Can't boot to any USB or HDD/SSD in acer predator PT515-51

Amano
Amano Member Posts: 5 New User
edited April 2024 in Predator Laptops

I have an acer predator PT515-51 under the boot tab in the BIOS I have disabled secure boot and it lists the drives and I can select which drive to boot to no problem. When it tries to boot to a drive or USB windows install I plays the Acer boot animation and sound then crashes and restarts on its own. I have tried multiple usbs and ssds to try to boot but yet no solution. When I try and boot to a drive is says preparing automatic repair before it crashes and restarts again. I'm wondering if anyone else has ever had this issue or knows how to fix it.

[Edited the thread to add model number to the title]

Best Answer

  • StevenGen
    StevenGen ACE Posts: 12,677 Trailblazer
    Answer ✓

    Your laptop has a faulty EC chip that needs replacing and reprogramming. The EC chip is involved in controlling USB ports and their communication with external devices. It manages USB power delivery, data transfer rates, and device enumeration. When you plug in a USB drive or any other peripheral, the EC chip facilitates the connection and ensures proper communication.

    HDD (Hard Disk Drive) Functions:

    • The EC chip doesn’t directly control the HDD itself, but it interacts with the system’s BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) to manage power states, spin-up/spin-down cycles, and error handling related to the HDD.
    • It also handles SMART (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) data from the HDD, which helps monitor its health and performance.

    SSD (Solid State Drive) Functions:

    • Similar to HDDs, the EC chip communicates with the SSD through the system’s BIOS.
    • It manages power states, wear leveling, garbage collection, and error handling for SSDs.
    • Additionally, it ensures compatibility with the system’s storage controller (e.g., SATA, NVMe).

    Be aware of all the above and what the EC chip does and take your laptop to an experienced technician that can change an EC chip and program and EC chip. If you are in the UK, you can try Sorin Electronics (this is his You Tube Channel) as he is an expert at changing EC chip and programming them and will fix your laptop for you.

    If you can't get your laptop to a technician that can do an EC chip replacement and to reprogram, then you need to replace the mainboard of your PT515-51 laptop. Below is a list from the PT515-51 service guide of all the mainboards fitted to the PT515-51, so search the web with their respective Acer part numbers. Good luck and hope this helps you out.

    If this answers your question and solved your query please "Click on Yes" or "Click on Like" if you find my answer useful👍

Answers

  • GAMING6698
    GAMING6698 ACE Posts: 8,049 Trailblazer

    Select usb boot priority in first from bios. If you usb doesn't find any ssd/hdd then create Bootable usb from Rufus in GPT Partition by while other rufus settings remain in default.

    windows 10/11 optimization guide for gaming 
    Windows 10/11 optimization guide for gaming — Acer Community

    My AN515-43 laptop UserBenchmark-
    https://www.userbenchmark.com/UserRun/51514566
  • Amano
    Amano Member Posts: 5 New User

    thank you for the response it cannot boot to a USB, I select the USB I even tried f10 and selected booting to the USB It starts to boot but then crashes at the Acer logo. Sometimes it has a load symbol at the bottom. The furthest I have gotten with anything is a bootable Kali Linux USB I am to select what version of Kali Linux I want to run but when I press enter and try to boot to that it also crashes.

  • GAMING6698
    GAMING6698 ACE Posts: 8,049 Trailblazer

    -Try different USB port

    -Create new bootable usb from new ISO and use Rufus with Gpt partition to create bootable usb

    windows 10/11 optimization guide for gaming 
    Windows 10/11 optimization guide for gaming — Acer Community

    My AN515-43 laptop UserBenchmark-
    https://www.userbenchmark.com/UserRun/51514566
  • StevenGen
    StevenGen ACE Posts: 12,677 Trailblazer
    edited April 2024

    Reset the BIOS > Security > Secure Boot Mode back to the default of what the Predator Triton PT515-51 laptop should be for Win-10, the default setting is Standard mode (which restores the firmware settings to its factory defaults. Any customized secure boot variables are also reset to factory default) as that is why your laptop can't boot from a USB and HDD/SSD. If that stand alone setting doesn't work then reset the Secure Boot Setting in bios and do a clean install of Win-10 on your laptop and get the OS back to default which should make your latop recognize the USB/HDD/SSD drives. Good luck.

    If this answers your question and solved your query please "Click on Yes" or "Click on Like" if you find my answer useful👍

  • Amano
    Amano Member Posts: 5 New User

    Ive tried resetting the BIOS to defaults and I've tried all USB ports Windows 10 and 11 USBs. I will try using Rufus and an ISO file I will let you know the outcome

  • Amano
    Amano Member Posts: 5 New User

    I will also try to upload a few images to help you understand a little better

  • Amano
    Amano Member Posts: 5 New User
    edited April 2024

    just tried booting with a win10 ISO installed with Rufus onto a USB. Same results sadly.

  • StevenGen
    StevenGen ACE Posts: 12,677 Trailblazer
    Answer ✓

    Your laptop has a faulty EC chip that needs replacing and reprogramming. The EC chip is involved in controlling USB ports and their communication with external devices. It manages USB power delivery, data transfer rates, and device enumeration. When you plug in a USB drive or any other peripheral, the EC chip facilitates the connection and ensures proper communication.

    HDD (Hard Disk Drive) Functions:

    • The EC chip doesn’t directly control the HDD itself, but it interacts with the system’s BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) to manage power states, spin-up/spin-down cycles, and error handling related to the HDD.
    • It also handles SMART (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) data from the HDD, which helps monitor its health and performance.

    SSD (Solid State Drive) Functions:

    • Similar to HDDs, the EC chip communicates with the SSD through the system’s BIOS.
    • It manages power states, wear leveling, garbage collection, and error handling for SSDs.
    • Additionally, it ensures compatibility with the system’s storage controller (e.g., SATA, NVMe).

    Be aware of all the above and what the EC chip does and take your laptop to an experienced technician that can change an EC chip and program and EC chip. If you are in the UK, you can try Sorin Electronics (this is his You Tube Channel) as he is an expert at changing EC chip and programming them and will fix your laptop for you.

    If you can't get your laptop to a technician that can do an EC chip replacement and to reprogram, then you need to replace the mainboard of your PT515-51 laptop. Below is a list from the PT515-51 service guide of all the mainboards fitted to the PT515-51, so search the web with their respective Acer part numbers. Good luck and hope this helps you out.

    If this answers your question and solved your query please "Click on Yes" or "Click on Like" if you find my answer useful👍