*SOLVED !!!* AAone doesn't power on:lights flash and dim out

Re: AAone doesn't power on:lights flash and dim out

@jerryt

I am getting the same readings on mine. R285 is 330kohms that's why you don't get 19v through it...I had to look again on the schematics.

 

Re: AAone doesn't power on:lights flash and dim out

19 volts on PQ2
19 volts on one side of R285
LCD is flashing when the power shuts off (Back to using the same LCD)

Interesting development. I was trying to take measurements with voltmeter using both hands and asked the wife to press the power button. Well she held the button down and as soon as it shuts off it restarts without shutting off. Of coarse there is no display, but I can get the motherboard to stay powered up whenever I want by holding down the power button past the point where it normally shuts off. I may have to try an external monitor.

 

Re: AAone doesn't power on:lights flash and dim out

Nothing on an external monitor. Shuts off after a couple of seconds with LCD flash. If I hold the power button down I can get the motherboard to stay on but no display on either monitor or LCD. Hard drive and fan are spinning.

 

Re: AAone doesn't power on:lights flash and dim out

To me this motherboard seems to have a bad bios. It is failing right at the point during post when the bios screen would come up. ???

 

Re: AAone doesn't power on:lights flash and dim out

@jerryt

I have replaced the charger chip and dc-dc transistor associated with it, but it does exactly the same thing...

I think I am slowly coming to the same conclusion that the BIOS chip is messed up, because I haven't found any faulty components and yet the board seems to be CONFUSED (it gets power and then doesn't know what to do next).

It is either this new hybrid type of SPI flash/BIOS (see the thread about this in BIOS section) which is crappy or the design of the board is super flawed (Foxconn should've sticked to making connectors rather than advancing to motherboard manufacturing..), allowing the chip to become corrupted when the netbook is recharging or has drained to battery completely before shutting down (my case).

It's certainly becoming frustrating since I haven't seen anything like this in my life...

I'd give it one more try before giving up: can you please put the Ohmmeter on PC9 (big black SMD capacitor close to battery connector) without ANY power connected at all (AC and batt) and tell me what value you're getting? I am not sure if something is fishy on this rail or is just a discharging circuit. I am getting about 20 Ohms which under normal circumstances would raise a red flag..

Then with the power connected (AC+ batt), check again on the positive lead of PC9. It should read 1.05V (very important voltage for the nortbridge etc). Obviously mine reads zero volts.

Please let me know.
Thanks.

Oh and for our peace of mind: replace your BIOS chip with the one from the new bad board you've just got(it is marked U8 and is on the right hand side of the board close to the edge-next to the WPCE775 controller). I'd be surprised if it wouldn't "cure" your board.

 

Re: AAone doesn't power on:lights flash and dim out

I am getting 9 to 11 ohms. On two different motherboards.

Voltmeter with black lead on motherboard ground, battery and AC adapter attached, I get Zero on both sides of PC9. But when I switch the motherboard on, I get 1.05 volts on the side away from the LCD.

 

Re: AAone doesn't power on:lights flash and dim out

Thank you jerryt! So, that's what I am not getting since my stupid mobo doesn't know how to turn on....

At least, now I know those approx.20 ohms are ok there.

I might bug you for a replacement board, because I've reached a dead end with this one. Whereabouts are you located: US, GB, AUS,CA ?

PM me if you want.

Cheers man!

 

Re: AAone doesn't power on:lights flash and dim out

I sold two motherboard recently so I am out at the moment, they can be had on Ebay for about 100.00 though.

 

Re: AAone doesn't power on:lights flash and dim out

I have two SPI flash bios chip sockets and a fresh Bios chip coming by mail, so I can offer to try and replace your Bios chip for you if you send me your board.

 

Re: AAone doesn't power on:lights flash and dim out

Thank you Jerryt, but that I can do very easily. All I need is to decide if I want to spend more time/money on this board..hehehe

Thanks again for your offer!

 

Re: AAone doesn't power on:lights flash and dim out

OK, replaced the Bios chip today.... Same story no boot, shuts off after a few seconds.

 

Re: AAone doesn't power on:lights flash and dim out

Hi Jerryt!

I was away on vacation, but I'm back now.

I eventually got that board off Ebay and I have my Aone up and running (it was an easy fix) and I gave up on fixing the first board since I was running in circles and I am just using it for parts. The problem was too deep and too time consuming to figure it out...

Honestly I ran out of ideas and I see that not even the bios chip replacement didn't do the trick. I think one of the major chips is the problem (Northbridge or maybe the CPU itself) therefore I wouldn't waste any more time on it...

I'll check back every now and then, out of curiosity, to see if there's any update or if someone else had it figured out.

Cheers!

 

Re:*UPDATE* AAone doesn't power on:lights flash and dim out

****UPDATE***
Developing story:
@jerryt:

I've got my hands on another AAO that is getting stuck at the ACER splash screen. It is the 110 version with 8GB SSD. I have initially thought that the ssd went bad, so I got it disconnected. No changes!

I've disconnected the wlan card as well, in case it was faulty.No changes.

There's no RAM in the slot, just the onboard 512Mb.

At the splash screen, selecting F2 to enter setup or F12 for boot selection just stays at "please wait" indefinitely, therefore re-flashing is impossible- can't select it to boot off USB.

I have done a BIOS recovery which went OK, but still no changes.

After reading most of the related posts regarding this type of behavior, I have almost concluded the RAM chip(s) is the culprit. Just before putting the heat gun on the chips I had the brilliant idea of swapping the BIOS chip with the one from the "dead" motherboard that made me start this thread.

Total surprise:

1- the "dead" mobo came to life AND IT BEHAVES JUST LIKE THE OTHER ONE: getting stuck at ACER splash screen

2- the "good" mobo now gives the already known 'lights flash and dim out", being unresponsive after that.

Conclusion:
After spending so many hours trying to troubleshoot the damn board (s), I came to realize that is actually the stupid BIOS chip that creates this weird issues as I've never seen before! I am happy to have found the culprit, but it also pisses me off that these chips are so "mentally" fragile..

Anyway, a known good BIOS chip will just re-confirm these findings (if necessary).

I'll keep posting in case any of you guys will ever come across these problems.

 

Re: *UPDATE* AAone doesn't power on:lights flash and dim out

I have a Bios chip and socket for sale, unsoldered.

I wonder if you use the socket, if after the computer boots, you can change bios chips and flash under Windows.

 

Re: *UPDATE* AAone doesn't power on:lights flash and dim out

jerryt, nice idea, but I don't think it will work...Hehehe, that would make one of them mobo's my personal bios flasher

How much for the BIOS chip? Is it pre-programmed for ZG5 or is it just blank?

PM me if you wish.

 

Re: *UPDATE* AAone doesn't power on:lights flash and dim out

$20 shipped, it is preprogramed.

or you can try this guy;
http://cgi.ebay.com/BIOS-Chip-Aspire-On ... .m20.l1116

 

Re: *UPDATE* AAone doesn't power on:lights flash and dim out

Thank you for the info jerryt. I'll get back to you.

 

Re: *UPDATE* AAone doesn't power on:lights flash and dim out

jerryt can you PM me your info? (Paypal is ok?).

 

Re: *UPDATE* AAone doesn't power on:lights flash and dim out

Sorry guys got your solution since the day after I posted http://www.aspireoneuser.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=16887, but forgot to share it :lol:

Exactly the same issue for me. Mine happened randomly, specially when the keyboard and top cover was placed.
After many trials and errors I finally located the problem on the ribbon wire from LCD to MB! There was a weird thing:

When the cover was placed, that LCD wire was in contact, sticked to the MB. Randomly when it was removed and placed again everything worked allright.

I solved it by just putting a transparent adhesive plastic between that wire and the MB and everything was working fine again!.
Looks like there was some kind of short and if at boot the LCD is not detected that dim lights thing happens.

Please share this solution as I found some threads with this same problem.

BTW and a little offtopic, my problems have not ended: the rightclick from the touchpad is always pressed so it's pretty difficult to get the clicks straight. The button from the MB is not the problem as I tried with the top cover off. Must be something related to circuitry but I'm unable to locate it. Can anyone help, please!

 

Re: *UPDATE* AAone doesn't power on:lights flash and dim out

Thanks for this thread.

I was fixing a 'broken' A150 that just seemed to need the standard bios reflash when it went to this 'dim lights' mode and looked like it was bricked for sure.

After reading the post that showed that it was definately just the contents of the bios I set about on a quest to reflash my chip (being somewhat technically adept).

I came across a thread on another forum (http://www.fccps.cz/download/adv/frr/spi/msi_spi.html) about reflashing an onboard bios on an MSI motherboard using it's SPI Flash connector. This eventually pointed to RayeR's (http://rayer.ic.cz/elektro/spipgm.htm) website (in czech or russian or something) but it very clearly has a schematic and software for a very simple flash programmer for SPI Flash chips (like the W25x80 that is on the One). Good english flashing instructions are on the first link I posted.

The only problem is that the One's bios can't be flashed in-circuit, so it has to be removed first.

All of this was semi-easy for me since I happened to have an 8-pin quick test clip.

Got my One back up and running great, so I thought I'd add my experience to this thread.

Thanks again!