Get Windows 10 app reporting 'CPU not supported' Acer Aspire 5738Z

Hi, My first post here so please be gentle Man Happy

I have an Acer Aspire 5738Z with a T4200 Pentium Dual core CPU running Windows 7 Home Premium. The Get Windows 10 app is telling me that I can't install Windows 10 because the CPU isn't supported. A bit of research suggests that this is because NX is not enabled in the Bios, however, even though the CPU supports NX there is no option to enable it in the latest Pheonix Bios incarnation (v1.34) on the notebook. I've chatted with Acer support but it seems all they can do is follow their script and point me towards the Microsoft website where you can check if Win 10 is going to be compatible with the notebook. This obviously pointless as I get the same result. Does anybody know how I can enable NX on the CPU please or if indeed the problem can be overcome by a different method ? I surely can't be the only one with this problem ? Cheers for any help offered

Accepted answers

MikeTNT

I don't know your CPU, but if your CPU should normally support NX-feature (google said yes), this thread could be interesting for you:

http://community.acer.com/t5/Windows-10/AOD257-Windows-10-upgrade-reports-cpu-wouldn-t-support-NX/td-p/372309/jump-to/first-unread-message

I have solved the NX-problem by installing a clean Win7.

Additional hints: Here you can see if your CPU supports NX:

Open Windows Explorer. Right click This PC or Computer and choose, ‘Properties’. Then select the ‘Advanced System settings’ option. Next, from the ‘System Properties’ window, select ‘Advanced’ tab. Choose the ‘Performance’ section now and from the new Performance Options window that appears on your computer screen, select ‘Data Execution Prevention tab’. If you see below a message like "Your computer's processor supports hardware-based DEP", your CPU should support NX

You can also try the following:

Open the Command Prompt with administrator rights! and enter:

bcdedit.exe /set {current} nx AlwaysOn

This should enable NX in your Windows system (not in your BIOS).

And if your BIOS is able to enable or disable NX (respective XD), you can look here:

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

Unfortunately my BIOS has no option to enable or disable NX and I also can't select secure boot.

All comments

MikeTNT

I don't know your CPU, but if your CPU should normally support NX-feature (google said yes), this thread could be interesting for you:

http://community.acer.com/t5/Windows-10/AOD257-Windows-10-upgrade-reports-cpu-wouldn-t-support-NX/td-p/372309/jump-to/first-unread-message

I have solved the NX-problem by installing a clean Win7.

Additional hints: Here you can see if your CPU supports NX:

Open Windows Explorer. Right click This PC or Computer and choose, ‘Properties’. Then select the ‘Advanced System settings’ option. Next, from the ‘System Properties’ window, select ‘Advanced’ tab. Choose the ‘Performance’ section now and from the new Performance Options window that appears on your computer screen, select ‘Data Execution Prevention tab’. If you see below a message like "Your computer's processor supports hardware-based DEP", your CPU should support NX

You can also try the following:

Open the Command Prompt with administrator rights! and enter:

bcdedit.exe /set {current} nx AlwaysOn

This should enable NX in your Windows system (not in your BIOS).

And if your BIOS is able to enable or disable NX (respective XD), you can look here:

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

Unfortunately my BIOS has no option to enable or disable NX and I also can't select secure boot.

spiralx

While my 5738Z was fine on the checks, when I did install 10, I found that a) any USB drives I plug in can't be opened easily, causing the OS to crash and reset; and b) trying to run any EXE files causes a "255" exception error message.

I reverted to Win-7, and queried drivers with Acer. Got a really pathetic by-the-numbers response, which basically said "Acer will not be supplying Win10 drivers".

So even if you get NX working, Windows 10 may still be out of reach! (A VERY poor Acer response, IMO, considering these laptops are barely 5 years old).

DerekT

Hi, Thanks very much for your assistance. Some useful links there. The bcdedit command has now at least overcome the problem of the win 10 app saying my CPU wasn't supported. Probably still stuck because ACER are not listing the Aspire 5738Z as being supported for the upgrade but at least I've got further down the line and overcome the first hurdle :-) Cheers

spiralx

Since my previous post, I've had 2 identical and very silly replies (IMO) from Acer Support, advising me to talk to an "independent hardware" seller.

As I replied back to both, what on earth would be the point of tha? If Acer aren't supplying the drivers, who else would be able to assist?

Not impressed. Again.

eianbro

I have successfully installed Windows 10 on my Acer Aspire 5630 WLmi (later version with SATA drive & Intel graphics) by using the Win 7 Control Panel setting (Control Panel > System >Advanced System Settings > System Properties > Advanced > Performance Settings > Data Execution Protection ) detailed in message 2 of this thread to enable Data Execution Protection for ALL applications, not just Windows Services. I had initially encountered the "Processor not supported" error message when using the Taskbar Upgrade option and "Processor not supported (NX)" when using the win10.iso CD which I burned using the tool downloaded from Microsoft.

The main problems encountered were with rebooting during installation, as my Grub2 bootloader for Win7 and Lubuntu 14.04 became corrupted during the process. Fortunately I had a SuperGrub2 bootable CD which booted Win 10 via the "Windows Vista Bootloader" option which it successfully detected. There was no indication as to whether the installation CD should be ejected when rebooting during installation, but it appears that you try to reboot normally without the installation CD. You need to have the installation software for many applications as they are not all automatically re-installed. Win 10 versions of most of these applications can be found on the net.

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