Acer E5-5x1 Reverting to Windows 8.1 fails after Windows 10 Upgrade

TLX_Electrical
TLX_Electrical Member Posts: 1 New User
edited March 2023 in 2017 Archives

We have the following Acer models that we have ordered recovery media for:


E5-551-T1MK Ref:**********

NXMLDEK005*************
NXMLDEK005************
NXMLDEK005************

E5-521-625B Ref:*********

NXMLFEK007*********

 

On all units, the recovery media works until the machine reboots into Windows from the internal hard disk.
The laptops show the Acer splash screen with the rotating circle at the bottom of the screen, then after a few seconds the screen goes blank with just the mouse pointer. The machine will not boot into Windows, no matter how long it is left.

We have run extensive diagnostics on the HDDs & RAM, which have shown no errors.

The media has been replaced, and the replacements still show the same result.

We have updated the BIOS for each unit to the latest version. We have "cleaned" the HDDs then re-installed the recovery media. We have tried creating recovery media from an identical model. None of this has made any difference.

If we recover the machines using Windows 8.1 media from a different model, it installs, boots, & activates correctly, but not all of the drivers are present, (due to the recovery not specifically for this machine) this would suggest that the units are not faulty.

These units have previously been installed with Windows 10 for display purposes, but we need to recover back to the original Windows 8.1 for sale.

 

Is it possible that Windows 10 has made a change to the BIOS or HDD?

 

[edited for privacy-please do not post personal or unique information such as but not limited to full names, email addresses, phone numbers, full serial numbers, etc.]

Answers

  • IronFly
    IronFly ACE Posts: 18,413 Trailblazer

    have you tried to press

    ctrl+shift+esc 

    alt+tab

    ctrl+alt+del

    windows logo key + d

     

    sometimes under the black screen there's an hidden prompt asking for an input.

    I'm not an Acer employee.