Hello,
I’m trying to update the BIOS on my Acer Nitro 5.
I downloaded and extracted the data from the Windows Update CAB file.
Then I checked the firmware GUID (information taken from the *.INF file).
Next, I formatted a USB drive to FAT32 and copied the *.FD file to it.
I tried to install the firmware after restarting the computer using the FN + F2 or FN + Esc keys, but it didn’t work.
What’s missing from the installation process to make this update work?
Thank you for your interest in this question.
Best regards
D.
Acer does not support BIOS updates under Linux. Only Windows is supported. So the safest way is to use as example Hirens BootCD PE.
I’m unclear what any of your technical descriptions have to do with Tumbleweed (?). You might consider posting this out in ACER forums (or Windows) - maybe read the ACER documentation about applying a BIOS upgrade.
I will mentioned that Discover has the ability to update the BIOS (I did it on a laptop and desktop) - if your machine is supported. You enable the feature in Discover, then you can check for updates, and if Discover finds a BIOS update, it will include it in the list.
A basic check shows, that Acer does not provide BIOS updates for Laptops via lvfs. So the “mentioning” of Discover does not help the topic opener.
And another basic research shows that there is no “Linux solution” for the Acer Linux BIOS issue.
Acer is one of the manufacturers of laptops which leaves Linux users somewhat lost. So the only solution is to use environments and tools like Hirens BootCD PE, which provides a Windows preinstallation environmnet from where it is possible to apply the BIOS update which is only provided for Windows environments. Install Hirens BootCD PE on an USB stick. Move the Windows BIOS update file into the user writable partition of Hirens BootCE PE, boot from the USB Stick and execute the BIOS update file (.cab or .exe).
I use this tool here to succesfully apply BIOS updates for systems where the manufacturer only supplies Windows BIOS update files.
1 Like
Hi Hui,
Thanks for the reply.
It’s true—it’s not that simple with some PCs.
Things aren’t always what they seem.
I tried it with Hiren’s on a USB drive.
Since this is my first time doing this, I’m a little lost.
I opened CMD and tried to update it with:
DISM.exe /Online /Add-Package /PackagePath:X:\blabla.cab
Unfortunately, the “Add-Package” option doesn’t exist.
Do you have any instructions on how to proceed?
Bests Regards
D.
If you double click the cab file, you should be able to move/copy/extract the content. Do this from Hiren. Is there an *.exe inside?
In the cab file are
BIOS_1.14.CAT
BIOS_1.14.FD
BIOS_1.14.INF
fim.dat
No *.exe file.
Double-clicking simply opens the file in 7-Zip.
If have difficulties to reach the Acer website, as several browsers mention issues with secure connection to this site (https). So i can’t search further. You need to search in the manual, Bios update instructions, Acer community how to execute the Bios update. The informations which i found so far, do all say that Acer provides *.exe files for BIOS update. Even Acer says this in a support article from year 2024.
But it maybe helps when you tell us your exact laptop model, so that we can assist with searching for this informations (for the ppl which can reach the acer website without problems).
No way with
- Home
- Support
- Product Support
- AN517-41
On the Acer website, if you select the correct PC model, the download results in a ZIP file containing a PDF with the following instruction:
Apply windows update on the system
select start - settings - windows update - check for windows update
Hm, not sure what you are doing. But when i download BIOS_Acer_1.13_A_A.zip, there is only one file inside and it is GH51Z113.exe
As described in the pdf of 1.14, 1.14 is no Bios update file but only the Secure Boot CA 2023.
That means install 1.13 via Hiren and afterwards try to get the 2023 CA via fwupdmgr in a commandline (within linux session).
Btw, why do you want to update the Bios? Is there an actual issue which you try to solve? I’m asking because different reports do not really raise trust in the Acer Bios updates (bricked systems). On modern systems this rarely happens but Acer seems to have unusual high reports of bricked systems after Bios update.
