Startup issues with Acer Aspire

dmfstallings
dmfstallings Member Posts: 5 New User
edited March 2023 in 2014 Archives
Specs:
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium
Acer Aspire 5250
AMD C-50 Processor
ATAPI Model Name: MAT**bleep**ADVD-RAM UJ8A0AS
System BIOS Version: V1.00
VGA BIOS Version: ATI VER012.036.000.012.039546

Message: "Intel UNDI, PXE-2.0 (build 083)
Copyright (c) 1997-2000 Intel Corporation
For Atheros PCIE Ethernet Controller v2.0.2.7 (11/02/10)
Check cable connection!
PXE-M0F: Editing Intel PXE ROM.
Moo bootable device -- insert boot disk and press any key"

So this comes up every time I boot the computer now. I have no boot disk and the warranty is expired. My nephew (this is her son speaking) was playing on the computer, and had forced shut down due to the computer not responding. To go into more detail, he was playing a browser video game for a time; went off to do something else while it was still on and came back to a lagging unresponsive computer that he could not close normally. So he decided to hard restart by holding the power key. Be aware that my nephew knew nothing about Task Manager.
Now my mother and I have been using this computer for about 2-3 years, and we've been noticing it deteriorate over time. It's kind of slow, can't handle many games played on it or too many applications opened up on it, etc. Heck, the pc can't even run unless the cord is plugged into it. Just a craptop. I tried looking up ways to solve this issue and from what other people's issues already compared to my own, this problem is either: 1) corruption or 2) hard drive issue. Speaking of which, I looked in Boot and noticed the HDD0 has no name. Also when I look in information HDD Model Name does none. Boot shows: 1) HDD0: 2) ATAPI CD-ROM MAT**bleep**ADVD-RAM UJ8A0AS 3) USB FDD: 4) Network Boot: Atheros Boot Sheet 5) USB HDD: 6) USB CDROM:
I looked on the backside of the laptop and nothing is loose. I know that we REALLY need a new computer but now really isn't a good time. I'm doing this all from a 4G smartphone that I swear runs better than this computer. We need this computer until we're able to afford a new one. So whatever solution the Acer community is ever able to provide is much appreciated. I don't want to lose any data in my profile, so preferably a method that can save data. Please and Thank You.

-Bryant

Answers

  • IronFly
    IronFly ACE Posts: 18,413 Trailblazer

    Died HDD.

    I'm not an Acer employee.
  • dmfstallings
    dmfstallings Member Posts: 5 New User
    I just opened up the laptop and looked at the hdd and the hdd looks just fine. Almost brand new in fact.
  • IronFly
    IronFly ACE Posts: 18,413 Trailblazer

    that means nothing. Smiley Happy

     

    if your HDD on BIOS is listed without name (not on Boot list but on the main BIOS page on SATA devices), this means is dead or not connected.

    I'm not an Acer employee.
  • dmfstallings
    dmfstallings Member Posts: 5 New User
    How would it disconnect? Cause I really don't believe it'll just die all of sudden in that sort of fashion. Are you sure there isn't another cause for this happening? Because of the event I described that took place before this happened, do you believe that can cause the hdd to die? I'm really not seeing that. Or do you believe that it's a different cause?
  • IronFly
    IronFly ACE Posts: 18,413 Trailblazer

    There's no much to do if HDD is not listed on BIOS.

     

    as i wrote:

    died HDD 

    bad SATA connection on Motherboard

    bad power connection on Motherboard

     

    how to test if HDD is died?

     

    take it off the notebook and connect it via USB with external HDD dock to a working PC.

     

    the PXE message you got when booting, in fact tells you that all bootable device before the PXE LAN boot, didn't work.

    I'm not an Acer employee.
  • dmfstallings
    dmfstallings Member Posts: 5 New User

    So recently I was testing to make sure that the hdd is working. I don't have an external hdd dock but I did test to see if the hard drive was alive, and I notice when I startup the laptop it makes three unusual sounds where the hdd would be. The area where the hdd is seems to vibrate, so I think it's alive. But I'm unsure of how to do a specific 'make sure the hdd is moving when the laptop' is on test. Do I open up the area and feel the hdd move? Anyway, I don't remember it ever making those sounds. Why could this be?

  • dmfstallings
    dmfstallings Member Posts: 5 New User

    Also, could updating the BIOS help? Because as the original post shows, this BIOS is ver. 1.00. And I'm looking on the Acer website shows BIOS versions up to v 1.08. Could updating it help?

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