Predator PH18-71 - Even more BSODs, straight out of the "repaired" box. How to fix it?

PaulT64

10 days ago, I started getting BSODs on my 5-6 month old PT18-71, then the SSD fried itself. It went back to an "Acer Repair Centre" where they replaced the SSD And sent it back yesterday as fixed. However, all it does is boot, hang, BSOD, then continue in the same vicious circle. On one of the few times I managed to get into Windows and do anything before it froze, I got Acer Care Centre running but it wouldn't do a repair. I can't get ALT-F10 to do anything on boot either (it just ignores it and tries to boot straight into windows). Does anyone have any ideas/suggestions? I've messaged Acer again but they don't appear to work weekends.

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

StevenGen

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/714886/pt18-71-even-more-bsods-straight-out-of-the-repaired-box

Is your laptop the Predator PH18-71 or the Predator Triton PTX17-71, as there is NO PT18-71, lets get that straight from the beginning😁. The best solution for all these BSOD errors imo is to do a Clean Install first and see if these BSODs will disappear and its a software driver problem and not a hardware problem? So download the stand alone Windows 11 24H2 editions 64-bit – 5.4GB English version file, and follow the Rufus 4.5 boot Win-11 installation guide and construct a bootable USB with the Win-11 24H2 version then download either the PH18-71 or the PTX17-71 laptops IRST (Intel® Rapid Storage Technology) Driver for whatever laptop model you have, and put this driver onto the installation USB, so that the Win-11 installation will recognize your laptops M.2 SSD boot drive onto the same USB.

Note: that the BSODs that you are getting are due to mainly bad drivers that conflict with the hardware of this very fine and expensive laptop and its giving you these BSODs and going into a state of repair as it can't fix the fault issues and its not because of the M.2 SSD boot drive . Below are the basic descriptions of these BSODs errors that you have screen shots above for and the only and best solution is to do a Clean Install of the Windows OS, if that doesn't fix the BSOD errors problems, contact Acer Tech Support asap to change the mainboard (the board is Acer Part#: NB.QK311.001) of your PTX17-71 laptop as the mainboard is a whopping USD $6,475.27 which is an absolute ridiculous price for any part of a computer! Or the Predator PH18-71 mainboard Acer part #: NB.QKR11.001 is USD $3,498.49! Do NOT LET the warranty on your laptop expire as you will be up for this cost and more if you don't get this fixed. Good luck and hope this helps you out.

The Triton PTX17-18 Acer Part#: NB.QK311.001 cost &6,475.27 as in caption below😓:

BSOD Error codes descriptions:

• CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT - is a Windows stop error that occurs when one of the processor cores in your system fails to respond within the allocated time period. This error can be caused by hardware issues, driver conflicts, or software
• DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE - is a BSOD error that is mostly caused by an incompatible driver or system corruption. The error can also occur due to incorrect power settings with your wireless adapter and PCI express drivers. To fix the error, you can try entering Safe Mode and removing recently installed drivers. You can also install new drivers manually through Windows Update. The error can also be caused by a virus or malware4.
• CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED - Windows 11 displays this error for a plethora of reasons. A connected hardware device or peripheral like a printer or keyboard might be faulty, or your device drivers might be outdated. The above error also appears if your PC is infected with a virus or malware. Such a threat might be interfering with your system’s core files, causing the machine not to turn on. This is usually the case after you’ve run a malicious file on your PC.

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PaulT64

Apologies, it is the PH18-71

I cannot do a clean windows 11 install as the BSODs are still displayed during the install process. The install process never completes because of them

StevenGen

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1305639#Comment_1305639

Send your laptop back to Acer Tech Support asap and get them to change the mainboard as its got a hardware problem as these BSODs should not be happening with such a new laptop. Good luck

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PaulT64

This is happening immediately after it has been returned from Acer Tech Support after they replaced the SSD which failed after 5-6 months

StevenGen

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1305651#Comment_1305651

Its worth buying another Gen 4 x4 M.2 SSD (you can use it in the 2nd M.2 slot afterwards) and see if its the M.2 drive that Acer fitted or if its the mainboard M.2 slot that is causing those BSODs as it seems to me that its a mainboard hardware fault, as for such a new and top end laptop this should not be happening!

If you are computer savvy, and if your Predator PH18-71 laptop doesn't have the Acer warranty stickers prohibiting the opening of the laptop, check that first! As you can do a Hard Reset, which entails opening the laptop back lid, by removing fourteen (14) screws but do it very carefully without damaging the screws and/or scratching the laptop lid, then pry the back lid from the top vents down until the latches release as the lid will come off easily, this will not void your Acer warranty.

Hard Reset: to reset the EC and Chipset chips that could be freezing, and that could also be a cause of this problem, you need the laptop to be opened, afterwards take the main battery out and disconnecting the rtc/bios battery, then shorting the rtc/bios battery +&- pins at the board plug (to reset CMOS) and then take the ram out and leaving the laptop like that for 1 hour and then reconnect everything back as it was and see if the laptop boots without the BSODs, as this usually fixes boot issues .

Note: If replacing the M.2 SSD and the Hard Reset doesn't work, then its a mainboard hardware problem and you should get this laptops board changed asap as and if you leave it, you will be up for some very expensive repairs or you will need to buy a new laptop. Good luck

Short the PH18-71 laptops +&- at the plug circled below to reset the CMOS

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PaulT64

Thank you but I am not doing all of that for a £3k laptop which is only 6 months old and has only just come out of their repair centre

StevenGen

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1305669#Comment_1305669

That is what I was thinking and I gave you some alternatives if you needed to use the laptop for work etc etc, as this laptop has a bad and faulty mainboard that Acer Britain should replace and reinstall the latest Win-11 24H2 OS and return it to you in 100% and perfect working order without any BSODs. Good luck hope you sort things out as Acer will fix whatever problems you have with this fine gaming latop that the Predator PH18-71 is.

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PaulT64

Thank you and your suggestions are appreciated. Yes, I do need it for work and I have been without it for 2 weeks already. It has got to the point now where I do not want it repaired. This is the second time an "Acer Repair Centre" has sent back a laptop which was supposedly fixed, when it clearly has not been fixed.

PaulT64

Acer have eventually agreed to a refund, so I am now off to look at other manufacturers

StevenGen

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1305762#Comment_1305762

That is very unfortunate that its ended up this way, as we on this forum have no influence in and/or on the production and quality control of Acer products. The Predator Helios PH18-71 is a very fine spec gaming/editing laptop and you must have gotten a laptop from a late Friday shift 😁 and Acer should take note!

Sorry for all the inconveniences that you have had, especially with such an expensive top of the range Acer product, but I still back the Acer product up as I've been using Acer laptop since 2008 and have never ever had the problems that you have had buying Acer products new or used. Good luck with whatever other manufacturer laptop you buy.

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PaulT64

UUnfortunately, it is the second one that I have owned, the second one which has failed within 6 months and the second one which came back from the repair centre still broken. Big shame as I loved the laptop when it worked but build quality, unreliability and poor customer service have ruined the experience for me. Thank you for your assistance though