A515-57 (new, 3 weeks old) failing Windows Memory Diagnostic

Hi,

just got a BSOD today on my new laptop (a PFN LIST CORRUPT BSOD, but it seems linked to the Intel Xe gpu driver, which windows update keeps installing a new then old driver unless i hide it...))

While searching on it, i read it could be related to the ram, so I tried Testmem5 with anta777 ultimate configs for 8 hours and got no ram problem...

However, the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool fails in less than a minute, stating : "Hardware problems were detected. To identify or repair these problems, you will need to contact the computer manufacturer"

So I contacted the place where I bought it (Staples in Quebec city) and they kind of told me that "there is no issue, we could send it off to Acer but they would laugh it off..." (and since I got the laptop for now more than 14 days, i cannot get refund...)

Am I the only one with this problem?

Accepted answers

All comments

DrColossus59

By the way, I tested it with some other DDR4 SODIMM I had laying around from an old laptop (those were 2666 instead of the 3200 found in the laptop) and I get the same error on the Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool.

AnhEZ28

@DrColossus59 try to factory reset the Windows

Commodore_1995#

Disconnect the lithium battery, disconnect the ram memory. Then plug the ram memory into the other slot and then plug in the lithium battery. Is the problem still occurring?

William_mk2

@DrColossus59

First of all we need to determine whether it is a hardware or software issue.

I am really sorry for the inconvenience.. Let us do the basic steps first..

Doing the power drain and bios defaults will really help. Kindly follow the steps given below:

Turn off the laptop. Disconnect or unplug the charger cable, devices or any other cables connected to your laptop. Close your laptop. Turn it upside down. On the bottom of the laptop, you can find a pin hole. It is a tiny hole. You can a find a battery symbol indicator next to the hole. It is like a + and – sign symbol as though somebody is trying to shift the battery out. Insert the pin on to the hole for 30 seconds. Remove the pin. Flip the laptop. Connect the charger cable, turn on the computer. Only on laptops where the battery is inbuilt you can find the battery reset hole on the back of laptop.

If you don’t find a pin hole on the back of laptop then you might be using removable battery. There is no need to unscrew anything to remove the battery. Turn off the laptop. Disconnect or unplug the charger cable, devices and any other cables connected to your laptop. Close your laptop. Turn it upside down. On the bottom of the laptop, please look at the top or bottom depending on the way you look at it. You can find a long door. It is a battery removable door. Just below that you can find a latch. If you move the latch you can remove the battery door. Once the battery is removed, flip the laptop. Open the top cover, press and hold the power button for 1 minute. Connect the battery back on the back of computer. Connect the charger cable back and then turn on the computer.

If you don’t see a reset pin hole on the back of laptop or if you are not able to remove the battery (if it is inbuilt) then please unplug all the cables and devices out of laptop. Hold the power button for 1 minute. After releasing the button you should wait a while before plugging in power. Just because the button has been pressed doesn’t bleed off all the residual electricity on the motherboard. Wait 15-30 minutes before plugging in power. Then once power is connected wait for a full battery indication before turning the system on. That allows the battery to fully reset it’s internal statistics.

Connect all the cables back and restart the computer.

While turning on the computer, tap f2. It will go to bios. Press f9 once. It will show load bios defaults with a yes or no popup. Press enter. Popup screen will disappear. Press f10 once. It will show save changes popup with yes or no. Press enter. Computer will restart and it will load into windows.

It might also be the issue with battery, charger or power outlet. Try to use the charger in a different room on a different power outlet. Try to bypass the surge protector and connect it directly to power outlet. Try to use an alternative charger if possible. Try to turn on the computer without the charger and check it ( as long as the battery is not drained out )

Try windows x

go to device manager

expand Battery

right click on all the items below battery – uninstall

Restart the computer

It should work fine..

William_mk2

@DrColossus59

If it is still not working properly....

First of all we need to determine whether it is a hardware or software issue.

If it is still not working then we have to do a refresh and reset

click on start - settings - update and security - recovery - reset this pc - get started

or

on start - type here to search - type reset this pc - click on reset this pc on the top - click on get started

It will show you keep my files and remove everything

chose keep my files

chose the account - type the password - click on local reinstall - click on reset

It will be in progress..

login to computer and start using the computer.

If it is still not working

click on start - settings - update and security - recovery - reset this pc - get started

chose remove everything

click on local reinstall - just remove my files - click on reset

It will be in progress

Note:

If you do refresh ( keep my files ) - all your personal files like pictures, music , documents , videos will still be intact. Only the applications will be lost

If you do reset ( remove everything ) - you are doing a factory default. It will become like a day one computer. It will wipe out everything and take your computer to day one like a new computer.

You can also do the recovery in an alternative way..

There are two alt keys on the keyboard. If you look at the bottom row of keyboard you can see the one on the left side of space bar and the other on the right side of space bar. The alt key on the right side will be looking like alt, alt gr or alt car. Turn off the computer. Hold the alt key on the left and tap f10 continuously. It will go to repair mode. It will show you chose an option, continue, troubleshoot. If it is not going to repair mode, turn off the computer. Turn on the computer. Hold the right alt key ( alt gr or alt car or alt ) and then tap f10 continuously. It will go to chose an option continue and troubleshoot..

It will show you chose an option, continue, troubleshoot

Go to troubleshoot - click on reset this pc

click on keep my files ( only applications will be lost ) chose your account and type your password - click on local reinstall - click on reset

It will be in progress

If the keep my files option is not working

Go to troubleshoot - click on reset this pc – click on remove everything – click on local reinstall – just remove my files – click on reset

It will reinstall windows.

If the just remove my files is not working..

Go to troubleshoot - click on reset this pc – click on remove everything – click on local reinstall – Fully clean the drive – click on reset

It will reinstall windows.

Note: You can also go to chose an option , continue , troubleshoot by holding the alt key + tapping f10 or alt gr + tapping f10 on the keyboard while turning on the computer. Once you see the troubleshoot option, you can stop tapping the f10 and stop holding the alt key. Then you can try the keep my files and remove everything ( just remove by files and fully clean the drive ) by following the steps which was mentioned above.

Even after reinstallig the windows if you are facing the same issue then it might be a hardware issue. Please reseat the ram and check.

William_mk2

@DrColossus59

If it is still not working properly..

If your laptop is in warranty you can contact the warranty dept. Go to the website support.acer.com - chose your country. On the new page - scroll down - click on "contact support". Scroll down. You can find the phone no to contact the warranty dept.

If it is out of warranty, please contact local store or

Go to the website support.acer.com - chose your country. On the new page - scroll down - Click on "Repair My Acer" - Request to have your Acer product repaired. There will be charges for repair.

Additional info to contact Acer Store: Please visit the website - support.acer.com - chose your country - click on shop. You can buy desktop, laptop, monitor and accessories. Alternatively, on the top right corner you can find the phone no to contact Acer store. For the parts which are not available on Acer store, you have to contact local store.

DrColossus59

Tried everything and could not fix it (even went on to try all the bios versions (and reinstalling the Chipset and Management engine drivers each time))

I contacted acer's support, and they were about to give me an RMA number.

However, since the laptop was kind of new (21 days old), I preferred to get a refund and I bought a new computer at another shop (I now really dislike Staples return policy...)

DrColossus59

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1176742#Comment_1176742

The Laptop got 2 8gb dimms, tried with only 1 on each slot, with other dimms I had laying around, but still got the same problem in Windows Memory Diagnostic.

The Ram itself does not seem to be the problem.

I'll try the other things that was suggested.

By the way, for the bios, I tried all of them up to the last 1.18 (and also reinstalled the chipset and ME driver each time after installing the bios)