# [SOLVED] Acer Aspire 5535 Shuts Down on Boot



## hustla7 (Mar 17, 2007)

Hey everyone,

I've been having this quite annoying problem for a few weeks now...more like a set of problems actually...

Basically over the last few months the laptop's become steadily rubbisher...it's been getting slower and the CPU doesn't seem to be able to take as much as it once could. E.g. just being on webcam on gchat will just slow the entire laptop down to the extent that the video becomes super-lagged! It won't run many processes simultaneously any more, and it's pretty annoying.

I'm running a dual core AMD Turion RM-72 processor, 2.1GHz, with 4 gig DDR2 RAM, and an ATI Radeon HD3200 Gfx card.

So the major problem here is that when I turn off the laptop, even if it's just to restart after installation of something, it just won't turn back on. It turns off fine, seems to be no problem with that, but when it boots up again, it will just turn off when it gets to the Starting Windows screen (I'm running Windows 7, btw). When I leave it off for a good fifteen odd minutes, then and then only can I restart the laptop, and it seems to just about get to windows by the skin of it's teeth...

I don't feel any cool or hot air coming out of the vents at the bottom, which I think means that my fan's probably clogged up, and although I sit the laptop on a usb cooling fan, it doesn't seem to be enough- would it be worth cleaning the fan out with compressed air or something...could that be the solution to my boot problem? Running SpeedFan without knowing anything about advanced configuration reveals that my internal fan doesn't rotate, but as I said, that may be a question of misconfiguration :S

Another thing I've noticed is that when I right click My Computer and go to properties, under Installed RAM and Processor it just says Not Available, which seems like a really weird thing to happen :S

What else, it randomly turns off when I run a game. Recently when turning on Call of Duty 4, or Crysis, it just shuts down with no warning when I get to the menu. And then there's the problem of having to wait another 20 mins or so before I can restart!

There've been no hardware changes, I've tried system restore, but am not sure if that's a safe bet any more because of it's high frequency restart problem :S 

Was thinking of just reinstalling windows and cleaning the hard drives, but I'm still not convinced it's run smoothly again. Having had opened up the laptop during summer, the heatsink had gone black rather than copper coloured, and I read somewhere that this is not a bad thing, as it's just been coated for insulation :S Though it looks more burnt than anything else to my untrained eye!

Have run loads of virus scans, and I've cleaned the registry and stuff, so I don't think it's got anything to do with software. The problem was first noticed when I tried to install an external bluetooth dongle, without luck actually, but I gave up on that and uninstalled all of what had been installed in the process.

Also I tried to install Office 2k10 on it, but it just refuses to it, encountering errors on setup and stalling the process. I think I would have been able to install it fine usually...

I hope there's something that can be done to clear this all up. The laptop's not in the worst state, it'll still run OKish in day to day use, but watching movies, being on webcam, even listening to music can make it angry which seems pretty absurd to me considering the system spec is pretty decent- it should be able to handle windows media player with google chrome, surely!

Thanks so much in anticipation.
Nitish


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

*Re: Acer Aspire 5535 Shuts Down on Boot*

Hello Nitish and welcome to TSF,

Are you still in warranty? If so, call Acer to set up RMA.

First order of business... Clean out that fan. You should feel some air movement from the rear exhaust vent. That would explain the app crash for games, and possibly the restart issue as well.

If your computer is out of warranty I would suggest opening it up and manually cleaning it out. If it is completely clogged, canned air won't do anything.

I am having trouble finding documentation for your computer.

Second order of business...
Download and run the hard drive manufacturers diagnostic from the link in my signature. If there is an option, make sure you download the DOS utility and burn it to disc.

When you pull apart your laptop, check the label on the HDD for the manufacturer.


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## hustla7 (Mar 17, 2007)

*Re: Acer Aspire 5535 Shuts Down on Boot*

Thanks so much for your quick reply gavinzach, it's really much appreciated.

I don't believe I'm in warranty, it's been not long over a year, so funny it messes up now eh!

I'll open the laptop up when I get home tomorrow, got the tools there. But needed to know how exactly to clean it- I've just opened up the back cover before, will I need to remove the fan and expose the underside of that? Because there's nothing that was immediately visible when I tried a few weeks ago. Was a bit weary of unscrewing too much, not having had done anything like that with a laptop previously.

I too can't find much documentation for it, else I suppose there'd be some sort of instructions on maintaining the internals.

As for the HDD, in device manager it says 'WDC WD3200BEVT-22ZCT0', I don't know if we can infer anything about the manufacturer from that code. Else I'll just run the diagnostic when I check out what's what on the inside.

Thanks once again, will let you know what the outcome is when I do this.

NM


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

*Re: Acer Aspire 5535 Shuts Down on Boot*

That is a Western Digital drive.

Download the UBCD .iso and burn it to CD. You will need to use an image burning software like imgburn unless you are using Windows 7. In that case, just put a blank disc in and double click the .iso file.

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/download.html

It contains all the bootable tools you will need.

Once the disc is made, boot to it. A menu will load. Select Hard Drive, then Diagnostic, then WDDIAG (later version). Accept the agreement, select your drive and run the quick test. If it passes, run the extended test.

You may not need to remove the heat sink from the CPU to clean it. You may only have to remove the fan. I am not sure with your particular laptop. It may require full disassembly to get at it.

Good luck


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## hustla7 (Mar 17, 2007)

*Re: Acer Aspire 5535 Shuts Down on Boot*

Sorry, didn't quite understand which of the many on the HDD Diagnostics links under Western Digital to download...Data Lifeguard Tools 11.0 for DOS?

Cheers again.


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

*Re: Acer Aspire 5535 Shuts Down on Boot*

Hello, that should work as long as it is a cd image. (.iso).

I still suggest downloading the UBCD from the link I provided. It contains all the hdd tests and memory tests and you won't have to waste CD's by burning multiples.


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## hustla7 (Mar 17, 2007)

*Re: Acer Aspire 5535 Shuts Down on Boot*

kool thank you


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## hustla7 (Mar 17, 2007)

*Re: Acer Aspire 5535 Shuts Down on Boot*

I'm just downloading the ISO, will get that going soon.

Just had a look around inside the laptop, and I see some weird things. As I mentioned, the heat sink is pretty blackened on the fan side- somewhat problematic possibly? Also, I can't unseat the fan, I've uploaded some images, at http://www.esnips.com/doc/9d880b54-0771-42ac-a650-459712f52b22/IMG00052-20101204-1633
http://www.esnips.com/doc/f34b45aa-db6e-44f9-b270-90fa44f2f8c6/IMG00051-20101204-1632
http://www.esnips.com/doc/82b71e5b-8730-4a5a-a8ab-b81fc37fd3a6/IMG00050-20101204-1632

So I can unscrew the screws on that fan- but I can go no further, tried yanking it up gently, but it won't budge. Similar with the Heat Sink, I can loosen the spring-screws shown in the picture, but I can't go any further.

Any suggestions?

Thanks so much once again.
NM


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

*Re: Acer Aspire 5535 Shuts Down on Boot*

Hello again,

I can't review the images right now because of network restrictions.

You are trying to remove the heatsink from the CPU? If you do that, you will need to reapply thermal paste. FYI.

Make sure all of the screws are removed or fully loosend, sometimes they can be hard to find.

Gently twist the heatsink as you pull it up from the CPU.


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## hustla7 (Mar 17, 2007)

*Re: Acer Aspire 5535 Shuts Down on Boot*

OK I think I'll give removing the heatsink a miss then, don't think I'm qualified enough for that!

I'm going to run the diagnostic and see what that reveals, else if you're able to see the snaps soon and see a way of just removing the fan that'd be awesome- I understand it's obviously tough without the laptop physically there, so no worries if you can't.

Thanks so much for your continued support!


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

*Re: Acer Aspire 5535 Shuts Down on Boot*

I will try to take a look tonight.


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## hustla7 (Mar 17, 2007)

*Re: Acer Aspire 5535 Shuts Down on Boot*

thank you


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

*Re: Acer Aspire 5535 Shuts Down on Boot*

Hello again hustla7,

I am sorry, I seem to have lost track of your thread.

I looked at the pictures below, the black on the heatsink and heatpipe, is that what looks burnt? It looks more like paint overspray form the picture.

To remove the heatsink and fan assembly, you just have to undo the 3 screws around the CPU area, and the one screw halfway between the fan and the CPU.

Also, if you undo the 4 screws in the black area, you should be able to lift that plate off the top to remove any dust that built up behind the cooling fins.










Since it's been a little while, have you made any progress on your own.

BTW. If I haven't replied to you within a day, send me a PM with a link to the thread.


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## hustla7 (Mar 17, 2007)

*Re: Acer Aspire 5535 Shuts Down on Boot*

Aaaa thank you for that. I haven't actually been able to resolve the underlying issue about not being able to restart the laptop quickly after shutdown, but I think the 'critical' wait time between shutting down and rebooting has reduced. I opened up the laptop as I said and blew hard into the fan and vents, nothing seemed to have come out but the fan temperature has reduced massively, from around 95degreesC on average down to under 50, so it's made some difference it seems 

I think it might also have something to do with the fact that I've moved my laptop's standard position- when I was at uni, the laptop was a few inches away from a wall behind it, so perhaps the cooling vent at the rear wasn't open enough. Although the laptop stands on a usb cooling fan, I think that some of the plastic on the fan was blocking the underside vent too- which could have been problematic I suppose. 

I probably won't try to remove the fan and heatsink in that case, as it'll require thermal paste again and that sort of thing, which I don't want to bother with. I'm pretty thankful for the way the laptop's working now- much less lag on webcam etc. However playing Call of Duty still causes the laptop to shut down, but I can play it for about 5 minutes before it does though, whereas it was more like 15 secs before! Furthermore the issue of 'Not Available' being displayed in the properties of My Computer under Processor and Installed Memory still worries me a tad.

Will PM you, can imagine you must get lost in the mounds of posts you get!

Thanks so much once again.

Nitish


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

*Re: Acer Aspire 5535 Shuts Down on Boot*

The black screws I mentioned... taking the fan plate off will allow access to the backside of the cooling fins, so you can make sure there is no dust built up in there... It is very common. There will be no need for re-applying paste, so long as you don't remove the heatsink from the CPU.

Download cpuid from here, it should recognize your CPU and memory.


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## hustla7 (Mar 17, 2007)

*Re: Acer Aspire 5535 Shuts Down on Boot*

hey gavinzach,

opened up the laptop, and couldn't actually unscrew those springy screws I mentioned, for some reason. They just wouldn't come out today :S Even so, I undid the back cover and fan screws and blew into the vent at the back, and out popped a huge dustball! This is probably not bad news...I turned the laptop on, and restarted it immediately, and it restarted a treat! That seems OK for now, but will keep trying over the next few hours to make sure it's ok 

I can recognise CPU and memory from System Information for Windows by Gabriel Topala, which is what I've been using to detect temperatures in the CPU and core so far, I'm just worried about why Windows can't recognise them :S.

I also did the same with my brother's laptop, which is a Dell 1545 Inspiron, and turns off whenever he streamed anything off the net, which was a real pain in the backside. Two large lumps of dust came out of that, and the fan's pretty much silent now 

Wow, big difference little pieces of rubbish make eh!

Thanks so much once again, you've been so helpful, and hopefully this fix will last. Any other ideas on the CPU and Memory issue?

Nitish


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

*Re: Acer Aspire 5535 Shuts Down on Boot*

I'm not sure why Windows isn't seeing the ram/cpu type. 

Check your device manager to make sure there are no devices with yellow !'s next to them.


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## hustla7 (Mar 17, 2007)

*Re: Acer Aspire 5535 Shuts Down on Boot*

no, no yellows :S

And Call of Duty worked fine for about ten minutes, and it didn't turn off at all- I saved and exited without any problems! 

Just checked drivers for the processors- they're up to date, I thought perhaps it might be that.


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

*Re: Acer Aspire 5535 Shuts Down on Boot*

I am hitting the hay for the night. Keep us informed if your laptop freezes or shuts down on you. I will try and remember to look into the issue when I wake up later on this afternoon.


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## hustla7 (Mar 17, 2007)

*Re: Acer Aspire 5535 Shuts Down on Boot*

That's a real great day of work for you- you've made both me and my brother really happy with our decently-working laptops now! Thanks so much!!!

Cheers, good night.


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## hustla7 (Mar 17, 2007)

*Re: Acer Aspire 5535 Shuts Down on Boot*

Apparently my WMI stuff is corrupt or damaged. Can't seem to be able to restore it automatically, and never made a backup because I never knew I ever needed to! Can I use a backup (.rec) from another laptop running the same OS?


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

*Re: Acer Aspire 5535 Shuts Down on Boot*



hustla7 said:


> Apparently my WMI stuff is corrupt or damaged. Can't seem to be able to restore it automatically, and never made a backup because I never knew I ever needed to! Can I use a backup (.rec) from another laptop running the same OS?


I honestly can't answer that. (about the backup) But I assume you would not be able to.

Read this and see if it helps you with your corrupted WMI.

http://social.technet.microsoft.com.../thread/8ed26d46-9994-4052-a307-5b071805aea8/


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## hustla7 (Mar 17, 2007)

*Re: Acer Aspire 5535 Shuts Down on Boot*

OMG! It worked!

Thanks SOO much, I feel so much better with the system now haha, such a small thing makes such a big difference.

RESOLVED!

Thanks SOOOOOOOOOO much once again gavinzach, truly, you're a legend mate!


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

*Re: Acer Aspire 5535 Shuts Down on Boot*

Thanks, that makes me feel pretty good!

Let us know if you have any more issues with the computer!

GZ


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