Acer SW5-012 system crashed and won't boot from media

SeanClinton95
SeanClinton95 Member Posts: 6 New User
edited March 2023 in 2017 Archives

Hi all,

 

I'm having an issue with my old Acer after a system crash turned it into a current paperweight. I'm trying to reload or repair my old 8.1 OS on it, but it won't recognize my removable media. I've gone and verified that the media will run on another computer, and it's a brand new flash drive that I'm using. Whether I'm using the port on the keyboard or my adapter from micro to USB-A on the tablet portion itself, it doesn't list the drive as an option.

 

Any ideas on what I can do?

 

Sean

Answers

  • IronFly
    IronFly ACE Posts: 18,413 Trailblazer

    have you tried to press Alt+F10 keys at boot too?

     

    try also to enter BIOS and check if F12 boot menu is enabled, so you can press F12 key at boot and then choose your USB flash media.

    I'm not an Acer employee.
  • SeanClinton95
    SeanClinton95 Member Posts: 6 New User
    Sadly that didn't help either. It's not detecting the drive as bootable. This has been confirmed as an isolated issue as it does come up normally on another device.

    F 12 boot is also enabled already.
  • IronFly
    IronFly ACE Posts: 18,413 Trailblazer

    how did you crate the USB media?

    probably is not UEFI compatible so it will not be recognised by BIOS as bootable device.

     

    normally must be UEFI compatible and GPT partition scheme, FAT32 format.

    I'm not an Acer employee.
  • SeanClinton95
    SeanClinton95 Member Posts: 6 New User
    I created it with Universal USB Installer and formatted into FAT32 under what should be a default GPT scheme. I'll have to double check that part.
  • IronFly
    IronFly ACE Posts: 18,413 Trailblazer

    use Rufus to create the bootable USB

    https://rufus.akeo.ie/?locale=en_US

     

    set it as on the webpage screenshot.

    I'm not an Acer employee.
  • SeanClinton95
    SeanClinton95 Member Posts: 6 New User
    Unfortunately the issue is the same after using Rufus. I tried both as GPT and MBR under FAT32 first, then NTFS for sheer sake of "why not". I also ran a read/write check from Rufus to verify no issues with the drive and tested on another computer, which pulls up the disk just fine.
  • IronFly
    IronFly ACE Posts: 18,413 Trailblazer

    have you tried other USB flash drives?

     

    please try to disable secure boot too from BIOS

    https://us.answers.acer.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/27071#_ga=1.171795040.1726682513.1446488832

    I'm not an Acer employee.
  • SeanClinton95
    SeanClinton95 Member Posts: 6 New User
    At this point I've tried three different USB drives that all work fine on any other computer, and all work as a bootable disk on anything but this Acer.

    I've also tried to disable the secure boot, and it doesn't give me that option. It only gives me the options to erase settings for secure boot, select a UEFI file as trustedfor executing, or restore secure boot to factory.
  • dak2014
    dak2014 Member Posts: 75 Enthusiast WiFi Icon

    Try going to the BIOS and run your computer with Legacy mode, restart and go back to BIOS and it should detect it. I dont know why that happens. hope it works.

  • IronFly
    IronFly ACE Posts: 18,413 Trailblazer

    which windows OS version are you trying to install?

    must be 32 bit version to load.

    can you please try with Rufus then MBR scheme for UEFI and FAT32 or NTFS.

    I'm not an Acer employee.
  • SeanClinton95
    SeanClinton95 Member Posts: 6 New User
    I'm currently trying to load a Windows 10 install .ISO that was 64-bit. I have 32-bit as well, so I'll give that a try now.
  • IronFly
    IronFly ACE Posts: 18,413 Trailblazer

    SW5-012 needs a 32bit OS version

    drivers are only available as 32bit

    https://www.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/support-product/5547?b=1

    I'm not an Acer employee.