Aspire E 15 E5-575-5736.crashes on battery

Not long ago my computer started crashing. This happens completely randomly, I haven’t found any pattern. It runs Windows 10, but the problem also occurred when I was trying to install Ubuntu. After crashing, the computer won’t turn on again without me plugging in the charger. The full model name is: Acer Aspire E 15 E5-575-5736.
Any help?

The question was previously asked here: https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/495642/aspire-e-15-crashes-on-battery, and here: https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1047193#Comment_1047193, but I haven’t found any solution. The link in the second post doesn’t seem to work.

Accepted answers

All comments

JackE

Go to the elevated command prompt. Enter 'powercfg /batteryreport'. Then return to the desktop. Open file explorer. Then search for' battery-report.html' in the c:\windows\system32\ sub-folder. Double-click to open it in the browser. Post screenshot of the first part of the report if possible that compares design full charge capacity with its remaining full charge capacity.

Easwar

Hi @MiniMax852,

Try to do power drain,

1. Shutdown the unit.
2. Unplug the cables connected to the unit.
3. At bottom of the unit there will be a small tiny pin hole with a battery symbol close to it. Take a pin or a paper clip insert into it you feels like pressing a button hold it for 20-30 seconds.

MiniMax852

@JackE this is the battery report.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6029997/uploads/editor/5e/srs5mftcil4o.png

MiniMax852

@Easwar I suppose a power drain should empty the battery?

In my case nothing happened, although I clearly felt the button.

JackE

Boot Win10. Open Control Panel. Search 'button'. Click 'change what the power buttons do' in left pane. Click 'change settings that are currently unavailable' Scroll down and uncheck the box for fast startup. Shut down Windows normally. Then try to install Ubuntu again.

MiniMax852

@JackE I really appreciate your help, but I don't see how fast startup and Ubuntu can fix a seemingly hardware-related problem?

JackE

Windows Fast startup mode keeps RAM memory in a low power drain charged state so that most Windows boot files stay in RAM memory and don't have to be loaded again from the boot drive on the next boot. In other words, fast startup mode is a semi-warm boot, not a cold boot which the grubx64 expects.

Accordingly, the grub bootloader can get messed up if the RAM is already in a low power state loaded with some Win boot files. Please disable fast boot in Control Panel's power button app to see what happens.

Easwar

Hi @MiniMax852,

No, you no need to empty the battery simply drain the battery by reset button.

MiniMax852

@Easwar I used the reset button but the machine still crashes

@JackE I turned off fast startup, and installed ubuntu, but it just boots to the GRUB terminal. I've tried boot-repair and other solutions, but it always fails to boot into ubuntu

JackE

(1) Please post a phonephoto of the BIOS Information & Main tabs if possible.

(2) Can you run gparted from a live USB?

MiniMax852

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6029997/uploads/editor/9v/l7w2ih9xr87y.jpg

Yes I can open GParted on a live usb

JackE

(1) Which drive are you trying to install Linux? HDD0 or HDD1?

(2) Did you enter manually or do you know that grubx64.efi was auto entered into the BIOS trusted file memory

On a somewhat different track, you also said >>>This happens completely randomly, I haven’t found any pattern.>>>. Can you inspect the mainboard immediately around the perimeter of the RAM socket to see if you can find a small spring-loaded button switch?

MiniMax852

1) I used to have a dual-boot system. Windows on the main SSD (HDD1), witch I used mainly for games, and Ubuntu (HDD0) for all the rest. One day I wanted to try another Linux distribution, but the installation failed. Every time I tried to boot into Linux, I was met with a GRUB terminal. I tried many different tutorials online, but none of them worked. I then decided to just use windows for the time being, and that’s when my crashing problems started. I can remember that my pc randomly shut down on Ubuntu too, not nowhere near as frequently as on Windows.

2) I am not sure what you are talking about, but I don’t think I have installed any efi files.

I’ll check the motherboard now
Massive thanks for the help by the way!

JackE

OK. Temporarily disconnect the Windows SSD HDD1. Then try to install Linux on HDD0 again. Many Linux installers have issues with recognizing HDD1 and the Windows installation and its hidden EFI trusted file partition that it must see for the grub bootloader to work in dual boot mode.

I think that if you successfully install Linux on HDD0 by itself with HDD1 disconnected, it will create its own EFI partition and boot Linux fine. Then when you reconnect HDD1 Windows drive you can re-arrange the boot order any way you want. Or press the F12 key at boot time to select which operating system you want to use from the F12 boot menu.

MiniMax852

I disconnected the windows SSD, and installed Ubuntu. A new boot option called "Linux" shows up in Bios, which works fine. However, when I reconnect the windows SSD, I can't boot into Linux anymore.

I guess the obvious solution is to replace the battery, but are there other ways to stop my computer from crashing?

MiniMax852

@JackE "On a somewhat different track, you also said >>>This happens completely randomly, I haven’t found any pattern.>>>. Can you inspect the mainboard immediately around the perimeter of the RAM socket to see if you can find a small spring-loaded button switch?"

Yes, there is a small black button.

JackE

Is this black button lined up with the battery reset pinhole on the bottom case when assembled?

MiniMax852

@JackE I read that the button may be pushed too much or not enough. Therefore I loosened the screws, and everything worked fine, until I started to type more than a few words. Do I have or reduce the size of the rubber cube pushing the button?

JackE

>>>More or less>>>

Sorry. It's either lined up. Or it's not lined with the pinhole. If lined up, it's a reset switch that cuts power to the mainboard only when its pressed with a paperclip. If not lined up, it's a safety switch that cuts power only when its not pressed or pressed hard enough by the bottom cover.