SP315-51 No Bootable Device - Can't boot into Windows

My Acer SPIN Laptop suddenly showed a blue screen, said it encountered a problem & rebooted itself.
Instead of booting into Windows it now only boots up into: No Bootable Device. It will sometimes show the options: Troubleshoot or Turn Off Device.
Nothing there seems to help, except I can get to a Command Prompt. Repair Fails.
I'm running Windows 7 on this SP315-51, Model # N16P9, Laptop KO68V1V8.
I would reinstall the Operating System, but the machine didn't come with a disc, it has no label on its exterior case showing the Windows 7 Product Key.
The machine was purchased from Costco, so they have tech support.
The agent said I can make a restore disc from another machine's Windows 7 disk. I tried using the disk from the PC I'm using now, but that Product Key Activation
Fails on the Windows 7 Activate Windows Support page. I purchased the disk and used it before, so I know its valid. I seem to be out of options.
Any thoughts on how to get the laptop back up and running?

Accepted answers

JordanB

If you decide you want to give up on Windows 7 and install Windows 10 (probably not free, but maybe)

1. Download the Windows 10 64 bit iso using the media creation tool

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

2. Download rufus

https://rufus.ie/

3. On a different computer, create the installation USB with rufus......with rufus settings: GPT, UEFI (non-CSM), FAT32

4. Go in to your Acer Spin's BIOS settings and put in UEFI mode and enable secure boot, and enable the F12 boot menu and then save/exit.

5. Boot the Windows 10 USB by tapping the F12 key at the Acer logo

6. Select Custom installation and delete all of your partitions

7. After you delete your partitions, press and hold your computer's power button until your computer shuts off. (This is a very important step because your previous installation was legacy MBR.)

8. Turn on computer and install Windows 10. Select Custom Installation and click on your drive where you want to install windows (it should say unallocated space) and then click NEXT.

9. If your Spin came pre-installed with Windows 10, you don't need to enter a key. The Windows 10 key will be retrieved automatically during the installation. If your Spin came pre-installed with Windows 7, then you can enter your Windows 7 key during the installation of Windows 10.

10. Check to see if your Windows 10 is activated in the settings. If not you can pay microsoft in settings (microsoft Store). But, if your Spin came pre-installed with Windows 10, you don't need to worry about that, because it will be automatically activated. I may have misunderstood your post and wrongly assumed that Costco sold the Spin with Windows 7 pre-installed.

https://www.howtogeek.com/244678/you-dont-need-a-product-key-to-install-and-use-windows-10/

chai613

Hello All,

StarTech USB to 2.5" SATA HDD/SDD connector arrived, new 250GB SSD also arrived. Removed HDD from Acer and connected it to my PC - drive appears with 0 storage, 0 free. Installed the new SSD in Acer. Following Jordan's directions to install Windows 10 from my installation USB. Smooth!
Just adjusting settings.... Voila!

You experts are all phenomenal, geniuses, magnanimous specialists who deserve more praise and thanks than I know how to deliver.

Amazing, all of you!

All comments

billsey

Sounds like real progress is being made! As Jack suggests it's looking like problems with that drive. Get it booted to Windows and let it run for several hours in case it's trying to repair the drive in the background. If it's still laggy then we'll go through the procedure to clean up the drive errors and see if there are new ones being generated. If the drive is in the process of failing new errors will show up and we'll start on the process of replacing it. The nice thing about replacing a bad drive is it will greatly improve performance, even on an older machine.

JordanB

@chai613

I noticed in one of your previous posts that you have a Seagate 1 TB 5400 RPM HDD inside your Spin. I'm going to be honest with you. I know someone who has almost your same Spin model and they had a 1 TB 5400 RPM HDD too. They said the performance was just so-so....and a little laggy. They asked me to update to a SSD....so I removed their 2.5 inch HDD and installed a 2.5 inch SSD for them....and now they are happier than a clam with the performance of their Spin SP315-51. They said the performance w/ SSD is like night and day difference.

@JackE and @billsey can help you install a 2.5 inch SSD. It's really easy. Or if your Costco is still open from Corona Virus, they will do it for free if you have membership and bought it there (I think---don't quote me on that). Bestbuy will install for $40.

You can find a pretty inexpensive 256 GB 2.5 inch SSD which I think is plenty for a Spin SP315-51. I noticed that Acer installs a 128 GB SSD on some of the newer ones. And then you can keep you files/photos/video backed up to OneDrive or Google Drive.

Anyway, if I had your SP315-51 with 1 TB HDD 5400 RPM, that's what I would do.

I'm going to be out-of-town...so I can't help....sorry. Good luck!

chai613

Jordan, thank you so much! It's back up and running because of your help. Good advice. I'll take it! We dont need 1TB it's capacity is barely used. My wife uses the machine for email and facebook.

Will reboot and let it run.
I'm taking the data offof it now while I can too.
I see I did a full back up when it was brand new, so Ihave that to use.

So glad you, billsey and Jack give so generously ofyour time as you do.

Thanks!

chai613

Jack, it's a Spin 3, SP315-51-79NT

Now, it wont boot back up. Just see Acer for 5 minutes, then black screen 4 minutes, now blue screen. Now it shut itself off.
No fun!

chai613

On restart, "Preparing Automatic Repair"

chai613

OK, if I can get it to boot back up into windows.

JackE

I think you've got to bite the bullet, remove 12 screws from the bottom cover, pry the cover off, remove 2 screws holding the battery down. This has to be done in order to even have a chance of reaching the HDD ribbon cable connector and try to reseat it a few times. Not a terrible job but inconvenient. Jack E/NJ

chai613

If I'm going to open it up, should I also prepare to replace the HDD (like a smaller SSD, as Jordan spoke of)? I suppose, if restating the ribbon cable connector a few times will straighten it out for a while, then I'll have time to get a replacement drive.
OK. Have some strong whiskey?

JackE

If it were mine, I'd first try to re-seat the connectors on the existing HDD to see if that resolves the issue. The HDD is plenty fast enough if your wife mainly does email & facebook stuff. Not a lot of HDD activity goes on after the browser & email packages are loaded into RAM so an SSD shouldn't make a noticeable speed difference there. If she's satisfied with it, then I'd probably celebrate with an oz of decent sour mash mixed into a pint of india ale for a refreshing blended boilermaker. Hmmm.

Jack E/NJ

chai613

LOL
I've got the back off. I removed the battery connector. I removedtge ribbon connector to the HDD. I've replaced it and done this twice. I expected a socket type connector like the battery, but the ribbon kinda lays on top of the connector once the flap is reflected opened. There's little guide to keep lateral alignment. I have not opened the ribbon connectors also overlying the HDD which seem to be connectors for the ribbon connecting the mother board (labeled MB on the plastic blue flexible tab).

The ribbons over the HDD are secured by adhesive and are firmly in place. I have no good way toknow whether I have correctly aligned the copper connectors on both sides of the HDD ribbon connectors.does one just eyeball it to be dead center and hope?

chai613

I also opened the SATA connector on the battery side of the HDD and then plugged it back in firmly.

JackE

>>>I've replaced it and done this twice>>>I also opened the SATA connector on the battery side of the HDD and then plugged it back in firmly.>>>

While I was in there, I probably would've done each about a dozen or so times. Just to be sure the internal contacts are thoroughly rubbed and cleaned up of any corrosion. But if you've already buttoned it back up, give it a whirl. I'm hoping that'll be all that's needed. Jack E/NJ

chai613

Oh, no.
Waiting to hear back from you.
OK, I'll redo the connections a mess more times each. Wanted guidance, though, on the connector to the mother board front the HDD because its flat and wide. No lateral guides to keep alignment. The copper strips are tiny and I imagine, must line up on both sides, but you cant see when you're straight in line, except by eyeballing it. Is that what you do?

chai613

OK, each HDD connector and the MB connector on the ribbon overlying the HDD were opened and closed at least 10 times. I realized there is a miniature track or recess the connector does sit in, with a smaller guide to keep it in place. Then the covers slide closed over the top.
Of course I had to reopen the cover to reconnect the battery. Done. It started up fast and into Acer screen, Preparing Automatic Repair".

Let's see what happens.
I'll try the Acer Care Center, Jack, if it boots into Windows.

JackE

Like mentioned earlier, if you can actually boot Windows and get to the ACER Care Center, it'll probably test out OK. The problem is when it completely cuts out and you can't boot Windows or ACER Care Center. Hopefully it won't do that any more. Jack E/NJ

chai613

Unfortunately, it is not booting into Windows last night or now. It brings up the "acer" name and then quickly goes to Preparing Automatic Repair. There is no evidence of any repairing, but it stays like that for 10 or 20 minutes, then shows a pale blue screen for a few minutes then a light blue screen, then shuts itself off.

I just let it run each time to see what it will do and to allow it to Repair itself as it may be able. The only time it actually did boot into Windows was when the USB install drive we created was in a USB port, and I had started up tapping F12.
It went into Repair mode and booted into Windows. I guess I'll try that again.
I'm at a loss. I do have a full disk back up using Acronis when the machine was brand new. Maybe now the Acronis recovery USB drive I created when it was new could restore the drive from the back up file I have on an external hard drive?

JackE

Time to rule in or rule out the HDD as the problem. It must be removed from the laptop. Then connected to a working machine with a HDD-to-USB adapter cable to see if it can be reliably accessed with FileExplorer. Jack E/NJ

chai613

OK, smart. I have a USB 2.0 enclosure for 3.5" Hard Drive. I realize the 2.5" HDD in my Acer is smaller, but I wonder if the connectors would be compatible for testing purposes. I dont need to mount the drive for long term use.