Es 15 black screen no bios

flautzr
flautzr Member Posts: 9 New User
edited August 2023 in 2018 Archives
Hello, a few weeks ago I started the automatic update of fedora but unfortunately I fell asleep during the operation. When I woke up, the computer had a black screen and did not react to anything. Since then, when I power it up, the LEDs light up, the fan starts but the screen stays black. The only reaction I get is when I plug in or out the AC cable, it beeps once. 
I tried disconnecting the CMOS battery because I did not find a clear CMOS jumper, I pressed the power button 10 sec (pressed it up to 2 min) to reset bios data, pressed F10 when powering up but still only a black screen and the running fan, nothing else. 
Is there any other way to clear the bios? I think the boot information might be corrupt because it went to sleep during installation while maybe showing a dialog or something but I failed to clear it.

I connected the laptop to a TV with an HDMI cable but it did not get a signal. Is there a way to flash the bios without having access to it?

Thanks in advance
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Answers

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 45,092 Trailblazer
    It sounds more like the video adapter has failed. However you can try the FN+ESC cold boot method of trying to flash the BIOS from a FAT32 formatted USB stick with an activity LED. Go here https://www.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/drivers,  enter your full ACER model number or serial no. id (SNID) to download and extract a BIOS update with an RAR decompressor. Then look for a ROM, FD or BIN extension file. It must be renamed depending on your full laptop model and copied into the USB root directory as the only file. Insert the stick, turn on the machine and immediately press and hold the FN key while tapping the ESC key. The BIOS recovery circuit will try to read the firmware. If successful, the USB LED will show LED activity and then your machine will automatically shut down. On the next boot the screen should reappear if the video adapter hasn't failed. I can give you the name of the renamed file once I know your full ACER model number.   Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ

  • flautzr
    flautzr Member Posts: 9 New User
    Hey JackE, thank you for the response, this sounds like it could be it. I followed the link, found my model throufh the S/N and downloaded the bios version 1.16. I still need a usb stick which I will get from a friend soon, so I could not look inside the compressed file for the .ROM, .FD or .bin file, but I would be very grateful if you could tell me the necessary filename.

    The model is a Acer Aspire Es1-572-50VB. Do you need any more info?
  • flautzr
    flautzr Member Posts: 9 New User
    I could is look into the bios zip file but there is only a .exe file in it, any idea where to get the correct file?
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 45,092 Trailblazer
    Yeah, the RAR extractor is important as the exe file needs further decomposition. WinRAR allegedly works. If Fedora isn't doing it for you, there are workarounds https://superuser.com/questions/1072342/how-to-open-rar-file-in-fedora-23  . Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 45,092 Trailblazer
    The bin, fd or rom file should be renamed B5W11X64.fd and the only file in the root directory. The follow the directions in the image below. Jack E/NJ



    Jack E/NJ

  • JordanB
    JordanB ACE Posts: 3,729 Pathfinder
    edited December 2018
    Instead of assuming BIOS problem, I would check your SSD or HDD first.  Sometimes a corrupt or failing HDD/SDD can cause a black screen.

    I would temporarily disconnect/remove the HDD/SSD from the mainboard.  After you remove the HDD/SDD, check to see if it goes to the BIOS screen or Acer post logo.

    I'm not 100 percent sure if your screws are Phillips or Torx T8.  

    There's a video below that might help you temporarily remove the HDD/SDD.  Make sure you unplug the computer from charger first and follow all normal safety procedures.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwNggqN49Ms
    I'm not an Acer employee.
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 45,092 Trailblazer
    Yes, I suppose a RAM failure could cause something like this too. Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ

  • flautzr
    flautzr Member Posts: 9 New User
    Ok, so I started the exe, waited for the program to throw an error because I did it on a different brand laptop, went to the temporary files and found 2 .bin files there, B5W1S.BIN and B5W11.BIN. I copied the B5W11.BIN file to an empty usb stick (USB 2.0) and renamed it B5W11X64.fd, put it in the acer laptop, pushed and held FN and ESC before pushing the power button. I held them about 10 sec,then released them. Unfortunately nothing happened, no access indication at the USB drive. Does the USB port matter? I tried the one at the side and the USB 3.0 at the back.  

    I already took out the SSD and/or reseated the RAM before without any change.
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 45,092 Trailblazer
    Yes USB ports can matter. So try them all. The names can matter too. Since you found two BIN files, let's rename and try the other one to B5W1Sx64.fd   We have a few other names to try if that also fails. Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ

  • If it does not work after you rename the file to the .fd extension, do the following: rename the .bin file to the name B5W1Sx64.fd or B5W11X64.fd and then download the winrar; right-click on the .fd file and click "compress"; then extract the .fd file again! This procedure worked with another user who had the same problem with the bios in which just the rename had not worked!
    Oi! Eu não sou sou a cortana! Mas estou aqui para ajudar! Hi! I'm not the cortana! But I'm here to help!
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  • flautzr
    flautzr Member Posts: 9 New User
    edited December 2018
    I tried now all of the combinations, both files, compressed and decompressed them, tried all USB ports. The only change i see is that starting the computer with FN and ESC pressed, the fan starts immediately at max speed, what indicates to me that the crisis mode is activated. Apart from that, not once did the usb light flicker as if its data is accessed, while it does flicker a lot on the windows laptop.
    I reformatted the USB drive to FAT32 but still no access on all 3 ports.

    Before posting here, i messed with the cmos battery for a bit, disconnected and reconnected it. Can this be an issue? It might be that i discharged it in the process but i have no idea why and if this could possibly impact crisis mode.

    Any more ideas? This is pretty frustrating because the laptop is perfectly fine, never fell down or anything an was running nicely until the accident.
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 45,092 Trailblazer
    Did you try   egydiocoelho  's  suggestion of compressing and decompressing the extracted fd files? Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ

  • flautzr
    flautzr Member Posts: 9 New User
    Yes, did that too but still nothing happened. As i mentioned before, not once did the light of the USB stick flicker while it is pretty expressive at the windows laptop, so i fear that it does not get accessed and hence filename and format of the files dont matter ... 
  • The pendrive must be converted to mbr and formatted in fat32 or fat16:

    Oi! Eu não sou sou a cortana! Mas estou aqui para ajudar! Hi! I'm not the cortana! But I'm here to help!
    Se você gostou da minha resposta, marque como solução clicando em sim! If you liked my answer, mark it as a solution by clicking on yes!
    Aceite somente a resposta que ajudou a solucionar o seu problema! Please accept only the response that helped to solve your problem!
    Detection tool click here to find the serial number or partnumber of your model!                                                          
                                                      
                                                     egydiocoelho Trailblazer
     
    ProductKey clique aqui para descobrir o serial do windows! click here to discover the windows serial!
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  • See your email @flautzr!
    Oi! Eu não sou sou a cortana! Mas estou aqui para ajudar! Hi! I'm not the cortana! But I'm here to help!
    Se você gostou da minha resposta, marque como solução clicando em sim! If you liked my answer, mark it as a solution by clicking on yes!
    Aceite somente a resposta que ajudou a solucionar o seu problema! Please accept only the response that helped to solve your problem!
    Detection tool click here to find the serial number or partnumber of your model!                                                          
                                                      
                                                     egydiocoelho Trailblazer
     
    ProductKey clique aqui para descobrir o serial do windows! click here to discover the windows serial!
    Para usuários da comunidade inglesa, espanhola, francesa e alemã, usarei o google tradutor! :)
    For users of the English, Spanish, French and German community, I will be using google translator! :) 
  • flautzr
    flautzr Member Posts: 9 New User
    Thanks for your efforts but nothing happens. I reformatted the usb stick like you did in the screenshot but it still does not flicker at all. 

    I might need to mention that the windows laptop i use to copy the files onto the usb stick runs a 32 bit Win 7, so pretty old. I cannot imagine this being the issue because the file is still 64 bits.

    I used the firmware file you send me, no change, no flickering. Can it be that the USB controller is corrupted? 
  • That's not possible! Have you tried on other usb ports?
    Oi! Eu não sou sou a cortana! Mas estou aqui para ajudar! Hi! I'm not the cortana! But I'm here to help!
    Se você gostou da minha resposta, marque como solução clicando em sim! If you liked my answer, mark it as a solution by clicking on yes!
    Aceite somente a resposta que ajudou a solucionar o seu problema! Please accept only the response that helped to solve your problem!
    Detection tool click here to find the serial number or partnumber of your model!                                                          
                                                      
                                                     egydiocoelho Trailblazer
     
    ProductKey clique aqui para descobrir o serial do windows! click here to discover the windows serial!
    Para usuários da comunidade inglesa, espanhola, francesa e alemã, usarei o google tradutor! :)
    For users of the English, Spanish, French and German community, I will be using google translator! :) 
  • flautzr
    flautzr Member Posts: 9 New User
    Yes, i tried them all, it is not getting accessed, not even once. 
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 45,092 Trailblazer
    Have you got another stick? Use USB port next to HDMI port. Pretty sure the filename should be “B5W11X64.fd“ with 8.75MB size. Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ

  • flautzr
    flautzr Member Posts: 9 New User
    Ok, the USB stick is properly formatted, it has the file B5W11X64.fd of size 8.75 MB as only file on it and i put it in the port next to the HDMI. Still nothing is happening but i will get another USB stick later. How long should it last until the data is accessed once the stick is found?