Acer Aspire laptop 531-571 won't boot up.

Hi. I have a 2 year old Acer Aspire that suddenly crashed. I was unable to boot up into Windows and would receive a weird message about memory. Everytime it would boot up, the system covery screen would come up with options to restore, go to DOS, recovery, etc. I tried everything, but nothing would work. So I purchased the Acer recovery disk(s) from Acer. Ran those last night. The computer would not boot through them for like 20 minutes, but finally did. Everything copied perfectly. But when finished I got the message: "your PC needs to be repaired" " The boot config data for your PC is missing or contains errors. , "file \EFI\Microsoft\boot\BCD" Error code Smiley Surprised Xc000000f. "you'll need to use the recovery tools on your installation media, etc... If I esc for UEFI Firmware settings, I get the a box that requires a password/unlock key. A number is listed below it. I never knew of any BIOS password?????? So I am stuck in a loop again. IF stay on the blue screen with message, the computer continues to go back to the Acer Logo and then back to message. I no longer have any access to DOS. Smiley Sad So the disk rendered me totally helpless. Ido not have $100 plus to just throw away. I am very upset. I have a desktop with Windows 8 on it, but since my laptop came with Windows pre-installed, I am sure anything I might transfer over would be rejected. Please help if you can. Thank you.

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Govind1801

1. Restart the computer.
2. As soon as computer powers on, press and hold the left Alt, and then keep tapping F10 keys.
3. Select Keyboard Layout (United States English).
4. Please select Troubleshoot in Advance Options to choose Reset/ Refresh.

If it is Helpful Click the "Kudos" to say thanks ! If the issue resolved click on "Accept Solutio:.

Note:

While I am an Acer employee or contracted employee, my contributions to Acer Community are my own and not representative of Acer or its views, Thanks

tr58

Spoiler

Thanks for the tip and info, but pressing the alt/f10 did nothing. Smiley Sad

i have tried numerous times and also tapped f10 for over 2 minutes.

Thanks for the tip and info, but pressing the alt/f10 did nothing. Smiley Sad

i have tried numerous times and also tapped f10 for over 2 minutes.

IronFly

download this .iso and burn it to a CD or USB flash drive:

http://www.partitionwizard.com/partition-wizard-bootable-cd.html

boot from your burned media and once in the "desktop" select your HDD and select Rebuild MBR and click apply:

http://www.partitionwizard.com/help/rebuild-mbr.html

check if you are able to boot.

if not:

boot from the same burned media and choose to delete all partitions, click on apply.

http://www.partitionwizard.com/help/rebuild-mbr.html

once done, insert the Acer recovery CD and try to re-install.

tr58

When I used my recovery disks, the computer finally recognized them and installed . I tried the links above, copied to CD and to flash, but when I boot the computer it will not recognize these either and boots in the same ole loop with message. I am not giving up quite yet, will work on it tomrrow again. Thanks for all your suggestions and help.

IronFly

Boot to BIOS, press F2 at boot, disable secure boot then save and exit from BIOS, try to boot from the burned CD.

tr58

Thanks. If only.... I get the message of Password/unlock Key with an number provided beneath that doesn't work. I can't get anywhere. Smiley Sad

IronFly

Check this:

http://acer--uk.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/27071/~/how-to-enable-or-disable-secure-boot

tr58

Thanks again, but the F2 button only takes me back to the Password/unlock key screen. Before installing the CD recovery disks, Ihad access to DOS and the recovery menu on the system.. Now I have nothing but the Blue screen with the service message or the locked screen requiring a password.

Is there a possiblity that the hard drive could be fried?Just wondering. Inothiced that my drive on DOS was "X" I was able to go to C drive fine and I was able to see windows there. But could not access anything. Would a new windows disk make any difference? My computer had windows preinstalled, and I installed windows 8.1 some time ago.

Again, thanks for all your help. I do appreciate it.

IronFly

i don't know if your HDD is fried, the error you got is BCD missing.

about the BIOS password, is not good if you never set one.

i suggest you to find a PC repair shop and have a check on HDD and BIOS.

tr58

Thanks for all your help. Yup, I was afraid of that. NO more new computers for me. Two times (two different makes) have been fried in two years. It's getting pretty costly.

tr58

Took it to my PC specialist and turned out it is the hard drive. Getting it fixed up. Thanks again for the help

IronFly

Good to hear it. Smiley Happy