[edge2022]

Try the steps, to see if you can boot from a disc.
Hope it all goes well!

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try deleting the first download of rc.iso...RAR may have done something ugly to the first one...redownload it and use burncdcc to burn it again...burncdcc ONLY burns iso files so there is no way to burn it wrong using it...

[happyrock]

try deleting the first download of rc.iso...RAR may have done something ugly to the first one...redownload it and use burncdcc to burn it again...burncdcc ONLY burns iso files so there is no way to burn it wrong using it...

[malcolmlusby]

I've tried ubuntu, but I need to download winsum and the checksums differ so that's out. when I try to download Rc.iso again - I only get the option of opening it with a program - so that's out. to save it I have to selest save as (all files) as the default save is as a winzip or winrar file. my cdrom is just not having any of it and I wonder if I done something in bios that has screwed that up too. i've set everything to default setting and configured the boot sequence for CD rom, but it seems to be going stright to hard drive and theat really annoying verifying dmi message!!!!! Losing it here and about ready to give up the ghost.............

[edge2022]

Winzip or Winrar sometimes associates themselves with .iso files. I suggest you uninstall Winrar and Winzip, and replace them with this excellent utility called 7-Zip. Get it from here: http://www.7-zip.org/

Try redownloading and burning the .iso file to a disc with BurnCDCC.

Refer to this article for tips on booting from a CD: https://help.ubuntu....nity/BootFromCD

[malcolmlusby]

Okay. I've uninstalled the zipper packages and downloaded as a straight iso file. I've burned that to disk using burncdcc and set my bios to boot from CD. Unfortuantely, nothing is happening - the light on the rom flashes for a few seconds, but then the computer still goes to "verifying DMI" and the cdrom light stops flashing. There is no indication from the CD drive that the disk is spinning or trying to be read. I'm using a verbatim cd r disk - my dell laptop recognises the disk as a recovery disk (but obviously, I can test it out to see if it will boot on my dell. The cdrom was working perfectly before the bios issues, so I know it is something that has occurred post crappy bios messup. I think this is the end of the line and I need to take it back to the shop. Not sure if the warranty will cover it, but it's worth a try. If not, anyone have any idea how much I can expect to shell out to fix it?

[malcolmlusby]

One last thing before I drag the computer off to the shop. If it is a hardware problem, do I ned to buy a new motherboard? I can see Bios chips loaded with the latest bios update on ebay for about £12. I'm more than happy to shell that out if that will fix the problem!!

[edge2022]

Try reflashing the BIOS, as I have given steps for in earlier posts. If that doesn't work, you might have to take it to a shop to have the BIOS chip replaced.

[Verminaard]

I do have the exact same problem and you are all missing one very important aspect of the problem, the computer hangs at "Verifying DMI Pool Data.." screen, there is no way to boot into any of the drives unfortunately. I was wondering if there's a built-in BIOS recovery option hidden in somewhere in T180 CMOS. Has anyone got a clue?

Acer has a stupid policy when it comes to BIOS upgrades, they state on the download page that the user should flash the BIOS only if an Acer technician told them to do so. So they will not fix our computers under warranty if we did it on our own and they wouldn't even tell us if there's a workaround to reset the BIOS to the default state. Since the machines are most likely out of warranty, they will try to charge $2.99 per minute to talk to us and in the end they will tell us the mobo needs to be replaced and they will try to charge around $400+TAX+SHIPPING to do so. I know these sneaky [bleep]s very well. So our only chance is to find out if there's a procedure to recover the BIOS, if anyone knows anything about this, please share with us.

Thanks to all in advance.

Edited by Verminaard, 24 June 2009 - 06:20 AM.

[malcolmlusby]

" you are all missing one very important aspect of the problem, the computer hangs at "Verifying DMI Pool Data.." screen, there is no way to boot into any of the drives unfortunately"

with the greatest of respect, it does seem to me that the solution being offered by everyone here is attempting to circumvent that very problem by booting from a cd rather than a hard drive (where the dmi pool data hangs up on us). Maybe just me reading it wrong though.

I'm trying a final ditch fix suggested by the shop where I got my computer and I'll report back later as to whether or not it works. They suggested removing the lithium battery from the mother board and letting the cmos run down(?) (they said leave it for a good few days) and then try to restart the computer with the battery replaced to see if the Bios resets itself to factory preset. I'm trying this now as i have said, and I'll see how things go Monday night (which will have been 3 days of having the battery out).

I'm not even remotely hopeful - my luck with computers is not very good for some strange reason, but watch this space nonetheless!!

[Verminaard]

They suggested removing the lithium battery from the mother board and letting the cmos run down(?) (they said leave it for a good few days) and then try to restart the computer with the battery replaced to see if the Bios resets itself to factory preset.

Don't bother, it won't help you. Our only hope here is that someone would tell us if there's a way to restore the BIOS without any kind of boot.

[kotyz]

I have exactly the same problem. After failed attempt to flash bios (BIOS_R01-C0.zip from acer website) with winflash.exe the computer refuses to boot from anything (CD, HDD, floppy), it hangs on "verifying dmi pool data.." I've read many related forums, downloaded many bios recovery disks, but I'm unable to boot from these disks. I don't try to reset cmos yet (can't locate the cmos reset jumper). Any ideas how repair it?

[sjm0911]

Hi
i have exactly the same problem after updating my bios too....
i have tried the above steps but to no avail
my problem is even when i try to boot from boot disk i can not get past verifying DMI pool
i hope someone can help me or do i have a boat anchor

[mcmorj]

Hello All, Like the original poster and the subsequent ones above, I downloaded and then applied (in Windows) the BIOS update - there is only one for the Acer T180 - and *POW*

 

Machine constantly hangs at "verifying DMI Pool".

 

I have flashed many many BIOS in the past and never had a problem. I have done all the usual stuff

Still able to get into AMI BIOS screen (Press del key on boot) and load system defaults - no good.

Then messed about with many and various BIOS settings to try and ungum the works - no good.

Removed the CR3032 battery and jumpered the BIOS on the Motherboard - no good.

Tried the advice to Flash from Floppy using utility - no good. (No matter what device I pick in the F12 boot list I only get to "Verifying DMI Pool Data"

 

I think I am at the end of the line with this - I cannot think of anything else to try. It's a shame that this has bricked a perfectly good Home PC.

 

I think the cause was a dodgy Flash update to begin with, I remember seeing some grumpiness from the flash utility when it was being done (