Help to install KolibriOS, to hard disk.

Tue Apr 08, 2014 11:25 pm

The bios file in your laptop at present has the Bios Identification string;
ACR5F000-M12-971015-R01-C3EN as we saw in one of your videos.
From the Everest report, we saw that the video bios in your laptop has the version;
1.2R2.5 as you previously stated.

The BIOS file you have downloaded, extensa 355 supposed bios.7z , appears to be a
correct bios update file for your Acer Extensa 355.
(and this webpage supports that theory; http://www.gklaus.de/infos/acer/biosstring.html )

The 355r01d0.bin file has this Bios Identification string within it;
ACR5F000-M12-980317-R01-D0 and that bin file has this text within it for the video bios version;
1.2R3.0a so I agree with you that that is good.

I'm not sure whether or not if 'Aflash.exe' can be run from other than a floppy.
I am somewhat horrified that you apparently ran the flash program from Windows, even to try
and make a backup of the current bios.

As this laptop does not have a floppy or CDROM, I wonder if you have another HD that
you can clone the Extensa HD onto, so you have a certain bootable backup copy of it.
Also, or additionally, make an ISO of the Extensa HD.
Assuming that AFlash can run from other than a floppy, you could try in your Extensa
booting to DOS from your Hard Drive (that's pure DOS, not C:\Windows), (without
any memory managers,), exactly as if your HD only had the Windows 98
Boot Disk files on it.
Best if this DOS were booted from C:\ directory and place the bios update files AFlash.exe , msg.dat
and 355r01d0.bin in this same C:\ directory that this DOS is in.
(If you can't boot DOS from C:\, at least make sure those 3 bios update files are placed there.)
(I believe you already have a copy of the current bios stored away in another HD?)
Anyway, see if AFlash appears to work to make a copy of the current bios to the HD.
If that seems successful, try updating the bios using the filename 355r01d0.bin (that
filename contains number zeroes, not letter 'O's.)
If the flash is successful, afterwards when you reboot, you may need to go into the bios screens
and 'load defaults' - maybe not.
Think about it, you seem knowledgeable enough to reason out what you're doing.
Now I have to go to work.
EDIT: seems like AFlash (Acer Flash) only works from the floppy drive. Nevermind, I have
another suggestion that I'll ask the OP about, if he is able to do.

Wed Apr 09, 2014 3:26 am

Modetest.exe running:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9Jd74K ... e=youtu.be

Wed Apr 09, 2014 5:17 am

apparently ran the flash program from Windows

That is right, did it from win95, and from c:/ aflash /aflash2/ aflash.exe with
355r01d0.bin and Msg.dat inside aflash2 directory.

I may copy win98 instalation disk files into a c:/ flashit directory 4 instance, aside with
Msg.dat and 335r01d0.bin and aflash.exe.

But Dont get the picture about the next:
try updating the bios using the filename 355r01d0.bin (that
filename contains number zeroes

What do u mean saying that 355r01d0 is binary file full with 000´s (not O letters).?

Wed Apr 09, 2014 5:55 am

Aflash in action:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xu_NV71 ... e=youtu.be

Wed Apr 09, 2014 6:11 am

" try updating the bios using the filename 355r01d0.bin (that
filename contains number zeroes

I mean if people don't pay attention, easy to mistakenly type filename 355r01d0.bin using
capital letter 'O's instead of numeral zeros. And then wonder why the program can't find the file...

Wed Apr 09, 2014 6:32 am

Thats true and is what happened to me first time, cause i forgot to
write .bin file extension..

Attached is partial current everest report, that shows the change in bios version.

About to open the notebook to flash it, i can make it, but may be have to build
some programmer and find the right software to drive it.

I use JDM programmer and ponyprog to flash 24cxx and 93cxx eeproms, but dont
know if pony is able to handle 355´s ROMs.

Wed Apr 09, 2014 7:10 am

OK, if you can boot to Win95 and KolibriOS, then the flash was apparently successful.
Remember your 1st video? look here;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whP4xKHTkOs&t=1m25s
see the bios identification string - well if you do the same boot again
and look at where that bios identification string is on the screen, now
it should show the updated bios identification string ( so it has changed). Yes?

Please don't do anymore flashing 'off the bat' because if the flash was successful
there is no point!
EDIT: the bios flash updated the motherboard bios, and the video bios, so you may
or may not find that video problems are less evident. At least with the bios flashed,
whatever problems, whereever in the laptop, that the Acer makers previously found
and issued the bios update to fix, are now fixed (or patched.)... .
So play around with the video side of things again, but again, Please dont do anymore
flashing, there is no point.
There is something else that mario_R4 may be able to do, I've PM'd him about it,
so best to wait until he returns from land of nod.

Wed Apr 09, 2014 7:21 am

I should open 355 to take battery out, to get that error message and see current
version.

But making aflash /bv , I can see (attached).

Wed Apr 09, 2014 7:29 am

BTW, please dont panic about my extensa 355 final destination.

Have no valuable info inside the HDD, and machine itself is used just for hear
music or to learn something in the way testing KolibriOS 4 instance.

So if she passes away, I will not miss her at all.

I am also known as EasyFlasher now.

Wed Apr 09, 2014 7:57 am

Interesting. The update bin file only has 'D0' with no 'EN' after - its blank in the actual update
bin file, there are spaces there. I think maybe what has happened, is that the bios makers,
instead of intending to flash that particular small cells where the 'EN' lives, instead put space
(nothing) there in the update bin file, and I guess the Acer flash program when it sees the
spaces, 'knows' not to flash over that particular cells? Kind of makes sense, - no point in flash
replacing a little cell with data 'EN' , if it already has 'EN' in it -
so it does not disturb the original 'EN'.
Incidently, 'EN' probably stand for english (language).
So I wouldn't worry about that.

Sat Apr 12, 2014 4:01 am

Something a lil off topic.

Have found real time clock IC bq3285 , which appears to be blistered or burned.

Sat Apr 12, 2014 10:52 pm

Did you check the assembly which sits above that chip normally?
Perhaps something that sits above it gets too hot, and presses or is being pressed
against the chip when the assemblies flex or when someone is pressing down on the
keys on the keyboard...
There are other electrical possible reasons for that damage, I won't go into that,
the chip itself seems to be working OK.
(Incidently, if you can see the 65550 chip , then read all the alphanumeric characters
on the video chip 65550, so we can be certain of what manufacturing revision it is.)
So the modetest video you did, only the 24 bit (~16Million colours) modes were obviously
unusable, - er, I've lost track of where your ability to boot/go into KoilbriOS is at present...

Sun Apr 13, 2014 1:30 am

T65550 B
TM4082C 9709 -b

Korea
C19527 00

Right now, laptop is opened, but i can load win 95 and KolibriOS OK.

Sun Apr 13, 2014 2:14 pm

All good then.
I understand you can attach a second monitor to the laptop, with possibly
simultaneous video output to both laptop LCD and 2nd monitor.. does that work?

Sun Apr 13, 2014 5:42 pm

yes, they both work.

Help to install KolibriOS, to hard disk.

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