Intermittent BlueScreens on Acer Nitro 5 AN515-54 using Micron 2200 NVMEs (Preinstalled)

anarchy1923

Hi everyone, I used to face the No Bootable Device error sometimes, and usually a restart would do the trick. About a month back, My Windows 11 PC started showing some issues with Blue Screens having Error Code "System_Service_Exception' or 'Critical_Process_DIED' or 'Unexpected_Store_Exception'. I thought it was an issue with me being in the Insider Channel, so I did a Clean Installation of Windows (Using a Bootable USB Stick), but still the issue persisted with my PC (having the same error codes). Even after switching to Linux the issue has not resolved.

Apparently this is an issue that plagues many devices having an NVME SSD 2200 Micron. This Issue has been widely reported across different devices. In face, HP and Dell released a firmware update after coordinating with Micron for a fix, and that sorted the issue out.

Is there any chance Acer releases the same especially for devices that are out of warranty (Acer Nitro AN515-54), or should i switch over to a different SSD altogether (if the chances of a firmware update being released seem slim), if so please tell me which SSD would you recommend. Is there another slot in my Laptop which will accomodate the SSD (in addition to the older Micron SSD), I also have a 1TB Internal Hard Drive as well (which came preinstalled). I could not find reliable information only for the Storage status of AN515-54. Suggestions are welcome.

Accepted answers

StevenGen

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1292909#Comment_1292909

The Micron M.2 SSD will fit into the SSD2 M.2 slot of your laptop, bot M.2 slots are the same except they are different speeds, so you buy a new PCIe3 x4 M.2 SSD drive like the Samsung 970 EVO Plus and you either clone the Win-11 from the Micron M.2 drive onto the new Samsung PCIe3 x4 M.2 drive or you do a clean install of Win-11 and then take the Micron M.2 drive before you boot the new Samsung M.2 drive with the Win-11 operating system as you can't have two of the same operating systems as your AN515-54 will always boot from the micron drive. Afterwards, put the Micron into the SSD2 M.2 slot and format it and use it as a storage drive.

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All comments

StevenGen

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/711194/intermittent-bluescreens-on-acer-nitro-5-an515-54-using-micron-2200-nvmes-preinstalled

See the Micron 2200 NVME site if Micron has a firmware update for this drive, as Acer usually has M.2 firmware updates, but it hasn't got anything for your AN515-54 laptop drives. Do a bios update of the AN515-54 laptop to version 1.33 and see if that fixes this Micron M.2 SSD problem if not I would get rid of the Micron M.2 drive and clone the OS or do a clean install of the OS and buy a quicker Gen 3 x4 lane M.2 SSD drive like the Samsung 970 EVO Plus which I'm using on my Nitro AN515-56 as it works perfectly for me and I'm getting Read 3330MB/s Write 3150MB/s speeds which are pretty high. Good luck.

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anarchy1923

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1292892#Comment_1292892

I am on 1.33 for BIOS. No Update from Micron for the same, looks like I have to get a new SSD. Is the second M.2 SSD slot SATA only? I was thinking of keeping the older SSD, and getting a SATA SSD that supports the second M.2 slot, and then installing the Operating system on that. Because from the looks of it, the NVME SSD cannot be installed onto that second SATA SSD port (which my newbie self thought it might). How big of a performance difference would that be, if I were to use that SATA SSD slot for the OS install? Currently don't game, and won't be for a while. I just want a fast, and stable system on which I can study reliably. My good old Nitro 5 used to be reliable, but now I feel betrayed by it.
Thanks for the reply. I appreciate the help.

StevenGen

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1292898#Comment_1292898

You can do that but SSD1 is the quickest boot drive as its a PCIe3 x4 lane slot and SSD2 is a PCIe3 x2 lane slot and a Co-lay that can also be fitted with an M.2 SATA SSD drive, this laptop also has provisions for a 2.5" SATA 3 drive, you should have the kit consisting of a SATA cable, HDD bracket and two sets of screws totaling 8 screws for mounting the drive to the HDD bracket and mounting the bracket to the laptop base.

These are the specs of the storage of the AN515-54 laptop

SSDs

2.5" SATA 3 HDD or 2.5" SATA 3 SSD space

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anarchy1923

Thank you for clearing things out. It seems I would have to make the Trade-off and let go of my older SSD. Let me just ask the dumb question first? Apologies if it seems so, could the older SSD be put into the SSD slot 2, while the newer SSD be put into the PCIe 3*4 slot? Or would I have to get rid of it, because it wouldn't fit into the SSD slot 2…Thank you for being thorough, you have helped a lot.

To be specific, can the PCIe3 x2 lane slot house the NVME Micron 2200 SSD (which I had previously), whilst the PCIe 3 * 4 slot could be used for the Samsung EVO Plus SSD which you suggested?

I already have a ATA HDD on the third slot. (2.5")

StevenGen

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1292909#Comment_1292909

The Micron M.2 SSD will fit into the SSD2 M.2 slot of your laptop, bot M.2 slots are the same except they are different speeds, so you buy a new PCIe3 x4 M.2 SSD drive like the Samsung 970 EVO Plus and you either clone the Win-11 from the Micron M.2 drive onto the new Samsung PCIe3 x4 M.2 drive or you do a clean install of Win-11 and then take the Micron M.2 drive before you boot the new Samsung M.2 drive with the Win-11 operating system as you can't have two of the same operating systems as your AN515-54 will always boot from the micron drive. Afterwards, put the Micron into the SSD2 M.2 slot and format it and use it as a storage drive.

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

anarchy1923

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1292914#Comment_1292914

Thanks for the clarification. I'll use the older NVME in the PCIe 3 * 2 slot of the Laptop, and the newer one in the PCIe 3*4 Slot. However, I won't be installing Windows 11 because I like Linux better!