RL85 BIOS or faulty RAM/CMOS error?

cantonbean
cantonbean Member Posts: 3 New User
in 2015 Archives

I only recieved this RL85 yesterday. I did a clean install of windows 10 on a 2nd HDD and the main 1TB HDD to be used as storage. All was working well. I installed all the drivers. Then installed the BIOS update from the website.This worked fine and i shut down the machine. Since then my BIOS is showing 0 for the RAM and any changes I try to make to the BIOS won't save! Have I just been really unlucky and got a faulty RAM slot or CMOS chip or is this a BIOS issue? I looked at reflashing the older BIOS but I can't do this as I can even choose a DOS bootable USB because I can't save any changes in the BIOS! I have contacted ACER for a repair as I suspect a hardware failure but I would be grateful if there is a better solution. Due to the design it isn't like I can take the RAM stick out to check it!

Answers

  • cantonbean
    cantonbean Member Posts: 3 New User

    IMG_20151129_211450.jpg

  • IronFly
    IronFly ACE Posts: 18,413 Trailblazer

    After BIOS flash, have you did this steps?

     

    1) After finishing flashing BIOS, please don’t execute any programs and shutdown system directly.

    2) Unplug AC power cord for 10 sec.

    3) Reconnect the power cord.

    4) Power on the system and press “Del” to enter BIOS Setup.

    5) In Exit page, select “Load Default Settings” and press “Enter” key.

     

     

    I'm not an Acer employee.
  • cotton
    cotton Member Posts: 6 New User

    Hello,

     

    I have the exact same error. Please can a fix be found asap as the bios flash method used was exactly to the letter off the website?

     

    Thanks

  • cantonbean
    cantonbean Member Posts: 3 New User

    I had to send mine back to Acer in the end as DOA. Stupid really as I had a revo r3610 that I used the same BIOS update methods a few times with no issue. It might just be we are unlucky and the RAM module is faulty.

  • cotton
    cotton Member Posts: 6 New User

    Thanks for coming back to me. Have you got the new unit back? If so could I ask how long it took to come? Did you send the entire unit inc hard drives, or just the empty shell?

     

    Cheers

  • Robve
    Robve Member Posts: 2 New User

    I have the same problem. Updating to the newest BIOS has resulted in no drives or memory being detected. Using AFUWINx64 to update the BIOS results in an error message :can't erase flash.

     

    Did you guys get your RL85's fixed?

     

    Cheers

  • EdAcer
    EdAcer Member Posts: 2 New User

    Same issue here.

    i have two of theses RL85 with slightly different discs/SSDs.

    one flashed ok the other one didn't.

    i checked the installed bios against the bios file using the various switches and all looks good

    so the process must have erased something.

    but like you I can't flashed the bios again I get the same error as you.

    ive been reading somewhere that there is some sort of force flash that may help.

    will look again next week as my internet access is limited at the moment.

  • Robve
    Robve Member Posts: 2 New User

    Hi, 


      Good luck hunting for a forced flash. Eventually sent the RL85 unit back to ACER to try and remedy the situation. Unfortunately the repair cost was astronomical - to repair the BIOS would be around £250! I explained that Ebuyer are selling new units for £290. The service centre would not budge on price (rules are rules!) so the unit was sent back unrepaired. As a goodwill gesture they did refund postage and initial investigation costs.

     

      Luckily, although the unit was just out of guarantee (2 months), the original supplier accepted responsibility (goods not fit for intended purpose) and gave a full refund. I now have purchased a HP 300-130na unit – brilliant - faster, smaller, less power consumption, easily upgradable (2 RAM DIMS, 2 M.2 slots).

  • gh0st81
    gh0st81 Member Posts: 2 New User

    Same thing happened to me. 

     

    I was just about to trow the whole thing to the bin when I read about programming EEPROM with raspberry pi. 

     

    I was able to read the content of EEPROM, replace BIOS part with file downloaded from Acer website and than 

    flash it back (raspberry pi's SPI interface + test clip). 

  • EdAcer
    EdAcer Member Posts: 2 New User

    Wow. How did you do that?

    i can see on the acer motherboard there is a connection clip for EPROMs recovery, did you connect it via a ribbon cable?

  • gh0st81
    gh0st81 Member Posts: 2 New User
    I saw the connector on motherboard, but I was unable to find any information about it anywhere.

    I connected directly to EEPROM. Check eBay for 'Sop8 test clip'.

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