W520 not getting to BIOS at all

[frogy]

Hi guys,

I am wondering what I can do with this W520 after I might have touched a bad setting in a custom BIOS.
I am open to sending this to be repaired and will pay for said repair.

It powers on and will flash the capslock key and the orange lights for mute and mic mute however it never gets past a power light and mute light.

if any more information is needed, please let me know and I'll be sure to give that.

[RealBlackStuff]

Welcome to the Forum.

The following assumes that either there is no BIOS supervisor password, or you know it.
If there is and you don't know it, don't do this!
Switch off, remove the CMOS battery for about 20 seconds, then reinsert it and boot.
It should then force you into BIOS to at least set Date/Time.

Another suggestion: make a bootable CD or USB with a regular W520 BIOS and try to boot from that and do the update.
Press F12 at power-up to select the booting device.

[frogy]

Welcome to the Forum.

The following assumes that either there is no BIOS supervisor password, or you know it.
If there is and you don't know it, don't do this!
Switch off, remove the CMOS battery for about 20 seconds, then reinsert it and boot.
It should then force you into BIOS to at least set Date/Time.

Another suggestion: make a bootable CD or USB with a regular W520 BIOS and try to boot from that and do the update.
Press F12 at power-up to select the booting device.

I've tried this and still have just a turned off screen and one power light plus a mute light.

I don't even get the option to interrupt normal boot to press F12.

[RealBlackStuff]

Remove HD, CD, RAM, battery and charger.
press on power button and hold down for 20-30 seconds.
Plug in only charger.
Laptop should beep 1-3-3-1 for having no RAM.
If so, reinsert RAM, charger only and try to boot to BIOS (press F1).
Any luck?

[frogy]

Remove HD, CD, RAM, battery and charger.
press on power button and hold down for 20-30 seconds.
Plug in only charger.
Laptop should beep 1-3-3-1 for having no RAM.
If so, reinsert RAM, charger only and try to boot to BIOS (press F1).
Any luck?

I get no beeps and this time no mute light, screen is still off.

[RealBlackStuff]

If no beep, then your BIOS (and/or your mobo) is more or less dead.
I suggest to contact these people if they also can do a W520 replacement BIOS chip: https://www.ebay.com/itm/130993545367

Or go DYI:
- get an SPI flasher
- obtain a readout from a working W520 BIOS
- flash that readout over your bad BIOS

Or get a BIOS chip elsewhere, one of these (check what you have on your mobo):
Package Supplier Vendor P/N ............ Wistron P/N
S08 ..... Macronix MX25L6436EM2I-10G 72.25643.001
S08 ..... Winbond W25Q64CVSSIG ...... 72.25Q64.B01
S08 ..... Atmel.... AT25DF641 ........... 72.25641.001
WSON .. Numonyx M25PX64-VMD6TG ... 72.25P64.E01
- flash that readout over your new BIOS