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Resolved Question

Acer Aspire 5552 - crashing

by May 10, 2014 1:16AM PDT

Hi all

My Acer Aspire laptop has been crashing frequently lately. The crashes actually take a few forms. Most of the time the computer freezes and displays several small horizontal lines on the screen then re starts. Some times the compute just restarts without these lines, and then sometimes the computer goes to a blue screen.

The blue screen usually lists the problem as a usb issue but other times there are other issues. It is definitely not just the usb but that is a common one.

I have tried to install all the updates (147!) and it still does crash. it crashed before i installed them, in the middle, and now still does so i do not think that is it....

here are the specs:

Screen Size 15.6 inches
Screen Resolution 1366 x 768
Max Screen Resolution 1366 x 768 pixels
Processor 2.2 GHz Phenom Triple-Core
RAM 4 GB DDR3
Memory Speed 1066 MHz
Hard Drive 320 GB SATA
Graphics Coprocessor ATI Radeon HD 4250
Chipset Brand AMD
Card Description Radeon HD 4250
Graphics Card Ram Size 256 MB
Wireless Type 802.11B, 802.11G, 802.11n
Number of USB 2.0 Ports 3
Average Battery Life (in hours) 3 hours

Also i can include a copy of my event viewer info that shows the errors before the critical failures and such

I would really like to save the laptop as it runs super fast when it is not crashing.......

Discussion is locked

djonesy1289 has chosen the best answer to their question. View answer
24 Posts
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Best Answer

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Let's try a little crash proofing.
by Forum moderator May 14, 2014 6:08AM PDT
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Ok will do
by djonesy1289 May 15, 2014 8:15AM PDT

Yeah I re installed the OS from a DVD and then installed 153 updates. All of them were successful except one failed numerous times it was ATI technologies inc. driver update for radeon HD 4200. It failed 4 times in a row then successfully installed however the date of the update is 2009 so I do not understand, have they not updated this graphics card in 5 years?

Also in my event viewer the errors before the most recent critical error were "Atikmdag" which I am assuming is graphics. The same error also followed the crash.

I will try that step you described in the previous comment.

I really do not think it is an overheating issue, the laptop is not hot when it shuts down and as said before it will occasionally do it off of cold boot but that has not happened in a while. Overall laptop is very fast otherwise....

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Tell me more.
by r. proffitt Forum moderator May 15, 2014 8:18AM PDT

It's a long standing piece of advice we don't accept DRIVERS FROM MICROSOFT. These are usually marked OPTIONAL and can break a good installation.

I didn't write it was heat. And the pull back to 2 CPUs is not that hard to do and can stabilize a cranky machine. I've had folk install Microsoft drivers and crash then ask why. I can't answer as I don't use those since I learned long agao.
Bob

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2 processors
by djonesy1289 May 15, 2014 8:21AM PDT

Ok I set it to 2 processors. In the dropdown 2 was actually the maximum despite my machine having 3 I am assuming this is normal as not using the dropdown is implicit that it will use the 3?

Anyways, I do not ever install the optional updates, just the recommended or "important" ones.

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And we always skip the drivers from Microsoft.
by r. proffitt Forum moderator May 15, 2014 8:28AM PDT

Get them from the machine's maker. Or you may be learning why.

I fear you want a long dissertation on why we pull back on the core count but the short reason is to stabilize a cranky machine. If that pans out, the reason can be a bad one. That is, it could be a design defect to a main board issue. Some think I'm looking for heat issues but this is all volunteer and why we do this has too many reasons. Crashing is just too much time lost.
Bob

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Fear not
by djonesy1289 May 15, 2014 9:02AM PDT

No dissertation necessary. Gonna see how this 2 processor change works. Thanks for the advice.

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Still crashin'
by djonesy1289 May 15, 2014 11:46AM PDT

Also installed Acer's newest VGA drivers.

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OK. One last time.
by r. proffitt Forum moderator May 15, 2014 11:49AM PDT

Install the factory OS, do not update ANYTHING. If it crashes it's a hardware issue.

The install so far is not something I'd stand up to. It may have Microsoft drivers.

Be sure to really wipe the HDD as a root kit can survive in the boot area.

Too bad there are no more clues but it sounds like hardware.
Bob

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This ended up working.
by djonesy1289 May 22, 2014 2:46AM PDT

So after wiping the HDD and reinstalling the OS the computer has stopped crashing with just the manufacturere updates installed. I did mention the one crash but that was a specific program i found. Dont know why but it alway Bsods my laptop. Dont really care too much because everything else works. Can play a game on screen and play a HD video on tv through hdmi at the same time with no hiccups or crashes so im happy.

Thank you.

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Answer
The symptoms could be from overheating
by May 10, 2014 1:23AM PDT

If you haven't taken compressed air and blown out the air ducts in the last 6 months, that's the first thing you should do. Dust builds up inside and causes overheating.

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Will try that
by djonesy1289 May 10, 2014 1:29AM PDT

I will try that, should i open the laptop to do this and to also look for more substantial dust that has perhaps hardened (is that possible) on to the components?

Is there a way i can insert my event viewer info like an attachment?

Thanks

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I only open it
by r. proffitt Forum moderator May 10, 2014 1:36AM PDT

When the buildup is severe. Log files will be most junk if this is the cause. That is, we would be seeing a cacophony of errors due to this. All it would do is tell us it was crashing but not why.

Then again, if you find a laptop owner without a can of air you found one that will sooner or later need help.
Bob

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It could be from overheating
by Nairaman May 10, 2014 10:56PM PDT

Yeah that is true @wpgwpg it once happen to my system and after i clean it up it becomes perfectly ok.

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Answer
How old?
by Forum moderator May 10, 2014 1:27AM PDT

Are you doing the usual canned air on a monthly basis?

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Canned air
by djonesy1289 May 10, 2014 1:38AM PDT

No I have not been nor ever have. I know that is probably bad maintenance. I will begin doing it either way, but I did not suspect overheating because often the Laptop will crash a few seconds/mins after initially booting up and being completely cool to the touch.....

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Crash on cold boot
by r. proffitt Forum moderator May 10, 2014 2:03AM PDT

Can mean there are other issues. Just last week I found 2 bad HDDS, a dozen corrupted OSes and used a can of canned air.

The fact on maintenance could have caused parts to fail or better yet, when the OS crashes like this it can corrupt what's on the HDD.

As a test we slip in a new blank HDD (well, it's the shop hound HDD that has been blanked) and then do a restore of the factory OS as a test to sniff out if the OS has been corrupted.

Cheap compared to OS swamp hunts.
Bob

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Forget something.
by r. proffitt Forum moderator May 10, 2014 2:14AM PDT

Make sure there are not "extras" plugged in. No USB things.

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No usb
by djonesy1289 May 10, 2014 3:48AM PDT

Yup no usb devices plugged in. still crashes.

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Compressed air/ re install os?
by djonesy1289 May 14, 2014 5:35AM PDT

So i cleaned out the laptop vents with compressed air pretty thoroughly and the laptop actually seemed to be working better. Didn't crash for like 2 days but it just did about 15 mins ago.

Would you recommend reinstalling the OS from a disk, i have done it before from the HDD to factory but as you said previous failures may have damaged this information?

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Since it ran for a while.
by r. proffitt Forum moderator May 14, 2014 5:46AM PDT
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PS. The thing is that crash on cold boot.
by r. proffitt Forum moderator May 14, 2014 5:48AM PDT

It's not a good sign. Since it is working and we know that Windows does crash from time to time I worry about folk new to PCs thinking these are crash proof. That is we take a PC that crashes every few minutes and get it to run for days then the first crash they want to do more.
Bob

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Answer
Is this a 2010 model?
by Forum moderator May 15, 2014 12:03PM PDT
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-Acer-Aspire-5552G-Notebook.40477.0.html pegs it from 2010 so that's about par for this model. I don't suggest it be repaired due to the low costs we see today and high repair costs. My bet is on a new mainboard.

If you know how, unplug the WiFi card and retest without. It tends to fail and cause odd crashes. The RAM looks stock so just unplug and plug it back in to cover another common issue.
Bob
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Completely wiped the hdd
by djonesy1289 May 16, 2014 11:27AM PDT

Wiped HDD then re installed windows. Only installed Acer manufacturer drivers for network wireless card, audio, and graphics. Put it through my usual "stress test" of playing hd video while also playing a game at the same time. Did crash but it really only crashes when i put it under this stress now, where it used to just crash all the time for no reason.....

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In that case.
by r. proffitt Forum moderator May 16, 2014 11:24PM PDT

It's not a crash on boot so given the age it's too probably the heat sink compound has dried and cracked. Replace that. Compound is under 10 bucks, a service counter is 200 and a new laptop is more.

Or then again, stop stressing the machine. Drop the core count to 1 and don't run games or stressful apps?
Bob

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