How to get BIOS recovery key code for Acer SPIN 1 SP111-32N

jcarleto
jcarleto Member Posts: 2 New User
edited November 2023 in 2020 Archives
We use laptops to admin servers (unix/linux).  As such, we bought the SPIN 1 last year and put Linux on the machines (out of warranty now).  It worked well for most of this year, but somehow the bios password got set on one to an unknown value.  I read a suggestion here to use the windows recovery USB to see if that would clear the password.  It did restore the Windows environment, deleting the Linux partition, but did not clear the bios password, virtually creating a useless brick, as we cannot use Windows in our environment and can no longer reinstall Linux.

Acer Spin 1 SP111-32N-PC6V
Model N17H2
Recovery Key Code 1497518938

I did call support when this initially happened and got an odd response that I would have to send them the laptop and they would unlock the bios for "some amount in excess of $100.00."  It was unclear about freight, but if we assume $100.00 + some mystery amount + freight to and from, it seems more cost effective to just buy another computer.  I find this odd in that apparently what is needed is a simple programmatic decode of the Recovery Key Code. 

Please help save an Acer Customer.  If there is a remote fix for this, I promise to set a new bios password and use an engraving tool to etch it into the case. 

I have read the warning about not providing guidance on circumventing Acer security on this open forum.  And, I also know Acer doesn't support Linux, though this issue is not limited to Linux. Perhaps you could point me to a regional sales manager for the Atlanta area's contact information without causing a violation.  I don't seem to find anything like that on the Acer site.


Best Answer

  • jcarleto
    jcarleto Member Posts: 2 New User
    Answer ✓
    We had a meeting this morning and came up with another solution.  We will replace the laptops with another brand and donate the Acers to a technical school for parts after removing the storage.  Thank you for your time.

Answers

  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 35,226 Trailblazer
    BIOS passwords are tricky, once they are set and forgotten you typically have to reflash the CMOS to recover. That's why they ask you to send the system in. I'm a bit surprised they don't have a more standard fee for it. Right now you are on the community support board, and we don't have a direct pipe into Acer corporate or customer support. The only Acer employees active here tend to be the one who support the forum software. I'll try to see if any of them have access to the people you should be talking to.
    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.
  • StevenGen
    StevenGen ACE Posts: 12,918 Trailblazer
    Acer Community does not allow and/or recommend, suggest any BIOS password hacks and/or overwriting. Take this laptop to an Acer Service Centre and let them fix your problem, as doing anything to a BIOS could brick your laptop and make it unusable! 
  • jcarleto
    jcarleto Member Posts: 2 New User
    Answer ✓
    We had a meeting this morning and came up with another solution.  We will replace the laptops with another brand and donate the Acers to a technical school for parts after removing the storage.  Thank you for your time.

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