VN7-791G bricked after BIOS 1.11 update

kernel198
kernel198 Member Posts: 4 New User
edited October 2023 in 2018 Archives

Earlier today I downloaded BIOS_Acer_1.11_A_A.zip from Acer's web site and ran the TMBI0111.exe executable it contained.
My laptop rebooted as expected and the flashing process ran to completion (100%).

It rebooted again but remained stuck at the Acer boot logo (without the dancing dots).

Now the laptop won't boot at all. If I switch the machine off, then on, the same thing happens: stuck at Acer boot logo. I cannot enter the setup utility (F2) either.

Note that the machine still reboots when pressing Ctrl-Alt-Delete, and the keyboard illumination command (Fn-F9) still works.
Any idea?

Answers

  • philetus
    philetus ACE Posts: 4,759 Pathfinder

    This probably won't help, but unplug it, locate the tiny pinhole in the bottom and gently press into the hole until you feel a click. Hold for 5 seconds.Plug it in and hold F2 down and start it.

    Next, try tapping F8 at boot and see if you can access Safe mode. If it does, uninstall the nVidia driver.

  • kernel198
    kernel198 Member Posts: 4 New User
    Thanks for your suggestion. However I could not find such a hole in the bottom, just screws and rubber feet. There are two holes in the front (mic) and one on the side (DVD drive).
  • sharky25k
    sharky25k Member Posts: 473 Skilled Practitioner WiFi Icon

    Hi,

     

    This is your back of the notebook

    http://i0.wp.com/laptopmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/DSC05956.jpg

     

    Please look on the left side right below the end of the vents and there is a pinhole, which has a battery icon as well.

     

    However, as philetus told I am not sure if it will solve something.

     

    The only thing which I would try is to flash the BIOS from USB, but I don't know how it will work for inside H2O BIOS which is on your notebook.

     

    I have read for other BIOS and they did it like this:

     

    First download the BIOS exe from acer webpage under driver section for your 791G (you can do this on any computer). Then double click the software and run it. It will give an error (if you are not on a 791G), but don't CLOSE it.

    Now navigate to the : C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Temp\

    Replace <user> with the current user folder. Here you should find a folder (for me starts with 7z), which would contain all the files extracted by the .exe. To facilitate the identification of the folder look at the date modified, it should be one or two minutes behind your current system time (since you extracted it literally one-two minutes ago). Now copy all these files somewhere. The folder should contain an .fd file.

    Next format a USB drive in FAT (recommended) or FAT32 (I don't know for sure if it will work). Then copy all the files to the USB drive (ALL) and plug it in in your bricked notebook.

    Holding down ALT and ESC press the power button. At this point the new firmware should be flashed so you could see your light from the USB turning on (if you have any on the drive).

    As I told you I am not sure if it will work, I have no idea if the key combination would work for your notebook or for the in insydeh2o BIOS.

     

    Here, some technician from acer could help you with the information. Or somebody with more knowledge than me about the BIOS.

  • kernel198
    kernel198 Member Posts: 4 New User

    Thanks for your detailed answer.

    I don't know how I missed this hole. So I tried pressing this button as described, but it didn't make any change.

    Previously the BIOS version was 1.07. I would like to downgrade but the only BIOS versions available for my machine on the Acer website are 1.10 and 1.11.

    I read a procedure similar to the one you describe on a Web forum, cannot remember which: I extracted the TMBI110s.fd entry from TMBI0110.exe and copied it onto a USB drive containing one 128 MB FAT partition, then started the machine while holding Fn-Esc: nothing changed. I renamed TMBI110s.fd to PoseidonX64.fd and retried: this time the screen did not switch on, but I could see that the drive was being accessed. Then the LED next to the power LED started blinking. After a few seconds then the computer switched off. But when I switched it back on, the problem persisted.

    I retried with TMBI111s.fd (from TMBI0111.exe), with identical results.

    As I said in my first message, the flashing process completed successfully, so I don't thing flashing the same thing over and over will improve anything.
    Something I did not mention is that I have a dual Windows 10 / Ubuntu setup.

    I lifted the keyboard and disconnected the hard drive; no change: stuck at Acer logo, with no possibility to enter the setup utility (F2).

    Maybe this dual-boot setup translates to some NVRAM setting the firmware doesn't like. Yesterday I removed what I think is the NVRAM battery (round lithium battery), left it out all night long, then put it back in. It only seems to have made matters worse. Now when I turn on the computer, the backlight turns on too, but now the Acer logo doesn't appear anymore :-( But at least the Fn-Esc combination is still recognized.

  • sharky25k
    sharky25k Member Posts: 473 Skilled Practitioner WiFi Icon

    Hi,

     

    Looks like you know much more than me about this:-). Did your notebook came with an SSD and an HDD? Did you remove both of them? I mean the HDD is obvious, but if you have ssd did you try to remove the m.2 SSD. If you have also an SSD all the boot information are on that drive, so you could give a try to remove that one to see if your teory is true.

  • kernel198
    kernel198 Member Posts: 4 New User
    Hi sharky,
    I thought the same, there is indeed a SSD drive. The EFI system partition is on it. It is located below the motherboard, kept in place by a screw. As I attempted to remove it I realized I was just damaging both the screw and my screwdriver, so I stopped trying.
  • sharky25k
    sharky25k Member Posts: 473 Skilled Practitioner WiFi Icon

    Hi,

     

    If you are brave you can try to remove the motherboard. But be careful since you can screw things easily.

    On youtube there are disassembly guides

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jY5_yTBM70

     

    Probably it would be great if on future products acer would reintroduce the quick access doors to specific components as on some older notebooksSmiley Happy

  • JAGGYJAGS
    JAGGYJAGS Member Posts: 2 New User
    edited June 2018
    Hello, may I ask how did you finally fixed your problem? Mine won't turn on screen and i'm certain is a BIOS problem but the usb procedure just turns off the computer after a few seconds without fixing anything.

    Thanks!

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