Acer crashing, running slow

[dmitche3]

Before the usual want-to-be guru's respond, this is NOT a software or OS issue.


I have a family member who has an Acer 7720 that crashed. I have tried installing Windows Vista, Windows 7 Ultimate, and Ubuntu (lastest) and I'm having several problems.

Problems: The PC sometimes will not boot. As it tries to load the OS it just freezes. BSOD under Windows, ran a 'recovery' that reverted something back, but I don't know. Under Ubuntu the PC 'froze'. Well, not true. It ran so slow I thought it was hung except if I waited minutes the mouse would move. I was able to shut it down normally but it took nearly 30 minutes.

I've run the Ubuntu Memtester for 4 hours without a problem. SMART utilities show no problems with max. heat of 53 degrees so it hasn't fried the disk. I've return the SMART tests without issues. As this is a laptop I'm not thinking power supply. I reset the memory chips. I don't believe the CMOS battery is bad as the time is accurate.

I'm out of ideas other than declaring the problem something on the MOBO that I can't fix. Any ideas other than software and viruses would appreciated.

 

[lookerup]

Give us more information about the BSOD.

 

[scout_03]

did you try the test tool from your hdd maker smart could report good but drive could be defective on some other parts use the short test first

 

[dmitche3]

Yes. I've tried the short test, the long test, and a third one that I can't remember, something like convayence test multiple times. None of the SMART numbers appear to be out of line and I'm using HDSentinel to examine the information.

As for the blue screens of death, they refer to something like IPRT_GT_LT_ZERO. Pretty consistent.

The only event log stated:
(Registry Hive Recoverd) Registry hive (file): "\??\C:\Windows\System32\config\COMPONENTS' was corrupted and it has been recovered. Some data might have been lost. I haven't been able to identify what if anything was 'lost'. So far it appears that nothing significant was lost.

A previous entry said that the "..DEFAULT was corrupted and it has been recovered. The symptoms of what is being effected vary but not the nature of the problem.

I took a break the past two days from this but I'm running the laptop today and a new message is in the event log of interest. It makes it look like a motherboard issue and/or BIOS drivers.

The embedded controller (EC) did not respond within the specified timeout period. As I'm running the latest BIOS and the machine is now considered 'old' Acer is a worthless resource for help.

 

[scout_03]

try this to see what it wil report http/www.resplendence.com/whocrashed and if you goole iprtg only you got this http/www.google.ca/#hl=fr&gs_nf=3&pq=iprt&cp=1&gs_id=q&xhr=t&q=iprtg&pf=p&sclient=psy-ab&oq=Iprt&gs_l=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=11adcb96509dfc37&bpcl=37189454&biw=1920&bih=937 so do you use a iphone app on your system ?

 

[dmitche3]

No IPhone here. Well, so far so good as I got desperate and reflashed the BIOS. I've been able to run for nearly 8 hours without a crash, reinstalling Windows 7, updates, software, defrag'd the drive. It looks like the BIOS became corrupted somehow.

 

[scout_03]

maybe you got one of those bios virus gogle the way to test if you got one

 

[dmitche3]

Well, after running nearly 40 hours I'm back to square one with the original BSOD. I believe that the motherboard/keyboard is damaged and/or a lose connection as I was able to run for 40 hours with an external keyboard and mouse. When I tried using the keyboard is when problems started up again.

If I ever get this thing fixed I'll post the results.

 

[scout_03]

could be that the onboard keyboard cable made a short on the case or is getting loose

 

[dmitche3]

I hope to find time next week to disassemble the laptop, take all the cables/connectors and clean them up and reconnect them. I'm about 60% sure that it isn't the keyboard cable as the BSOD appears to refer to problems with disk I/O, but from experience any loose powered connection can cause a variety of strange errors.

I'll post an update if I find anything or not. Thanks everyone.

 

[scout_03]

what who crashed report on the bsod,also when you will disassemble the laptop be carefull to not shorting the ac connector or break it from board

 

[dmitche3]

Old post update: I gave up on it. It was a loose connection somewhere with the keyboard or ? If I used an external keyboard the machine ran fine but as soon as I would start to use the laptop's keyboard (put pressure on the unit) it started crashing.

Since my niece decided to buy another computer I didn't bother trying to fix it as nobody wanted it even if I fixed it.