How to fix the Acer Aspire One black screen problem – flash the BIOS

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This video tutorial shows you how to fix the “black screen of death” problem of the Acer Aspire One netbook. This is a very common problem with this netbook since it was released to the market with a defective BIOS software that can eventually fail and needs to be upgraded.

If this problem happened to you more than once in the same netbook I highly recommend to check this other post too: How to calibrate the battery of the Acer Aspire One to avoid the black screen problem

After fixing this you should consider buying a new battery, here’s a link you can use: http://amzn.to/1xjQtbd

This problem is so common, that the manufacturer decided to post the solution on the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) of his site.

Notice that the instructions in the official FAQ tells you to download the version 3309 of the BIOS, this will fix the problem, but I got the black screen again a couple of months after fixing it. My recommendation (as can be seen in the video) is to go get the latest BIOS version for your particular model of Acer Aspire One.

These are the instructions according to ACER:

“Create a recovery USB drive to update the Bios on the unit. The specific steps to perform this recovery with the USB drive are:

  1. Download & Extract AS1_BIOS_3309.zip (found in http://support.acer.com/acerpanam/manuals/acer/0000/documents/AS1_BIOS_3309.zip) UPDATE: the Acer website has changed, here is a link to my own copy of the BIOS file for AOA110 and AOA150: Click here to download .zip file
  2. Rename the Bios name from 3309.fd to zg5ia32.fd – UPDATE: This step is not necessary if you use my copy of the file.
  3. Copy zg5ia32.fd and Flashit.exe to USB flash drive.
  4. Start the restoration process:
  • A. Plug the AC Adapter into the unit.
  • B. Insert the USB flash drive into a USB port.
  • C. Press and Hold down the Fn and the Esc keys together.
  • D. Keep these keys held down and press power.
  • E. When the unit’s power light comes on release the Fn and Esc keys.
  • F. After the keys have been released the power light will start to blink.
  • G. Let the unit run and after approximately 1 to 7 minutes, the unit should reboot.
  • H. Video should now be restored.

If these steps fail to resolve the no post, no video issue please contact Acer Technical Support.”

I recommend to try with different types of USB drive. Some USB drives just don’t work.

Here’s the link to the official ACER site with the instructions:

http://support.acer.com/acerpanam/netbook/0000/Acer/AspireOneAOA110/AspireOneAOA110faq22.shtml

And here’s the Acer official web site in case you need it: http://us.acer.com


If you found this information useful or you have any questions please leave a comment.

Have a nice day!

Low End Guru.

54 thoughts on “How to fix the Acer Aspire One black screen problem – flash the BIOS”

  1. I have Aspire E15 and experienced back screen problem too. Can you explain where is the “zg5ia32.fd ” file name coming from? Can I rename my file the same?
    Thanks!

  2. You give very good instructions and everyone who followed them got the results they were looking for. So, I wonder if you can help me. I have a Acer Aspire M5-851T Ultra Slim Laptop with a black screen. Can you help me to update my bios? Or tell me what file I need to put on the usb drive?

  3. good morning sir
    I did a BIOS update and now is my Screen black and I tried to Flash BIOS with a USB Stick.I have seen your solution on YouTube and download the rar file from acer,by the way my Laptop is an Acer Aspire 5942g.
    please help me which files shall I transfer to the stick
    thank you so much

  6. Dear

    kindly i need your help in this problem that mentioned above ,Is it required to have a full recharged battery ?,or i can make it with out battery , coz my battery is dead i always use my laptop with out battery only the AC adapter

    1. You can do it without the battery, but be warned that if the electricity source is interrupted during the process the BIOS will be damaged permanently.

  7. If they download the right bios for their system from Acer website, and then read the “read me” file it tells how to do it for their system.

  11. Hey brother, thanks for the video, I have the Acer Aspire One d255 And the bios files are different to the one in your video so i dont have a clue which one i download, any help? :’$

  12. I do this procedure for my Acer Aspire One 722, and doesn’t work, you have other any solution? my data traveller is Multilaser 8GB FAT32, I buy my netbook at 1 month and it take this bug, please help me

  13. Worked perfectly. I thought my netbook was a goner, but now I have it back again. Thank you so much!!!

  14. halo, i have acer aspire 4551 here.when i turn on the laptop it blank screen.is it wan download the model bios and just do like as your step?its will work?

  15. will u plz do me this for dell vostro 1450 ………………i am having the same problem plz help me….plz help….i am just trying to update my bios then my laptop is hanged and i restart it then i am not able to get the display now plz help me 2 update my bios.

  16. Hi, will this work on my daughters’ Acer Aspire 5532′ if so is it the same bios if not then what would we rename the bios to?
    Thank you,
    Kimi

    1. I’m sorry but this procedure will only work on Acer Aspire One series. As most manufacturers, Acer has a different BIOS flashing procedure for each model series.

  17. I alsogot a black screen and have an Acer Aspire One D270! Cannot find any .fd file when I download the most current version of BIOS for my model. Could you tell me what to do?

    1. As most manufacturers, Acer has a different BIOS flashing procedure for each model. I did not have the chance of working with your model since none of my customers ever brought me one of those with the problem. I’m sorry I don’t have instructions for your acer.

  18. hello!
    i also have this problem.
    i want to know if this fix will work on my Acer aspire 5517.
    thank you!

  19. hi, I have acer aspire 7741g and i upgraded my bios boy say all ok and restart my laptop , let my laptop have Black screen, can i trace this solucion and No, what you recomanded?
    Sorry but my language is bad
    Help me Please.
    Thank you.

  20. Thanks ,this all worked for me.
    Computer has been sitting in draw for a couple of months.
    Very simple and easy to follow tutorial.
    Think I’ll be following the battery calibration one next..
    Cheers

  21. tnx for this :) but i have some questions, is it ok to start the restoration process even if the AC light is on orange and not on green light? because it took a few hours of waiting for it to turn green but i guess it would not change anymore :( please help me i guess thats the reason why the power light does not start to blink after pressing the Fn, Esc and power button

    thank you so much.
    your reply will be appreciated

  24. i had problem with bios my acer aspire one aod260,
    the problem is file on folder dos has
    AV70316A.fd
    AV70316B.fd
    FLASH.EXE
    FLASHIT.EXE
    what should i do with these file?
    thank you
    sorry my english is bad

  27. Hi there, thanks a TON for posting this!!! After about 4 years of working well, our little Acer Aspire One (A106) suffered the black screen problem, ie the display became dead. Followed the instructions above, and like magic, the display was restored :) :) Thank you again for this incredibly useful page and info.

    Here’s specifically what/how I did it:
    * d’loaded ‘BIOS_ACER_3310_A_AO110 & AO150.zip’, off acer.com [this is specific to our AO106 model]
    * unzipped, then copied 3310.fd and Dos_Flash/FLASHIT.EXE on to a blank thumb drive
    * renamed 3310.fd to zg5ia32.fd [not sure if this step is necessary, but did it anyway]
    * plugged the USB stick into the netbook, HELD DOWN the ‘Fn’ key (on a bottom row) and the ‘Esc’ key while powering the machine on
    * when the power LED came on, let go of the two keys
    * the power LED blinked a few times, so did the USB drive’s LED – FLASHIT was working :)
    * after a couple of min, the power LED turned off, and came back on (no blinking, just solid green) as if I’d just turned on the machine
    * ACER splash logo came on, life as usual!!

    Cheers,
    Saty

  28. Just wanted to pass along that this did work for me! But, some detail to challenges I had.
    > I own multiple USB drives. Two Cruzers that come with ‘driver’ software that I did not try. One HP 16GB that I tried to format. Did not give me options to format ‘FAT’, only FAT32. Tried it anyway, 4 different times and did not work.
    > Dug up another USB 4GB, that did give me option to format to ‘FAT’, which is the one I used that finally worked.
    > As directions indicated in Low End Guru’s video (which has been updated from the Acer instructions above), I downloaded the most up to date BIOS zip file, Acer_3310, extraced the files and went into Dos-Flash folder for the two files, renaming the one as advised. Then copied the files as directed to my formatted USB stick.

    All is well. Thanks for the video L.E.G.!

  29. Hello I have the ACER Aspire One D260. The blue light comes on the fan of the CPU starts spining for 20 seconds then stops and the blue ligts is still on.
    I follow the steps that you suggest while pressing function, scape and power haing the USB pen drive pluged in the power blue light goes off and does not blink.
    What can I do?

  30. Hi,

    I have Acel aspire 4745 laptop and yesterday, at the time of updating BIOS, mistakenly i shutdown it. Due to which now there no display. Please help me the steps, how i can solve this.

    Sachin

  32. I tried this with both the update mentioned above, as well as the most recent one for my model from the Acer site. I followed directions, and I cannot get the power button to start blinking. It just shows a steady light. Is anything happening? I can’t figure out what to do. Before my screen quit it flashed all purple…could that have something to do with this…ah, stupid Acer!

    thanks for your work…

    3. mine wasnt blinking too but i tried like 10 times and it blinked. keep trying. dont try once and also shud pray! thanks also 2 lowend guru for your advice.

  34. good morning friend wanted to know how to do since my model is a Apire acer 4320 and the files are different than your utlizas to do the procedure on the video if you can I would greatly appreciate what you horientar..

  35. Pingback: How to fix the Acer Aspire One black screen problem – flash the BIOS | CoMpUtEr FAQz

  36. hello, i have the same problem with a AO150D the bios is a KAV10.fd, well i press fn + esc. and them the power button, and nothing happens, i have to let go the power button to the green light appears, and i still keep pressing fn + esc but the power button doesn’t blink, for exemple if i press only the power button in this AO model he will power on when i release then button only. any idea??? thank you ….

  37. the power light doesn’t flash after releasing the fcn+esc keys.. I’m using a 4Gb Sandisk USB stick.. the light stays one even after one hour..? any ideas pleeeeeeeeese :(

  38. the power light doesn’t flash after releasing the fcn+esc keys.. the light stays one even after one hour..? any ideas pleeeeeeeeese :(

  39. Hi Low End Guru

    My Acer One has a orange light not green.
    If I take the battery out and try the same procedure, the orange light keeps flashing and doesn’t change to green.Also I notice that the battery light flashes when pressing the power button. My acer is still dead!
    Can you help me?
    Thank you.
    Marcos

    1. I’m sorry, I don’t think so. Every model has it’s own procedure. You should search the manufacturer’s official website to find the procedure for your model.

  41. Thanks before..
    I need to know!
    How to fix the Acer Aspire 4752g black screen problem – flash the BIOS
    Thank advance. :)

  42. Situation: I left the laptop Acer Aspire 5810t on sleep mode and left it plugged in overnight. When I went to use it this morning, I had a screen with no display, No mouse pointer, no response, no keyboard response.
    Now, when I try to turn the power on, the Wifi signal light is on, and the power-light turned on in its normal state, i can hear fan working and also HD spinning but no response with keyboard and mouse and USB and nothing else, it does´t try to boot, doesn’t give me a bios screen, or anything. The screen is blank and no other lights are on. I tried connecting an external monitor but it doesn’t show anything.
    I have tried unplugging it, leaving it off for a while, etc. I think it’s in sleep mode (hence the flashing power light), and i also tried taking off RAM for few hours and put back in but am not able to wake it up.
    Any help is appreciated, I am really tensed because all my worked are saved there and assignments.. I am really stucked..please help me ;((

  43. Thanks before
    I need some information
    Why the code 3309.fd should be replaced by to zg5ia32.fd
    whether it applies to all brands acer
    how to flash the other brands?
    thank you

  44. Thanks a lot man. It worked for me. Thanks again and keep doing this kind of good service.

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