Acer 1410 Notebook Stuck In BootUp Mode

Xendora

A friend gave me a Acer 1410 Notebook because it won't boot up, it's stuck in a loop that goes from "Setup is starting services" to reboot...rinse/repeat. Most commonly is this message: "The computer restarted unexpectedly or encountered an unexpected error. Windows installation cannot proceed to install windows, click OK to restart the computer and then restart the installation."

I managed to get it to where I can try to boot it in Safe Mode but when I do I get this: "Windows cannot complete installation in Safe Mode. To continue installing Windows, restart the computer."

Eventually it shuts itself off which makes me wonder if there's a hardware issue instead of or in addition to this problem with Windows & trying to get it to boot.

I'm no techie so please, if anyone replies, speak to me like the novice I am, lol. I can do a few things like get into settings. I did reset them to default but this didn't seem to matter.

Thanks in advance for any help. ~Xen

Sticker on bottom says:

Acer 1410 Notebook
W7 Home Premium OA
Acer Group

Tushon

Follow if you can, ask questions where you can't:
1) go into BIOS and reset to "optimized defaults" if present
2) On another PC, download this ISO file, this program (instructions), and use a 4GB+ thumb drive to create a bootable Win7 install.
3) Insert the USB in to the netbook
4) Assuming you don't want to keep anything on the laptop, tap F12 (I'm assuming, it may be a different button but should be displayed on the screen) at BIOS boot check to choose your boot source and choose the USB. You can attempt to repair, but I imagine a fresh start would be better at this point. Choose install then do the "advanced" option. Wipe out the current MBR by selecting it then clicking delete until it appears to be complete blank and then click on the "blank/unformatted" portion and select new then Next/Install (picking from memory). Wait until it is done and then setup windows normally. You'll have to work with Windows to get key from the sticker activated correctly, but it is a pretty quick phone system.

kryyst

There should be a recovery partition on that computer.
1. Power on the machine
2. At the white ACER BIOS screen, hold the “Alt” key and press the “F10” key simultaneously to start Acer eRecovery
3. Once eRecovery has loaded, click “Restore to Factory Default Settings”
4. Click “OK” to continue
5. From here, the eRecovery process will update all the data on the C: drive and restore a fully functional factory image (approximately 10 minutes).
6. Once eRecovery has run, press “OK” to reboot unit

This should restore the computer to factory. You will lose anything on the computer.

Tushon

Or that!

Zendall

There should be a recovery partition on that computer.
1. Power on the machine
2. At the white ACER BIOS screen, hold the “Alt” key and press the “F10” key simultaneously to start Acer eRecovery
3. Once eRecovery has loaded, click “Restore to Factory Default Settings”
4. Click “OK” to continue
5. From here, the eRecovery process will update all the data on the C: drive and restore a fully functional factory image (approximately 10 minutes).
6. Once eRecovery has run, press “OK” to reboot unit

This should restore the computer to factory. You will lose anything on the computer.

Apologies for not replying sooner. I never got any notifications about replies to this thread. I put the computer under my bed & forgot about it.

I tried what you said to. All seemed well until it got to about 90%, then it shut itself off. I tried again & when it started to restore again, it shut itself off. I'm guessing there's also some kind of hardware issue? I'm not sure what else I can do with it. Thanks for your effort with this kryyst.

Also, thanks to you too Tushon.

Straight_Man

Try again with computer power cord plugged into wall until the eRecovery process completes if it will. Sounds like battery might be going bad.

Zendall

Here's an update. I let it sit for a while last night then took the battery out & tried it with just the power cord plugged in. I've always tried it with the power cord & battery. It did the full restore but when it went to desktop, off it went. I started it today, it booted up just fine. I went to Device Manager to see if there are any alerts but everything was listed noramally. I changed the power management settings so it never shuts anything down. It did a few updates & restarted. I opened up a IE page & when I clicked off the McAfee toolbar, off it went. Rebooted, opened IE & off it went. Rebooted, made it to desktop, off it went.

I'm not sure what to make of it turning itself off like it does. It doesn't feel hot, Device Manager isn't showing any problems. I hate McAfee & wonder if it's possible there's some kind of snag with it. What I wanted to try next was to install CCleaner & see about getting some of the bloatware off including McAfee.

Basically after sitting a while the computer runs for about 15 mins before shutting down. After that it stays on for less & less time. If anyone has any other ideas I can try please let me know. Thanks.

Tushon

Download this and put it on a USB stick (there are instructions on their website and contained in the download). Boot from it and run the HDD tests (perhaps the manufacturer specific one if you look at the HDD and see which it is and Drive Fitness test - Long). If neither of those fail, run Memtest 86+ all tests (default) and let it go through several passes. IF you see a bunch of red, write down the address location, if not memory "should" be okay.

Zendall

Download this and put it on a USB stick (there are instructions on their website and contained in the download). Boot from it and run the HDD tests (perhaps the manufacturer specific one if you look at the HDD and see which it is and Drive Fitness test - Long). If neither of those fail, run Memtest 86+ all tests (default) and let it go through several passes. IF you see a bunch of red, write down the address location, if not memory "should" be okay.

I guess this is too complicated for me. I burned the CD but when I try to do a command prompt to put it on the flash drive I get messages saying it's the wrong path, etc. Once it said the drive didn't exist but I have a flash drive plugged in & recognized on My Computer. Thanks any way.

Tushon

You can just use the CD in that PC ... for some reason, I was thinking this was a netbook. Just choose to boot from the CD and you'll be presented with menus. Select HDD then Drive Fitness Test in the sub-menu. For Memtest86+, select memory then the correct one.

Zendall

You can just use the CD in that PC ... for some reason, I was thinking this was a netbook. Just choose to boot from the CD and you'll be presented with menus. Select HDD then Drive Fitness Test in the sub-menu. For Memtest86+, select memory then the correct one.

It's a notebook, it doesn't have a CD drive.

Earlier I turned it on & it booted up fine. I was able to remove McAfee & the Norton trial. I ran CCleaner, that worked fine. I then tried to install AVG AntiVirus & about 1/2 way through it turned itself off. It stayed on for about 35 - 40 minutes which is the longest its ran so far. I tried again & it went off about 10 minutes later.

Tushon

The process is just this (in another PC):
1) Check what drive letter of the flash drive
2) Navigate to this on the cd: CDdriveletter:\ubcd\tools\win32\ubcd2usb and right-click on ubcd2usb.cmd and select run as administrator
3) some info will spit out, ignore it. just type ubcd2usb drive letter of cd with a colon after drive letter of flash drive with a colon after

example: ubcd2usb d: f:

4) boot from USB drive in the acer 1410

Zendall

The process is just this (in another PC):
1) Check what drive letter of the flash drive
2) Navigate to this on the cd: CDdriveletter:\ubcd\tools\win32\ubcd2usb and right-click on ubcd2usb.cmd and select run as administrator
3) some info will spit out, ignore it. just type ubcd2usb drive letter of cd with a colon after drive letter of flash drive with a colon after

example: ubcd2usb d: f:

4) boot from USB drive in the acer 1410

I was able to make the USB stick following your instructions. I went into BIOS to write down the HDD model. It booted to Windows, I restarted it, used F12 to select the USB. It booted to Windows again so I tried a 2nd time. This time it loaded the USB. I saw a quick message saying something like "check your cable connection!" then it went to Windows. Then when I tried to reboot it again it turned itself off. *sigh*

Tushon

In BIOS, change the boot order to USB first. If it still skips the USB and boots Windows, format your USB stick and try again.

Zendall

In BIOS, change the boot order to USB first. If it still skips the USB and boots Windows, format your USB stick and try again.

It completely bypasses the USB altogether now. I changed it in BIOS, I have the option to use F12 which allows for selection of boot device. I tried both but it just goes to Windows. You said to format my flash drive. Why and/or what to? I have it formatted to NTSF. Is it possible I made the CD or USB version wrong? Either way, with it constantly shutting itself down I'm not sure it can complete any of the tests. I was very surprised it stayed on for over 1/2 hour earlier today.

Windows offered to do a memory test. A short while into it, off it went again.

I know it's just guessing but do you have any idea or suspect why it keeps shutting down? If this is a hardware failure I'm totally out of my tiny league, lol.

Tushon

Just precautionary, to make sure it wasn't just some small issue with creation of bootable USB. (for example, on my work computers, you cannot create bootable USB drives)

It definitely sounds like a hardware problem, which is what we're trying to test, but you can certainly do it. When you use the F12 menu, do you see a USB drive in the list of options? You may need to find any USB related options in the BIOS and turn them on (some BIOSes have boot menus where they have to be enabled first, others have USB power on options talking about when the USB ports receive power, etc).

Zendall

Just precautionary, to make sure it wasn't just some small issue with creation of bootable USB. (for example, on my work computers, you cannot create bootable USB drives)

It definitely sounds like a hardware problem, which is what we're trying to test, but you can certainly do it. When you use the F12 menu, do you see a USB drive in the list of options? You may need to find any USB related options in the BIOS and turn them on (some BIOSes have boot menus where they have to be enabled first, others have USB power on options talking about when the USB ports receive power, etc).

I couldn't find anything about USB in BIOS other than the boot order. I can use F12 & select the USB but it just goes on to Windows.

I'm starting to think the fan isn't working on this notebook. Maybe it's just me but I can't hear it or feel any air coming out the vent at all.

Tushon

That would coincide nicely with varying times till shut off. You should be able to remove the case cover with a smallish screwdriver. Remove the yellow screws in pic one here, clean out any debris, then turn it on, and see if it is moving

Zendall

That would coincide nicely with varying times till shut off. You should be able to remove the case cover with a smallish screwdriver. Remove the yellow screws in pic one here, clean out any debris, then turn it on, and see if it is moving

My notebook doesn't match the pic you provided, I really wish it did. Yours looks so much easier to access things. I took a pic of mine & put it on one of my FB accounts marked public. I don't have a photo sharing account at the moment so I hope this is OK.

facebook.com/?sk=welcome#!/xenz.darkheart

Tushon

Just use imgur.com next time :P

I think the attached picture should be all of the screws you need to undo. I think you can ignore the ones up close to the front of the device. The fan should be on the right side (of this picture, which you can right-click on to get a bigger/zoomable version)

Zendall

Just use imgur.com next time :P

I think the attached picture should be all of the screws you need to undo. I think you can ignore the ones up close to the front of the device. The fan should be on the right side (of this picture, which you can right-click on to get a bigger/zoomable version)

LMAO!! There's my pic, in all its glory... HAHAHA...I might just ask you to direct me to learn how you did that some time, lol. Anyway... I'm a wee bit buzzed on a couple screwdrivers so I will attempt this tomorrow for sure. THANK YOU so much for all you're doing for me!!

Would it not be so cool if all it is...is the fan, lol. Nighterz :-)

Zendall

Just use imgur.com next time :P

I think the attached picture should be all of the screws you need to undo. I think you can ignore the ones up close to the front of the device. The fan should be on the right side (of this picture, which you can right-click on to get a bigger/zoomable version)

Hello Again. I have all the screws you circled removed but I'm not seeing how to pull it apart. Nothing seems to have loosened up.

Tushon

Okay, use this (the actual service manual) and follow directions for removing the upper cover (pg 58, but you'll use several sections before that). It looks like access to that fan is from the top rather than bottom, but you would have need to loosen most/all of those screws anyways so you are just ahead some. You'll see that it asks you to go back and check other sections. That is normal.

Zendall

Okay, use this (the actual service manual) and follow directions for removing the upper cover (pg 58, but you'll use several sections before that). It looks like access to that fan is from the top rather than bottom, but you would have need to loosen most/all of those screws anyways so you are just ahead some. You'll see that it asks you to go back and check other sections. That is normal.

Thank you so very much for the service manual, I greatly appreciate it! I think this is beyond my abilities & comfort zone. I have a friend I'm going to take this to as soon as I can arrange it. Hopefully next week. When I find something out I'll let you know. Again, many thanks for all your help. Take care. :-)

Zendall

Okay, use this (the actual service manual) and follow directions for removing the upper cover (pg 58, but you'll use several sections before that). It looks like access to that fan is from the top rather than bottom, but you would have need to loosen most/all of those screws anyways so you are just ahead some. You'll see that it asks you to go back and check other sections. That is normal.

Hi Tushon. I took the notebook to my friend's house. He pretty much dismantled it completely. The service guide you provided was very, very helpful. Thank you again so much for that! The fan tested good. My friend checked what he could be we had no way of checking the HDD, memory, CPU. The motherboard looked fine. He spent a long time taking it apart, looking at what he could, putting it back together. It stayed on for a whopping 6 minutes, then it shut off. It's not worth putting any real money into it so guess I'll put it up on ebay to sell for parts.

Just letting you know the outcome, as promised. Wish it'd worked out, would've been a nice little notebook.

Take care, ~Zen