Acer Nitro 5 AN515-53 Freezing/Stuttering when doing ANYTHING

ShangWang

Hi all,
I have had my refurbished laptop for over a year now and noticed freezing/stuttering on applications and for windows in general. This especially happens when doing literally anything, such as opening a new tab, opening an application and pressing any GUI on a website, the computer will freeze for around 5 seconds and then continue the process. The freezing is MUCH more severe when doing any downloads or updates.

I have noticed this stutter ever since the beginning of using the laptop, but it has been extremely irritating to me now.

I have done many things such as checking sfc and DISM for errors, optimizing windows settings such as turning off hints, cleaning up my system, turning off automatic updates, defragmenting my hard drive, and finally when I had problems updating windows I did a complete repair install. I have cleaned my fans, repasted my laptop, undervolted it, everything, my computer shows no problems in terms of health and functionality but there is always freezing/stuttering.

Is this simply a hardware problem with refurbished laptops or is this just how the nitro 5 is? 

sri369

ShangWang said:

sri369 said:

1. How much RAM do you have? If you have windows 10 and 8 GB, up it to 16.
   
2. Check your hard disk health.

I have a Nitro 5 AN515-42, refurb, over a year and half old, and still zippy as new.

I don't think having 8GB is the cause of stuttering, my hard disk sometimes goes to 100% but I think that's normal.

No, hard disk going to 100% is not normal, and a possible reason for stuttering.

There is something called paging that happens (you can google that for more detailed explanation), and when paging happens excessively due to data swapping between RAM and hard disk, it does cause lag/stutter. And this becomes especially true when you have a normal hard disk and not an SSD for your page file.

Windows 10 as it takes up close to 4GB or more for itself, based on number of background services and tasks, and if you load another program that takes up memory, you are out of luck there and will be hit with swapping. And you mentioned your disk goes to 100% making this argument all the more valid.

BIOS being outdated does not cause stutter out of the blue, unless you had a bad BIOS.

sri369

ShangWang said:

Just making sure you don't think it will cause any incomplete update if I shutdown instead of restarting?

If fast boot is turned off, its the same either approach.

sri369

1. How much RAM do you have? If you have windows 10 and 8 GB, up it to 16.
   
2. Check your hard disk health.

I have a Nitro 5 AN515-42, refurb, over a year and half old, and still zippy as new.

Balatekie

Hello @ShangWang, 

I see that you have tried troubleshooting the unit in-depth. I recommend you to try "PC Refresh" and that might rectify the issue. 

1. Press and hold the Power key for 5 seconds to power the system off completely.
2. Press the Power key to turn on the computer.
3. Press the Alt and F10 keys at the same time when the Acer logo appears on the screen. Your system should boot to a blue screen that says Choose an option.
4. Select Troubleshoot.
5. Click Reset your PC. Then select the option "Keep my Files". 
6. Click Next, then you will prompted to select your account and you need to enter password. 
7. Click Reset to begin "PC Refresh".

NOTE: If you have been prompted to select installation type, select "Local Re-install" and NOT "Cloud Download". 

Hope this helps!!

Regards, 
Balatekie

Easwar

Hi ShangWang,

# Try to get the BIOS page.

1. Turn OFF the unit.

​2. Press and hold the F2 key and turn on the unit. 
3. You will be in setup utility page. 
4. Once you got the screen release the F2 key.
5. Tap on F9 key and hit enter key without changing the option.
6. Tap on F10 key and hit enter key without changing the option.
7. Your unit will restart by itself. 

Check this T/S and post the result. ​

ShangWang

sri369 said:

1. How much RAM do you have? If you have windows 10 and 8 GB, up it to 16.
   
2. Check your hard disk health.

I have a Nitro 5 AN515-42, refurb, over a year and half old, and still zippy as new.

I don't think having 8GB is the cause of stuttering, my hard disk sometimes goes to 100% but I think that's normal.

ShangWang

Balatekie said:

Hello @ShangWang, 

I see that you have tried troubleshooting the unit in-depth. I recommend you to try "PC Refresh" and that might rectify the issue. 

1. Press and hold the Power key for 5 seconds to power the system off completely.
2. Press the Power key to turn on the computer.
3. Press the Alt and F10 keys at the same time when the Acer logo appears on the screen. Your system should boot to a blue screen that says Choose an option.
4. Select Troubleshoot.
5. Click Reset your PC. Then select the option "Keep my Files". 
6. Click Next, then you will prompted to select your account and you need to enter password. 
7. Click Reset to begin "PC Refresh".

NOTE: If you have been prompted to select installation type, select "Local Re-install" and NOT "Cloud Download". 

Hope this helps!!

Regards, 
Balatekie

Thank you for the help, but I had already done a PC reset in the past and had just previously done a repair install so I don't want to go through that again. Are there other small things that can help with stuttering?

Easwar

Hi ShangWang,

# Try to get the BIOS page.

1. Turn OFF the unit.

​2. Press and hold the F2 key and turn on the unit. 
3. You will be in setup utility page. 
4. Once you got the screen release the F2 key.
5. Tap on F9 key and hit enter key without changing the option.
6. Tap on F10 key and hit enter key without changing the option.
7. Your unit will restart by itself. 

Check this T/S and post the result. ​

ShangWang

Easwar said:

Hi ShangWang,

# Try to get the BIOS page.

1. Turn OFF the unit.

​2. Press and hold the F2 key and turn on the unit. 
3. You will be in setup utility page. 
4. Once you got the screen release the F2 key.
5. Tap on F9 key and hit enter key without changing the option.
6. Tap on F10 key and hit enter key without changing the option.
7. Your unit will restart by itself. 

Check this T/S and post the result. ​

Thank you, but before I do this what exactly will this do and how does it fix my stuttering?

ShangWang

Easwar said:

Hi ShangWang,

# Try to get the BIOS page.

1. Turn OFF the unit.

​2. Press and hold the F2 key and turn on the unit. 
3. You will be in setup utility page. 
4. Once you got the screen release the F2 key.
5. Tap on F9 key and hit enter key without changing the option.
6. Tap on F10 key and hit enter key without changing the option.
7. Your unit will restart by itself. 

Check this T/S and post the result. ​

I see that will set my BIOS settings to default, but in the past I have made changes to making it default before and it did nothing. Do you know any specific settings in bios that may cause stuttering? I know I currently have fast boot off and secure boot on.

Easwar

Hi ShangWang,

Reset this PC and keep my files
1. Press and hold alt+F10 key. Then turn ON the unit.
2. You will get a blue screen. Choose the option troubleshoot. 

3. Select Keep my files to refresh your PC and reinstall your operating system without removing your personal files. Click Next to continue. Important If you have apps installed on your PC, they will be removed. Recovery - 25
4. Resetting the PC will reinstall Windows, change settings back to their factory defaults and remove all preinstalled apps and programs without removing your personal files. Click Reset to continue.
5. You will be shown the reset progress on the screen. The screen will turn off during the reset process.
6. The screen will turn back on when it is installing Windows. Your PC will restart several times during the reset process.
7. Follow the process until it completes.
8. When your PC has completed the reset process, Windows will have been reset back to its factory default settings without removing your personal files.​

ShangWang

The previous person had already asked me to reset my pc, I have this already in the past and I don't think it will fix my problem.

Henrik_

Have you checked the status of your disk and memory?

https://www.intel.ca/content/www/ca/en/support/articles/000024102/intel-nuc.html

https://www.lifewire.com/free-memory-test-programs-2626178

https://techviral.net/tools-to-check-ssd-health/

ShangWang

Henrik_ said:

Have you checked the status of your disk and memory?

https://www.intel.ca/content/www/ca/en/support/articles/000024102/intel-nuc.html

https://www.lifewire.com/free-memory-test-programs-2626178

https://techviral.net/tools-to-check-ssd-health/

Yes, they're both working just fine.

ShangWang

Henrik_ said:

Have you checked the status of your disk and memory?

https://www.intel.ca/content/www/ca/en/support/articles/000024102/intel-nuc.html

https://www.lifewire.com/free-memory-test-programs-2626178

https://techviral.net/tools-to-check-ssd-health/

My only other concern is outdated bios, but I don't know how it could be outdated within a year.
My current version is BIOS Version/Date Insyde Corp. V1.28, 2019-08-05
The most updated BIOS is 2019/09/051. Update new battery support. 2. Update Intel ME 1427 for RS6. 3. Update Intel MCU.

I don't see how this small update could make a big difference, is it really necessary to update BIOS?

Henrik_

Never heard of a BIOS that make the computer stutter.

Have you tried and disable the internal Intel(?) graphics card and only run with the Nvidia card? Pagefile looks good? 

sri369

ShangWang said:

sri369 said:

1. How much RAM do you have? If you have windows 10 and 8 GB, up it to 16.
   
2. Check your hard disk health.

I have a Nitro 5 AN515-42, refurb, over a year and half old, and still zippy as new.

I don't think having 8GB is the cause of stuttering, my hard disk sometimes goes to 100% but I think that's normal.

No, hard disk going to 100% is not normal, and a possible reason for stuttering.

There is something called paging that happens (you can google that for more detailed explanation), and when paging happens excessively due to data swapping between RAM and hard disk, it does cause lag/stutter. And this becomes especially true when you have a normal hard disk and not an SSD for your page file.

Windows 10 as it takes up close to 4GB or more for itself, based on number of background services and tasks, and if you load another program that takes up memory, you are out of luck there and will be hit with swapping. And you mentioned your disk goes to 100% making this argument all the more valid.

BIOS being outdated does not cause stutter out of the blue, unless you had a bad BIOS.

ShangWang

sri369 said:

ShangWang said:

sri369 said:

1. How much RAM do you have? If you have windows 10 and 8 GB, up it to 16.
   
2. Check your hard disk health.

I have a Nitro 5 AN515-42, refurb, over a year and half old, and still zippy as new.

I don't think having 8GB is the cause of stuttering, my hard disk sometimes goes to 100% but I think that's normal.

No, hard disk going to 100% is not normal, and a possible reason for stuttering.

There is something called paging that happens (you can google that for more detailed explanation), and when paging happens excessively due to data swapping between RAM and hard disk, it does cause lag/stutter. And this becomes especially true when you have a normal hard disk and not an SSD for your page file.

Windows 10 as it takes up close to 4GB or more for itself, based on number of background services and tasks, and if you load another program that takes up memory, you are out of luck there and will be hit with swapping. And you mentioned your disk goes to 100% making this argument all the more valid.

BIOS being outdated does not cause stutter out of the blue, unless you had a bad BIOS.

I see, thank you for the information. Do you think disabling some c-states could help instead?

ShangWang

Henrik_ said:

Never heard of a BIOS that make the computer stutter.

Have you tried and disable the internal Intel(?) graphics card and only run with the Nvidia card? Pagefile looks good? 

I believe that would disable my display as well since it can only run on integrated graphics.

ShangWang

sri369 said:

ShangWang said:

sri369 said:

1. How much RAM do you have? If you have windows 10 and 8 GB, up it to 16.
   
2. Check your hard disk health.

I have a Nitro 5 AN515-42, refurb, over a year and half old, and still zippy as new.

I don't think having 8GB is the cause of stuttering, my hard disk sometimes goes to 100% but I think that's normal.

No, hard disk going to 100% is not normal, and a possible reason for stuttering.

There is something called paging that happens (you can google that for more detailed explanation), and when paging happens excessively due to data swapping between RAM and hard disk, it does cause lag/stutter. And this becomes especially true when you have a normal hard disk and not an SSD for your page file.

Windows 10 as it takes up close to 4GB or more for itself, based on number of background services and tasks, and if you load another program that takes up memory, you are out of luck there and will be hit with swapping. And you mentioned your disk goes to 100% making this argument all the more valid.

BIOS being outdated does not cause stutter out of the blue, unless you had a bad BIOS.

Is there nothing you can do to fix page filing in terms of tweaking things?

ShangWang

Henrik_ said:

Never heard of a BIOS that make the computer stutter.

Have you tried and disable the internal Intel(?) graphics card and only run with the Nvidia card? Pagefile looks good? 

I have only one HDD, and in the past I set my page filing to 400-12000 with 8GB. I read on a forum that this is the best setting when I was playing GTA.

sri369

ShangWang said:

Henrik_ said:

Never heard of a BIOS that make the computer stutter.

Have you tried and disable the internal Intel(?) graphics card and only run with the Nvidia card? Pagefile looks good? 

I have only one HDD, and in the past I set my page filing to 400-12000 with 8GB. I read on a forum that this is the best setting when I was playing GTA.

Games of the past are different from games of today.
Setting a large page file will only add to your agony - with all the page swaps.
Instead of nailing the problem, you are trying to hit around it here, and these will not work in your case.

I have a 16 GB RAM and 6 GB page file. No game I saw, including demanding ones, stuttered. Also, I am using SSD for windows drive and for playing games.

The least you can do is add an SSD and allocate swap on that. This is still patchwork since we are not increasing RAM, but since it is SSD now and not HDD, you might get better performance.