[ale] OT (kind of):Updating a BIOS

[Todor Fassl via Ale]

I am looking for suggestions for running a BIOS program that must be run
in Windows on a laptop currently running debian stretch.

I was trying to update a friend's Acer Aspire 5315 laptop that is
running debian. The problem is that linux cannot control the fan so the
system overheats and shuts down after about 10 minutes. I have reason to
believe that a BIOS upgrade will fix this problem. However, the BIOS
upgrade program I downloaded from the Acer web site has to be run in
Windows. I tried freeDos and got the message, "This program cannot be
run in DOS mode."

Anybody have experience dealing with a problem like this? Is there a way
to install Windows just long enough to upgrade the BIOS? I don't have a
Windows license key thingy whatever it is.

[Passauer, Billy via Ale]

Maybe boot from Hiren's Boot CD and then run your BIOS updater from a flash drive?

https://www.hiren.info/pages/bootcd

... Billy ...

-----Original Message-----
From: Ale [mailto:ale-***@ale.org] On Behalf Of Todor Fassl via Ale
Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2018 3:04 PM
To: Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts <***@ale.org>
Subject: [ale] OT (kind of):Updating a BIOS

I am looking for suggestions for running a BIOS program that must be run in Windows on a laptop currently running debian stretch.

I was trying to update a friend's Acer Aspire 5315 laptop that is running debian. The problem is that linux cannot control the fan so the system overheats and shuts down after about 10 minutes. I have reason to believe that a BIOS upgrade will fix this problem. However, the BIOS upgrade program I downloaded from the Acer web site has to be run in Windows. I tried freeDos and got the message, "This program cannot be run in DOS mode."

Anybody have experience dealing with a problem like this? Is there a way to install Windows just long enough to upgrade the BIOS? I don't have a Windows license key thingy whatever it is.

--
Todd
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[Lightner, Jeffrey via Ale]

Are you sure they don't have BIN file for the BIOS? (BIN files can be executed from within Linux.)

Doing a web search just now for terms "acer laptop bios bin file" I see multiple hits. You might want to try same with your specific laptop model.

-----Original Message-----
From: Ale <ale-***@ale.org> On Behalf Of Passauer, Billy via Ale
Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2018 3:23 PM
To: Todor Fassl <***@gmail.com>; Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts <***@ale.org>
Subject: Re: [ale] OT (kind of):Updating a BIOS

Maybe boot from Hiren's Boot CD and then run your BIOS updater from a flash drive?

https://www.hiren.info/pages/bootcd

... Billy ...

-----Original Message-----
From: Ale [mailto:ale-***@ale.org] On Behalf Of Todor Fassl via Ale
Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2018 3:04 PM
To: Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts <***@ale.org>
Subject: [ale] OT (kind of):Updating a BIOS

I am looking for suggestions for running a BIOS program that must be run in Windows on a laptop currently running debian stretch.

I was trying to update a friend's Acer Aspire 5315 laptop that is running debian. The problem is that linux cannot control the fan so the system overheats and shuts down after about 10 minutes. I have reason to believe that a BIOS upgrade will fix this problem. However, the BIOS upgrade program I downloaded from the Acer web site has to be run in Windows. I tried freeDos and got the message, "This program cannot be run in DOS mode."

Anybody have experience dealing with a problem like this? Is there a way to install Windows just long enough to upgrade the BIOS? I don't have a Windows license key thingy whatever it is.

--
Todd
_______________________________________________
Ale mailing list
***@ale.org
https://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
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http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo

________________________________

This e-mail message (including any attachments) is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this message (including any attachments) is strictly prohibited.

If you have received this message in error, please contact the sender by reply e-mail message and destroy all copies of the original message (including attachments).
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[Phil Turmel via Ale]

Or an EFI file. That's how I update my HP laptop's BIOS, without
booting anything.

Post by Lightner, Jeffrey via Ale
Are you sure they don't have BIN file for the BIOS? (BIN files can be executed from within Linux.)
Doing a web search just now for terms "acer laptop bios bin file" I see multiple hits. You might want to try same with your specific laptop model.
-----Original Message-----
Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2018 3:23 PM
Subject: Re: [ale] OT (kind of):Updating a BIOS
Maybe boot from Hiren's Boot CD and then run your BIOS updater from a flash drive?
https://www.hiren.info/pages/bootcd
... Billy ...
-----Original Message-----
Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2018 3:04 PM
Subject: [ale] OT (kind of):Updating a BIOS
I am looking for suggestions for running a BIOS program that must be run in Windows on a laptop currently running debian stretch.
I was trying to update a friend's Acer Aspire 5315 laptop that is running debian. The problem is that linux cannot control the fan so the system overheats and shuts down after about 10 minutes. I have reason to believe that a BIOS upgrade will fix this problem. However, the BIOS upgrade program I downloaded from the Acer web site has to be run in Windows. I tried freeDos and got the message, "This program cannot be run in DOS mode."
Anybody have experience dealing with a problem like this? Is there a way to install Windows just long enough to upgrade the BIOS? I don't have a Windows license key thingy whatever it is.
-- changes will cause
Todd

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[Boris Borisov via Ale]

Is it Linux issue only or OS independent?

Post by Phil Turmel via Ale
Or an EFI file. That's how I update my HP laptop's BIOS, without
booting anything.

Post by Lightner, Jeffrey via Ale
Are you sure they don't have BIN file for the BIOS? (BIN files can be

executed from within Linux.)

Post by Lightner, Jeffrey via Ale
Doing a web search just now for terms "acer laptop bios bin file" I see

multiple hits. You might want to try same with your specific laptop model.

Post by Lightner, Jeffrey via Ale
-----Original Message-----
Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2018 3:23 PM
Subject: Re: [ale] OT (kind of):Updating a BIOS
Maybe boot from Hiren's Boot CD and then run your BIOS updater from a

flash drive?

Post by Lightner, Jeffrey via Ale
https://www.hiren.info/pages/bootcd
... Billy ...
-----Original Message-----
Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2018 3:04 PM
Subject: [ale] OT (kind of):Updating a BIOS
I am looking for suggestions for running a BIOS program that must be run

in Windows on a laptop currently running debian stretch.

Post by Lightner, Jeffrey via Ale
I was trying to update a friend's Acer Aspire 5315 laptop that is

running debian. The problem is that linux cannot control the fan so the
system overheats and shuts down after about 10 minutes. I have reason to
believe that a BIOS upgrade will fix this problem. However, the BIOS
upgrade program I downloaded from the Acer web site has to be run in
Windows. I tried freeDos and got the message, "This program cannot be run
in DOS mode."

Post by Lightner, Jeffrey via Ale
Anybody have experience dealing with a problem like this? Is there a way

to install Windows just long enough to upgrade the BIOS? I don't have a
Windows license key thingy whatever it is.

Post by Lightner, Jeffrey via Ale
-- changes will cause
Todd

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[Horkan Smith via Ale]

If you haven't found a more linux-y solution yet, Windows 10 will let you install w/out a product key. (There's a "I don't have a product key" option to click below the product key prompt.)

If the machine was previously authorized for Windows there's a good chance it'll find the digital key once you've fully installed... but even if it doesn't it'll let you run the BIOS installer. I've even had Windows find an acceptable digital key running in qemu-kvm sessions on physical hardware that was purchased w/ windows on it. (No, I wouldn't try running the BIOS update in a VM, but you knew that already. 9-))

You should expect anything that's on that hard drive to go away - be sure to back it up first, or physically swap it. You *might* get away w/ either a partition re-size or installing windows on a USB drive, but I haven't really tried either one.

Generating a Windows 10 install CD or USB is a bit of a pain, but can be done if you have access to an existing windows install. If you want to pursue this but don't have a CD or USB, let me know.

later!
horkan

Post by Todor Fassl via Ale
I am looking for suggestions for running a BIOS program that must be
run in Windows on a laptop currently running debian stretch.
I was trying to update a friend's Acer Aspire 5315 laptop that is
running debian. The problem is that linux cannot control the fan so
the system overheats and shuts down after about 10 minutes. I have
reason to believe that a BIOS upgrade will fix this problem. However,
the BIOS upgrade program I downloaded from the Acer web site has to be
run in Windows. I tried freeDos and got the message, "This program
cannot be run in DOS mode."
Anybody have experience dealing with a problem like this? Is there a
way to install Windows just long enough to upgrade the BIOS? I don't
have a Windows license key thingy whatever it is.
--
Todd
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Ale mailing list
https://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
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[Luke Norman via Ale]

You might be able to extract the .exe and get the archive of the files it
contains, and then package as an iso using something like mkisofs or
genisoimage.

Post by Todor Fassl via Ale
I am looking for suggestions for running a BIOS program that must be run
in Windows on a laptop currently running debian stretch.
I was trying to update a friend's Acer Aspire 5315 laptop that is
running debian. The problem is that linux cannot control the fan so the
system overheats and shuts down after about 10 minutes. I have reason to
believe that a BIOS upgrade will fix this problem. However, the BIOS
upgrade program I downloaded from the Acer web site has to be run in
Windows. I tried freeDos and got the message, "This program cannot be
run in DOS mode."
Anybody have experience dealing with a problem like this? Is there a way
to install Windows just long enough to upgrade the BIOS? I don't have a
Windows license key thingy whatever it is.
--
Todd
_______________________________________________
Ale mailing list
https://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
See JOBS, ANNOUNCE and SCHOOLS lists at
http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo