Dead Acer laptop advice

donniedarko

grumpycrab wrote: »

Thanks guys. The Acer is back with owner deciding what to do (they have a spare Toshiba in the meantime); nothing appears when a VGA monitor is plugged in; its an Acer p253 travelmate. I need to try some different memory and will check for BIOS recovery.

Windows 7 COA or pre-installed with Windows 8?

They have different BIOS dependent on this.

Seems that someone has monetised my suggested solution. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/-/321465874796?

grumpycrab

It was 8; will check later.

DavidP24

donniedarko wrote: »

Seems that someone has monetised my suggested solution. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/-/321465874796?

In 2014 it seems

donniedarko

Format a USB Flash drive with FAT32 and copy in the Bios Recovery File I have created for you.
Laptop should be off with all peripherals removed
Remove battery and AC power cord
Press and hold the power button for 10 seconds battery and then release.
Insert the prepared USB Flash drive
Hold "Fn" + "Esc" and plug the AC power cord in
Now press the power button (whilst still holding Fn + Esc).
Wait until the fan runs, then release the "Fn" + "Esc" keys
The fan may run for about 2 to 10 minutes before the USB drive activity LED blinks.
Laptop may reboot automatically. If not, unplug the AC power cord once the fan has stopped.

donniedarko

DavidP24 wrote: »

In 2014 it seems

What has that to do with anything?

It's a machine from 2012. I've been working with BIOS since 2008.
I didn't claim to invent BIOS recovery. I just stated that someone has monetised my suggested solution.

donniedarko

DavidP24 wrote: »

Absolutely, I just try to go with most probable.

Thanks for post though, all input useful, to a degree.

You just can't help yourself, can you?

A cursory search will show that this is a common problem with that machine.
It was introduced when Windows 8 was new. So issues with Legacy BIOS and UEFI abound.

Yet your suggestion is to buy a new CPU. Then to follow it up by suggesting that your advice is the most probable solution.

Come on my friend, this forum is not about your ego. Let it go.

DavidP24

I am agreeing with you, saying absolutely and thanking you!

No ego here, just trying to help.

I am definitely not suggesting buying anything at all, just trying to diagnose.

I will bow to your experience on BIOS failures of the type you suggest

Sorry if my post caused any offence.

DavidP24

donniedarko wrote: »

What has that to do with anything?

It's a machine from 2012. I've been working with BIOS since 2008.
I didn't claim to invent BIOS recovery. I just stated that someone has monetised my suggested solution.

I was referring to my implied ignorance on this, which apparently has been monetised since 2014, must be a pig to fix.

There are scammers on ebay who sell all sorts that is free to those who look.

They are not supposed to sell "info" products but eBay do not Police anything

DavidP24

donniedarko wrote: »

Format a USB Flash drive with FAT32 and copy in the Bios Recovery File I have created for you.
Laptop should be off with all peripherals removed
Remove battery and AC power cord
Press and hold the power button for 10 seconds battery and then release.
Insert the prepared USB Flash drive
Hold "Fn" + "Esc" and plug the AC power cord in
Now press the power button (whilst still holding Fn + Esc).
Wait until the fan runs, then release the "Fn" + "Esc" keys
The fan may run for about 2 to 10 minutes before the USB drive activity LED blinks.
Laptop may reboot automatically. If not, unplug the AC power cord once the fan has stopped.

That is cool, going to save that!

grumpycrab

donniedarko wrote: »

Format a USB Flash drive with FAT32 and copy in the Bios Recovery File I have created for you.
Laptop should be off with all peripherals removed
Remove battery and AC power cord
Press and hold the power button for 10 seconds battery and then release.
Insert the prepared USB Flash drive
Hold "Fn" + "Esc" and plug the AC power cord in
Now press the power button (whilst still holding Fn + Esc).
Wait until the fan runs, then release the "Fn" + "Esc" keys
The fan may run for about 2 to 10 minutes before the USB drive activity LED blinks.
Laptop may reboot automatically. If not, unplug the AC power cord once the fan has stopped.

Wow - superhelpful; will try this in the next 3 days (when I next visit person with the Acer).