Help again G9-791 is now an expensive paperweight

Spent about 2 hours online yesterday with ACER helpdesk and the guy just managed to help me to turn the laptop into a more unresponsive paperweight. We did a reset that was successful but the reinstallation of the OS fails at 9% The laptop is now in an infinite loop of starting up; trying to load; getting a BSOD (now yellow screen and pink screens of death) with a DPC watchdog violation error.
I tried to create a bootable USB device with the older version of Windows 10 on it (I succeeded in that at least) but when I try and boot from the USB it tells me that there is no option to boot from a USB device. I also tried to roll back to previous version but it does not allow me. I tried to install from the 3 different windows versions it has stored in the secret partition but it runs into issues each time and aborts the installation. Does anyone have any advice?

Accepted answers

IronFly

follow this guide to create a compatile UEFI USB bootable device:

1) download a windows 10 iso using Microsoft tool:

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=691209

select the proper windows 10 version (the same installed on your laptop) and choose to save it as iso file when prompted

2) download Rufus:

http://rufus.akeo.ie/?locale=en_US

plug your USB flash drive, run Rufus then:

click on Select and load you downloaded ISO image

as Partitions scheme select "GPT"

as Target System selec "UEFI"

as File system select "FAT32"

click on Start

wait until it finish, then uplug your USB flash drive

3) backup all your personal data if possible *

4) Reboot to BIOS, pressing F2 at boot if it's a laptop or Del key if it's a desktop, then press F9 to load default and F10 to save and exit

5) plug your USB flash drive and at boot press F12 (if F12 doesn't work, see if it auto-recognise the USB flash drive or press F2 or Del key to enter BIOS and enable F12 boot menu under BOOT tab), choose the USB flash drive as bootable device

6) once at language/keyboard selection, press shift+F10, a command prompt will open

7) type

Diskpart

list disk

select disk x (x is the number of your HDD/SSD)

clean

convert GPT

exit

exit again to close command prompt

8) proceed with windows 10 installation

* you can try to backup your files using this trick from windows 10 installation media:

https://www.howtogeek.com/135005/how-to-use-a-windows-installer-disc-to-back-up-your-files-when-your-computer-wont-boot/

M4rdock

IronFly said:

follow this guide to create a compatile UEFI USB bootable device:
1) download a windows 10 iso using Microsoft tool:
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=691209
select the proper windows 10 version (the same installed on your laptop) and choose to save it as iso file when prompted
2) download Rufus:
http://rufus.akeo.ie/?locale=en_US
plug your USB flash drive, run Rufus then:
click on Select and load you downloaded ISO image
as Partitions scheme select "GPT"
as Target System selec "UEFI"
as File system select "FAT32"
click on Start
wait until it finish, then uplug your USB flash drive
3) backup all your personal data if possible *
4) Reboot to BIOS, pressing F2 at boot if it's a laptop or Del key if it's a desktop, then press F9 to load default and F10 to save and exit
5) plug your USB flash drive and at boot press F12 (if F12 doesn't work, see if it auto-recognise the USB flash drive or press F2 or Del key to enter BIOS and enable F12 boot menu under BOOT tab), choose the USB flash drive as bootable device
6) once at language/keyboard selection, press shift+F10, a command prompt will open
7) type
Diskpart
list disk
select disk x (x is the number of your HDD/SSD)
clean
convert GPT
exit
exit again to close command prompt
8) proceed with windows 10 installation

* you can try to backup your files using this trick from windows 10 installation media:
https://www.howtogeek.com/135005/how-to-use-a-windows-installer-disc-to-back-up-your-files-when-your-computer-wont-boot/

You dont need same windows 10 version tho, and I would advice against installing newest version, especially since its this version which created problems for lala.

Rest of advice is top notch

All comments

IronFly

follow this guide to create a compatile UEFI USB bootable device:

1) download a windows 10 iso using Microsoft tool:

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=691209

select the proper windows 10 version (the same installed on your laptop) and choose to save it as iso file when prompted

2) download Rufus:

http://rufus.akeo.ie/?locale=en_US

plug your USB flash drive, run Rufus then:

click on Select and load you downloaded ISO image

as Partitions scheme select "GPT"

as Target System selec "UEFI"

as File system select "FAT32"

click on Start

wait until it finish, then uplug your USB flash drive

3) backup all your personal data if possible *

4) Reboot to BIOS, pressing F2 at boot if it's a laptop or Del key if it's a desktop, then press F9 to load default and F10 to save and exit

5) plug your USB flash drive and at boot press F12 (if F12 doesn't work, see if it auto-recognise the USB flash drive or press F2 or Del key to enter BIOS and enable F12 boot menu under BOOT tab), choose the USB flash drive as bootable device

6) once at language/keyboard selection, press shift+F10, a command prompt will open

7) type

Diskpart

list disk

select disk x (x is the number of your HDD/SSD)

clean

convert GPT

exit

exit again to close command prompt

8) proceed with windows 10 installation

* you can try to backup your files using this trick from windows 10 installation media:

https://www.howtogeek.com/135005/how-to-use-a-windows-installer-disc-to-back-up-your-files-when-your-computer-wont-boot/

M4rdock

IronFly said:

follow this guide to create a compatile UEFI USB bootable device:
1) download a windows 10 iso using Microsoft tool:
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=691209
select the proper windows 10 version (the same installed on your laptop) and choose to save it as iso file when prompted
2) download Rufus:
http://rufus.akeo.ie/?locale=en_US
plug your USB flash drive, run Rufus then:
click on Select and load you downloaded ISO image
as Partitions scheme select "GPT"
as Target System selec "UEFI"
as File system select "FAT32"
click on Start
wait until it finish, then uplug your USB flash drive
3) backup all your personal data if possible *
4) Reboot to BIOS, pressing F2 at boot if it's a laptop or Del key if it's a desktop, then press F9 to load default and F10 to save and exit
5) plug your USB flash drive and at boot press F12 (if F12 doesn't work, see if it auto-recognise the USB flash drive or press F2 or Del key to enter BIOS and enable F12 boot menu under BOOT tab), choose the USB flash drive as bootable device
6) once at language/keyboard selection, press shift+F10, a command prompt will open
7) type
Diskpart
list disk
select disk x (x is the number of your HDD/SSD)
clean
convert GPT
exit
exit again to close command prompt
8) proceed with windows 10 installation

* you can try to backup your files using this trick from windows 10 installation media:
https://www.howtogeek.com/135005/how-to-use-a-windows-installer-disc-to-back-up-your-files-when-your-computer-wont-boot/

You dont need same windows 10 version tho, and I would advice against installing newest version, especially since its this version which created problems for lala.

Rest of advice is top notch

LalaGamer

IronFly said:

follow this guide to create a compatile UEFI USB bootable device:
1) download a windows 10 iso using Microsoft tool:
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=691209
select the proper windows 10 version (the same installed on your laptop) and choose to save it as iso file when prompted
2) download Rufus:
http://rufus.akeo.ie/?locale=en_US
plug your USB flash drive, run Rufus then:
click on Select and load you downloaded ISO image
as Partitions scheme select "GPT"
as Target System selec "UEFI"
as File system select "FAT32"
click on Start
wait until it finish, then uplug your USB flash drive
3) backup all your personal data if possible *
4) Reboot to BIOS, pressing F2 at boot if it's a laptop or Del key if it's a desktop, then press F9 to load default and F10 to save and exit
5) plug your USB flash drive and at boot press F12 (if F12 doesn't work, see if it auto-recognise the USB flash drive or press F2 or Del key to enter BIOS and enable F12 boot menu under BOOT tab), choose the USB flash drive as bootable device
6) once at language/keyboard selection, press shift+F10, a command prompt will open
7) type
Diskpart
list disk
select disk x (x is the number of your HDD/SSD)
clean
convert GPT
exit
exit again to close command prompt
8) proceed with windows 10 installation

* you can try to backup your files using this trick from windows 10 installation media:
https://www.howtogeek.com/135005/how-to-use-a-windows-installer-disc-to-back-up-your-files-when-your-computer-wont-boot/

Thanks for the detailed instructions. I was reading a few older posts and found that most of the guys recommend RUFUS to create the bootable USB and that seemed to have done the trick.

LalaGamer

I installed an older version I think its 1703 its completed the installation but giving me a black screen after installation

I'm going to let it sit a bit but there is nothing happening on the hard drive so I am guessing its crashed

Commodore_1995#

Another possibility to convert the pendrive to boot is using powershell as administrator! To do this, just enter the following commands: diskpart, list disk, sel disk x (x is the number of pendrive), clean, convert gpt, create partition primary, format fs = fat32 quick, assign! After typing these commands, simply paste the windows files to the pendrive and to boot, press the f12 or f2 keys on the notebook! You do not need rufus!

IronFly

"as same version on your laptop" i mean x64 version, since, in the past, some user tried to install x86 version.

M4rdock

Have you formatted your hard drive before installing fresh windows?

LalaGamer

OK now that its all installed how do I tell Windows to never install another update ever!?

Commodore_1995#

Just go in settings, update and security, advanced options, pause updates!

LalaGamer

M4rdock said:

Have you formatted your hard drive before installing fresh windows?

Yes I did

LalaGamer

OK installed all the ACER drivers now and everything worked fine. Left the Nvidia driver for last. Even did a reboot before loading the Nvidia driver. The Nvidia was version 388.31 as suggested and after it installed I did another reboot and it froze and gave me a BSOD, and back into the loop we went. I am going to uninstall 388.31 and just stick to the ACER drivers...apparently I am not allowed shiny Nvidia drivers

LalaGamer

OK Acer Nvidia driver also causes crash.

M4rdock

LalaGamer said:

OK Acer Nvidia driver also causes crash.

https://windowsreport.com/nvidia-driver-crash-windows-10/
try this.
Also - try to install first old drivers for intel graphic driver, if it doesnt help try with newest - its common that on windows 10 nvidia and intel gpu dont work well together.
If everything fails you can always try windows 8.1, it could also save your skin.

Also if your computer is on warranty i would consider sending it to repair.

Also, what bios version do you have on laptop?

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