Installing Ubuntu 18.04 (1 Viewer)

[Tony Bensley]

Due to a series of unfortunate events regarding hard drive failure, and subsequent changing of settings in the BIOS of my Acer Aspire Laptop, which I am now locked out of, I'm currently unable to reinstall Windows on my Laptop, as I cannot access the main replacement hard drive, on which Windows 10 HAS to be installed. It won't install on any secondary drives, much to my chagrin. Paying to have it serviced in order to reset my BIOS to make it accessible once again, is unfortunately, not a viable option at this time.

However, I decided to give Ubuntu a try, as I recalled having played around with it off a CD about 10 years back. Much to my delight, I found that it'll function on my Acer Aspire Laptop without installation, which I am currently attempting with Ubuntu 18.04, via the USB stick method.

I'll keep everyone posted regarding my progress, or any lack, there of!

CHEERS!

 

[Tony Bensley]

So far, my main aggravation is I'm completely unable to play video files. Whether it be by command lines, or the suggested Firefox companion encode, they've all failed for one reason or another. At least I can play YouTube videos, and the audio works.

CHEERS!

 

[Tony Bensley]

I solved the video file playback issue by installing VLC Player. It isn't an overly elegant solution, but it is functional.

In short, without the Ubuntu installation on my USB memory stick, my Acer Aspire Laptop is effectively a brick.

CHEERS!

 

[Tony Bensley]

Here are some apps that can be downloaded onto the Ubuntu 18.04 OS:

It's really nice to have the ability to play DVDs on my Acer Aspire Laptop once again! I suspect that restoring Blu-ray playback might prove a bigger hurdle (Unless Leawo works on the Ubuntu platform!), though.

Above screen image from REUNION IN RHYTHM (1937).

CHEERS!

 

[Chris Strnad]

Did the actual hardware fail, or did the windows install go south?
Can you see the internal HD from Ubuntu?

If the HD is still OK and you can still get into the BIOS, take some pictures of the screens relating to installed storage devices and boot order...

 

[Tony Bensley]

One thing that I'll say about Ubuntu is that, unlike on the Mrs Windows 10 setup, I am able to access files from my failed Windows 10 hard drive on the Ubuntu 18.04 OS. I'm in the process of transferring whatever files can be saved to other sources. It's a very slow process, but at least it's doable.

For my old Laptop Hard Drive, I'm currently using an adapter with a power supply, but I'm waiting for my local computer store to get one with the 2.5 inch casing and no additional power supply, for which the proprietor is willing to make an even trade. My question is, might that extra power for the former be in some way helping the files on my 750 GB Hard Drive be more accessible? My fear is that I switch out for the 2.5 inch casing with no power supply, and then not be able to access, let alone transfer the rest of my old files. That would be a massive bummer!

My current setup:

Any thoughts?

CHEERS!

 

[Tony Bensley]

Did the actual hardware fail, or did the windows install go south?
Can you see the internal HD from Ubuntu?

If the HD is still OK and you can still get into the BIOS, take some pictures of the screens relating to installed storage devices and boot order...

The HD is still viewable on Ubuntu, and some but not all of the files are retrievable. Unfortunately, I am completely unable to access my BIOS. I can access the BIOS on the Mrs identical Acer Aspire Laptop, but won't be tweaking those settings, in light of my end result!

CHEERS!

 

[Chris Strnad]

3.5" HDs cannot run off USB-spec power, thus the adapter. 2.5" HDs are power misers by comparison, so USB power is enough.

As for BIOS access, perhaps this applies? Don't know what model you have...
https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/542676/where-is-the-jumper-for-resetting-the-bios-located

 

[BobO'Link]

The HD is still viewable on Ubuntu, and some but not all of the files are retrievable.

That points to drive and/or file corruption. My guess would be that drive is failing like you surmised. The best way would be to run a sector scan (usually non destructive) or attempt to reformat it - get whatever you can off first though.

 

[Tony Bensley]

That points to drive and/or file corruption. My guess would be that drive is failing like you surmised. The best way would be to run a sector scan (usually non destructive) or attempt to reformat it - get whatever you can off first though.

Thanks Howie, but unfortunately, I now have other issues!

The filesystem in my Ubuntu became corrupted. The message I was getting was something close to this: https://askubuntu.com/questions/812614/error-unexpected-inconsistency-run-fsck-manually/865243

I tried redoing the Ubuntu installation setup to fix things, but instead ran into this deadend:

I'm pretty much ready to throw my arms up in the air, at this point, argh!

 

[Tony Bensley]

Well, with my Ubuntu failing to boot up, and all solutions pointing to the necessary access to the BIOS screen, I finally bit the bullet and cracked open my Acer Aspire Laptop and removed the CMOS battery earlier this afternoon. I will be waiting a full 24 hours before putting in a 2032 battery, which I hope will ensure a reset (And restoration of access!) to the factory setting of my Acer Aspire BIOS!

My Acer Aspire Laptop after an arduous, but ultimately successful removal of the CMOS / BIOS Battery (Resting on top of the keyboard surface!), as pictured!

CHEERS!

 

[Tony Bensley]

OK, I've hit a major snag in regards to CMOS Battery replacement. Namely, the battery keeps popping out. I've posted a snapshot of the coin slot without the battery in it.

I tried adjusting the side clasps and bottom prong (As little as possible, so as not to break them, argh!), but unfortunately, when I tried booting my Acer Aspire Laptop, I got the boot failure message, indicating my CMOS Battery did in fact, pop out at some point (Probably early on, after flipping over my Laptop to reinsert the screws!) during reassembly!

Below are the two screens that I currently get when I power on (Apart from the brief Acer Logo appearance!):

Any idea of what my best options are with my Coin Slot CMOS setup?

 

[BobO'Link]

Your shot of the battery compartment is pretty fuzzy and hard to make out the hold-down mechanism. There's usually a specific angle you slide the battery in which puts it under a small hold-down. That portion will normally have a small "spring" (usually a piece of metal bent to flex) you push against to get it fully into place. At that point the opposite side "snaps" into place when you slightly push down. You should have had to do a similar reverse manuver to get it out.

 

[Tony Bensley]

Your shot of the battery compartment is pretty fuzzy and hard to make out the hold-down mechanism. There's usually a specific angle you slide the battery in which puts it under a small hold-down. That portion will normally have a small "spring" (usually a piece of metal bent to flex) you push against to get it fully into place. At that point the opposite side "snaps" into place when you slightly push down. You should have had to do a similar reverse manuver to get it out.

I know it's hard to see, but it's the two metal side prongs on the back end of the coin slot battery holder that are causing the most trouble. If I could lip the battery under the front end that has the slight lip-overhang, then push down, I think I might be in business, but it only seems to work the other way, unfortunately. It seems to me with those back prongs, you have to be dead on for the battery to stay in place. I just hope that my minor flexing of these prongs hasn't further ruined things.

It isn't elegant, but do you think that putty or clear gorilla tape might be practical solutions, Howie? I don't want to mess this up, but a CMOS Battery that refuses to stay in place does me no good, either.

CHEERS!

 

[BobO'Link]

Non-conductive tape might work well enough. I'm not familiar with Gorilla tape but as long as there's no metal in the non-sticky part you should be OK. Just use as small a piece as possible. Once everything is reassembled it's likely the close tolerances of everything would keep it down. The main thing is to be sure it makes connection and doesn't short anything out if it should pop out of place.

If the prongs have flexed out of shape you can use a small pair of needle nose pliers or hemostats (maybe tweezers if they're stiff enough) to *carefully* bend them back into shape. If there are prongs in the "back" I'd think the battery would slide under them from the front. It looks as if there's a spring clamp in the "front" of the compartment. If so, slide the battery under the rear prongs and using a fingernail or tiny flat blade screwdriver to slide the spring towards the front (it'll only move in one direction) to allow the battery to slip/snap back into place.

 

[Tony Bensley]

Non-conductive tape might work well enough. I'm not familiar with Gorilla tape but as long as there's no metal in the non-sticky part you should be OK. Just use as small a piece as possible. Once everything is reassembled it's likely the close tolerances of everything would keep it down. The main thing is to be sure it makes connection and doesn't short anything out if it should pop out of place.

If the prongs have flexed out of shape you can use a small pair of needle nose pliers or hemostats (maybe tweezers if they're stiff enough) to *carefully* bend them back into shape. If there are prongs in the "back" I'd think the battery would slide under them from the front. It looks as if there's a spring clamp in the "front" of the compartment. If so, slide the battery under the rear prongs and using a fingernail or tiny flat blade screwdriver to slide the spring towards the front (it'll only move in one direction) to allow the battery to slip/snap back into place.

Ahhh, so what you're thinking is the CMOS Battery should slide just "under" the rear prongs, as opposed to hugging the sides, then?

I think I'll look into the gorilla tape method, in any case. Would clear wide scotch tape (Resized, of course!) also be acceptable?

Thank you so much for all of your help, Howie!

CHEERS!

 

[Tony Bensley]

It's too bad there isn't some sort of cap designed for Coin Slot type battery holders that could fit snugly over the top to prevent CMOS Battery pop out. Now, that would be really useful!

CHEERS!

 

[BobO'Link]

Ahhh, so what you're thinking is the CMOS Battery should slide just "under" the rear prongs, as opposed to hugging the sides, then?

I think I'll look into the gorilla tape method, in any case. Would clear wide scotch tape (Resized, of course!) also be acceptable?

Thank you so much for all of your help, Howie!

CHEERS!

Possibly. It's really hard to tell from your photo. There are several different configurations for those holders. I'm going by what I can make out based on what's most frequently used.

It might be a good idea to take the system to your computer shop to have them put the battery back.

 

[Tony Bensley]

Possibly. It's really hard to tell from your photo. There are several different configurations for those holders. I'm going by what I can make out based on what's most frequently used.

It might be a good idea to take the system to your computer shop to have them put the battery back.

The guy at Multitek said he could have his tech guy try putting the battery back. However, based on what I told him, he suspects there could be a spring that somehow got broken. The thing is, apart from a piece of metal bent to flex as you previously mentioned, I never saw any other type of spring. In any case, he basically said if they can't get the battery back in place, the soldering work/drilling into the motherboard that would be required is beyond what they do.

Honestly, I'm freaking out, at the moment! This has been so frustrating. Everything that I've done to try and fix things with my Laptop keeps turning to dust, argh! That my efforts could ultimately be defeated by something seemingly silly as a failed battery replacement is really infuriating.

 

[Tony Bensley]

The guy at Multitek said he could have his tech guy try putting the battery back. However, based on what I told him, he suspects there could be a spring that somehow got broken. The thing is, apart from a piece of metal bent to flex as you previously mentioned, I never saw any other type of spring. In any case, he basically said if they can't get the battery back in place, the soldering work/drilling into the motherboard that would be required is beyond what they do.

Honestly, I'm freaking out, at the moment! This has been so frustrating. Everything that I've done to try and fix things with my Laptop keeps turning to dust, argh! That my efforts could ultimately be defeated by something seemingly silly as a failed battery replacement is really infuriating.

I found some interesting solutions on this site posted below:
https://slickdeals.net/f/8164964-cmos-battery-won-t-stay-in-any-ideas-on-what-to-do

I'm thinking the scotch mounting putty idea might be viable?

CHEERS!