Acer Nitro 5 laptop won't turn on, stuck on Black screen with red keyboard after Windows update

I’ve been having ongoing issues with my laptop for months now. It was all fine and working perfectly up until a couple months ago when my laptop just didn’t turn on at school. I couldn’t fix it until I got home and I removed the battery, changed the power source, all that stuff and the only thing that got it working was turning it off, holding the keys g, h, and j + the power button for around 15 seconds and it worked.

From there it was fine for a couple days until one day i turned it on and instead of getting the Acer logo i got a blue screen saying “press y to reset tpm” and a bunch of other stuff about a bit locker key. I then got the bit locker key to get into my laptop and ended up turning it off in settings but the only difference that made was that i didn’t have to enter the bit locker key anymore.

From there my laptop started crashing with the blue screen saying “driver_irql_not_less_or_equal” and this went on for months until today when i started looking up how to fix it. I changed my ram back to the one it came with, I used the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool to check if there was anything wrong with my ram which there wasn’t, I clean booted it, updated my graphics driver and then updated windows. Except once I updated windows, I restarted it and it went black with the keyboard staying red.

I waited about 2 minutes and it stayed like that so I turned my laptop off and nothing but the keyboard works now. When I turn it on, the keyboard flashes and then stays red for about 12 seconds and then flashes again and stays red permanently until i turn it off again. I’ve taken out the battery and held the power button for a minute and then plugged it back in but are still left with the same result so I’m stumped. If anyone can help me I would really appreciate it.

Accepted answers

Puraw

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/726578/acer-nitro-5-laptop-wont-turn-on-stuck-on-black-screen-with-red-keyboard-after-windows-update

Hi, how did you manage to disable Windows BitLocker, that requires 48 digit numbers: If your drive (SSD or HDD) is encrypted you can do nothing till you have entered that code when prompted by BIOS and either disable BitLocker in Windows or use the encrypted drive. If you no longer can use the drive you need to replace the HDD or SSD ($50) if you need to flash BIOS or reprogram the EEPROM by Acer Services in your country this may cost an additional $100-200 (rough guess).

💻 Acer Nitro 5 – “Black Screen + Red Keyboard” No Boot Troubleshooting Guide

When your Nitro turns on but shows a black screen with the keyboard lighting up red, try these in order:

🔋 Step 1 – Perform a Hard Reset

Disconnect charger and battery (if possible).
Hold Power for 60 seconds.
Reconnect and try powering on again.

🧩 Step 2 – External Display Test

Connect to an HDMI or USB-C monitor. If you get video output, internal display may be faulty.

🔐 Step 3 – BitLocker/TPM Interference

If you previously saw “reset TPM” prompts and used BitLocker:
- SSD may be encrypted. Without the recovery key, you may need a new SSD (~$50).
- Replacing drive is safer than risking further data corruption.

🧠 Step 4 – RAM Rollback

Reinstall original OEM RAM.
Reseat RAM modules, or try one at a time.
Run with minimal config (no second SSD, no peripherals).

⚙️ Step 5 – Firmware Recovery (If BIOS Is Corrupt)

Hold G + H + J + Power for ~15 sec. (already tested by OP)
If fans spin but screen stays black:
- BIOS/EC may be bricked.
- EEPROM may need reflash (~$100), or in worst case, replacement (~$200).

🛠️ Step 6 – When to Call for Help

If:

No POST, no BIOS screen.
Red keyboard stays lit indefinitely.
You've ruled out RAM and SSD...

💡 Seek an Acer-certified tech. Ask for a written repair quote with parts breakdown:

💾 SSD replacement
🔧 EEPROM reprogramming
💻 EC/Bios reflashing
🔍 Diagnostic fee

Total cost may range from $150–$250 USD, depending on your region and board-level repair availability.

All comments

Axxo

An Acer Nitro 5 stuck on a black screen with a red keyboard after a Windows update likely indicates a boot issue. Try these steps: a hard reset, checking external monitor, and potentially resetting BIOS settings. If these don't resolve it, consider checking the RAM or potentially seeking professional help.
Troubleshooting Steps:
1. Hard Reset:
Hold down the power button for 30 seconds to power off the laptop completely. Disconnect the power adapter and remove the battery (if possible). Press and hold the power button for another 15-20 seconds. Reconnect the battery and power adapter, then try turning the laptop on.
2. Check External Monitor:
Connect an external monitor to the laptop. If the display appears on the external monitor, the issue might be with the laptop's internal display.
3. BIOS Reset:
Access the BIOS settings by tapping F2 or the appropriate key during startup (check your laptop's manual). Load default settings and save the changes.
4. RAM Check:
If you're comfortable, reseat the RAM modules. Ensure they are properly connected. If you have spare RAM, try swapping them out to see if that resolves the issue.
5. Professional Help:
If the problem persists, it's recommended to seek professional help from an authorized service center to diagnose and repair any potential hardware issues.
-----------------------------------------
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corzy_worzy

I tried all of the steps except the BIOS reset and have had no results. The BIOS reset won’t work because the screen doesn’t turn on so I can’t access anything. Do you know how much it could cost to fix because I’m saving for an actual gaming computer but need a laptop for school so I don’t know if i’m better off fixing this one or just buying a cheap work laptop to last me the rest of the year.

PCProb

Resetting the BIOS back to an earlier version can create its own issues. Updating the BIOS to the latest version might resolve your issues.

Puraw

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/726578/acer-nitro-5-laptop-wont-turn-on-stuck-on-black-screen-with-red-keyboard-after-windows-update

Hi, how did you manage to disable Windows BitLocker, that requires 48 digit numbers: If your drive (SSD or HDD) is encrypted you can do nothing till you have entered that code when prompted by BIOS and either disable BitLocker in Windows or use the encrypted drive. If you no longer can use the drive you need to replace the HDD or SSD ($50) if you need to flash BIOS or reprogram the EEPROM by Acer Services in your country this may cost an additional $100-200 (rough guess).

💻 Acer Nitro 5 – “Black Screen + Red Keyboard” No Boot Troubleshooting Guide

When your Nitro turns on but shows a black screen with the keyboard lighting up red, try these in order:

🔋 Step 1 – Perform a Hard Reset

Disconnect charger and battery (if possible).
Hold Power for 60 seconds.
Reconnect and try powering on again.

🧩 Step 2 – External Display Test

Connect to an HDMI or USB-C monitor. If you get video output, internal display may be faulty.

🔐 Step 3 – BitLocker/TPM Interference

If you previously saw “reset TPM” prompts and used BitLocker:
- SSD may be encrypted. Without the recovery key, you may need a new SSD (~$50).
- Replacing drive is safer than risking further data corruption.

🧠 Step 4 – RAM Rollback

Reinstall original OEM RAM.
Reseat RAM modules, or try one at a time.
Run with minimal config (no second SSD, no peripherals).

⚙️ Step 5 – Firmware Recovery (If BIOS Is Corrupt)

Hold G + H + J + Power for ~15 sec. (already tested by OP)
If fans spin but screen stays black:
- BIOS/EC may be bricked.
- EEPROM may need reflash (~$100), or in worst case, replacement (~$200).

🛠️ Step 6 – When to Call for Help

If:

No POST, no BIOS screen.
Red keyboard stays lit indefinitely.
You've ruled out RAM and SSD...

💡 Seek an Acer-certified tech. Ask for a written repair quote with parts breakdown:

💾 SSD replacement
🔧 EEPROM reprogramming
💻 EC/Bios reflashing
🔍 Diagnostic fee

Total cost may range from $150–$250 USD, depending on your region and board-level repair availability.

Diya1811

Try a power reset: unplug the charger and remove the battery (if it’s removable), then press and hold the power button by itself for 60 seconds. After that, reconnect the battery or charger and try turning the laptop back on. If the screen still stays blank, connect your laptop to an external monitor using HDMI or USB-C and power it on—this will help determine if the issue lies with the built-in display.

Click on "Yes" if it answers your question or Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful

corzy_worzy

Puraw i did exactly that to disable the Bitlocker. I’ve just bought an exact model of the ssd and replaced it with no result. I put it in the other ssd slot and even put both of them in at the same time but i’m still left with the same problem. The acer nitro 5 didn’t come with a hdd drive so i’ve ruled that out so I’ll seek professional help for EEPROM reprogramming, EC/Bios reflashing and a diagnostic fee.

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