Nitro AN515-42 Can't Boot

BoundCNapalm

So, i've had my Nitro AN515-42 for 2 years now. But only recently ive had issues I've considered asking, until recently where now my Acer doesnt even work.

When i boot it up, it takes me to the Acer logo screen but doesnt try to load windows or anything else. Can get into bios and boot screen though, even if it takes 4 minutes from press to actual open.

Trying to boot windows from the boot menu just results in a black screen without restart.

Automatic repair only causes it to go into a loop.

Im trying to boot from an installation media but it has been an hour and fifteen minutes since then and i suspect that it's in a boot loop.

I dunno what to do aside from buying a whole new computer, and i really dont want to since i dont have the kinda money right now that'd let me buy one.

Does anyone know what's going on from just those symptoms?

StevenGen

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/672026/nitro-an515-42-cant-boot

Do a hard reset first of your AN515-42 by doing this:

1. Turnoff the laptop off, disconnect the laptop from the charger, press the power key until the power completely turns off and keep pressing the key for 20sec to completely discharge all power.
2. Undo the Ram and HDD doors and take the ram and HDD (if you have one?) out
3. Back Cover - Undo the 15 screws then starting from the left side, pry to release the left side latches, continue releasing the bottom side latches until cover is off
4. Main Battery - Detach the mylar securing the battery cable and keyboard FPC. Disconnect the battery cable from the mainboard connector. Remove the two (2) screws securing the battery to the upper case.
5. RTC/BIOS Battery - Disconnect the RTC battery cable from the mainboard connector.
6. M.2 drive - disconnect and take the M.2 drive out.

After you have disconnected both main and RTC batteries and taken out the ram and M.2 boot drive (or and if you have a 2.5" HDD out) leave all these components disconnected for about 5min and reconnect all and try again to boot your AN515-42 and see if it boots correctly.

If that does not fix your boot problems, then the actual boot drive or ram might be faulty or in error and causing these boot problems, so use another hard boot drive and see if it comes up in bios and also take the ram out (if you have 2x ram modules) take one out and try with just one or a different DDR4 ram module and see if the laptop works, as the best way to analyze your problems is to do it by a "process of elimination" as that will narrow down the exact problems that you have and if its a mobo issue, then you need to take your laptop to Acer or to an experienced tech in your area or in extreme circumstances you might need to replace the mobo, which I don't think that is the case. .

BoundCNapalm

Oh and ive tried various options. I cant load anything normal. I cant access the advanced startup menus, any recovery menus, only bios and boot menu.

StevenGen

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/672026/nitro-an515-42-cant-boot

Do a hard reset first of your AN515-42 by doing this:

1. Turnoff the laptop off, disconnect the laptop from the charger, press the power key until the power completely turns off and keep pressing the key for 20sec to completely discharge all power.
2. Undo the Ram and HDD doors and take the ram and HDD (if you have one?) out
3. Back Cover - Undo the 15 screws then starting from the left side, pry to release the left side latches, continue releasing the bottom side latches until cover is off
4. Main Battery - Detach the mylar securing the battery cable and keyboard FPC. Disconnect the battery cable from the mainboard connector. Remove the two (2) screws securing the battery to the upper case.
5. RTC/BIOS Battery - Disconnect the RTC battery cable from the mainboard connector.
6. M.2 drive - disconnect and take the M.2 drive out.

After you have disconnected both main and RTC batteries and taken out the ram and M.2 boot drive (or and if you have a 2.5" HDD out) leave all these components disconnected for about 5min and reconnect all and try again to boot your AN515-42 and see if it boots correctly.

If that does not fix your boot problems, then the actual boot drive or ram might be faulty or in error and causing these boot problems, so use another hard boot drive and see if it comes up in bios and also take the ram out (if you have 2x ram modules) take one out and try with just one or a different DDR4 ram module and see if the laptop works, as the best way to analyze your problems is to do it by a "process of elimination" as that will narrow down the exact problems that you have and if its a mobo issue, then you need to take your laptop to Acer or to an experienced tech in your area or in extreme circumstances you might need to replace the mobo, which I don't think that is the case. .

BoundCNapalm

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1149896#Comment_1149896

So, I've tried the available options, and I've determined that it is my hard drive. This was found by the mere fact that I pulled out the hard drive and opened my installation media, and lo and behold, it works now. God dammit. But thank you for your post this really helped me, and it was certainly a learning experience. Now I gotta figure out how to retrieve information from non-working hard drives.

StevenGen

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1150118#Comment_1150118

"Now I gotta figure out how to retrieve information from non-working hard drives."

I strongly suggestion to you ito NOT do it yourself, as this happened to me and I had very valuable info on a similar drive, don't use any software that is available on the web, as most don't work as you will damage the data on the drive in most cases. Take this drive to a professional Data Retrieving tech as they will retrieve most of you data, as in my case they recovered fully 99% of my valuable data from my faulty hard drive.