Acer's BIOS--they don't post most recent BIOS versions online

is this the case?

I got my laptop back from repair and the papers that came with it said that they not only replaced the LCD screen, but also updated the BIOS to the lates version--1.24

I was messing around with my laptop and the various thermal monitoring programs it has while searching the net why the hell my by-core temps always gets stuck at startup. I kept reading on BIOS, BIOS, BIOS. So I went to acer.com.sg for hopes that a newer 1.25 or so BIOS would be available for my Ciel Noir.

Surprise surprise, they have only the 1.16 (came with my laptop when it was new) and the 1.23 BIOS (mine was presently 1.24, and they don't have it). I downloaded it anyway, and checked the readme. I noticed that the flash utility .exe was named JALA0123.exe and then I noticed through HWMonitor 1.14 that my motherboard was marked JALA0 so hmm...this prompted me to flash the BIOS.

Booted up, got into Windows, fired up HWMonitor and what do you know, now it's working!! HWMonitor reads a different TJMax though, so I adjusted it to be the same as CoreTemp's and Everest, and now it's showing (I hope) correct temps.

Now my question is this: Why does the BIOS that comes from Acer directly i.e. after purchase or repair makes the sensors not work? And why are these BIOSes not available online? Is it possible that they use BIOSes that are for different laptop models, hence rendering the addresses for the thermal monitors different from the actual ones? (I read up that thermal sensors depended on the correct addresses, too.)

Perhaps this would even more reinforce the fact that BIOSes should not be interchanged, no matter if the laptops are almost the same, as some have guessed it to be alright to do so.

 

Because they are beta?
Some Acer Laptops do use the same BIOS though.

 

But when these laptops have the same BIOSes, then does that mean that they have the same boards?

 

I would say they have generic boards.
Example Acer Timeline 3810T, 3810TZ, 3810TG
It appears they use the same BIOS.
Note TG has discrete graphics meaning the BIOS autodetect configure and initialize the components differently while using the same BIOS code.

 

So this means a beta BIOS rendered my thermal sensors incapable of reporting temps accurately? Hmm aside from Acer's site are there any other places that have Acer BIOSes with them? It's kinda weird not seeing a BIOS version on their site, and AFAIK beta BIOSes shouldn't be for consumer use, right?

 

Yep but I don't work for Acer so I can't tell you how they operate.