Random freeze / shutdown Acer Swift SF314-42

My brand new 4 day old Acer Swift SF314-42 freezes / shutdowns randomly 1-3 times a day. What a crappy piece of hardware!

I can see that many people has had same experience as me, so I'm starting to regret buying Acer ...

A youtube video for earlier Acer modesl describes how to either tighten a screw or insert a small piece of paper into a contact that switches power off, and that has apparently solved the problem for quite a lot of unlucky Acer owners. Unfortunately not applicable for my model ... too bad!

Will I ever buy Acer again or recommend anyone to do so?

Let's see how responsive Acer is to feedback on a pretty serious, seemingly systematic error ...

My Acer Swift SF314-42:

Device name    LAPTOP-QNUOJMFJ
Processor    AMD Ryzen 7 4700U with Radeon Graphics            2.00 GHz
Installed RAM    16,0 GB (15,4 GB usable)
Device ID    CF9A56D0-C041-4C13-9EDF-8830CEDE0C50
Product ID    00325-96724-95393-AAOEM
System type    64-bit operating system, x64-based processor
Pen and touch    No pen or touch input is available for this display
Edition    Windows 10 Home
Version    20H2
Installed on    ‎01/‎05/‎2021
OS build    19042.928
Experience    Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.551.0

The event log gives me the following from latest crash:

20:21:23 ERROR: The computer has rebooted from a bugcheck. The bugcheck was: 0x0000019c (0x0000000000000050, 0xffffd101cde7c0c0, 0x0000000000000000, 0x0000000000000000). A dump was saved in: C:\WINDOWS\MEMORY.DMP. Report Id: 31597008-ba75-4cde-afc9-63618ec33b6f.

20:21:22 ERROR: Audit events have been dropped by the transport. 0

20:21:17 CRITICAL: The system has rebooted without cleanly shutting down first. This error could be caused if the system stopped responding, crashed, or lost power unexpectedly.

20:21:16 ERROR: Dump file creation failed due to error during dump creation.

20:21:22 ERROR: The previous system shutdown at 20:03:53 on ‎05/‎05/‎2021 was unexpected.

16:50:08 WARNING: The application-specific permission settings do not grant Local Activation permission for the COM Server application with CLSID
{2593F8B9-4EAF-457C-B68A-50F6B8EA6B54}
and APPID
{15C20B67-12E7-4BB6-92BB-7AFF07997402}
to the user LAPTOP-QNUOJMFJ\mikke SID (S-1-5-21-1292821167-3763775193-414710234-1001) from address LocalHost (Using LRPC) running in the application container Unavailable SID (Unavailable). This security permission can be modified using the Component Services administrative tool.

There are a lot of WARNINGS similar to that of 16:50:08, let me know if these are relevant, then I will post more.

I have no way to know exactly when the crash happened, only that I tried to use the PC at around 20:21 and that was the time when these errors were logged.

I have my laptop connected to the power supply (the round one, not USB-C) almost all the time (battery is at 100% all the time), it was connected to power when it crashed.

I have noticed that the crashes happens when I'm not working with the laptop.

Maybe this is a design issue (like needing to insert paper into a switch on the motherboard) making my PC switch off as it cools down?? Who knows ...

Please let me know if more debugging output can shed light on the problem.

I rely on this PC for my work and I cannot afford to have it out for repair for weeks or months!

Accepted answers

All comments

billsey

The Event log isn't a good place to diagnose that type of crash, since the crash itself happens before the event log can record anything. It's better to use the dump file to find out what's causing it. It looks, however, like the dump file failed to complete. Did you reboot before the blue screen got done writing the file? If so, perhaps a picture of the blue screen next time would help, and let the dump complete to 100% before trying to power cycle.

Now, as to what's happening... What third party applications have been installed? Are any of them potentially the culprit? The tamper prevention switch is a red herring, nothing to do with your model. Those are only to force the system to disconnect power if someone opens the case, and to provide a record of the open case. Very useful in some situations, but not here. Of more interest would be the CPU/GPU temperatures. Try running a temperature monitoring program (I'm running Core Temp, but there are plenty of others) to see if anything is getting out of line. Note that temperatures depend a lot on your usage and get high when the CPU or GPU are worked the most. Anything over around 95C would be a red flag for you, since 100C is the thermal shutdown point.

MikkelKromann

Hi Billsey and thanks for your reply (and sorry for my sour tone in the first post).

The installation is pretty vanilla: Office365 products, some programming software (Anaconda R/Python package, Notepad++, Firefox and DoubleCommander). I hope none of that would cause random crashses. Occasionally, I will run some intensive Python scripts.

Temperature: All of my crashes has happened when I have left the PC idle, during night, during dinner. It's definitely a low temperature problem. Just installed CoreTemp, min is 38C max is 76C.

The crash: When I return to the PC and it has crashed, I press some keys or move the mouse. Then the keyboard lights up, and the PC reboots.

Black screen.

Now about that tamper button: I saw a youtube video with a dude who put a piece of paper under a piece of foam under the tamper button. According to the Youtube comments that apparently helped like 20-40 people. The hypothesised reason was that low temperature would cause the foam to shrink and activate the tamper button to shutdown. Could this be relevant for my model?

I managed to analyse the dump file (first time I ever did that), I've pasted it in below. Maybe something can be pulled out of it.

Let me know if there's other things I ought to do with this dump or any of the previous.

thanks, Mikkel

Microsoft (R) Windows Debugger Version 10.0.21349.1004 AMD64
Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.


Loading Dump File [C:\Windows\Minidump\050621-10093-01.dmp]
Mini Kernel Dump File: Only registers and stack trace are available

Symbol search path is: srv*
Executable search path is: 
Windows 10 Kernel Version 19041 MP (8 procs) Free x64
Product: WinNt, suite: TerminalServer SingleUserTS Personal
Edition build lab: 19041.1.amd64fre.vb_release.191206-1406
Machine Name:
Kernel base = 0xfffff807`7c600000 PsLoadedModuleList = 0xfffff807`7d22a3d0
Debug session time: Thu May  6 18:34:07.397 2021 (UTC + 2:00)
System Uptime: 0 days 5:59:31.045
Loading Kernel Symbols
...............................................................
................................................................
................................................................
.........................
Loading User Symbols
Loading unloaded module list
..................
For analysis of this file, run !analyze -v
nt!KeBugCheckEx:
fffff807`7c9f5e40 48894c2408      mov     qword ptr [rsp+8],rcx ss:0018:fffffc01`61ac8a60=000000000000019c
7: kd> !analyze -v
*******************************************************************************
*                                                                             *
*                        Bugcheck Analysis                                    *
*                                                                             *
*******************************************************************************

WIN32K_POWER_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT (19c)
Win32k did not turn the monitor on in a timely manner.
Arguments:
Arg1: 0000000000000050, Calling monitor driver to power on.
Arg2: ffffc90fb8e1a0c0, Pointer to the power request worker thread.
Arg3: 0000000000000000
Arg4: 0000000000000000

Debugging Details:
------------------


KEY_VALUES_STRING: 1

    Key  : Analysis.CPU.mSec
    Value: 3171

    Key  : Analysis.DebugAnalysisManager
    Value: Create

    Key  : Analysis.Elapsed.mSec
    Value: 49060

    Key  : Analysis.Init.CPU.mSec
    Value: 718

    Key  : Analysis.Init.Elapsed.mSec
    Value: 61211

    Key  : Analysis.Memory.CommitPeak.Mb
    Value: 75

    Key  : WER.OS.Branch
    Value: vb_release

    Key  : WER.OS.Timestamp
    Value: 2019-12-06T14:06:00Z

    Key  : WER.OS.Version
    Value: 10.0.19041.1


BUGCHECK_CODE:  19c

BUGCHECK_P1: 50

BUGCHECK_P2: ffffc90fb8e1a0c0

BUGCHECK_P3: 0

BUGCHECK_P4: 0

BLACKBOXBSD: 1 (!blackboxbsd)


BLACKBOXNTFS: 1 (!blackboxntfs)


BLACKBOXPNP: 1 (!blackboxpnp)


BLACKBOXWINLOGON: 1

CUSTOMER_CRASH_COUNT:  1

PROCESS_NAME:  csrss.exe

FAULTING_THREAD:  ffffc90fb8e1a0c0

STACK_TEXT:  
fffffc01`5f40b4c0 ffffffff`ffffffd2     : fffff807`aeb8ee7e 00000020`3a4d4742 00000000`00040286 00000000`00005ec9 : atikmdag+0x2d80e0
fffffc01`5f40b4c8 fffff807`aeb8ee7e     : 00000020`3a4d4742 00000000`00040286 00000000`00005ec9 fffff807`aeb934c6 : 0xffffffff`ffffffd2
fffffc01`5f40b4d0 00000020`3a4d4742     : 00000000`00040286 00000000`00005ec9 fffff807`aeb934c6 fffffc01`5f40b5b0 : atikmdag+0x2eee7e
fffffc01`5f40b4d8 00000000`00040286     : 00000000`00005ec9 fffff807`aeb934c6 fffffc01`5f40b5b0 fffffc01`5f40b610 : 0x00000020`3a4d4742
fffffc01`5f40b4e0 00000000`00005ec9     : fffff807`aeb934c6 fffffc01`5f40b5b0 fffffc01`5f40b610 ffffc90f`c1f809d0 : 0x40286
fffffc01`5f40b4e8 fffff807`aeb934c6     : fffffc01`5f40b5b0 fffffc01`5f40b610 ffffc90f`c1f809d0 00000000`00005ec9 : 0x5ec9
fffffc01`5f40b4f0 fffffc01`5f40b5b0     : fffffc01`5f40b610 ffffc90f`c1f809d0 00000000`00005ec9 00000000`001173f0 : atikmdag+0x2f34c6
fffffc01`5f40b4f8 fffffc01`5f40b610     : ffffc90f`c1f809d0 00000000`00005ec9 00000000`001173f0 00000000`00040282 : 0xfffffc01`5f40b5b0
fffffc01`5f40b500 ffffc90f`c1f809d0     : 00000000`00005ec9 00000000`001173f0 00000000`00040282 ffffc90f`c1f80cb8 : 0xfffffc01`5f40b610
fffffc01`5f40b508 00000000`00005ec9     : 00000000`001173f0 00000000`00040282 ffffc90f`c1f80cb8 fffff807`aec2503c : 0xffffc90f`c1f809d0
fffffc01`5f40b510 00000000`001173f0     : 00000000`00040282 ffffc90f`c1f80cb8 fffff807`aec2503c fffffc01`5f40b5b0 : 0x5ec9
fffffc01`5f40b518 00000000`00040282     : ffffc90f`c1f80cb8 fffff807`aec2503c fffffc01`5f40b5b0 ffffc90f`c6949d10 : 0x1173f0
fffffc01`5f40b520 ffffc90f`c1f80cb8     : fffff807`aec2503c fffffc01`5f40b5b0 ffffc90f`c6949d10 00000000`00000010 : 0x40282
fffffc01`5f40b528 fffff807`aec2503c     : fffffc01`5f40b5b0 ffffc90f`c6949d10 00000000`00000010 00000000`00040246 : 0xffffc90f`c1f80cb8
fffffc01`5f40b530 fffffc01`5f40b5b0     : ffffc90f`c6949d10 00000000`00000010 00000000`00040246 fffff807`ae8a0000 : atikmdag+0x38503c
fffffc01`5f40b538 ffffc90f`c6949d10     : 00000000`00000010 00000000`00040246 fffff807`ae8a0000 fffff807`ae9907d3 : 0xfffffc01`5f40b5b0
fffffc01`5f40b540 00000000`00000010     : 00000000`00040246 fffff807`ae8a0000 fffff807`ae9907d3 fffffc01`5f40b5b0 : 0xffffc90f`c6949d10
fffffc01`5f40b548 00000000`00040246     : fffff807`ae8a0000 fffff807`ae9907d3 fffffc01`5f40b5b0 00000000`00040293 : 0x10
fffffc01`5f40b550 fffff807`ae8a0000     : fffff807`ae9907d3 fffffc01`5f40b5b0 00000000`00040293 fffffc01`5f40b588 : 0x40246
fffffc01`5f40b558 fffff807`ae9907d3     : fffffc01`5f40b5b0 00000000`00040293 fffffc01`5f40b588 00000000`00000018 : atikmdag
fffffc01`5f40b560 fffffc01`5f40b5b0     : 00000000`00040293 fffffc01`5f40b588 00000000`00000018 fffffc01`5f40b650 : atikmdag+0xf07d3
fffffc01`5f40b568 00000000`00040293     : fffffc01`5f40b588 00000000`00000018 fffffc01`5f40b650 fffff807`ae98f59c : 0xfffffc01`5f40b5b0
fffffc01`5f40b570 fffffc01`5f40b588     : 00000000`00000018 fffffc01`5f40b650 fffff807`ae98f59c 00000000`0000004a : 0x40293
fffffc01`5f40b578 00000000`00000018     : fffffc01`5f40b650 fffff807`ae98f59c 00000000`0000004a ffffc90f`c6949d10 : 0xfffffc01`5f40b588
fffffc01`5f40b580 fffffc01`5f40b650     : fffff807`ae98f59c 00000000`0000004a ffffc90f`c6949d10 00000000`00000000 : 0x18
fffffc01`5f40b588 fffff807`ae98f59c     : 00000000`0000004a ffffc90f`c6949d10 00000000`00000000 fffff807`b2785d40 : 0xfffffc01`5f40b650
fffffc01`5f40b590 00000000`0000004a     : ffffc90f`c6949d10 00000000`00000000 fffff807`b2785d40 fffffc01`5f40b650 : atikmdag+0xef59c
fffffc01`5f40b598 ffffc90f`c6949d10     : 00000000`00000000 fffff807`b2785d40 fffffc01`5f40b650 ffffc90f`c6949d10 : 0x4a
fffffc01`5f40b5a0 00000000`00000000     : fffff807`b2785d40 fffffc01`5f40b650 ffffc90f`c6949d10 00000073`00000004 : 0xffffc90f`c6949d10


STACK_COMMAND:  .thread 0xffffc90fb8e1a0c0 ; kb

SYMBOL_NAME:  atikmdag+2d80e0

MODULE_NAME: atikmdag

IMAGE_NAME:  atikmdag.sys

BUCKET_ID_FUNC_OFFSET:  2d80e0

FAILURE_BUCKET_ID:  0x19C_DRVSETMONITORPOWERSTATE_HANG_atikmdag!unknown_function

OS_VERSION:  10.0.19041.1

BUILDLAB_STR:  vb_release

OSPLATFORM_TYPE:  x64

OSNAME:  Windows 10

FAILURE_ID_HASH:  {7a72f64a-0288-60a8-ce9d-afcb3a0df885}

Followup:     MachineOwner
---------

billsey

OK, so the issue is when waking from sleep and a watchdog that says the display didn't come up fast enough, so it resets. Which BIOS version are you running? Do you have Virtualization enabled?

MikkelKromann

Here's some lines from my system information on BIOS:

Processor    AMD Ryzen 7 4700U with Radeon Graphics, 2000 Mhz, 8 Core(s), 8 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date    Insyde Corp. V1.07, 26/08/2020
SMBIOS Version    3.2
Embedded Controller Version    1.05
BIOS Mode    UEFI
BaseBoard Manufacturer    RO
BaseBoard Product    Kona_RN
BaseBoard Version    V1.07
Platform Role    Mobile
Secure Boot State    On
PCR7 Configuration    Elevation Required to View

Virtualization is not enabled.

Oh, and now feels the right time (better late than never, didn't figure it was relevant, sorry!) to tell you this:

I've connected the laptop to an external screen via HDMI cable.

The screen (DELL2418HZm) has a built in USB hub plus speakers and microphone (USB connected).

To the screen's USB port, I've connected a standard keyboard, a mouse and and a mouse trapper.

It is true that the external screen is sometimes a bit slow to react to the laptop, but I havn't figured out a pattern.

The screen is also connected to my gaming PC via a DisplayPort cable.

It doesn't seem that there is any influence on whether the gaming PC has been or is running.

Shutdowns on the Acer laptop happens also when the gaming PC has not been running for days.

thanks, Mikkel

Manny-Acer_Retired

MikkelKromann said:

Here's some lines from my system information on BIOS:

Processor    AMD Ryzen 7 4700U with Radeon Graphics, 2000 Mhz, 8 Core(s), 8 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date    Insyde Corp. V1.07, 26/08/2020
SMBIOS Version    3.2
Embedded Controller Version    1.05
BIOS Mode    UEFI
BaseBoard Manufacturer    RO
BaseBoard Product    Kona_RN
BaseBoard Version    V1.07
Platform Role    Mobile
Secure Boot State    On
PCR7 Configuration    Elevation Required to View

Virtualization is not enabled.
Oh, and now feels the right time (better late than never, didn't figure it was relevant, sorry!) to tell you this:
I've connected the laptop to an external screen via HDMI cable.
The screen (DELL2418HZm) has a built in USB hub plus speakers and microphone (USB connected).
To the screen's USB port, I've connected a standard keyboard, a mouse and and a mouse trapper.
It is true that the external screen is sometimes a bit slow to react to the laptop, but I havn't figured out a pattern.

The screen is also connected to my gaming PC via a DisplayPort cable.
It doesn't seem that there is any influence on whether the gaming PC has been or is running.
Shutdowns on the Acer laptop happens also when the gaming PC has not been running for days.

thanks, Mikkel

I am very sorry to hear and see what you're experiencing with your new Acer product, unfortunately, the Acer community is not designed as an Acer support channel for Acer advocates or agents, this is more a peer to peer support from normal users like you than in their own time, like to helo and share their knowledge trying to resolve other users issue as well as their issues, etc. Now I will try to help you the best i can, please keep in mind that if you need immediate direct Acer support assistance, you can reach us at https://www.acer.com/ac/da/DK/content/service-contact

Ok let's start by the newer BIOS version, we have a 1.09 Version and you have the 1.07, so i suggest you update the BIOS and see how that works for you.

Thanks in advance,
Acer-Manny

MikkelKromann

I upgraded the BIOS to 1.09, left the PC while eating breakfast, and after the screen was turned of according to the settings in "Power & Sleep", it crashed again. Then I tried to unplug the HDMI cable to the external monitor and let it turn off screen again. Now, no problems at all. I've also tried to set the "turn off" screen to "Never". No problems then either.

It seems to be something with the external monitor and turning off monitors that causes the problem.

I did also check the graphics card driver - when pressing "Update", the process concludes that the driver is up-to-date. The driver version is 26.20.14001.43000, and the driver date is 16/01/2020 - those 16 months seems a little strange to me, though.

billsey

I'm not sure I know what you mean when you say you have a 'mouse trapper' connected to the USB hub on the monitor. It's possible that might be affecting the wake process. Try removing it but leaving the external monitor, mouse and keyboard connected.

Quick Links

Top Members

Weekly

Puraw 70

Swift Series Intel^® Evo™

Game Pass

Acer Corner

Gaming on Chromebook

Swift Series Intel® Evo™

Game Pass

Acer Corner

Gaming on Chromebook

Swift Series Intel^® Evo™