Will my Aspire E5-574 be useless now since Windows 20H2 isn't supported?

rcanada
rcanada Member Posts: 2 New User
I have an older laptop, Aspire E5-574. It has been doing fine, and I haven't had issues with it, but now Windows 10 1909 service has ended and it tried to install Windows 10 20H2. It was a disaster, and it took me about 5 hours to get it working long enough to go back to the old build. I tried seeing what might be wrong, and I see on this site that for the past two versions of Windows Builds, my model isn't listed, and it says "If your product model is not listed in the table below, Acer has not tested the device and the drivers have not been updated for that model." So does this mean I have to get a whole new computer just because Acer won't provide updated drivers? 

Best Answer

  • Teksal
    Teksal Member Posts: 50 Devotee WiFi Icon
    Answer ✓
    Try a fresh Windows installation (instead of inplace upgrade). Backup your important data, then boot with installer USB stick, remove all partitions when it asks where to install and then let installer do its thing anew. Just avoid 21H1 for now, stick to 20H2.

Answers

  • AnhEZ28
    AnhEZ28 ACE, Member Posts: 4,277 Pathfinder
    Newer windows 10 builds doesn't have any change in laptop compatibility. Drivers are compatible so you don't have to worry about anything.
    Please remember to include @AnhEZ28 when you want to reply back to my comment so that I can check your response.
    Thank you and have a nice day!
  • Teksal
    Teksal Member Posts: 50 Devotee WiFi Icon
    Answer ✓
    Try a fresh Windows installation (instead of inplace upgrade). Backup your important data, then boot with installer USB stick, remove all partitions when it asks where to install and then let installer do its thing anew. Just avoid 21H1 for now, stick to 20H2.
  • StevenGen
    StevenGen ACE Posts: 12,065 Trailblazer
    rcanada said:
    I have an older laptop, Aspire E5-574. It has been doing fine, and I haven't had issues with it, but now Windows 10 1909 service has ended and it tried to install Windows 10 20H2. It was a disaster, and it took me about 5 hours to get it working long enough to go back to the old build. I tried seeing what might be wrong, and I see on this site that for the past two versions of Windows Builds, my model isn't listed, and it says "If your product model is not listed in the table below, Acer has not tested the device and the drivers have not been updated for that model." So does this mean I have to get a whole new computer just because Acer won't provide updated drivers? 

    I've got an Aspire V3-561G that is much older than your Aspire E5-574 and it runs perfectly with Windows 10 Pro and latest version 21H1 OS build 19043.985 and you should have no problems running the latest Win-10 versions on your Aspire E5-574. Yes I've upgraded its 2.5" spinner HDD to a 2.5" SSD SATA-3 6GB/sec and have got the last BIOS update and max RAM of 8GB into its 2 sockets but that is all that you need to do to run Win-10 efficiently and fast on your Aspire E5-574. Also and if you are running Win-10 now, then you can clone your existing OEM spinner HDD Win-10 to the new 2.5" SSD using "Macrium Reflect" (after cloning don't run both drives together, take the old drive out) as if you don't, then the OS will run from the old boot drive. This will you going with Win-10 and then you should be able to upgrade to the new version of Win-10 the version 21H1 OS build 19043.985 that will work perfectly. 

    Btw, your Aspire E5-574 can easily be upgraded (if you haven't already?) to its upper spec RAM of:  DDR3L-1600MHz into its 2 by DIMM sockets that supports memory size per socket of max 2 by 8GB for a total of 16GB and I would put a SATA-3 6GB/sec 2.5" SSD drive of whatever capacity your budget can afford, also, I wouldn't put a lower capacity than 256GB 2.5" SSD as a boot drive. I would also use the DVD space and buy a 2.5" drive caddy and use that space for a HDD and your existing spinner HDD as a slave drive to give you extra storage space. Its a simple upgrade and will make your Aspire E5-574 100% quicker and more enjoyable and a great tool to run Win-10. Good luck and hope this helps. 
  • rcanada
    rcanada Member Posts: 2 New User
    I don't think this update is going to work. It updated again, same issues, so had to go back to the previous build. It specifically says on this site the drivers have not been updated for this model for this new version of windows.