GPU binding issue, Acer Nitro AN16-41

tutis1111

Device: Acer Nitro AN16-41

OS: Windows 11

GPU: NVIDIA RTX 4070 Laptop GPU

• The NVIDIA GPU does not bind properly with the system.

• If the NVIDIA GPU is set as the primary processor for 3D settings in NVIDIA Control Panel, the PC instantly freezes with two beep sounds. Recovery requires Safe Mode + DDU. If the setting is left on Auto-select, the system boots normally but the GPU stays idle/inactive.

• Issue first appeared after unplugging the AC adapter — GPU disconnected and would not reconnect without driver reinstall. Now, driver reinstalls no longer restore binding.

• Now, GPU binding sometimes occurs. For example, when launching games:
  • One beep → game runs normally, GPU activity visible in Task Manager.
  • Two beeps → system freezes completely, requiring forced shutdown.

• What I have DONE already:

• DDU clean reinstall of NVIDIA drivers (latest WHQL + older versions tested).

• Disabled/reenabled GPU in Device Manager → system freezes immediately when GPU is reenabled.

• Reset NVIDIA Control Panel → on Auto-select, system runs but GPU is unused.

• BIOS updated to v1.25 via optional Windows Update (latest available) — issue persists.

• Windows fully updated — no additional firmware or driver updates offered.

• Windows reinstalled
  
  
  

• The interesting thing is that this issue began when I would accidentally unplug the AC adapter. The game would start lagging (as it was using integrated graphics instead of GPU), but laptop restart would fix the problem. This happened 2 weeks after I had purchased this laptop from the Acer store.

• Later on, restarting the PC wouldn't reset the GPU binding, so I had to reinstall GPU drivers every time this problem occurred.

• Now, reinstalling doesn't fully restore the binding issue. Some games work manage to utilize GPU, I can see that in task manager → processes. Other games result in two beeps and screen freeze (even though laptop fans begin to blow heavily)