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Re: I've lost the m.2 heatsink that came with my laptop (PH317-53-70T), & I'm struggling to find a replacement.
Hi StevenGen,
Thank you for the information!
Bogus
Re: Secure boot certificate for Aspire GO 15 Model number AG15-42P-R4QQ. Has the certificate has been applied to it?
It is claimed that new models sold as of today should already have the 2023 KEK & PK certs installed. Which probably means more than a 50% but less than 100% certainty that the one you buy will.🙂
JackE
Re: SOLVED: Stability issues (Black Screens/Boot hangs) on Acer Aspire 15 A15-41M (Ryzen 8640HS) - Guide for Windows & Linux
Hi, I wanted to add that I am experiencing the exact same issues described in this post on my Acer Aspire 15 (A15-41M) with AMD Ryzen 5 8640HS and Radeon 760M graphics running Windows 11.
For the past couple of months, my laptop randomly freezes and the screen goes black without any warning. Sometimes I see scattered rainbow-colored pixels on the screen before it crashes. On top of that, after restarting, the AMD Radeon graphics driver sometimes uninstalls itself completely and reverts to the basic Windows display adapter.
I have already tried the following without any success:
- Restoring BIOS to default settings
- Resetting Windows 11 (with the Keep My Files option)
- Adjusting various display and power settings
- Reinstalling the graphics driver multiple times
After reading this post, it is clear that this is the same BIOS firmware bug (v1.10) affecting the GOP driver and GPU power state management. It is frustrating that a brand new laptop ships with such a critical firmware issue that causes daily instability.
I will try the BIOS setting changes suggested here (disabling Fast Boot, fixing VRAM to a static value). However, I strongly urge Acer's firmware team to prioritize and release an official BIOS update (v1.20 or later) to properly fix this at the firmware level. Many users are clearly affected by this and deserve a real solution, not just workarounds.
Thank you to GrigoreS for the detailed diagnosis and writeup — it saved me a lot of confusion.
SOLVED: Stability issues (Black Screens/Boot hangs) on Acer Aspire 15 A15-41M (Ryzen 8640HS) - Guide for Windows & Linux
Hi everyone. I recently purchased the Aspire A15-41M and encountered severe stability issues (Black screens on Windows, boot hangs, and RTC errors). As a Systems Engineer, I have found the root cause in the BIOS v1.10 and developed a workaround. I am sharing this to help other users and to bring this to the attention of Acer's firmware team.
TECHNICALGUIDE: Stabilizing the Acer Aspire 15 (A15-41M Series) with AMD Ryzen5 8640HS on Linux (Zorin OS / Ubuntu)
TECHNICALGUIDE: Stabilizing the Acer Aspire 15 (A15-41M Series) with AMD Ryzen5 8640HS on Linux (Zorin OS / Ubuntu)
TargetHardware: AcerAspire 15, AMD Ryzen 8000 Series (Hawk Point), Radeon 760M GPU.
CoreIssue: ImmatureBIOS (v1.10) causing graphical freezes, RTC sync errors, and bootfailures ("Cold Boot Freeze").
Throughout my nearly 20 years in IT as a SysAdmin and Network Engineer, I have debugged countless systems with BIOS or driver issues that were eventually resolved via updates. However, I have rarely encountered a firmware implementation as frustrating and flawed as the one on thisACER Aspire (admittedly, my first ACER purchase).
1.Identified Symptoms
- Windows11: Intermittentblack screens, frequent reboots (approx. every 2 days), graphical artifacts, and AMD driver crashes. Even after clean OS installs and using both ACER-provided and latest AMD drivers, the issues persisted. The system would often revert to generic Windows display drivers, and the cooling fan would run loudly for extended periods.
- Linux(Default):
dmesglogsfilled withamdgpu:failed to reg_write_reg_waitandMESfailed to responderrors. - BootIssues: Systemhang at the splash screen after a full Shutdown (Power State S5),often requiring 2-3 forced hard resets to successfully boot.
- BIOS: Hardwareclock (RTC) desynchronization and fans running at 100% duty cycle within the BIOS menu for no apparent reason.
2.Technical Diagnosis
Theproblem is not hardware-related, as initially suspected, but resides in the faulty implementation of ACPI tables and the GOP (Graphics Output Protocol) driver (dated 2024!) in the current BIOS version. The firmware fails to manage power state transitions for the integrated GPU and incorrectly maps IOMMU addresses.
3.The Solution: Kernel Optimization via GRUB
To bypass firmware bugs, we must force the Linux Kernel to take direct control of PCI buses and power management.
StepA: Edit Boot Parameters
Editthe configuration file: sudonano /etc/default/grub
Modifythe GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT lineas follows:GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="amdgpu.runpm=0amdgpu.mes=0 iommu=pt pci=noaer pci=realloc acpi_backlight=vendoridle=nomwait"
ParameterBreakdown:
amdgpu.runpm=0:Disables aggressive GPU Power Management (prevents black screens).amdgpu.mes=0:Disables the unstable Micro Engine Scheduler on newer Ryzen series.iommu=pt:Sets IOMMU to "Pass-Through" mode to bypass ACPI mappingerrors.pci=realloc:Forces reallocation of PCI resources, ignoring faulty BIOSconfigurations.idle=nomwait:Prevents CPU freezes in deep sleep states mismanaged by firmware.- (Optional) Remove
quietsplashtoboot in text mode (highly recommended for monitoring).
StepB: System Update
bash
sudo update-grubsudo timedatectl set-local-rtc 1 --adjust-system-clock
Proceed with caution when applying these configurations.
4.System Optimizations (Service Management)
Toprevent synchronization collisions during login, a 2-second delay forthe display manager (LightDM/GDM) is recommended:sudosystemctl edit lightdm.service
Addthe following lines:
[Service]ExecStartPre=/bin/sleep 2
Proceed with caution when applying these configurations.
5.BIOS Recommendations
- FastBoot: Disabled(Mandatory for correct AMD driver initialization).
- SecureBoot: Disabled(To allow kernel parameters to operate without restrictions).
- VRAM: Ifavailable, set a fixed value (e.g., 2G) instead of "Auto".
Conclusion
Whilethe BIOS RTC remains desynchronized and fans still ramp up within theBIOS menu, ZorinOS handles time management and system stability flawlessly once these tweaks are applied. The system no longer hangs at boot and performs reliably across web browsing, Office tasks, and even gaming (tested on Syberia:The World Before via Heroic Launcher). The GPU achieved a solid 11598 score in glmark2.
Although Acer released this product with deficient firmware support, Linux's flexibility allows it to be transformed into a stable workstation.
Re: I've lost the m.2 heatsink that came with my laptop (PH317-53-70T), & I'm struggling to find a replacement.
Hi Bogus,
For your Predator PH317‑53‑70T, you don’t need the original Acer heatsink. Any thin M.2 2280 SSD heatsink designed for laptops will fit, provided it clears the chassis and doesn’t press against the bottom cover.
A solid choice is the Easycargo slim copper heatsink kit (includes 0.5 mm and 1 mm thermal pads): https://www.amazon.com/Easycargo-Laptop-Heatsink-Thermal-Cooling/dp/B081ZS1DZV?th=1
- Low‑profile, safe for laptop clearance.
- Pads included to match SSD thickness.
- Keeps NVMe drives cool under load.
Note that your BIOS is from 2020 for Windows 10. The new 2026 Secure Boot KEK update is being distributed primarily for Windows 11 25H2 systems. It may not apply to this older W10 BIOS, so don’t expect compatibility updates from Acer for this model.
Given the age of your unit, it’s more practical to invest in a modern Windows 11 25H2 laptop. Systems with Intel Ultra CPUs deliver much faster performance, improved thermals, and more efficient power management compared to legacy hardware.
Puraw
Re: I've lost the m.2 heatsink that came with my laptop (PH317-53-70T), & I'm struggling to find a replacement.
Hi Bogus,
Use the 0.5 mm thermal pad first — it’s usually the right thickness for laptop M.2 SSDs, since clearance under the bottom cover is tight. The 1 mm pad is included for cases where the SSD sits slightly lower and needs more contact, but in most Predator PH317‑53 units the 0.5 mm pad avoids pressure on the cover.
So:
- Start with 0.5 mm → safe fit, no bulging.
- Only switch to 1 mm if the heatsink isn’t making proper contact with the SSD surface.
That way you get cooling without risking clearance issues.
Puraw
Re: I've lost the m.2 heatsink that came with my laptop (PH317-53-70T), & I'm struggling to find a replacement.
Acer does not list an M.2 SSD drive heatsink for this 2019 released Predator PH317-53-71T model, you can buy the thin copper heatsinks on eBay or Amazon as they are the most suitable heatsinks for this laptop. Be aware that you need to buy a thin M.2 SSD heatsink so that you will be able to close the back cover of your laptop, so DO NOT buy a bulky heatsink.
To improve this laptops performance, I suggest that you upgrade the M.2 SSD to a quick M.2 SSD Gen 3 x4 lane drive that this laptops M.2 SSD slot max speed is designed for, see HERE, the benchmarks of the M.2 SSD done by Tom's Hardware site as a guide.
On my PH515-56 Nitro I've been using the very quick Samsung 970 Plus Gen 3 x4 M.2 drive (if its still being sold today?) if its not, then I suggest that you upgrade and use a Gen 4 x4 lane M.2 drives, as the Gen 4 M.2 SSD drives are backward compatible and will utilize the max speed of your PH317-53s Gen 3 x4 lane M.2 SSD slots speed.
Also, upgrade the ram to the most suitable and compatible type memory for your PH317-53-71T model cpu the Intel® Core™ i7-8750H Processor9M Cache, up to 4.10 GHz cpu, which can operate on a max 64GB capacity at DDR4-2666MT/s speed, but if you can't buy these ram modules anymore, then buy the commonly available the DDR4-3200MT/s CL22 type ram, as they are backward compatible and will be downclocked to 2666MT/s speed.
These DDR4-3200MT/s ram kit modules are available from Crucial ram here > Crucial 64GB Kit (32GBx2) DDR4-3200 SODIMM. Also make sure that you have the last bios version 1.12 for the PH317-53 installed also so that the ram is fully compatible. Do all the above as afterwards your PH317-53 laptops will have a new lease of life. Good luck.
Below are the Acer service guide memory modules that Acer lists for the PH317-53 model as a guide.
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Re: Hi is chromebook 315 CB315-5HT-C66N 15.6" N100-8 GB - 64 GB Flash Memory Touchscreen fanless or not?
Hello @memer,
The Acer Chromebook 315 (CB315-5HT-C66N) with the Intel N100 processor is fanless. It uses passive cooling, which allows it to operate silently without moving parts like fans.
Fan Status by Processor Type
Whether other Chromebooks are fanless depends heavily on the specific chip being used:
- Intel N100 / N-Series: These are almost always fanless. The Intel N100 has a very low power draw (6W TDP), which enables silent, passively cooled designs in many 11–14 inch and even some 15-inch models.
- MediaTek / ARM CPUs: These are nearly all fanless. MediaTek Kompanio chips (like the 520, 540, and 838) are designed for mobile efficiency, allowing Chromebooks to stay quiet and run cool even during multitasking.
- Intel Core i3: These usually have fans, though there are rare exceptions.
- Active Cooling: Most i3 models (like the i3-1215U or i3-N305 found in larger 14–15-inch laptops) require a fan to maintain performance and thermal stability.
- Passive Cooling: Older or specialized "Y-series" or "Core M" processors were sometimes fanless, but these are less common in modern standard i3 Chromebooks.
Quick Comparison Table
Processor Category | Cooling Type | Noise Level |
|---|---|---|
Intel N100 | Fanless (Passive) | Silent |
MediaTek Kompanio | Fanless (Passive) | Silent |
Intel Core i3 | Usually Fan (Active) | Minimal/Quiet |
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Murav
