This system has less than 300 hours of usage on it (probably only half that).
Started getting a long error message on start-up, which included "insert boot media", so I first thought it was an OS corruption. Spoke to Support, and was advised to purchase physical media to restore ($21.65), since the partition wasn't working.
That failed. Opened new ticket, determined the hard drive was bad (still under warranty, but barely). Paid $40.00 to ship to be repaired. When I received it back, the same thing occurred in less than three weeks (no longer under warranty).
Took to local Microsoft Store. The determined that drive was OK, but the motherboard or other major hardware malfunction is responsible - enough so that they can't even run diagnostics.
Was going to contact Gateway/Acer to inform them, but no email links on their website - only in-warranty chat - it's almost like they're hiding from the consumers.
Have spent over $450.00 and basically have an expensive boat anchor. I could have spent $350 on a Toshiba laptop and been happier.
Thanks a lot Gateway/Acer...