Acer 6935g load issue

Bought the above a couple of days ago and whilst I was viewing it the seller said that the Vista would load sometimes 10 mins or even up to half a hour but it wiil go eventually so I chanced my luck and bought it thinking it was memory or virus. I thought a clean install would not go amiss so having a copy of Vista I tried to install. The scenario is.. read from disc is normal speed then when completed the brakes come on. It will eventually near completion up to when it reboots to finalise it stays on the progress bar screen, progress bar moves extremely slowly and now and again speeds up for a couple of seconds BUT that seems to be it. In view of the fact that the read is OK but when it is handed over to Mobo is this where the issue is, can Mobo cause this problem. It appears that memory is ok and have had HD connected to my Desktop to slow format and there appeared no hiccups there. It runs just like it would be a memory issue. Cant get into Bios as it is password locked.
Specs are ASPIRE 6935G
2 GIG MEMORY
250 SATA HD
NVIDIA GEFORCE 512MB
VISTA
Grandaughters Birthday tomorrow but I think if we can get it sorted its going to be a late present.

 

For the BIOS password, see if using one of the scripts on this page will work. The script can be run on any computer to get the correct code.

http://dogber1.blogspot.com/2009/05/table-of-reverse-engineered-bios.html

 

Thankyou tgell but I have the same problem as the first post on the list inasmuch as there is no code given and then computer gets locked and have to power off/on again after 3 attempts. But further update on the load demise. I put in different HD and Memory and decided to try and install Win 7. It read and installed as far as the reboot to complete, that in itself took nearly 3 hours and it was still finalising install when I went to bed 2 hours later. I awoke this morning and lo and behold screen was asking for name to complete. Now havind said that it is still running painfully slow and looking at 'Task Manager' (all Temps are normal CPU/HD/Mobo using speccy) the CPU usage is very high and it being in idle CPU Usage averages erratically from around 64% to 66% any furthe load will whack it up to 70%+. Memory is stable at around 544MB using a 4 Gig stick. Question is could the CPU be misbehaving although Temps are normal averaging 41C. Am to look into a Bios Flash but would sooner wait for advice on the slow problem first.

 

Same kinda issue i had with this Laptop IBM Thinkpad there must be a connection with the Bios Password thing.IBM and Acer.

A Bios password is all most impossible to crack with out a Os windows working.

 

OS Win7 is installed as I said above... I think I have a double whammy here a hardware and a software problem. Due to the fact that it takes so many hours to load the OS to me points to a Hardware problem. Now that the OS is installed it takes about a hour and a half to load and on looking in Resource Monitor, CPU, Deferred Procedure Call and interrupts Service is showing CPU usage at 60%, now this I believe could be a software problem but what I dont know at the moment as my main concern is the Hardware Problem. So fellow Geeks would it be advisable to buy a new BIOS Chip and have it soldered by a specialist?? Flashing the Bios is a no go as I cant get into Bios settings to change to Flash Drive first boot or even Floppy.

 

I have now just found out that it is possible to Flash/Update the Bios with the laptop OS running. The Bios I have installed at the moment is as follows

BIOS ACER-VERSION V1.10 dated 12/03/2008 (This is for my Acer Aspire 6935G)

Is the second one on list (in link) the correct one, I dont want to make a mistake here so your opinions much appreciated.

http://support.acer.com/us/en/product/default.aspx?tab=1&modelId=573

 

Things are getting worse as I now cannot boot fully ..HD activity light blinks every 3 or 4 minutes and eventually none at all, have tried all sorts of ways changing HD's/Memory, One thing I have noticed is that I ran it with the cmos battery not connected and I am getting exactly the same response as with it connected so could a dead cmos battery cause these symptons. I am asking first as looking at the prices they are not a cheap item. ??? Come on fellow Geeks someone here must have a small clue... ??? :confused

 

Based on my experience, this reeks of being an issue with either the hard drive or hard drive controller.

SMART tests and/or short drive self tests (DSTs) usually miss this type of issue (I have no idea why - they just do :confused).

My advice is to buy a new HDD for the PC and attempt to reload Windows. If it loads and runs normally, run and reboot the PC as much as possible over the next few days to confirm it solved the problem. An alternative test would be to run a CD or USB version of Linux that is not loaded on the HDD - if Linux works, it points back to the HDD as the likely culprit.

If a new HDD solves the problem initially but it returns within a few days, it could point to the HDD controller on the motherboard going bad.

Good luck on solving the problem. Hope this helps.

 

Thanks gman 863 I have tried 2 Hard Drives BUT another try with another HD wont go amiss. If is the controller I take it that the Mobo is had it or is the controller on the Hard Drive ( he said with his fingers crossed) :major

 

I'm thinking about the controller on the motherboard. If it's bad, the board is likely shot. Unfortunately, in most cases, a standard expansion IDE or SATA card isn't bootable, so the board will likely require replacement.

 

Thanks for your help again gman863 for the insight into the 'Controller'' but it has left me somewhat confused as being the everlasting optimist I thought I would try one last attempt at Vista instalation. Here is a run down of the procedure. Sart with Vista 32bit disc, begin install and format partition, succesful read at normal speed, then hands over to copying files, then 100% Expanding Files, then Instaling Features, then instaling updates and during all these procedures the Activity Light is blinking constantly. Then we come 'Restarting Completing Instal to a Reboot. Once reboot is done I get the small progress bar (6 grenn symbols) which moves erraticly and activity light blinking rarely for quite a period. Then a host of activity from activity light-screen changes saying 'wait a moment while Windows prepares to start for the first time' during this operation activity light blinking all the time. Now new screen back to instaling windows on the Vista screen. Completing instalation activity light still good and I am 2 thirds completed, Screen flashes twice ( I assume graphics instal) and this is when it becomes painfuly slow. In fact its like watching paint dry another reboot and black screen with large white arrowed cursor (that can be moved freely) and there it sticks but screen not frozen. Now my question is has the controller multiple parts as it appears when it is trying to handle the OS as nearly a whole the problem occurs ?? I have second HD with Win 7 installed this will not boot now but if I choose Repair it will go through the whole process, find a fault and reboot, during this period the acivity light is blinking as normal whilst reading the drive. I'm confused ........

 

Been a while to get sorted it turned out as gman863 said the HD controller was up the shoot I narrowed it down to the southbridge so went and got another Mobo and took to shop and all was OK for a while now I have another problem which has got me beat. The Windows 7 SP1 fully loads but onto a Black screen, if I move the lid up and down eventually I will get a screen with multi coulered stripes keep lifting up & down the lid and Bingo there is the OS fully loaded and operational. Now when I reboot WITHOUT touching lid I am back to the black screen this does not happen when other screen is attached using my desktop screen. When I put it into hibernate and close the lid it will awaken NP. Not forgetting that I have closed and opened the lid. When it goes from black to stripes there is a ding like you get when using a plug & play item as if the screen has just been loaded. Bizarre to say the least .. any ideas fellow Geeks. ?? Is this a screen issue ??? PS. When using my Desktop screen the OS will run 100% for hours with no hiccups.

What I have done....

1)Tried another screen boot NP/Reboot NP

2) Extensive Ram test OK

3) Extensive Vid Card Stress Test OK

4) Ran a video for over a hour plus OK

5) Put it into Hibernate left for 4 hours woke up NP.

6) Temps during the Video play

Graphics 43/44c

HD 43c

Mobo 41c

CPU 36c

So tempertures are A OK.