How to update BIOS on Switch 10 SW5-012, and Recovery Option Fails Every Time
Tinkerer
Have a Acer Aspire Switch 10, model SW5-012, with 64GB drive. Currently "running" the Win 8.1 with Bing. "Running" in quotes because it's more like slow and buggy to the point of unusable. I want to change to Win10 or Mint, but first step is update 1.14 BIOS to current 1.20 BIOS.
HOW DO I DO THIS?
The current 1.20 BIOS download from ACER appeared to be a windows utility, so I tried that, and it appeared to work, "extracting utility", etc. Then nothing. Tried rebooting, hit load BIOS defaults, reboot, etc….nothing. Still 1.14.
Also tried resetting to factory conditions, it goes through the motions, but then shuts down. When I turn back on, it's as if nothing's changed. So I can't seem to update Bios, and I can't do a factory reset. Windows HHD device shows the recovery partition intact.
Help please, so far my Google Fu has failed me
Answers
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This is a Q3 2014 laptop with Intel Atom Z3735F CPU and comes with Window10 Home. Did you try to install this firmware patch first:
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It came with Win8.1 with Bing search engine. That's what's on it now. And no, I haven't installed this patch. Is this patch necessary? What does it do?
Thanks
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Install the patch and then try to install that BIOS 1.20 version again, you should have no issues upgrading to Windows10 but I have no idea if Microsoft still activates upgrades W10 from W8.1 as that was stopped in 2022.
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Thanks, will try later tonite
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And you don't actually have to update the BIOS in order to do the W10 install. The older versions of the BIOS support both OSes. As far as the update is concerned, you should be able to just double click the executable in Windows, though you might want to right click and run as administrator…
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Was able to update BIOS to 1.20. Do I need to install this particular patch? What does it do?
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Yep, that was it, run as administrator…….
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If no issues and Windows10 installs and runs OK, no need to install that patch.
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Installed Tiny 10, right off the bat sound driver isn't working, but Win 10 has a banner that says "before you can personalize Windows, you must activate it" right on the sound device page. So IDK if Windows is preventing successful sound driver install until activation or if that has nothing to do with it and it's another issue entirely.
What does this firmware patch DO?
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You have to install the same flavor of Windows to use the original license, so if it came with Windows 8.1 Home you have to install Windows 10 Home in order for the license to work. Tiny 10 isn't a Microsoft product, and is based on LTSC, which requires a different license than Home does. You will either have to install the correct version of Windows or purchase a license for the one you did install. Once you are licensed then you can make changes to the base OS, such as driver installs and updates.
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If your laptop came with only Windows8.1 OEM you won't be able to upgrade to Windows10 anymore, since 2022 Microsoft no longer activates upgrades from W7/8. So, you have to buy a digital Windows10 Home license for around $40, be aware that all very cheap or even free offers are illegit pirated licenses that may not activate or won't work.
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