No access to BIOS | Aspire V5-571G

Lodifice
Lodifice Member Posts: 7 New User
edited November 2023 in 2018 Archives

Hi Acer Community,

 

the problem is: I can´t enter BIOS on my notebook, I don´t know what´s the problem and I have now idea what to do now.

 

What did I do?

I had Windows 7 installed and everything worked well. Then I decided to install Debian GNU/Linux instead. That worked as well, though I had some issues with wifi connection and the system did not shutdown properly. That´s why I wanted to reinstall Windows. In order to boot from DVD, i had to change the boot order, because Debian always changes its own boot priority to max - so at this point BIOS was still working! During Windows 7 setup, I formated all HDD partitions, created new ones and BAM! Windows 7 would not installt because it has some problems with GPT partitions, it said it could not install to this partition (I tried all). So I canceled the installation and restartet the system. Of course now it printed "Operating system not found". I could not even enter  BIOS (allthough it showed the normal message "Press F2 ..." and the Windows 7 installation had trouble finding some drivers, so it did not even start correctly. The Acer Recovery I created from Windows 7 (before installing Debian) started, but it failed to copy the first file and ended. So nothing worked. However, I could install Debian again, which is now my OS.

 

Current situation:

OS is Debian 7, it´s working, but I have many problems with it (cannot change display brightness, often looses wifi connection, instantly reboots (!) after shutdown)

Can´t enter BIOS: I have tried F2, DEL, ESC, F10, F12 without success.

Debian is again at boot priority #1, and I can´t change it without BIOS (so not able to BOOT from DVD etc)

I have tried to short the G2201 contact (service manual describes how to use it to remove BIOS password), no success.

Maybe it´s import that I use GRUB bootloader, which was automatically installed with Debian

 

So at this point, I can just hope that someone of you has an idea what to try next.

 

Thank you for reading this

«1

Answers

  • finlux
    finlux ACE Posts: 1,834 Pathfinder

    Hi Lodifice

     

    Have you tried using a Windows 7 Repair Disk? If you haven't got one, you'll need a working Windows 7 PC to make it - just make sure you use the same architecture (x86 or x64). See here on how to do so.

     

    Once you boot from the disk, select the "Command Prompt" option and format your drive from there. Type:

     

    format c: /fs:NTFS

     

    This will take a while, but once done, remove the disk & insert your Acer recovery disk in the laptop. Restart & boot from the optical drive. This should now start the recovery process.

  • Lodifice
    Lodifice Member Posts: 7 New User

    Hey, thanks for your reply, but I don´t think it would work, as I can´t enter BIOS to select to boot from DVD ... Is there any way to boot from such a DVD without access to BIOS?

  • finlux
    finlux ACE Posts: 1,834 Pathfinder
    Not unless it is automatically set to do so!

    If it is still under warranty, contact Acer support for region or take it to your local PC store.

    I've not known a PC not to boot into BIOS - even if the hard drive is missing. Unless the BIOS is corrupt.
  • Lodifice
    Lodifice Member Posts: 7 New User

    The BIOS boot order was changed by installing Debian. I have no idea how installing an OS would change BIOS configuration or make it unable to enter BIOS, but that´s what happened.

     

    If you can confirm that there is absolute no way to repair BIOS in my situation, I will have to contact Acer support. However, I really don´t want to do so because I´m studying and I need my Notebook everyday.

  • finlux
    finlux ACE Posts: 1,834 Pathfinder

    There may be a way, but it will involve dismanting your laptop to get at the CMOS battery, but it would invalidate your warranty by doing so! Plus there is no guarantee it will work.

    I think the best solution is to contact support, but you will be without your laptop for a while.

    You could try your local PC store which will be quicker, but it would cost money.

    Is there another laptop you can borrow whilst it's in for repair?

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,330 Trailblazer

    >>> I could not even enter  BIOS (allthough it showed the normal message "Press F2 ...">>>

     

    Have you confirmed that the F2 key itself is in good working order?

     

    Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ

  • Lodifice
    Lodifice Member Posts: 7 New User

    I already thought about this, but can the CMOS battery be removed? I've heard of some laptops that had the battery in such a bad position where you can't remove it. And I don't want to dismant the laptop, loose warranty just to find out that it doesnt work.

     

    If I send my laptop to support, I will do it during Christmas holidays, i hope that'll be enough time to "repair" it.

     

    F2 works, I use it everyday...

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,330 Trailblazer

    OK, one more simple thing. Have you tried the pressing and holding the F2 key (or a bunch of keys for that matter) and then powering on to try to force it into the bios?

     

    Jack E/NJ 

     

    PS: If it's still under warranty, I would resist the temptation to try to remove the MB battery --- often soldered in esp for laptops and netbooks.

    Jack E/NJ

  • Lodifice
    Lodifice Member Posts: 7 New User

    I have tried both spamming and holding F2 (which was the standard key), ESC and DEL. Nothing.

     

    Hm, battery may be soldered in, I heard that as well, so I won't open my laptop.

     

    However, there must be a solution for my problem.

  • finlux
    finlux ACE Posts: 1,834 Pathfinder
    Without taking it apart, the only solution is to send it in for repair....!
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,330 Trailblazer

    >>> there must be a solution for my problem.>>>

     

    I agree. Have you tried getting support from the Debian or other Linux community yet? Your linux installation may have put some kind of a lock on your bios --- there must be a way of unlocking it.

     

    I personally don't like messing with boot loaders and partition managers any more for this very reason. Instead, I now use virtual machines to run different OS. Right now I'm running Win98SE, WinXP and SuSE as guests on my Win7 hosted AO722. I find the VMWare players fairly bulletproof running virtual machines.

     

    Jack E/NJ    

    Jack E/NJ

  • finlux
    finlux ACE Posts: 1,834 Pathfinder
    @ JackE

    I've not heard of a Linux distro putting a lock on the BIOS before, but I suppose there's always a first time!

    I completely agree about vmware though, a great peace of software!
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,330 Trailblazer

    finlux>>>I've not heard of a Linux distro putting a lock on the BIOS before, but I suppose there's always a first time!>>>

     

    Me neither. Maybe 'lock' is the wrong term. I'm no expert but I do know that info to do some fairly low level stuff seems more readily available from the Linux community than from the Windows community. 8^)

     

    Jack E/NJ

     

     

    Jack E/NJ

  • vaizaren
    vaizaren Member Posts: 44 Die Hard WiFi Icon

    i have figured this out, but on a windows 8.1 os...

    try on refreshing/resetting 

     

    there, you can see an 3 options

     

    reset

    refresh

    advance options

     

    go to adv opt.

     

    then you'll find there an option that leads to bios...that's for you to search... i forgot the name

     

  • vaizaren
    vaizaren Member Posts: 44 Die Hard WiFi Icon

    - with uefi enabled, the only way I can access the BIOS setup screen is to select it from Windows 8 configuration page.
    - In non uefi mode (legacy bios) I can start from a boot device like the Windows 8 recovery pendrive or dvd (I don't know why now works, I tried different bios configuration, lastly setting up also the user password)
    - to return to uefi mode I have to press for two min the power button (!!)

  • Lodifice
    Lodifice Member Posts: 7 New User

    Before I'll send in my laptop, I'll check if that issues might be caused by Linux.

     

    Debian installation HAS altered boot order, which is a BIOS option, so it could potentially have "locked" BIOS access, BUT after the first installation of Debian I was still able to enter BIOS (otherwise I couldn't have booted from Windows DVD), and after trying to reinstall Windows 7 my BIOS was "gone".

     

    So I guess, I made a mistake when reinstalling Windows 7, because I deleted all partitions created by Debian and then Windows installation failed, so I think THAT is the point where we have to investigate.

  • finlux
    finlux ACE Posts: 1,834 Pathfinder
    The BIOS is completely separate from an OS, a computer will "work" as such without a hard disk, but without a BIOS it is nothing more than a box!

    BIOS is "hard written to a chip". Only by flashing a BIOS can it be changed.

    Altering a boot sector will not affect the BIOS.
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,330 Trailblazer

    finlux>>>Altering a boot sector will not affect the BIOS.>>>

     

    Agreed. But I think the problem here is (1) the BIOS boot order has somehow been changed outside the BIOS options screens (2) the access to the BIOS options screen has somehow been lost.

     

    What do you think about VAIZAREN's UEFI v BIOS comments above?

     

    Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ

  • petrosd2012
    petrosd2012 Member Posts: 13 New User

     because the Boot Order under UEFI stays the same (Secure Boot OS) and you don't have one any more. It's a useless 'feature' of the Acer/UEFI BIOS Setup. The bottom line? You're screwed unless you install WIn8 from the Recovery Disks. Unsoldering the CMOS battery won't change a thing because that boot order is the default boot order.