntu 20.04 standalone and I want to update my UEFI (currently 1.11) because the screen will remain black once I close and open the lid and the only solution is to hard-reboot with the power button. I've read that multiple users managed to solve the problem by updating the firmware. Could you please tell me how to do it from Ubuntu? I've got the latest .exe file in a formatted FAT32 USB stick but it would NOT appear in both grub/UEFI settings. Also I've read somewhere that it could be possible to copy and paste the executable file into /boot/efi/EFI but actually I haven't tried yet cause in that directory I've got three more folders (Boot, OEM, ubuntu) and I don't know which one to choose .

Thanks!

Accepted answers

philipp_

SOLVED!

Indeed the problem was the UEFI version v.1.11. I updated it to the latest v.1.24 and now the black screen problem after closing the lid has disappeared!

My solution WITHOUT INSTALLING WINDOWS ON MY HARD DRIVE was to open Windows on another machine (any machine is fine) and use Rufus to create a LiveUSB Windows 10 by selecting "Windows To Go" (it's disabled by default. See Youtube tutorial). Make sure to use the Win10.iso and NOT the Win11, which is really unstable on a Live USB. Also use a USB stick that is decent in W/R in terms of MB or it will take ages to boot and setup.

After that I booted Win10 from the USB , ran the .exe file which prompted the system to reboot into a BIOS flashing utility. A couple of minutes should be enough: DO NOT REBOOT/SWITCH OFF in the meantime.

Later I had to reset the battery (switch off & unplug --> rear side --> battery pinhole --> grab paper clip --> press for 5 seconds --> wait 5 minutes ) and switch the SATA mode to AHCI in UEFI settings (to modify SATA you must go in Advanced tab and click Ctrl+S, if it does not work try same combination in different tabs).

Cheers

All comments

JackE

>>>I've read that multiple users managed to solve the problem by updating the firmware.>>>

If it was mine, I would not touch the firmware outside the Windows environment. The risk of bricking or adverse side-effects are already high enough doing it from inside Windows let alone inside Linux, And absolutely the last thing I'd try even from Windows unless the BIOS description specifically addresses a wake up screen issue, None of them do for your model..

I'd either live with the issue. Or turn off sleep altogether. Or post to the ubuntu forums for a solution that does NOT involve a BIOS firmware change. this issue is often worked around inside Windows by disabling hibernation/fastboot which seems to be often triggered by sleep mode, necessitating a power off reboot to re-initialize the display graphics. Perhaps posting this info on the ubuntu forums will yield a way around this sleep/hibernation dilemma issue without involving a firmware update.

Please report back on any leads you get to help others on these forums who haven't set up ubuntu alongside Windows.

philipp_

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1154759#Comment_1154759

This problem is widely known to be affecting both Win-alone, Win-Linux dualboot and Linux-alone. I've tested all of them and tried ANY proposed solution in ANY ubuntu/linux forum in the last three years. The only successful method, as reported by multiple users in this same community (see: https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/584970/acer-aspire-5-a515-54-708w-cannot-wake-up-after-putting-laptop-to-sleep/p2) , is to update UEFI at least at v1.16). Furthermore, after three years of using an Acer machine and witnessing the multiple problems at firmware level, it does not surprise me that Acer did not specify all the problems addressed by a certain BIOS version :) they just don't know what they're doing.

JackE

>>>Ubuntu 20.04 standalone>>>This problem is widely known>>>Win-Linux dualboot>>>I've tested all of them and tried ANY proposed solution in ANY ubuntu/linux forum in the last three years.>>>

So set it up dual boot again. But disable fast startup or hibernation before installing Ubuntu alongside. Make the Windows partition as small as you like. SSD capacities are so huge & cheap now, there's really no reason not to dual boot. Especially when you've apparently been stuck for 3 yrs.

Then run the BIOS update EXE in the Windows environment. Don't even think about trying to run it with a WINE overlay. Or maybe use a more polished distro like Cinnamon which all my Acers and HPs are running dual boot None have this issue in Lin or Win. And all still have the factory firmware. So your problem not too widely known around my neck of the woods. 🙂

Commodore_1995#

I would check this bios version:

philipp_

SOLVED!

Indeed the problem was the UEFI version v.1.11. I updated it to the latest v.1.24 and now the black screen problem after closing the lid has disappeared!

My solution WITHOUT INSTALLING WINDOWS ON MY HARD DRIVE was to open Windows on another machine (any machine is fine) and use Rufus to create a LiveUSB Windows 10 by selecting "Windows To Go" (it's disabled by default. See Youtube tutorial). Make sure to use the Win10.iso and NOT the Win11, which is really unstable on a Live USB. Also use a USB stick that is decent in W/R in terms of MB or it will take ages to boot and setup.

After that I booted Win10 from the USB , ran the .exe file which prompted the system to reboot into a BIOS flashing utility. A couple of minutes should be enough: DO NOT REBOOT/SWITCH OFF in the meantime.

Later I had to reset the battery (switch off & unplug --> rear side --> battery pinhole --> grab paper clip --> press for 5 seconds --> wait 5 minutes ) and switch the SATA mode to AHCI in UEFI settings (to modify SATA you must go in Advanced tab and click Ctrl+S, if it does not work try same combination in different tabs).

Cheers

JackE

>>>My solution WITHOUT INSTALLING WINDOWS ON MY HARD DRIVE was to open Windows on another machine (any machine is fine) and use Rufus to create a LiveUSB Windows 10 by selecting "Windows To Go">>>

Congrats on taking the WTG risk and succeeding without bricking the machine. 🙂 Thanks for reporting back.

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