Predator Helios 300 PH-315-54 started freeze, crash and get BSOD

Hi,

My Predator Helios 300 PH-315-54 after a week and a half after purchase started behave weirdly.

My spec is following:

Intel® Core™ i7-11800H Processor
RAM: 16 GB / Storage: 1 TB SSD
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8 GB

My laptop started freeze and crash with no message so I needed to turn off it via power button. It happened when I watched videos or browsed websites. It was irregular not everyday. From yesterday I got two crashes with BSOD (Clock Watchdog Timeout error).

My Dumpstack Log says:

DLOGFILE00010000DUMP 0

Dump stack initialized at UTC: 2022/10/01 14:35:55, local time: 2022/10/01 15:35:55.

#BugCheckCode 0x0000000000000101

#BugCheckP1 0x000000000000000C

#BugCheckP2 0x0000000000000000

#BugCheckP3 0xFFFFC581915C0180

#BugCheckP4 0x0000000000000002

Can some one help me to find the cause?

I tested memory and ssd for error but nothing was found. I have most recent drivers/bios installed.

I have two WD HDDs connected to my laptop. They are one month old and they work great in the same setup on my HP Omen which gave me zero crashes/BSOD for last 2 years. I disconnected them for a testing purpose but I need to use them. I will be grateful for your advice.

Best Regards,

Przemek

[Thread was edited to add model name to the title]

Accepted answers

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JackE

>>>I have two WD HDDs connected to my laptop. They are one month old and they work great in the same setup on my HP Omen which gave me zero crashes/BSOD for last 2 years. I disconnected them for a testing purpose but I need to use them. I will be grateful for your advice.>>>

How can two WD HDDs that are one month old work great for last 2 years on your HP?

medieval78

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1150348#Comment_1150348

Hi,

Sorry I wasn't clear. I had the same WD 2TB models connected to my HP Omen laptop last two years and they worked great. I replaced them with new ones a month ago. I had them connected with the HP laptop for 2 weeks and the half before I moved to Helios 300. No issues. Now they were both connected to the new Predator laptop.

I disconnected one HDD to see if that helps with the stability. I'm wondering if Predator Helios 300 laptops experience issues with external drives connected via USB?

StevenGen

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1150351#Comment_1150351

Just in addition, I've got a Nitro 5 AN515-56 that has the same specs, at 2x M,2 PCIe 3 x4 drive slots and 1x internal SATA 3 6GB/s which I've got a spinner WD 2TB Green/Barracuda connected internally into its vacant 2.5" slot with the SATA kit provided, I also use an old (5 years old) external Samsung EVO 850 1TB 2.5" HDD and everything works perfectly, and I've never ever had any BSOD or freezes.

It could be that your problems could be that one of the old spinner HDD's can have issues that is not related to the laptop, especially if its connected to the USB port, check the old HDD's if they are performing 100% and without errors, as you will find that allot of the times, that is where your problem is. Your PH315-54 laptop has the same drives provisions with 2x M.2 PCIe 3 x4 and 1x 2.5" spinner or SSD 2.5" all at SATA 3 6GB/s. You would be better off, connecting 1x spinner old HDD to the inside SATA mobo plug of the PH315-54 and only using 1x old spinner HDD externally and with a USB, like I have done, as having the 2x spinner external HDDs connected with USB's could be causing your problems.

medieval78

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1150361#Comment_1150361

Hi, Both My Passport WD Hdds are only one month old as I replaced the old ones. They are in good health.

I will keep one connected and see if that setup works. The other drive is for backup only. I cannot install it inside as it comes in a plastic enclosure.

medieval78

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1150361#Comment_1150361

Hi,

I was testing laptop with one external drive connected via USB this morning. Unfortunately I got BSOD and restart when I watched a YT video.

The same error codes:

DLOGFILE00010000DUMP 0

Dump stack initialized at UTC: 2022/10/02 10:10:01, local time: 2022/10/02 11:10:01.

#BugCheckCode 0x0000000000000101

#BugCheckP1 0x000000000000000C

#BugCheckP2 0x0000000000000000

#BugCheckP3 0xFFFF9900755C0180

#BugCheckP4 0x0000000000000002

JackE

How many amps do the new external drives consume?

StevenGen

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1150411#Comment_1150411

I've had similar problem with my new laptop the AN515-56 "turning off prematurely and in one instance going into a BSOD" and what I narrowed it down to was this, that my Zalman laptop cooler/3 port hub that has a 2x 2.0 and 1x 3.0 USB ports, when connected to the laptop, was shortening the laptop out and causing the laptop to either turn off or in one instance into a BSOD, what I narroed it down to is this, that whenever I disconnected the Zalman laptop cooler, the laptop never ever had any more problems.

Maybe. this is your problem, and its with the USB cable/plug or the laptop USB port, that is faulty causing your BSOD problem(s), do a process of elimination as that is why I suggested that you plug one of these 2.5" Passport WD Hdds internally into the laptop and use the Passport WD Hdd internally and see if it does give you any BSODs and narrow the problem down.

Also, and "I cannot install it inside as it comes in a plastic enclosure" which does not limit you taking the HDD out, I've done that to many external drives (taken them out of their enclosures) as under the enclosure they are all a 2.5" HDD and the same as any 2.5" HDD and in most instances, the case can be reused.

JackE

How many amps do the new external drives consume?

medieval78

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1150582#Comment_1150582

I have my laptop connected to a Coolermaster XL cooling pad (it also comes with a usb hub). In your case the problem was created because your cooling pad was connected to the laptop via USB and when you disconnected it all issues have gone. Am I right?

medieval78

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1150700#Comment_1150700

I have no idea. They are WD My passport drives 2.5" external. I didn't find this information on the manufacturer data sheet/website.

JackE

OK, so how many amps is the cooling pad drawing? There's a limit to how many amps the USB buss can support before the mainboard chokes. Better to raise the laptop about a inch above a hard surface than using a cooling pads. The pad's one way airflow can actually hamper airflow inside the laptop's case by blocking the laptop's air exhaust vents.

medieval78

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1150798#Comment_1150798

Hi,

I restored my Helios 300 to the factory defaults. I only connected one external HDD, mouse, keyboard and monitor. No cooling pad and second HDD. I watched 3 episodes of TV show and I got BSOD (Clock Watchdog Timeout error).

That is pretty bad.

JackE

>>>That is pretty bad.>>>

I seriously doubt it. So try this.

Please post a screenshot of Task Manager Startup tab and the top part of Processes tab if possible.
Also do you have any non-mic rosoft 3rd party virus scanners enabled or installed?

medieval78

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1150807#Comment_1150807

Hi Jack,

Sure. Here are two screenshots:

I use Eset Internet Security software. I've been use it for last 10 years on all my laptops work and home with no issues. Currently I have pretty simple setup on my Helios, just Adobe PS, Illustrator and Capture One apps. I haven installed any games or gaming platforms (GOG and Steam). I still have my 2 years Omen which handles all these apps and hardware with zero issues. Basically the same setup just older hardware spec (i7 10th gen and RTX 2060). I temporally switched back to the Omen as I cannot relay on my Helios producing random crashes. It's too risky for my work.

JackE

>>>I restored my Helios 300 to the factory defaults.>>>

Exactly how did you do this?

medieval78

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1150926#Comment_1150926

Hi Jack,

I used Acer restore option described in my Predator Helios manual. It basically cleaned the drive with all files and then reinstalled fresh Windows from the original Acer image file.

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