Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 PHN16-72 - EA Anticheat and DirectX errors when PredatorSense or Acer services enabled

Aiz123

Hello Acer Support,

I have an Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 PHN16-72 laptop with Intel i9-14900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU, and Windows 11 64-bit fully updated.

I am facing a strange issue with some games (especially EA titles that use EA AntiCheat, like skate. and also Battlefield / Apex).

1. Problem description

• Normal Steam games (that do not use EA AntiCheat) run perfectly fine.
• EA games that use EA AntiCheat sometimes:
  • Do not launch at all and show an EA AntiCheat error such as:
    • EA Javelin Anticheat encountered an error. Please restart your PC. C:\Program Files\EA\AC\EAAntiCheat.GameService.exe (7)(1053)
    • or sometimes (7)(1056) and similar codes.
  • Or they start with a black screen and then show a DirectX Error with:
    • DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_HUNG
    • and a message like:
      DirectX function "Hang Detected in waitForFrameFences ... The GPU will not respond to more commands ... GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU, Driver: 58157 ... SubmissionManagerDx12.cpp
• In some attempts, the EA AntiCheat Crash Report Handler appears and creates dump files in:
  C:\ProgramData\EAanticheat\Crashdumps\*.dmp

Sometimes the game works for a while, sometimes it crashes during startup before I even see the main menu.

2. Steps I have already tried

1. Performed a full clean reinstall of Windows 11 (formatted the drive and installed from scratch).
2. Installed all Windows Updates (only one optional “Preview” update sometimes fails, all main security/cumulative updates are installed).
3. Reinstalled / repaired:
   • Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable 2015–2022 (both x64 and x86).
4. Checked system files:
   • Ran sfc /scannow
   • Ran DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
5. Always run Steam and the EA app as Administrator.
6. Lowered UAC one step from the highest level, as EA Support recommended.
7. Disabled overlays / background apps like Discord overlay etc.
8. In BIOS I disabled VMD before installing Windows (to be able to format/install on the SSD).
   I am not sure if disabling VMD is recommended or not for this model.

3. Clean Boot and services (msconfig)

To troubleshoot, I used msconfig:

• Opened msconfig → Services tab
• Checked “Hide all Microsoft services”
• Clicked “Disable all” and restarted.

Then I enabled only a small set of services, and with this minimal set the game starts and works normally:

Enabled services that seem safe:

• GPU / NVIDIA:
  • NVIDIA LocalSystem Container
  • NVIDIA Display Container LS
• Audio:
  • Intel(R) Audio Service
  • Realtek Audio Universal Service
• Power / Turbo:
  • Intel(R) Dynamic Tuning Technology Service
  • Intel(R) Dynamic Application Loader Host Interface Service
• Gaming:
  • Steam Client Service
  • EAAntiCheatService (EA AntiCheat service)

With only these enabled, EA games (including skate.) can launch and run without crashes for a good amount of time.

4. Problem when enabling Acer / PredatorSense services

The problem returns when I start enabling Acer-related services and Predator software.

• When I enable some Acer services, especially:
  • Acer Quick Access / Acer Quick Access Service
• And after installing or updating PredatorSense

Then I start to see again:

• The EA AntiCheat errors listed above; and/or
• The DirectX DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_HUNG errors shortly after the game starts.

If I disable the “Acer Quick Access” service again, and re-disable several Acer services via msconfig, the game starts working normally again.

Currently:

• PredatorSense opens, but sometimes it does not show temperatures or GPU/CPU/fan usage unless I enable some additional Acer services.
• But when those services are enabled so that PredatorSense works fully, the EA AntiCheat / DirectX problems often come back.

So it looks like there is some conflict between Acer services / PredatorSense and EA AntiCheat / DirectX on this model.

5. Graphics drivers

• Discrete GPU: NVIDIA RTX 4070 Laptop – driver installed via NVIDIA (GeForce Experience), latest WHQL.
• Integrated GPU: Intel iGPU – I believe it was updated via Intel Driver & Support Assistant, so it might be a newer Intel driver than the one on the Acer website.

I read your Acer Answers article:

“Predator Helios Neo 16 gaming laptop screen goes blank after installing Intel VGA driver”

In that article, you say:

• If Intel VGA driver from Intel’s website is installed on PHN16-72, the screen can go blank.
• The fix is to install the Acer-qualified Intel VGA driver from Acer Support (versions 31.0.101.5081 or 31.0.101.4824) in Safe Mode.

Because of this, I wonder if my current Intel driver (from Intel directly) might also be causing conflicts with PredatorSense / MUX / DX12 / EA AntiCheat.

6. My questions to Acer

1. Is there any known conflict between PredatorSense / Acer Quick Access services and some anti-cheat systems (like EA AntiCheat) or DirectX 12 on the Predator Helios Neo 16 PHN16-72 (i9-14900HX + RTX 4070)?
2. Could you please tell me which Acer / Intel / NVIDIA services must remain enabled so that:
   • PredatorSense (fans, turbo mode, monitoring) works normally,
   • and at the same time they do not interfere with games and EA AntiCheat?
3. Is disabling VMD in BIOS on this model safe, or can it cause any stability issues with storage or Intel drivers?
   (If VMD should be ON for this laptop, please clarify the recommended BIOS settings.)
4. What is the official recommended Intel VGA driver version for PHN16-72 right now?
   • Should I completely remove the current Intel driver (in Safe Mode) and install only the Acer-provided Intel VGA driver (31.0.101.5081 or 31.0.101.4824)?
5. What is the correct installation order you recommend for this model:
   • Intel chipset / Intel MEI
   • Intel VGA
   • NVIDIA driver
   • Intel Dynamic Tuning
   • PredatorSense / Acer Quick Access
     ?

7. Summary

• Clean Windows 11 install.
• System files verified (SFC + DISM).
• Visual C++ and all major drivers installed.
• EA AntiCheat reinstalled many times.
• With a minimal set of services (NVIDIA, audio, Intel DTT, Steam, EAAntiCheat), games work.
• When I start enabling Acer Quick Access / PredatorSense services, EA AntiCheat and DirectX errors often appear again.

I would really appreciate your help to:

• Identify which Acer service or setting is causing this conflict, or
• Provide updated versions of PredatorSense / Intel VGA / BIOS that fix the issue, or
• Provide official instructions to restore BIOS and drivers to the factory-recommended configuration for this specific model.

Thank you very much for your time and support.

Best regards,
[Your Name]

Puraw

Hi Aiz123

You’ve already tried many steps, but two critical items were missing:

• BIOS update – The latest release is BIOS 1.17 dated 2025/06/09. Please check your current BIOS version and update if needed, as outdated firmware can cause instability with Windows 11 25H2 and interfere with anti‑cheat modules.
• System file repair order – The commands were run in reverse. The correct sequence is:
  1. DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth (requires internet connection)
  2. sfc /scannow Running SFC first means it checks against a corrupted image and cannot repair properly.

Additional points relevant to your game issues:

• Anti‑cheat conflicts – EA AntiCheat and similar drivers fail if system integrity is compromised. BIOS and OS repairs are prerequisites for stable gameplay.
• PredatorSense stability – This utility controls fan curves and GPU profiles. Reinstall only after BIOS and OS are stable.
• Driver installation order – Follow Acer’s recommended sequence: chipset → MEI → Intel VGA → NVIDIA → Intel DTT → PredatorSense.
• Windows build maturity – 25H2 is still unstable. 24H2 is a safer baseline until 25H2 matures.
• Acer bloatware – Uninstall Quick Access and possibly Acer Care Center, as they can conflict with PredatorSense.

With BIOS 1.17 installed, DISM/SFC run in the correct order, drivers reinstalled properly, and unnecessary Acer utilities removed, you’ll have a clean baseline to retest your games.