Replaced 3 new HDD's and still gets stuck on boot, recovery not working, windows reinstall freezes etc. Acer Aspire 5742

[hades85]

This laptop suddenly went to recovery mode on boot (not sure if it did blue screen becuase it was from a friend), so I reinstalled a new windows, did a WD diagnostic test and the HDD was OK!, so after a week, the same recovery boot happened and it got stuck on the recovery. So the friend brought me the lapto and I installed a brand new WD HDD, after a week of use he got the same boot problems and freezing problems, so I told him that maybe it was a faulty laptop, faulty mobo or RAM. He took the laptop to a PC technician in town and my friend told him that a friend (me) was a faulty laptop and that the hdd was ok, the technician said ''tell your friend to study more, and this laptop has bad sectors and I will fix this'' (I don't think you can fix bad sectors but anyway), my friend refused to let him fix the laptop.

I now changed the RAM but it still wont work.

Tried to install Ubuntu but it gets stuck on the install process, weird because its not completely frozen, when I click quit it cancels installation

Could it be the CPU, mobo or Sata connectors?
thanks

 

[junkeymonkey]

did you check to see if it would except them new hard drives?? the bios may be locked or fixed to only except the one's that they support that came in it in it or on there upgrade list

 

[hades85]

did you check to see if it would except them new hard drives?? the bios may be locked or fixed to only except the one's that they support that came in it in it or on there upgrade list

Thanks, I didn't check the HDD RPM's, but I'm pretty sure is the same 500GB western digital blue edition. that came with the laptop.
I opened Gparted on Linux live and it won't recognize the HDD... I'm confused its a new HDD...

 

[junkeymonkey]

it may be something they put in there firmware and the new drives don't have it any upgrades or non factory repairs are at your own risk.. there sold to work as is under there guide lines this is why the bios are fixed by them to prevent tampering and undue warranty claims ..

but I hope I'm wrong and the issues is easily resolved

these guys are in to selling new computers and realy don't want you to keep one up [that hurts sales ] you use it it goes bad in some way or getting dated you throw it away and go to best buy and buy there newest latest one to replace it .[like a bic lighter]

I got a buddy who went through several new laptops trying to have them run on Linux and between that and new drives for them I don't think he got one to work right in any way.. a told him ''I wish I had money to blow like that '' them guys got that all figured out

don't know I wish I could help you more on this

 

[junkeymonkey]

went to acer to look it up some and they don't seem to even list it or at least I cant find it there

Acer 5742

 

[junkeymonkey]

heres the key words here and then no reply for him

However, the people there have somehow mixed it up with six other hard drives and now want me to try to identify it

http/community.acer.com/t5/2013-Archives/Factory-Hard-Drive-Acer-Aspire-5742-PEW71/td-p/51593

this guy put in a new drive but don't say if its a aftermarket or if he bought it from acer??

http/community.acer.com/t5/2014-Archives/Acer-Aspire-5742-How-do-I-install-Win-7-on-new-HD-I-have/td-p/181835

heres a guy with a new drive and only got 2 quickie reply's and dropped him

http/community.acer.com/t5/2013-Archives/Factory-Hard-Drive-Acer-Aspire-5742-PEW71/td-p/51593

man I looked for what I could for some insight for you but it don't look like much to go on

 

[hades85]

it may be something they put in there firmware and the new drives don't have it any upgrades or non factory repairs are at your own risk.. there sold to work as is under there guide lines this is why the bios are fixed by them to prevent tampering and undue warranty claims ..

don't know I wish I could help you more on this

Thats always a posibility, I've seen alot of laptops fail, but I dont think they have manipulated the Hard drive so only their HDD would be compatible, if that was the case we would see alot of people having the same problem.

But I did find the alot of people having same or similar problem from this acer laptop here, were the laptop just reboots into a loop with no fix.

http/www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B0045UBCQ2/ref=cm_cr_dp_hist_one/280-7838210-7604609?ie=UTF8&filterBy=addOneStar&showViewpoints=0

Problem is, I dont have warranty....

Thanks

 

[junkeymonkey]

well my buddy has a few that will not take nothing but the factory installed hard drive type all aftermarket ones fail to work

and I feel he's slicker on this stuff then I am

but all you can do is what you can and keep fingers crossed

 

[jarotech]

Hi, Acer uses fourteen different HDDs in this model (5742). So the BIOS is not lock (if ever it can be) for the HDD. They use three different companies, Seagate, HGST and WD, and from 160GB to 640GB.

The problem you are experiencing could be any component on the motherboard.

 

[junkeymonkey]

but I dont think they have manipulated the Hard drive so only their HDD would be compatible,

its called firmware and they can flash it just like there bios

all I can do is state an experience opinion and you go on from there