Aspire TC-885 Desktop doesn't Boot Up Occasionally

Jack218

Aspire TC-885-EB11
  Windows 10 Home
  i5 8400
  8 GB DDR4
  2T disk driver
  Integrated graphic card

  LG led 23MP75 monitor, Logitech wireless keyboard/mouse

Hi, I am from Canada. Bought this desktop in November 2019. Upgraded to 16 GB DDR4, Samsung 970 EVO 500GB NVMe M.2 SSD two months after the purchase. It ran perfectly. About one year ago, the machine has had problems booting up. It happens randomly, disregarding the machine is hot or cold.  

The CPU fan and the power indicator light are on after the power button pressed. But the monitor doesn't light up at all. No beeping, no other warning signs. Pressing the power button for 5 seconds, the machine shuts down. Re-power the machine, or after several attempts, the machine would eventually become normal (100% functional). This phenomenon happens from time to time and getting more frequent recently. My solution is to keep the machine either stay on or sleep. If I turned it off, I probably would have the booting problem the next morning. 

Tests have done so far: the monitor is functional; the video cable is functional/connection was checked; No virus detected by Windows 10 anti-virus software; Minimal dust in the tower; BIOS set to default. 

My impression: the machine did not seem to load the bios. If the monitor shows the green "ACER" logo at the very beginning, it has no issues. 

What are your suggestions? 

 

Easwar

Hi Jack218,

# Reset the unit, (It will remove all the data--->Unit goes to Day 1 of default version)

1. Turn OFF the unit.

2. Press and hold Alt+F10 keys(without releasing the keys) ---> Trun ON the unit. 

3. You will get a blue screen(Title Choose an option). (Release the keys)

4. Click troubleshoot option.

5. Click on Reset this PC.

6. Go with the option (Keep my files/Remove every thing)

7. Then follow the on screen instruction. 

Check this T/S and post the result. 

billsey

It sounds as if it's not completing POST, which points to an error during those tests. It also sounds as if the failure is pretty early on, maybe even before POST itself gets spun up. When you press the power button it tells the MB to turn the power supply on (which is working because the fan starts spinning) then initializes the CPU so it can load the BIOS. Once the CPU is running the BIOS does the initial memory test and if that fails gives you a big long BEEP. Since we're not getting to the BEEP either the CPU initialization is failing, so BIOS can't load, or the BIOS load is failing. None of those are good but there are a couple of not so bad not good that it might be... If the power supply itself isn't putting out quite the right stuff then the 12V (which runs the fans) can get turned on, but the 3.3V (that runs the CPU) doesn't. Your Aspire TC-885 uses a standard ATX power supply. Do you have access to a working one to test with? Swapping it out would be a good test, if everything boots up smoothly with a different supply you know what to do. If you have the same symptoms and you are out of warranty then it's time to look closely at what repair costs are going to be, worst case is a MB and CPU swap...

Jack218

My desktop broke a week ago. It was the motherboard, no display despite numerous reboots. 

ttttt

@Jack218

As a fellow TC-885 user, I feel sorry for your experience. Changing the motherboard by Acer probably will cost something close to buying another new PC. Is the PC just three to four years old? Life span is just too short for a PC.