How do I update the bios on Aspire XC-603G?

don't use FreeDOS on Rufus but MS-DOS, set the USB flash drive format to FAT32.

once created the bootablet MS-DOS USB flash drive, copy the BIOS files.

set your desktop BIOS to Legacy and enable CSM, now try to boot from the USB flash drive.

Thanks ACE but I tried that, I get that "insert a proper bootable media" error.

There is no "legacy" mode in this version of the BIOS, but yes, I have CSM enabled.

I'm thinking the old bios version is part of the sturggle I'm having. There are about 5 versions of the bios that include bug fixes and all kinds of things since the version that came on the computer when I bought it new, a few months ago.

Isn't there a way to flash the bios in windows? I'm goin crazy trying everything. It's like I'm stuck in a catch 22, I need a bios update to boot to USB, and I need to boot to USB to run the bios update!

Have you tried with another USB flash drive?

(sometimes a smaller one is better for BIOS flash, 1 to 4 GB)

i can't check BIOS versions now, since i'm getting service not available on the support website. Smiley Happy

on BIOS, do you have any secure boot option?

it must be under Authentication, you must set it to disable or it will not boot from other OS.

Yea, secure boot is disabled. I'm sorry if I wasn't clear in my first post but I did mention it's disabled.

I'm using a 2GB flash drive.

This isn't to say I've never gotten a USB drive to boot. I've run Tails from USB fine. What I can't do is make a DOS compatable bootup disk to run the BIOS update. Windows 8 doesn't have the ability to make a DOS boot disk, so I'm really not sure why Acer decided to take this approch.

Why are you creating a bootable drive USB drive? I downloaded P11.B2 and read the instructions. It didn't say anything about creating a partition or creating a bootable drive. I didn't read anything about disabling secure boot or enabling csm in the instructions.

It came with windows 8, but what operating system do you have on it now?

Those Acer instructions don't specifically tell you to copy the bios files to different drive, but the photo shows it on a d: data drive....and not the C:\ drive.

what's your BIOS version, right now?

http://global-download.acer.com/GDFiles/BIOS/BIOS/BIOS_Acer_P11.B2_A_A.zip?acerid=635465135947001421&Step1=DESKTOP&Step2=ASPIRE&Step3=ASPIRE%20XC-603G&OS=ALL&LC=en&BC=ACER&SC=PA_6#_ga=1.148690487.1650522051.1412414371

the only BIOS i can find for XC-603G is P11.B2A

and have both Windows and DOS version, so under windows you can run the exe inside the WIN folder to update your BIOS.

Actually, thats all you have to do is double click it, because there isn't any DOS file. Only windows.

On TC-605, they have DOS.

So just double click it like it tells you to in the instructions.

Jordan, I've read the PDF 100 times. There is no windows installer, there are 3 items in the .zip file, a directory named "DOS" a directory named "ROM" and a readme.pdf

I double clicked the .bat file in windows and it said it's an MS-DOS program.

We must be looking at two different BIOS instructions and files.

Which specific BIOS are you looking at?

So, I was able to use an application called RMPrep to install FreeDOS and get it to boot. When I run the bat file BIOS_DOS.BAT I get the error "rom file romid is not compatible with bios romid"...

I'm using the file I downloaded from here: Screen Shot 2015-04-24 at 2.34.56 AM.JPG

I'm reading a sticker on the size of my PC that says what the model is.

Why is this so hard ACER?? This compuer is still almost brand new!

Yup, you're on the right track. I checked my BIOS version at startup and it's currently P11.A1

ok. so flash P11.B2 but first put your existing BIOS settings back to where they're supposed to be (I assume defaults).

Don't try to flash P11.B2L L is for Linux

P11.B2 is just windows flash. read those instructions. they're much simpler.

http://community.acer.com/t5/Desktops-All-In-Ones/TC-605-Bios/m-p/356954

I've asked Acer Justin to see if they can write better descriptions for the BIOS on TC-605. Sounds like they need to do the same with XC-603G.

I'm looking at the one from the screen shot, and it's not working at all. I'm getting an error that the ROMID doesn't match the current ROMID. It won't run the update.

Where / how did you get to the version you're seeing. I'd really like to try it because this isn't going anywhere at all for me.