Netbook freezes randomly

Wait, they gave you a cpu upgrade? Really? Damn I'm sending mine in.

btw, the Z520 has 2 threads also.

 

Well, my saga continues.

After the thing freezing repeatedly, I got fed up with it, wiped the drive, ran a system recovery (factory default) and took it back. The retailer was trying to say as I didn't take it back quick enough, I was only entitled to a replacement or exchange, AFTER they tested it (not Acer).

So, yesterday, after about a week, they called and said after multiple hours of use, playing games, surfing etc, they didn't get a problem. Which is exactly what I expected. They also tried to claim that if you remove McAfee without using McAfee's removal tool, it'll cause problems which might be the reason - although they didn't seem to comprehend that installing Windows FRESH over the top removes McAfee - or that users with Linux get the problem too, which eliminates McAfee.

Anyway, I bought it back home, and set Windows back up, let it do it's 28 application setup post boot, and then 98 (!) Windows patches. This was under 3211 btw. I then upgraded to 3212, and retired for the night. This morning, under a defrag, temp was around 51C, and it died.

So, just on a whim, I've used WinCrisis to put 3211 back (which is what Windows was installed onto this time around) and I'm thrashing it again. I have told the shop if it does it again, I'll either setup a camera to film it freeze, or I'll take it back when it's frozen.

Acer are useless, wanting me to take it back to the vendor, and the vendor didn't find a problem so won't send it back to Acer. I have spoken to Trading Standards and will be pursuing this if it fails again.

 

Well, a small update - so far, after going back to 3211, it's not died (yet).
This is after a full day of reasonable usage.

My question is this :

How many people have found crashes/hangs AFTER a BIOS update?
How many people have NOT updated BIOS (at all) and had crashes?

Windows will install itself, based on a machine config - and a BIOS update may change that, and cause some "fun". I had this with an old motherboard which, when it's BIOS updated, couldn't boot from RAID anymore....

It may be a long shot, but try it - do a full system recovery with your existing BIOS, and see how it fairs....
I expect after posting this I'll now experience a crash...

 

Well, three days now with no freezes (yet).
Google Earth is happy, I've shoved an additional 1GB back in (removed when it went back to the shop) and all is well.

I am now leaning heavily towards suspecting that any BIOS update upsets the OS heavily (probably something in ACPI or an other interrupt), which causes it to fail. Seriously, give it a go - pick your BIOS, update to it, then go back to factory default OS (or reinstall your OS) and see what happens....

If you want to test my theory, use WinCrisis to install 3211, factory setup with 3211, then upgrade to 3212. You'll probably get a freeze. WinCrisis back to 3211 (like I have) and the OS has (so far) played nicely.

Obviously I still retain the right to go "D'oh!" if it freezes up again....

 

My AO751H running XP bios 3212 audio 5.10.0.6024 locks up without fail when using google reader under firefox latest version. Since switching to Google Chrome it is ok.

 

It's been about a month since my last freeze. Both the BIOS and the GMA500 drivers were updated to the latest versions (3212 and 2023 respectively). On Saturday I experienced 4 freezes in a raw (!!) while performing the usual tasks. In fact, a couple of them occured while the netbook was left unattended and had been into sleep mode. I think that all of them happened while it was unplugged.

Since then, and we're talking about 10-hours of daily usage, with downloading/browsing/document editing there is not a single freeze...

 

@Pytheas
damn that sucks, I'm just about to send in my unit (bought last week, hardly used), to their service center, I'll see how that turns out.

It seems like freezing occurs on other Z520 computers, such as the Dell Mini

 

Hi all

I have been following this thread all the way through.

I purchased my first AAO 751H 26th March. Obviously took all the bloatware they put on, games etc. Uninstalled the antivirus and google desktop etc. Installed my own copy of office 2007, plus Photoshop CS3. performed all of the microsoft updates.

Thats when I started to get the freeze! BSOD once or twice too.

Returned it back to Maplins the following week who exchanged it no problem for a new one.

Performed the very same as above and again it started freezing.

I am going to return it tomorrow for a third once, differant store, maybe differant batch???

I have performed a system restore and nothing else. The acer is running as smooth as anything, not frozen all morning which is very unusal to say the least.

Does everyone who experiances the freeze, remove all of the stuff they not want? just a thought.

Mine is still going back tomorrow and I'll see what its like for a week.

 

Like I said, try a system restore - but only if you've upgraded the BIOS *after* you got the machine out of the box.

My 0751h has NOT crashed since I gave it a full system restore (back to "shop" defaults) - and then fully patched with all (98) Windows patches. If you read my post (^^ up there), it DID crash, but only AFTER I'd upgraded from 3211 to 3212. Putting 3211 back on stopped any crashes.

Note : I am not saying 3211 will stop crashes, I'm saying that upgrading the BIOS after the O/S has installed & setup appears to be a problem. If the BIOS changes anything in the ACPI area for example, Windows may get upset if an address has changed which it no longer knows about.

No-one has responded to my post requesting someone try it, except the previous commenter saying he'd done a restore and so far was ok.

FYI the "default" software I have removed is :

- eSobi
- All the Acer games
- McAfee (via control panel and then also using McAfee's removal tool (instructions & download here : http://service.mcafee.com/FAQDocument.aspx?id=TS100507)

I'm using Microsofts Security Essentials for A/V and Malware instead (it's free).

My partner has been browsing the web using IE, I've been using Google Earth - no crashes. That's now over a week and a half!

 

blacklight

The first acer i updated the bios, cant remember from what to what though.

However, the second acer I did not update the bios. Just booted the netbook, followed the instructions and loaded into windows. Then the apps loaded. It was at that point that I started removing the software I didn't want. I then installed the software I did want and then performed the Windows update. From that point onwards it has frozen.

What I haven't done though is used the netbook straight out of the box. ...

Bugger, just as I was typing this, my acer has now frozen. I was so nearly conviced it would be fine.

So to recap. I have done a restore to factory shop default settings, not updated the bios, not done a windows update, so basically a brand new machine.

It has frozen after a couple of hours.

Back to Maplins in th emorning for my third (and definatly last) acer. I'll give it a week and see how it performs and if it still freezes, get a refund. Not sure what to buy instead of this though.

 

Hmm, most odd.

I have installed Office 2007 (Home/Student edition), and removed Google Toolbar as well. I've stressed the hard drive, and as I type the machine shows 54C (I've got another laptop I'm using for this post) and it's been behaving. Before going back to Comet and the rebuilds (I restored it to default before I took it back, they used it, then restored it, and I restored it to default again when I got it home) it was crashing at least once a day, and frequently when my partner used it.

When I got it, I had it a week before I upgraded the BIOS, which I seem to recall is when the "trouble" started.

Go to www.piriform.com and download "Speccy" and see what it tells you your motherboard is - mine shows as "JV11-ML (U3E1)" - be interesting to collate the crashes against versions.

 

Mine is the same JV11-ML (U3E1)

So, just how did you manage to get your acer working with no crashes. I have read your post and I have more or less done the same with the exeption of going back a couple of versions of the bios

 

Literally what I said

My "adventure" went something like this :

1) Bought netbook
2) Had it for a week or so, before noticing crashes (changed BIOS around this point)
3) Tried most of the fixes in this thread (inc. changing RAM, removing RAM cover, graphics options, DEP, upgrading to 2GB SODIMM etc etc)
4) Updated to 3211 - no joy
5) Restored to factory default (i.e. boot to Windows setup screen)
6) Removed hard drive - wiped unused space (i.e. remove any personal data)
7) Put original 1GB SODIMM chip back in, took netbook back to vendor
8) Vendor "ran" it for three days, claiming no crashes - they reset it to factory default
9) I bought it home, reset it to default again (I don't trust vendors!)
10) Finished Windows install, let the Acer 28 apps install
11) Updated Windows (98 patches)
12) Removed McAfee (control panel AND removal tool), Google Toolbar, eSobi, all Acer Games

From step 9 to 12 I had no crashes - machine was patching for most of a day

13) Installed 3212 BIOS - went to bed
14) Next morning - tried playing with drive encryption, machine froze at 50%
15) Reverted to 3211 (using WinCrisis)
16) Put 2GB SODIMM chip back in
17) No crashes since...(Office 2K7 installed, Google Earth running, etc etc) - even the drive encryption resumed from 50% and carried on to 100% ok.

So, unless I've been VERY lucky with no crashes, it only misbehaved after I changed the BIOS from 3211 to 3212. Reverting the BIOS has apparently (so far) made it behave. The only other option would be that the vendor "did something" whilst they had it, that they've not declared to me.

Maybe try updating (or downgrading, if you're at 3212) to 3211 (hint - the right hand USB port didn't work for me, the left hand ones did) and then doing a restore.

As I say, I may be lucky in that I've just had no freezes "yet", or, as I suspect, something in the undocumented BIOS changes changes the way the machines ACPI BIOS works, which upsets Windows when it's up and running (post install). This would (in theory) also be the same with other OSs (like Linux, for example).

Alternately, the WinPhlash updates (from inside Windows) may not work 100%, leaving the machine less stable - whereas WinCrisis/USB recovery does the BIOS flash at the lowest level - which may result in a happier platform. Either way, unless Acer start publishing what they are changing in the BIOS, I'm a damn sight less likely to upgrade again! (unless I start getting random crashes)

FYI, doing some major disk thrashing currently, the netbook shows a CPU temp of 58, and it's still happy. I've even loaded up a 35 page Word 2007 doc and scrolled up and down at random with both trackpad and keyboard. All happy.

Also, I've NOT installed or updated ANY drivers UNLESS they came down in Windows Update - the ONLY config change I've made has been to ENABLE horizontal scrolling on the trackpad and DISABLE chiral motion & pinch zoom completely.

 

Mmmmm sounds interesting.

I might upgrade my BIOS to 3211 from 3208 and do a restore this evening, see how that goes. I'll ot downgrade it though when I take it back! I didn't last time either.

It's still going back in the morning anyway, may aswell try another machine whilst I still have that option. I'm hoping the new one will be a differant motherboard that this one. See how it goes.

I'll post my results anyway

 

Hmmm that was a close call

Downloaded the 3211 BIOS and opened the folder. system froze just as i was about to press the Flash BIOS button.

Think I'll leave upgrading till I get a new Acer tomorrow

 

OK

Just collected my THIRD Acer 751H

Has the same motherboard as before so Im not holding out much hope. Was hoping that a differant store from the same group had differant stock but sadly no.....

BIOS 3208 Manufacture Date September 2009. Lets see how it performs.

I will start by offloading McAffee and loading Avast

 

Going well so far, but thats not uncommon!!!

Off loaded all the Acer games, McAffee, plus also done the McAffee removal tool as well. Offloaded works and office 2007 student version.

Installed Photoshop CS3, Office 2007, Avast

So far so good. Not yet used the webcame.

Haven't done the windows upload yet though!

 

OK, first round of windows update has been performed.

Sadly after re-booting, the machine froze within minutes!!!!!!!!!!

The only differance being it was sat on the floor. I'd like to think that it was due to heat, but im not convinced to be honest.

All software that I want is now loaded. I'll perform the next set of windows updates and see how it performs......

OK, performed all the latest windows updates. Hasn't frozen since the last time. Been going a couple of hours now. Running on mains though. Still have only 1Gig of RAM. Will put the 2GB ram stick in soon.

Hopefully, this may be the one that works, but I'll reserve judgement on that

 

Well, as suspected, when using the webcam whilst viewing another webcam, the Acer froze 3 times with 14 minutes. Had to press the power button to restart.

So. looks like I'll be requesting a refund next week

Shame really as I really do like the Acer 751h

 

@mouse12mat
when my system freezes I have to take out the battery and AC, pushing the power button doesn't seem to work for me (even holding it for a while)

thanks.

on another note, is there a hardware switch for wireless?
I understand that in windows i can 'disable' it, what about under linux?