Acer PH16-71-987B multiple issues, please help. Internet stuttering,Audio randomly gone,USB issue

Hello,

I have many many issues with my "fresh" laptop, which makes it barely useable.

Here are some examples (sorry for the horrible wording, I copied this from a ticket I wrote, and there was a letter limit, and no symbols other than dots.):

Internet stuttering. Elements of pages randomly not loaded until refreshed. Other devices are fine....
Audio randomly gone. Constant pops heard from time to time until audio is gone. Restarting WINDOWS AUDIO under services usually helps. While audio is gone videos are not played and almost every video elements are frozen or not loaded.....
USB devices issues. Randomly hearing USB unplugged and plugged sounds. Microphone listening automatically enables sometimes. Mouse not working until replug. USB Type-C Monitor is gone sometimes for a good time....
Randomly freezing. Keyboards or nothing are working. Only touchpad on laptop works if I open it. Nothing is responding just the mouse moving. After restart the PC stuck at blackscreen and not loading only fans are moving on moderate speed. Hard power reset solves this. Startups and restarts are almost every time stuck or super slow.....
Internal display high around 11kHz frequency loud beeping sound when used. When the display is off or the laptop is closed the beeping stops....
Stutter while in use. Mouse stuck for a second. Picture is glitching for moments. Popping sounds heard....
Sound and display settings are reset automatically from time to time. Calibration and 5.1 sound card is randomly changing settings....

BIOS was not fiddled or updated. No overclocking or any other shock was done to the laptop. Memory test passed 2 ways. SSD check passed without issues. Drivers are up to date according to care center.

It's a Predator Helios 16 PH16-71-987B.
With RTX 4080.

I'd expected chills and no issues compared to my old budget desktop PC, but my experience so far, is that I have several issues DAILY :(.

I wrote a ticket for warranty, but they will take the laptop for weeks to check, and I need it for daily work.
I might just sell it and get a normal desktop PC again.

Any ideas appreciated <3

Wish you a great day,
Szabi

[Edited the thread to add model name and issue detail]

Accepted answers

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JackE

Try a cold boot factory reset as follows. Shutdown laptop. Turn it back on and IMMEDIATELY press and hold ALT key while tapping F10 key. A factory recovery screen should appear. The best reset option is to erase everything without trying to save personal files and re-install the original factory OEM Windows .

StevenGen

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/699046/acer-ph16-71-987b-multiple-issues-please-help

Your PH16-71-987B is a high end Acer gaming laptop that needs to be setup properly, as if you don't update OS versions and drivers and bios it will perform like your laptop does, as you probably haven't done any of the major updates that this laptop requires. You need to update the bios to its last version 1.16 as this version is accumulative and will include all the other fixes of the other bios versions, also be warned, that you need to follow the proper bios update steps. Then make sure that all windows updates are done, and you are operating Win-11 version 23H2, install the Intel® Driver & Support Assistant scan and keep all the Intel components up to date, and install the NVidia game ready drivers for the RTX4080 gpu and also the GeForce Experience software to keep all the NVidia drivers up to date and assist in the ultimate game settings for your laptop. Doing all the above should fix all the problems that you are having. Good luck and let us know how your laptop works after doing all the above.

If this answers your question and solved your query please "Click on Yes" or "Click on Like" if you find my answer useful👍

KukasFedel

I think it's even worse now. Under music, constant popping and cracking sounds every 2-5 seconds.
Even when I minimize browser the music stutter a bit…
Feels like some serious MoBo or Memory issue. But memory issue wasn't found so far.

I really don't want to do factory reset. It was opened in November, it's almost brand new. It was without windows by default, and a fresh Win11 was installed on it.

KukasFedel

Hello,

Thanks for the replies. <3

My BIOS was 1.15, now I updated to 1.16 anyway.
GPU and all kinds of drivers are up to date. Only Intel ARC, Killer and Bluetooth was updated, but the "old" version was just a previous release, not like a year old.

Windows currently have 22H2, but update isn't found when I search for it. As soon as it finds it, I always update everything.

After BIOS update laptop still won't turn on like 3/5 times (even if restart is pressed in windows).
One time I waited for ~10 min at the black screen and pressed random buttons. After a while "no bootable device" came to the screen. Power off and on and windows normally started.

USB devices are still wrong, mouse only working for 3rd time plugged in (hyperX mouse, not some **** chinese, I used it with other PCs and never had problem with it), and super loud frequency sweep and POP sounds heard from the speakers, almost gave a heart attack and blowing my harman speakers out…

JackE

> >It was without windows by default, and a fresh Win11 was installed on it.> >

Then you can't do an Acer OEM factory reset because an Acer OEM factory Win11 version with all the correct device drivers was never installed when you got the machine. You currently have installed a generic Microsoft Win11 version that might not be fully compatible with all of your Acer proprietary hardware.

Accordingly, go to this Acer OEM driver download link . You must start downloading and updating Acer OEM factory drivers for those devices whose functions are giving you problems. It might be a time consuming task since you purchased the machine without an Acer OEM factory version of the Windows operating system.

KukasFedel

I installed all drivers from here when I got the laptop, but I'll try to re-install the audio and some other drivers maybe.

Thanks :)

JackE

The Acer Intel chipset, ddt & i/o drivers are very important for the proprietary Acer mainboard.

JackE

Where did you get the Windows installation media?

KukasFedel

Sorry about the random comments. Sometimes it just won't send when I press Post Comment, but then it sends it later on again haha.

Windows intaller was from original Microsoft website, by creating an installer flashdrive (official way).

JackE

Windows intaller was from original Microsoft website, by creating an installer flashdrive (official way).

The reason I asked is because your mainboard doesn't have the embedded Windows OEM license if it was sold without an Acer factory Windows version already installed.

So did you pay for a Windows license at the same time you made the flashdrive installer?

KukasFedel

Thanks for still supporting!! <3

Of course I bought a license as well. "Free" windows installation is barely usable at all.
I always have original licensed windows on my PCs, with all the updates and functions.

When you create the installer on a flashdrive with the original Microsoft tool, it'll ask for the key at the installing state.

JackE

> > I have many many issues with my "fresh" laptop, which makes it barely useable.> >
> > Of course I bought a license as well. "Free" windows installation is barely usable > >
> > When you create the installer on a flashdrive with the original Microsoft tool, it'll ask for the key at the installing state. > >

Did you get the key directly from Microsoft, a 3rd party key discounter, or someone else?

KukasFedel

I got it from a shop, which deals with licences. Not from Microsoft directly.

JackE

Here's a Mi cro soft warning about buying 3rd party activation keys at this link.

Only major Microso ft-certified partners like many found on Amazon are authorized sell valid keys. Usually at or near full Micro s oft-suggested retail prices of ~$140usd.

Heavily-discounted counterfeits might allow installation & temporary activation but will eventually be de-activated within less than few weeks.

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