Acer Aspire One ao532h (NAV50) - corrupt BIOS

[G3n1us]

The problem started out with a bad sector on the HDD which prevented Windows from working.

Trying to boot from a recovery CD revealed, that USB booting isn't functional. Boot order, I thought. Trying to access the BIOS causes the machine to freeze.

Next up, I tryed flashing the BIOS, hoping that overwriting the BIOS would fix the freezing. This has worked a number of times on older Acer netbooks.

Which I failed to notice was, that it had an Insyde BIOS, which isn't strictly happy when introduced to .fd files that Acer provides. There are some utilities which convert those to different formats, but trying out one originally meant for Phoenix BIOSs made the situation even worse.

The machine no longer boots at all, although the crisis recovery function seems to be still operational, so theres some hope, that with the proper BIOS in the proper format, this machine can yet be saved.

Does anyone have experience with Insyde crisis recovery functions?

[retiredcaps]

Originally Posted by G3n1us

The machine no longer boots at all, although the crisis recovery function seems to be still operational, so theres some hope, that with the proper BIOS in the proper format, this machine can yet be saved.

Does anyone have experience with Insyde crisis recovery functions?

This worked for me

http://macles.blogspot.com/2008/08/a...-recovery.html

but I don't know if it will work for you. Additionally, you may have already tried this from reading above?

[thesloc]

Replacing the SMD bios chip should do it..if ALL else fails.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BIOS-CHIP-AC...f#ht_952wt_905

[b700029]

If the EEPROM has not actually failed, it's relatively simple to rewrite it using a cheap adapter and a PC with 3.3V parallel port.

[G3n1us]

retiredcaps,

That procedure has worked for ZG5's and such brilliantly, but won't for the NAV50. My guess is, that the bios .fd file needs to be named correctly or the motherboard won't find it. nav50.fd as it is originally called doesn't work and I've found no way to determine the correct name either. I've tried EZH2O from Insyde to open it, but it just crashes. Other tools suggest either AA or BB for the name, which can be disregarded as missing model names in the file. So, I'm stumped.

thesloc, b700029,

The ebay option seems viable, since the new chip supposedly already contains the correct BIOS. Rewriting it myself is probably out of the question, since I've only had experience with a few IBM laptops and reading their supervisor passwords. This might be over my head.

Thanks for the ideas! I'm still open to suggestions though.

[juan.ictech@lantic.net]

i can help with the Aspire One bios flash software tool from USB, if the laptop is complete dead

[selldoor]

Hi - a bit out of my depth but I understand some of the words and recently managed to recover a bios on a shuttle cube using a floppy disk!!!.

Is this the manual for the machine?:

http://uk.search.yahoo.com/r/_ylt=A7...32h_120809.pdf

If so On page 144 there is a Bios recovery by crisis disk section which mentions a file name of KAV60.FD which sounds like something you have not tried.

Anyway you can read it and it may help.

[elreaver]

I came across this thread in an effort to find a fix for my own Ao532h.

I've google'd several methods to get a resolution, but no avail.

I was in the process of a windows patch, when my system powered off.
In an attempt to power it back on, I get nothing but a brief blue lcd of the system trying to turn on.

I have attempted to reload the NAV50 bios from USB, but the USB stick blinks a few times, then nothing - then blinks again. Like it is trying to read it, but nothing.

Tried renaming the bios file to KAV60.fd, but same thing.

Tried a Win98 boot from the USB, but it will not load from that.

Also tried the crisis from USB, but will not load that either. (I downloaded a copy off the net) I do not have the original recovery disk(s).

I was wondering if anyone found a good solution or alternative to get the bios reloaded.

[elreaver]

Originally Posted by thesloc

Replacing the SMD bios chip should do it..if ALL else fails.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BIOS-CHIP-AC...f#ht_952wt_905

I would assume that replacing this bios chip would involve removing the old one and soldering the new one in correct?

[thesloc]

Originally Posted by elreaver

I would assume that replacing this bios chip would involve removing the old one and soldering the new one in correct?

That is correct.

Procedure takes practice (and a hot air gun).

[G3n1us]

elreaver, I doubt you'll ever read this, but rythmic blinking like that means that the machine isn't seeing the correct BIOS file. Probably a naming issue.

As for the matter at hand, no success on my part. The machine is comfortably sitting in the "i'll get back to it" pile for now.

[joshnz]

Originally Posted by elreaver

I came across this thread in an effort to find a fix for my own Ao532h.

I've google'd several methods to get a resolution, but no avail.

I was in the process of a windows patch, when my system powered off.
In an attempt to power it back on, I get nothing but a brief blue lcd of the system trying to turn on.

I have attempted to reload the NAV50 bios from USB, but the USB stick blinks a few times, then nothing - then blinks again. Like it is trying to read it, but nothing.

Tried renaming the bios file to KAV60.fd, but same thing.

Tried a Win98 boot from the USB, but it will not load from that.

Also tried the crisis from USB, but will not load that either. (I downloaded a copy off the net) I do not have the original recovery disk(s).

I was wondering if anyone found a good solution or alternative to get the bios reloaded.

Your bios wasn't corrupted what u are saying sounds more like a blue screen of death from windows.

[Spike091511]

OFF the subject a little
I just traded for an acer one nav50 and everything worked fine while testing it, but later on that day the screen decided to give me problems with screen flickers!?!?!? What can be causing this? i was told the resolutions tried lowering them, didnt help. i was told graphics car was toast. (well if it does it sometimes doesnt that mean its not the problem?) it does it usually with start up or when on the web.


Any help would be apriciated thanks.