Do you own an old Aspire One SSD-Linux netbook?

[The Pontificator]

I have two of them. A first generation (512mb Ram) and a "2nd Generation" model (1GB Ram). I believe the model numbers are: AO-110 and AO-150

They both have had the awful Linpus Linux Lite distro replaced with Ubuntu.

Last night I tried to live boot the newest release of Fedora (15) and it froze when the desktop opened up. This has happened before. What hasn't happened before is that the dekstop image stayed on the computer even after a hard power-down and removed the USB. I also had to pull the batter off.

When I powered it back up again I got NOTHING. No BIOS screen. Not squat.

Uh, oh. Not good.

I did a little searching around and found an archive of AA1 SSD BIOS releases at this site:

http://macles.blogspot.com/p/acer-aspire-one-bios.html

and downloaded the most recent version, 3310

and then followed these instructions:

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ISSUE : Aspire One powers on but the screen remains blank

When my Aspire One powers on, the screen remains blank. How can I fix this?

Updating the BIOS will require a USB flash drive to store the BIOS information on during the update. To perform the update to the BIOS:

1. Go here and download and extract the latest BIOS for the netbook.
2. Rename the BIOS file from 3310.fd to zg5ia32.fd (it may already be a "Zg5..." file)
3. Copy zg5ia32.fd and Flashit.exe to USB flash drive
4. Ensure that the AC adapter is plugged in.
5. Insert the USB flash drive into a USB port.
6. Press and Hold down the Fn and the Esc keys together and press the power button.
7. When the unit's power light comes on wait a few seconds and release the Fn and Esc keys.
8. After the keys have been released the power light will start to blink.
9. During the BIOS update process the display will be blank.
10. Let the unit run and after approximately 1 to 7 minutes, the unit should reboot and the BIOS will be updated.

If the unit fails to reboot, or the BIOS was not updated sucessfully, try the steps again.

Note: These instructions are only for the Acer Aspire One AOA-110 and the AOA-150 netbook series and should not be performed on any other model Acer Aspire One.

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...and it worked!

BIOS screen popped up after about fifteen seconds and then Ubuntu booted up and I was back in business.

So if you or someone you know still owns one of these "antiques" you might want to make not of this information.

[Fox]

That was sounding pretty grim for awhile. Glad it had a happy ending.
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Mini 1: 2.3 ghz Core i5; 8 gb RAM, Corsair 240gb SSD, 500 gb Seagate XT
Mini 2: 2.26 ghz Core 2 duo, 8 gb RAM, 500 gb Seagate
Also a Cube, 13" MacBook Air, 20" 2.66 ghz iMac & 11.6" Acer 1810TZ running Ubuntu, Mint & openSuse

[The Pontificator]

I'm also told that a much less risky way of fixing this issue is to remove and then replace the CMOS battery.

If you screw up a BIOS re-flash you will "kill" your computer.

Acer considers re-flashing a BIOS to a be a violation of their warranty but this machine is three years old.

[Fox]

I'm always nervous about a BIOS upgrade, but I've done it three times on my MSI Wind without problem. I think I pulled the CMOS battery once for something; can't remember why. I haven't had to do any BIOS on my Acer yet.
_________________
Mini 1: 2.3 ghz Core i5; 8 gb RAM, Corsair 240gb SSD, 500 gb Seagate XT
Mini 2: 2.26 ghz Core 2 duo, 8 gb RAM, 500 gb Seagate
Also a Cube, 13" MacBook Air, 20" 2.66 ghz iMac & 11.6" Acer 1810TZ running Ubuntu, Mint & openSuse