acer aspire a315-24pt cannot boot to anything

[lan101]

So this model has a soldered on memory chip and a 512gb western digital nvme. Just keeps crashing on startup and getting a hypervisor_error windows blue screen error.

It refuses to boot to anything usb. I've tried multiple usb sticks and usb dvd drive etc. It attempts it but just crashes within 5-10 seconds every time. I've taken the nvme out and tried 2 others. The others won't show up in bios...bios updates are a nightmare it appears on these acers unless you can do it from windows...when I plug the original nvme back in it just shows the "windows boot manager" option.

Anything simple I'm missing...I'm thinking maybe bad onboard soldered memory since everything just crashes. Whether an nvme is plugged in or not...still crashes just trying to load a windows 11 setup from usb.

Thank you.

 

[NviGate Systems]

Might be a board or CPU issue. Others who have had the issue on reddit solved it by replacing hardware.

I don't think there is much you can do plus I would never try a bios update on such an unstable machine.

 

[lan101]

Yeah...probably not worth chasing it...man these new laptops drive me crazy lol. Pretty much a 500 dollar paper weight. Thing is literally 1 year old.

 

[lan101]

Also left the nvme out again and it acted like it didn't even want to power on. Put it back in then it power back on and attempts to boot.

 

[NviGate Systems]

All you can do is salvage the LCD and make it a cheap display of you order a controller from CN.

 

[Markverhyden]

Did you disconnect the battery and AC charge and let sit for 24 hours? I'd give it the old Grade School Try but then tell the customer they got what they paid for.

 

[ThatPlace928]

So this model has a soldered on memory chip and a 512gb western digital nvme. Just keeps crashing on startup and getting a hypervisor_error windows blue screen error.

It refuses to boot to anything usb. I've tried multiple usb sticks and usb dvd drive etc. It attempts it but just crashes within 5-10 seconds every time. I've taken the nvme out and tried 2 others. The others won't show up in bios...bios updates are a nightmare it appears on these acers unless you can do it from windows...when I plug the original nvme back in it just shows the "windows boot manager" option.

Anything simple I'm missing...I'm thinking maybe bad onboard soldered memory since everything just crashes. Whether an nvme is plugged in or not...still crashes just trying to load a windows 11 setup from usb.

Thank you.

Can you change the setting in BIOS to legacy? If you have that option, that's how I'm able to resolve issues, when a laptop won't install from USB. You'll need the stick or DVD plugged in, when you boot to BIOS, in order for it to recognize and show your options for the boot order.

Also, not all will work with the stick so I use an external DVD drive and I only install Windows 10, then upgrade if the install is successful. The install screen doesn't always come up right away with the DVD so let it sit until it does. Could actually take 1/2 an hour or more.

I don't know if that helps but it's what I do and it works for me. I hate anything soldered and on some with soldered memory and/or drive, I replace the board with a compatible upgrade that will allow a drive and RAM that can be removed.

 

[lan101]

Can you change the setting in BIOS to legacy? If you have that option, that's how I'm able to resolve issues, when a laptop won't install from USB. You'll need the stick or DVD plugged in, when you boot to BIOS, in order for it to recognize and show your options for the boot order.

Also, not all will work with the stick so I use an external DVD drive and I only install Windows 10, then upgrade if the install is successful. The install screen doesn't always come up right away with the DVD so let it sit until it does. Could actually take 1/2 an hour or more.

I don't know if that helps but it's what I do and it works for me. I hate anything soldered and on some with soldered memory and/or drive, I replace the board with a compatible upgrade that will allow a drive and RAM that can be removed.

I wanted to try that but this bios is kinda bizarre. It's like extremely locked down to where the user can't change much of anything. I've read a few things online but nothing has worked to unlock it. Can't change to legacy mode or anything...options there but all greyed out.

 

[lan101]

Did you disconnect the battery and AC charge and let sit for 24 hours? I'd give it the old Grade School Try but then tell the customer they got what they paid for.

Yep tried that over night last night lol. Spec wise it's not a bad laptop but apparently quality wise it's crap.

 

[ThatPlace928]

I wanted to try that but this bios is kinda bizarre. It's like extremely locked down to where the user can't change much of anything. I've read a few things online but nothing has worked to unlock it. Can't change to legacy mode or anything...options there but all greyed out.

Very strange options are grayed out. Maybe turn secure boot off or clear TPM? Or are those options grayed out, as well?

 

[lan101]

So apparently setting a bios password has enabled a few items. Still can't change to legacy mode but can turn off secure boot. Tried loading mint linux from DVD and crashes a few seconds in...so pretty sure its chalked. Running a memtest from the linux disc just for the hell of it...not that I can do much with the results either way lol.

 

[lan101]

Very strange options are grayed out. Maybe turn secure boot off or clear TPM? Or are those options grayed out, as well?

Cleared TPM just now too. No change. I feel a little better now though because the customer said it was just a little above $300 last year when they bought it...so Amazon price must be way too high from when I looked earlier.

 

[ThatPlace928]

Cleared TPM just now too. No change. I feel a little better now though because the customer said it was just a little above $300 last year when they bought it...so Amazon price must be way too high from when I looked earlier.

I've heard too many horror stories about the Surface laptops. I've never worked on one and hope I never do. I have a bookkeeping client who keeps mentioning he might get one. I keep giving him all the reasons not to and provide options already in my shop that would be far better for his needs. Price is nearly the same, too, although money is not an issue.

He's been coming to the shop more and more... so maybe one of these days he'll actually pick one up and play with it.

 

[lan101]

I've heard too many horror stories about the Surface laptops. I've never worked on one and hope I never do. I have a bookkeeping client who keeps mentioning he might get one. I keep giving him all the reasons not to and provide options already in my shop that would be far better for his needs. Price is nearly the same, too, although money is not an issue.

He's been coming to the shop more and more... so maybe one of these days he'll actually pick one up and play with it.

Yep I could never buy or recommend a surface laptop lol. I think I'm going to recommend a refurb Lenevo T580. Price point is solid and works with win11.

 

[lan101]

So apparently setting a bios password has enabled a few items. Still can't change to legacy mode but can turn off secure boot. Tried loading mint linux from DVD and crashes a few seconds in...so pretty sure its chalked. Running a memtest from the linux disc just for the hell of it...not that I can do much with the results either way lol.

Of course it passed the memtest

I wish there was a way to at least attempt a legacy boot...if there is they make it extra difficult to know or find the answer to it.

 

[ThatPlace928]

Of course it passed the memtest

I wish there was a way to at least attempt a legacy boot...if there is they make it extra difficult to know or find the answer to it.

Try a YouTube video search for the issue.. maybe it's not a unique issue and someone found a solution to the problem already.

 

[NviGate Systems]

Very few laptops these days have Legacy, it's UEFI all the way for most.

 

[lan101]

Very few laptops these days have Legacy, it's UEFI all the way for most.

Yep that's what I was thinking on this...but yeah with secure boot off and linux loading and failing I think that confirms it...don't really know what the problem is though still lol.

 

[lan101]

Try a YouTube video search for the issue.. maybe it's not a unique issue and someone found a solution to the problem already.

Tried...didn't find much. I let the memtest run for over 7 hours and it passed with flying colors lol...so I guess this will always remain a mystery.

 

[fincoder]

customer said it was just a little above $300 last year when they bought it

Less than a year old then it's under warranty. If you can't do a Reset or clean install, it goes back to the seller surely?