Acer 6920g God only knows !!!!!

[pommy4u]

Hi guys, I'm a new to this forum, only created account to get some help from you fellas. I been reading all here and elsewhere but I reckon my prob is different. Been using my Acer 6920g since last 4 years. In last week on one night I was working, if stopped suddenly. Meant it turned off. When I started again it won't boot, tried many times then turned on but giving startup errors and BSOD, different stop codes every time. Most of the time it would only powered on, but no display.(IT'S STILL DOING) I opened all laptop cleaned fan, RAM, there was bit of dirt, put back together, still no luck. It's completely uncertain, it would start sometimes, but freezes then restarts ok, or sometimes doesn't boot but only powered on. I can see and hear fan and HDD spinning. After lot googling, tried MEMTEST86 for RAM,(luckily it didn't turned off or froze until memtest finished) so RAM is good.tried to update bios but it just doesn't work, tried pulling bios Barry out and putting back, no good. Then I thought OS, but no luck cause I tried Windows 7 or Vista 3-4 times fresh installations, so HDD is good and no drama. I talked to my local professional repairs, he said must be graphic card, cause it freezes and no display on restarts mostly. Then googled and tried oven trick, lol But still same. In short it's fully moody, if it starts and run then good for 2-3 hours. Mostly at night it works better, but before sleeping if I shut it down or put it on sleep, morning the hell same. Sorry guys it's long story, but it's true. It happening. Making life so hard. I feel it's graphic card or something. Please help.

[lordkag]

I shall try to help with debugging. But you should remember that you should be extra-careful on doing these things, that I hold no responsibility if you do them and end up with a bricked laptop.

 

Most likely that your card died and you need to replace it with a newer and better card. Best choices are 9600M GT 512 MB DDR3 and ATI HD 4650/4670. See more here.

 

If you can, try to run GPU-Z and see or post a screenshot of its reading. Look at the Bus Interface and it will tell you if it is well inserted in the slot. I just disassembled my laptop this morning for this matter: It was working at x8 or x1 because of a spec of dust or an improperly cleaned contact. It also had a faulty connection at one of the strips bellow the keyboard and it gave me a black screen with a complete lock if I pressed one specific button.

 

Try enabling minidumps and analyze them with BlueScreenView or windbg. It will tell you if it is software or hardware.

 

You already tried a fresh install, but have you tried different video drivers? I was reading here that there are some serious problems with latest drivers. Try 314.22 after uninstalling previous drivers, reboot in safe mode, clean with Driver Sweeper and Driver Fusion, reboot in normal mode, install.

 

I was reading that your model has problems from manufacturing. Read this, even if it is about 9600M GT. It might give you a starting point. A solution for a black screen is posted here. It won't help you with your problem as it is meant for 9600M GT , but it is something to try, if you go with modding. A Video BIOS collection for your card here.

 

Your latest BIOS should be 1.16 (here). But you can find mods here, here (has your problem) or in this thread.

 

More to come after your answer.

 

 

[pommy4u]

Thanks a lot mate, but pain is my laptop doesn't start. Since I read your reply, been trying all day, it doesn't want to start. Well I download bios 1.16, how to flash it? I tried it, gives me some driver error. (Wish I could post a screen shot, whenever laptop starts.)

Like now it's just not starting, how about I buy a new card like you said (9600M GT 512 MB DDR3 and ATI HD 4650/4670) and do the rest , bios and vbios later??

I'm so annoyed it's just not working. Aaaaarrrrrhhhh :(

[pommy4u]

mate ..lol luckily laptop started & managed to screenshot of GPU-Z..  current Nvidia driver is 307.83

Edited June 26, 2013 by pommy4u

[lordkag]

A new card will be the safe way, but you have to be sure that it is the real problem, or you'll end up with extra parts.

 

Your current card is well detected from what I see in the screenshot, with a minor glitch at DirectCompute (part of DirectX). You have DX10 and Shader Model 4, so you should have DirectCompute 4.0. But I think that either you don't have latest DirectX redistributable installed (this one), or you need this.

 

Describe the "won't start". Do you have BIOS POST - logo and hardware detection/test? Do you have troubles just at loading Windows? Or do you have just fans and lights with a black screen and no response from laptop? Or maybe no start at all, no power to devices? A clear definition will help.

 

About the BIOS. You should leave this step for later, until we clear things. But these will be the steps to do it. You need to find out the current one. Use a tool to find out (like Aida64) or maybe even the flasher from the 1.16 (WinPhlash) will tell you the current version. Next, download the BIOS I've linked you above and just start WinPhlash from Windows folder to flash from Vista or use a bootable USB which contains those 3 files from DOS folder, boot from USB and type P.bat at the command prompt (the safe way).

 

Disable automatic restart and enable minidumps (read here). Then use your computer until you have a bluescreen, let it collect informations, then manual restart and you will have dumps in C:\Windows\Minidump. To analyze those you need BlueScreenView, WhoCrashed, debugwiz or windbg from Debugging Tools. If you can't do it yourself, you can upload those dmp files here and I'll look into it. This step is important, as it will tell us what is wrong.

 

Once you boot up, you should also test your video card. Use Furmark, FluidMark, GPUTest, all from here. If you get a freeze on running those tests, then it is the video card and you need a replacement. But first, you'll need all the informations before jumping to conclusion and buying.

Edited June 26, 2013 by lordkag

[pommy4u]

mate welcome back. about WONT START 1. 95% of the time, only powered on, fan & HDD spinning, with black screen. 2. if it starts, it freezes at acer boot logo, start up repair window, if started in safe mode (would freeze at end of all files list, or in safe mode window, with written SAFE MODE in 4 corners & nothing would happen) 3. on this laptop I dont get POST or any hardware detection. IN SHORT IT CAN FREEZE ANYTIME ANYWHERE & IN ANY MODE.

Well, my current BIOS is V1.07, available is V1.16 on acer website. tried to flash in windows given error, please see screenshot.
Tried to flash with USB, ( in DOS I have P.bat, phlash16, V116.ROM these 3 files) in DOS i tried with C:\> p.bat & C:\> phlash16 v116.rom
& C:\> p.bat v116.rom & every possible combination, but it doesnt work. error everytime. see some screenshots
please one of the new BSOD i had.

With GPU tests , i already have tried Furmark. no issues at all...it ran well..

had rang Acer they..said could Be HDD as bios flashing with winphlash error..

I am so annoyed..

mate, suppose , if i buy new card as u said 9600M GT, & put it..wil it run straight away, with no issues??


well im at least lucky, that once a day my laptop works ok, so that i can reply u with fancy screenshots. :)

Edited June 29, 2013 by pommy4u

[lordkag]

First: either edit or remove your second screenshot. It contains unique numbers (such as Serial Number and UUID) and it is advisable to never post those.

 

From your first line we can conclude that this might actually be hardware, but I think it may not be your video card. Will explain later.

 

You ran graphic tests without problems, so it should be safe on video side.

 

Your BIOS needs update, definitely. But I will tell you what risks involves. I have done dozens of BIOS Updates, without a single problem. But I have also bricked 2 motherboards recently on modding. It is not unrepairable, but it involves a hard flash (disassembly, taking BIOS chip out, flash in external device, all at a professional service) if anything goes wrong. Right now you are cornered and you need to experiment until you find a solution, but a certain risk it is always involved. My opinion is this: you need the latest BIOS and you need a repair. It is worthy to take the risk, once you eliminate all other options. But keep reading further please.

 

Your BSOD tell us that it is hardware that causing the problem. Have you checked your HDD with Hard Drive Inspector or HDD Sentinel? Have you tried booting with one memory module at a time? Have you checked that all removable components are well seated? That includes HDD, RAM, DVD, Video card, wireless antenna wires?

 

Try to remove power cord, battery and take the CMOS battery out for 10 minutes. It is located next to the memory modules. Look here, the yellow one. It is mildly glued to its place, so it is best to remove the video card first, then pull it out. My laptop has the same schematics as yours, so I can tell you that it can be removed even with the video card in place, just that it is harder to grab it. It has a 2-pin connection next to it, so you might actually take that connector out, without taking everything apart or moving the battery.

 

To summarize:

 

0. Check your HDD with Hard Drive Inspector or HDD Sentinel. Check your Device Manager with "show hidden devices" checked.

 

1. Remove any power source, disconnect the yellow CMOS battery for 10 minutes. Reconnect it.

 

2. Remove then better reinsert the following: HDD, DVD, RAM, wireless card wires.

 

3. Boot with one memory module at a time.

 

4. If nothing works, BIOS update is your last solution before going to service. It might be a capacitor, it might be the power line, it might be the motherboard. A new graphic card will be a good upgrade, but not a solution to your problems. You had an error because you used the wrong bootable system. Create a bootable USB using Rufus. It will delete everything on your USB, then create a bootable one. Place those 3 files on that stick after Rufus is done, boot from USB, type P.bat. If you want to do it from Windows (I strongly advise you not), you need to do this, or better yet, download this pack and use the winphlash64 folder with the 1.16 rom. It will also be better if you flash this BIOS, as it is unlocked and it corrects some problems with the video card. Edit: it is only unlocked. If you want both unlocked and corrected MXM structure (no black screen on POST), you must ask in this thread or PM that author, as the link posted there is dead.

Edited June 27, 2013 by lordkag

[pommy4u]

mate, thanks  a lot.. i proceeded as suggested by you.

1. pulled out all parts , HDD, DVD ROM, wifi, VGA card,  RAM, BIOS battery. (had done this already, but did it again, lol dont knw why but i really trust u :)

    Sorry but putting back together after 15mins.. didnt help. was still same.

2. luckily it worked for a while, then i tried to flash bios with your given winphlash64, & it worked successfully. [ acer winphlash from their website must be 32 bit] 

    NOW I HAVE A UPDATED BIOS V1.16.  wow what a relief.

3. finally followed what u said, tried booting with 1 RAM, its worked nice. actually before, whenever laptop used to work, i couldnt move it, because, a little move to

    laptop, would freeze, dont knw why. but now with single RAM module in, im actually  lot comfy now..can move around my laptop. hhhhhhuuuusssssshhhhhh :) :)

    tried last night with putting both RAM, didnt work. right now using with 1 RAM. i am going to try this for next few days, would try with changing RAM & slot.

 

have not check HDD with HDD inspector or sentinel. will do it soon. 

 

I was wondering as, now i have updated bios, should i still try that mod bios ????? is it needed??

I had removed my graphic card & tried oven trick, as i had mentioned earlier, lol but now there is no thermal paste on it. is it really important?

 

 

thanks a lot... but you been really a great help..i really appreciate your time & efforts.

[lordkag]

You have a component that it is either at its last breath or has a loose contact. Since you already removed anything that was removable and reinserted, it must be a dying component. I forgot about the ribbons below the keyboard, but I'm sure you already did that. Like I said, the ribbon from my Empowering button had a loose connection and caused a total freeze on my system once pushed on Empowering button. Only way to recover was to remove memory modules for 10 seconds. After reseating the ribbon - no more problems.

 

Your previous flash on Windows failed because of an older and 32bit driver. You either needed to turn off DEP for Winphlash or get a 64bit program+driver. That's why it is a lot safer to flash from DOS, to avoid any incompatibility or blocking from Windows. Your previous flash from DOS failed from the way you created that USB, that was using a memory management module. Next time use Rufus or any other software that it is design to do just that - creating a bootable USB for flashing needs.

 

Interesting finding with the RAM. You must test further: first RAM in first slot, then first RAM in second slot, then second RAM in first slot, second RAM in second slot, both RAMs in switched positions. We might get to something. Also, the way it is behaving on movement says that either a connection/wire has a short, or the HDD has been damaged (possibly head).

 

The first modded BIOS only gives you unlocked options, useful for overclocking, virtualization, fine tweaking. The second one gives you all these, but also corrects a corrupted MXM structure, meaning you will no longer have black screen until Windows loads (you don't have it) and you can upgrade to 9600M GT without worrying about this. I recommend this one, but you have to ask someone in that thread for a copy, as the first link is dead.

Edit: You can also do something for your current BIOS. Enable "F12 Boot Menu" and you will be able to press F12 at POST and select the booting device (HDD, USB, DVD). Switch Sata Mode to IDE and test how it goes.

 

NEVER use something without a thermal paste if it was designed to use it. You just continued to cook it at medium flame since the oven trick. Use a sensor monitoring software; I use Aida64, but you can also use CPUID Hardware Monitor, HWinfo etc. It should be below 50C on idle and bellow 60 on heavy use. I can only go above 60 in Furmark and I also have one mainboard sensor that goes past 60 since I replaced the original paste with a not-so-good one. Do not spread too much, but not too little. See

and

.

 

Lastly: check your Device Manager with show hidden devices (Start -> devmgmt.msc -> View -> Show hidden devices). If you have no problems here and HDD Sentinel + Hard Drive Inspector reveal no issues, then you must take it to a service for a deep check. Tell them to check connections, voltages and HDD. They will surely find something.

 

Waiting for your reply.

Edited June 28, 2013 by lordkag

[lordkag]

Once you read the message above, here's another one.

 

I just remembered that I did encounter once a laptop with a similar problem, freezing while moving. Can't remember whether I've handled the issue or not, whether it was RAM, HDD, battery or motherboard. Here's what to do.

 

1. Use your computer without the main battery, just the power cord. If you don't get freezes on movement or any other blocks, don't use that battery anymore.

 

2. Try the method with RAMs that I described in the message above. If you find one bad slot, don't use that slot anymore, but insert memory only in the other one. First try to clean both slots + both modules, part from the dust, hair, part from oxidation. If you get the same result, you either live with one slot if you can, or you send your laptop for checking every solder and circuit. Repairing may come at a price.

 

3. Try to boot without the HDD. Enter in BIOS and check if any movement leads to freeze. Try using a bootable CD like Active Boot Disk, Hiren's, any that loads into a RAM drive. If you can use it and move it without freezing, test your HDD. Try cleaning contacts of HDD, try another HDD (but you won't be able to boot from it until you install an OS from your laptop, with your drivers; or use again a bootable CD once this new HDD is inserted and test on movement).

 

4. Once you are in Windows, try some vertical pressure on different spots (around touchpad, keyboard, cinedash, speakers, corners). If you get a freeze, then remember that/those spot(s) and report them to a service. Your motherboard would require a reflow.

[pommy4u]

hi, 

like i said in my previous post, that I been using only 1 RAM, it worked all day with no issues & no movement problem.

here is what , i tried at last night. put 1st RAM, in 2nd slot, then tried to turn on, but it didn't succeed. same like before, only power on but nothing on display. after trying for 8-10 times, it worked. but on start up, it froze once, then i forced shut down & restarted it, again upon starting on, there was info, like windows was forced shut down & check for solution. upon checking, it came up with RAM problem (see screenshot) then on windows memory diagnostics, it said hardware problems were detected (see screenshot).      Then  I tried 2nd RAM in first slot, all good.. ran with this for 30 mins with no issues & no movement problem.  Then 2nd RAM in 2nd slot, laptop started well, but had lost Nvidia drivers, so all big resolutions. checked in device manager & HDD sentinel, Nvidia 9500M was there but no drivers & its resolutions.   At this moment I am using 2nd RAM in 1st slot. its perfect. As I see now, both RAM are good &  its only 2nd slot :(

 well i already had run furmark & tried again today. please see some screenshots of HDD sentinel & furmark. Max. temp. of GPU went till 63 degrees. 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 29, 2013 by pommy4u

[lordkag]

Now we have something.

 

Your HDD seems fine. The 99% on health means that you have 1 or 2 bad sectors, not worth the concern. Look in HDD Sentinel for S.M.A.R.T. -> Current pending sector count (click) or in Log. You will have to address this someday by running chkdsk and HDD Regenerator. But it can wait, you're not obliged or even needed to do it now.

 

Before getting to the slot problem, run 1 and 4 test from above, to eliminate them for good. Place one mem. module in the second slot (the bad one). Remove main battery and use only with power cord. If it goes the same, battery is fine. Test it with BatteryBar to check the wear. (I do hope you understand that when I say use this and that, I mean in trial mode. The buying is all up to your needs and comfort). Place one mem. module in the first slot (the good one) and boot. In Windows, apply small vertical pressure in the area of restpad, speakers, corners, cinedash. If it goes without issues, the problem is contained in the second slot.

 

I'm surprised that your video card can stand without thermal paste. It must be doing a good contact with the copper plate. Nevertheless, don't use those 3 chips - video, CPU, mb chipset - without thermal paste. They are tiny and only need a small drop to fully connect them to the cooling system.

 

It would have been nice if you had posted a picture of that slot from close look. First, look if anything seems bent or out of place. Use a brush to remove any dust, hair. Use something metallic (needle, razor etc.) on that second slot to remove those microns of oxidation by gently brushing like you were playing harpe. Don't overdo it! After cleaning, try to boot with a module in the second slot. If it's still the same, use only the other slot. Your best bet will be to find a 4GB module and test if it is supported.

 

Use Windows 7. I'm sure you will have no trouble finding the drivers. It uses less memory and you will need it. If you can't use both slots = 4GB (possibly 6 or 8, by trial and error) then use a 32bit OS.

 

[pommy4u]

g'day,

 

i tried 1 & 4 tests. with RAM in bad slot, always freezes & movement problems, tried without battery. so i guess battery is good.  tried having RAM in first (good slot), with vertical pressure in  almost all areas, its all good.  

put thermal paste today. Please see screenshot of bad slot. its one pic with 2 images.

I cleaned the bad slot, the way u said.but no luck :(

 

[lordkag]

The picture doesn't really reveals the fine details. But if you say it is clean and shiny where the RAM makes contact, nothing seems bent or broken, no sign of discoloration around it - then you have one slot to avoid. The repair (if possible) won't come under the price of a new motherboard. You could use the other slot with a 4GB module, but since it supports DDR2, it would come around the price of a new motherboard (MB vs RAM), without knowing if it will work.

 

You have three options:

 

1. Use only the other slot. Install Win7 x86 or Win8.1 x86 for better memory use.

 

2. Buy a new motherboard.

 

3. Buy a 4GB DDR2 SO-DIMM single module and make sure you can return it in case of incompatibility.