Predator G9-792-7719 nasty issues The blue screens shown were: DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

Dear Acer experts,

I have a very unpleasant and nasty issues with my Predator G9-792-7719 which I like so much :-(

It started roughly in February. While having calls with the camera on, after a few minutes the computer would spontaneously show a BSOD. I have tried various apps and also tried to use Teams via browser, but the blue screens were still there.

Recently, the blue screens started showing even when I was doing normal stuff on the laptop, which were not causing any issues before. The blue screens shown were:

DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

When trying to do something with the computer yesterday, it kept showing those 2 dumps about 1-2 minutes after each reboot and those additional dumps started appearing as well:

UNEXPECTED_KERNEL_MODE_TRAP
SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION

and probably the same or similar dumps, but this time with references to files, which are
probably corrupted:

win32kfull.sys
refs.sys

I have tried entering the rescue options and were checking them out, but after about 20 seconds, another dump was produced and the PC kept rebooting. So I was sitting and
watching the situation, trying to google the dumps and figure out if it is a hardware problem
or it can be fixed somehow. In one point at another self-reboot I saw the Predator logo with
lots of ugly horizontal straps. I pushed the power button to shutdown the computer and
my jaw almost hit the floor when I powered the laptop back on, but the screen remained off !!!!!!

I have tried various tips which I found on this forum and on other web pages like hitting Fn + F1, Fn + F5, etc. But unfortunately nothing helps! Now about 18 hours after the incident, I have tried powering up again and again the screen stays off. The keyboard is lighting, the fan
is spinning, but the display simply remains black :-(

There were suggestions that this can happen after a failed BIOS update or Windows update, but I didn't do anything like that and my Windows updates are turned off !!

So I am completely desperate and the last thing that I am going to try to do is to find this
battery reset button, which I could not locate on the bottom of the laptop, so it must be
under the service cover.

PLEASE give me any suggestions or hints, I would really appreciate it, this is the most expensive laptop I ever bought, I like it a lot and a new laptop of this class costs now EUR 4000 !!!!
[Edited the thread to add issue detail]

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darkman088

attaching a photo of the striped screen

darkman088

Update:

Did a battery reset -> still black screen

Removed the HDD -> still black screen

Removed the memory from the 2 accessible RAM slots -> IT BOOTED !!!

Did sfc check -> No errors found! Last time I scanned it, it found errors!

Put the memory back in -> black screen for a while. I just thought - bad memory :-( But it started normally then! I am now running mdsched.exe. Will report when done.

StevenGen

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1226541#Comment_1226541

First try to do a proper Hard Reset, take the main battery out, take the RTC/BIOS battery out and then short the +&- mainboard plug pins with a paper clip for 2 seconds (this resets the CMOS) then take the ram out, leave all components disconnected for 1 hour or even overnight, reconnect all components and then reboot the laptop, see if it fixes the BSODs and that screen issue.

If the BSODs is not fixed and you still get that screen then it’s a hardware issue, if you have an external screen see if and when you connect the laptop to the HDMI port and the external monitor, if these BSODs and the stripped screen still happens?

If its still doing that, then its the LCD eDP cable that is damaged or its plugs could be either lose or shorted at either the screen or mainboard ends, because and if the plug is shorted then you need a technician with proper tools to fix this issue, as these components are microscopic and a user like you cant do anything, or and if you are lucky it could just be the screen that needs replacing. These are the parts that you need to inspect and/or change. Have a look at this screen fix and what is involved with an Acer Predator Screen Cable Shorted Repair that has been damaged because of the main battery not being disconnected and the screen plug was disconnected, hence shortening the laptop and its plug, as the FIRST thing when you open a laptop is to always disconnect the main battery first, or this can also happen due to the EDP cable shortening out prematurely for no reason to its eDP cable plugs. Good luck and hope this helps you out.

This is what an extreme burnt mainboard screen plug looks like or in your case it could be a data cable that is burnt causing that stripped screen above:

Mainboard burnt screen plug and burnt screen plug, as you always need to FIRST disconnect the Main Battery as serious damage can happen to your laptop.

LCD 17.3” (UHD, None Glare) screens and their manufacturers and part numbers are highlighted:

darkman088

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1226545#Comment_1226545

Please tell me what details exactly do you miss. I would gladly provide anything you need to give me a good advice. No, the laptop was bought in 2016 and ran out of warranty long time ago. Unfortunately it is the third issue which I am having with it :-( It is very discouraging when you buy something VERY expensive and it seems to be of very low quality. Really zero durability!

I have an MSI laptop which I purchased in 2012 and it is still working flawlessy for more than 11 years! And it was so cheap back then, I could hardly believe I am getting something so powerful for the money…

Puraw

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/691102/predator-g9-792-7719-nasty-issues-the-blue-screens-shown-were-driver-irql-not-less-or-equal

I recommend bringing your laptop to Acer Services in your country to reset the system to factory default, a small service fee will be charged, in the Philippines $25. If there are expensive hardware issues/replacements, you can then decide if it is worth it or not.

darkman088

Hello and many thanks for your great reply! It really looks that you have a great technical and repair knowledge. So from time to time I am having problems to follow your thoughts. So I will just try to put together some thoughts and observations:

I was really shocked by your statement that if I am lucky, it would be the display. I am sure that you must have been joking! I already had issues with the display. It had two horizontal lines and although the laptop was usable, it was annoying and I gave it for service directly at the Acer service center.. They have replaced it and I think and hope that they have done a good job. Nevetheless the cost was very high - about 600 EUR :-(
And they also said at some point in our communication that either this was their last available replacement part or they are very short on displays and then it would be out! No more replacement displays !!!

Speaking about the photo of the screen with the stripes. Fortunately I did not see this again.
The memory test mdsched from Windows is running since yesterday noon. I let it run 3 passes of the extended test. Yesterday evening I have enabled the cache, as it looked like it had been stuck for very long time.

Basically my hope would be that this is faulty memory. It is very easy to replace and 1 16 GB module costs
about 30 EUR, so it is an acceptable price. Nevertheless the memory test does not seem to have found any error until now, so I am rather afraid that it will NOT find a problem, as I dont know what to do further, if the BSODs keep appearing. And if they disappear so what was the cause for them ? And fixing it just by removing the HDD and the memory and putting them back… It is quite strange, isnt it ?

Thanks for describing the procedure for doing a full hard reset. But I am not sure if I can perform it. Could
you please advise where the RTC battery is ? After removing the service cover I did not see it. And I would
prefer not to disassemble the laptop myself, as I am afraid to damage something. I think I have tried doing
this in the past and I gave up because I did not manage to open it after removing all visible screws :-/
But I am really not sure, if it was this laptop, sorry for that :-(

And I am also unable to take the main battery out - one of your first words. I would need to open the whole laptop. I dont know why they make the batteries so hard to remove nowadays. This is a real scam !!
In the past that used to be so easy !! But the manufacturers are trying to do our life harder and harder :-(

darkman088

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1226824#Comment_1226824

Yes I dont mind the small service fee. It is that it is quite a hassle to do that and it takes a lot of time. Also I would give it without the hard drives, of course… And without them I am not sure that the Acer service will be able to reproduce the BSODs.

darkman088

I wrote you a very long answer, then edited it to remove a single typo and now it is GONE !!! AWESOME !!!

darkman088

Summary this far:

Windows memory test mdsched is running since yesterday noon. I am running the Extensive scan option, 3 passes. Yesterday evening I have enabled the cache, as it seemed to have been stuck for the better part of the day. No error is shown on the screen for now. I am rather afraid that it will NOT find any error, as replacing one 16 GB memory module costs around 30 EUR which is a rather acceptable price.
I have absolutely no clue what to do next, if the memory test finishes successfully not showing any errors :-/ What is the BSODs keep occurring ? And what if they disappear ? What has been the cause ?
And just removing the HDD and the memory and putting everything back together is quite a weird fix!
Fortunately, for now I did not see the white stripes on the screen again.

darkman088

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1226562#Comment_1226562

Basically the same as in the summary. Just I believe you must have been joking about the display!
Maybe about 2 years ago 2 horizontal stripes appeared on my display! The laptop was working fine, but it
was quite annoying, so I gave it to the Acer Service Center for repair. They have replaced the display and I
really hope that they have done a good job on it, but the price was bombastic !! It cost me over 600 EUR !!!
And they said either that that had been their last display or one among the very few remaining! After that no more replacement parts !!! That was a very unpleasant experience !!! After spending over 2000 EUR for buying the laptop. And I haven't been using it so much and the display gets defective :-/ VERY VERY disappointing !! On the most expensive computer I've ever bought !! We have a ton of other significantly cheaper laptops at home and all their screens work without any issue !!! What a scam!

Otherwise I really appreciate your reply, you seem to have excellent technical and repair skills. Do you know where is the RTC battery is ? I didn't see it under the service cover :-( I don't think that I could perform the hardware reset myself, as I don't think I would manage to open the laptop. And your first word is to remove the main battery. I will have to disassemble the entire notebook to do that! Where are the days when the
batteries were so easily removable !!! But the manufacturers are making our lives more and more difficult :-(
I'm really REALLY frustrated here !!

StevenGen

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1226841#Comment_1226841

I understand your frustrations, but if you want to buy such an an expensive laptop in 2016 which was a top of the range Acer laptop like the Predator G9-972, then you need to not only pay top price for the product, but you also need to pay top price for its components and repair, that is if you take it to Acer Tech Support, as Acer due to their policy, don't repair/change circuitries like with screens, mainboards or anything that breaks down in PCs, they replace components with new ones when a screens, mainboards, USB boards break down, so be aware of that, as that is why its so expensive, as instead of a chip costing 50c they replace the whole board that could cost hundreds of dollars or euros..

To do the hard reset is very easy, your laptops RTC/BIOS battery is as shown circled in red below in the caption, find that battery and then follow the above instructions of the hard reset, try the hard reset as a first step, as that resets the Super IO and Chipset chips that control 95% of the functions in your laptop and this could be a solution to the BSODs. Good luck and I appreciate your kind reply as not many users go to this length to tank allot of the very helpful answers given on this community.

darkman088

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1226928#Comment_1226928

Many thanks, Steven,

mdsched finished after 1.5 days run. It did not find any errors! Which I find pretty astonishing. Some people told me there might have been some dust causing a bad contact and removing the memory and putting it back in might have solved it. I am planning to do some test calls with video camera and see how is the system behaving
Can you please specify just 1 thing - to remove the RTC battery, do I need to open the entire laptop or it is enough to just remove the service cover ?
I am not sure if the screen could have been repaired by replacing a chip worth 50 cent. I am pretty **** off that it got defective in the first place. On the MOST EXPENSIVE laptop I ever bought!! At home we have been having so many laptops from work and NONE of them ever had any issue :-( And basically all laptop (besides 1) that we own are older and intact while being used much longer and much more intensive. The Predator has spend much time stored in its original box due to various reasons. It is by far the least used laptop in our family! This is either really stupid luck or rather miserable product quality (I rather believe much more in the second).

StevenGen

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1229039#Comment_1229039

Its not the ram that is at fault with your laptop, its either an image eDP faulty cable or a screen or a bios issue, as the bios issue is more likely if your lap[top boots but there is no image on the screen. Where the bios needs to be reprogrammed with a bios programing tool. Yes, backlight faulty screens can be repaired with replacing backlight chips to make the screen work.

Best solution and repair is for you to take your laptop to an experienced technician so that he can analyze the laptop and pinpoint exactly where its faults are, as you can't do that without specialist tools.

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