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Dmitriy Likhten
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Computer crashes (freezes) randomly.

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The A0751h has a sort-of known crashing problem. It seems to randomly freeze. Becoming 100% unresponsive, video is stuck on whatever image was before the freeze, the sound sounds like a broken record. There is no BSOD and it has been known to happen in the same way in linux.

Updating the firmware to the latest version provided by acer helps a bit since the freezing is down to once every couple of days vs once every couple of hrs (or more frequent).

So the question is: Does anyone know if this is a hardware issue, and what sort of fixes (including changing parts) will fix it.

Still gathering info. The most useful lead is the replacing of the ram seems to help. Still need to confirm AND get some model numbers for known ram that fixes the issue.

Edited by: Dmitriy Likhten ( )

Acer is the number one laptop i fix daily, so many of them go wrong. The flickering screen, nosey fans, random crashs. If you fix yours get rid of it quickly. SPAM

fix computers,

I have an Acer Aspire One A0751h, 2BB RAM, 220 GB HD, running Vista Home Basic. I've been very disappointed with the frequent freezes since I bought it last year. I would have expected better from a major company like Acer. It's the last Acer product I will ever buy.

Philip Marshall,

Okay lets do it. lets make it a comment ;-)

oldturkey03,

I switched my OS from Windows to ubuntu and have not had a problem at all. Windows is known to be %@^@ on comps with small memory and/or ram capacities, if you don't know how or can't afford to change parts ubuntu is free, it takes a bit to learn how to use but I found it was well worth it.

Enari,

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Nikarampo
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Look i had the same problem.My netbook froze,so i had to hard reset it.After this kept happening for about six months,one day i turned it on, and i pressed start windows normally(I use win7). Then, in the screen starting windows,the graphics went crazy.Safe mode:the same. I changed ram,it start ok but the freeze wasnt fixed.A friend of mine gave me his netbook to compare.Changed the hard drives.My hardrive in his netbook gave no freeze and i havent turned it off for about 3 months.So it isn't de hardrive either. So i can say it isn't software,but hardware.And the only thing that can freeze screen and sound at the same time is graphics and sound card,wich are both on the motherboard. I changed motherboard and everything was fine. Not sure if it's the same on all aspire ones but i hope this will fixit.

Hope this helped!

Edited by: Nikarampo ( )

It appears that the problem is the motherboard. I actually expected the RAM to be the problem, but looks like you pretty much proved that the mobo is the cause. If you replace the mobo feels like you might as well get a new computer. Question: What mobo did you buy and where/price. Are there any better mobos to buy? Like one with a better graphics card which is supported by linux.

Dmitriy Likhten,

@Dmitriy, I live in greece,so i just bought one with the basic features. I got the mobo with 150 euros, and a new ram with 25 euros.I asked a friend to find me one,cause he runs an electronics shop,so im not so sure where he got it. I will ask him and reply as soon as possible. And i will search for better motherboards with more features in google.

Nikarampo,

Well,he got it directly from acer. Now,about more mobos,i couldn't find somewere to buy.Only tutorials on how to replace it.Serch e-bay,or go to an electr. shop. Hope you have more luck.

Nikarampo,

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rj713
39.1k

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Hi, Apparently this is a design flaw in that unit. I am including just one of many discussions and cussing about this unit. There is according to one poster a key combination that resets things for a time but Acer is not passing it to end users. Based on what I read if you can return the unit you might want to consider it. Good luck Ralph

http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaint...

I remember before the BIOS upgrades that the computer would not even boot after such a crash, I had to pull the battery. Now it can just be reset by holding the power button down until it just shuts off. I am quite disappointed that I cannot return it anymore.

Dmitriy Likhten,

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Snuffy
49

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Returned system to Acer 3x now. still same problem.FREEZES. Win7 installed. added HDD inspector for HDD temp. removed HDD cover, 6"fan directly on system, unit raised 1.25" with plastic raiser.

this was to allow only 4 Auto updates. HDD temp 90*, this time all updates passed. next will attempt Office 2010 Pro Full install, with same method. normal install has failed 3 times.

Retired computer-elec tech. many thing to try... will keep posting back.

Snuffy

Update

Today ran some tests. removed memory cover, removed hdd cover,using usb - started installation of Office-2010 Pro. monitored HDD temp, max - 102 no enough to kill. installation went 100%. replaced HDD cover & still again repair installation 100%. so far i see the backing over the memory cover does not allow heat removal. I'll remove the hard backing & replace with cloth...

Update

1. It is 100% clean of Virus - guaranteed

2. power supply is quite big - no problem there

3. I use the WORK METHOD to test for FREEZE UP. insert a USB and either CLEAN install Office(full)SP1(1.21GB) or DL massive upgrades from MS... before removal of heat shield from MEMORY i could FREEZE very easy.. from 1983 to day 99% for me FREEZE is memory or CPU heat problem. test has been working CPU Memory and HDDs - hince UPDATE or DL at max - monitor is easy to see if working hard.

removal of cover - now can DL over 4GB max NoProblem, Installed Office 2010 - NoProblem, 1st time HDD ever went to 110* w/o freeze.

There are NO ACCESSORIES on this UNIT.

Update

I think I have found the fix - open display and change to Win7 Basic.

a. Memtestx86 over 9 hrs - NO ERRORS

b. WD Diag HDD and ALL TESTS - PASS.

c. opened Display and changed theme to Win7 Basic .. No more errors, today. no fans used, plenty of heat... HDD temp over 112*, memory warm to touch. NO ERRORS...

Update

Sounds normal. I finally disabled AERO. No Freeze up since.

Thanks to all the others whom have offered. Take the Battery out , changed PWR Supply, swapped memory swapped HDDS. the only thing I have to do is DISABLE AERO. then NO FREEZES but the sound is distorted.(I can live with that.)

Edited by: Snuffy ( )

Removed hard \backing from memory cover. replaced. have ran several very heavy program. DL 1 1.3 GB file, HDD temp to 110*, No FREEZE, simply working fine. Memory heat problem fixed. do recommend you glue a very thin porus cloth over holes in Memory cover. tests ran for over 3hrs NO FREEZES.

Snuffy,

The thing is, I've never been successfully able to reproduce the problem consistently. It can work fine for weeks, and freeze every 30 minutes at other times. Generally motherboards kill the power if overheating, they dont just freeze up everything. And when frozen it did not seem to be at extreme temperatures. Ive heard that replacing the ram fixes the problem, but without a consistent reproduction scenario determining what component is at fault, I have no idea how to confirm.

Dmitriy Likhten,

The freezes on the Netbook(s) by Acer has also been found on many of the other netbooks... the problem has been found an fixed by M$ whom noted that they had a problem in the software... you can find the fix there. Look on the M$ site for Freezefix. (Its not Acer(s) problem. it was M$ software problem....

Snuffy,

OK, finally the 2GB Samsung memory chip blew. I replaced with a TOTALLY different name brand chip. and for 3 days very heavy use. doing everything that use to FAIL (make FREEZE) and its rock solid. I recommend checking to see if your memory chip is SAMSUNG.. if yes, replace it...WOW what a nice feeling... NO FREEZE..

Snuffy,

Seems like a very common response. Change ram it works great. Snuffy, if you can get back to this post in say... 2 weeks and report if it ever froze in the same way again, it would be much appreciated.

Dmitriy Likhten,

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Sergio G
25

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Dmitriy, if you have a utility to check memory and hard disk health, maybe you could find the problem (because of the noise, the hard disk is the most probable problem).

Already been tried, nothing wrong with HDD or RAM when doing checks. I used a linux boot USB to do a RAM check, and used windows for hard drive check.

Dmitriy Likhten,

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Patrick
1

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There can be many causes for this.

Hardware

2 most common causes.

Ram

Pull the ram out clean the contacts with denatured Alcohol and reinstall

Power supply dieing or undersized

Remove the accessory from your computer see it that helps otherwise replace.

Software

any number of viruses or spy ware could cause this.

possible solutions.

run antiviras or antispyware programs

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Jason Cimino
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im a novice but i think its the battery conection area on the side where it lock take off battery and leave plugged in it wont freeze

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Laptop Repair Guy
259

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Could be memory problem.

Download and run Memtest86+, test the memory module. Make sure it runs multiple passes.

There is only one memory slot on the bottom.

Disassembly guide for Acer Aspire One A0751h netbook .

I have ran memtest so many times & for such a long time I was 100% sure the MEMORY was OK...but as soon as you started almost anything it FROZE, replaced the Samsung memory & NO MORE FREEZES... PS: Nice take apart guide...

Snuffy,

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ehustus
1

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If anyone is still interested in knowing the root problem...its the battery....

With the battery in and plugged in to the AC will cause it to freeze randomly.

I tested by removing the battery and then booted up with AC power only. It ran for days until I got bored trying to crash it. ..

Within minutes of plugging the battery back in and clicking on some icons on the desktop...it locked back up instantly....

Retested several times... Theory was correct!

Tried to find a way to contact ACER without being charged...and couldn't get through without having to pay....

Maybe someone out there can amp this up a notch....as I'm sure ACER won't admit to it first hand...to costly for them of course...

Try it an d find out for yourself...

Ed H.

CISA, CRISC, CTGA

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lotuspsychje
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FOR all users that have problems with the wifi connect freezing the netbook after 1 minute====

ENABLE NETWORK BOOT IN BIOS!!! (worked for me on ubuntu 64 bit 11.04)

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Snuffy
49

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After replacing the Memory with a NEW Non Samsung Chip. Computer started with NO problems, I also got a new clean install....

Never had another Problem.... never froze, works perfect.... so nice my neighbor bought it for his GrandDaughter, who uses it every day and

Seen GrandDad this AM.... says the little Acer is so nice he also bought his Wife a New Acer for Christmas because the A0751 worked so nice.

------------------------

Reference to the battery problem... by ehustus . M$ has admitted that they had a BAD and have offered a Battery Fix which reportedly has cured over 95% of all Battery Problems with all systems...

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Samuel Beardsley
1

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I own 3 Acer Aspire AO751h netbooks, and have experienced freezing from time to time, although not as severely some have. My netbooks will freeze mostly coming out of standby or sleep, and occasionally recovering from hiberation. I am running Windows XP and double booting with Linux Mint V 9, 10, 11 respectively. I tried changing hard drives, booting from external drives, different operating systems and changing RAM. What I learned was, virtually all Linux distros had less freezing, KDE and XFCE had better controls of the variables---much less freezing, and (''Here's the SOL

OUTION!) changing the video driver in Linux to the GMA500 Poulsbo driver virtually stopped all of the freezing.'' The GMA500 driver is installed through Synaptic Package Manager after adding the repository:" http://ppa.launchpad.net/gma500/ppa/ubun... maverick main" to the Software sources. I love my little 11.6" Acer netbooks! They just need the right software to take advantage of them.

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sam72
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You know netbook is netbook, not a laptop or desktop pc, adding or upgrading hardware is an option but not the most effective way to fix freezes issues. The fact is you should do regular system maintenance job such as disable startup programs you don't use in the control panel , disk defragment, disk cleaning, remove any programs you no longer want, clean those unneeded files to free disk space etc.

Learn more:

Fix Acer Laptop Freezes Issue

PCWorld - Speed up Windows XP Netbook

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aabie30
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I think why your laptop freezes is that there too many programs that are opened at the same time, you can try to defrag your laptop. Anyway try to check your RAM if still have spaces,

And also other reasons why your laptop freeze is that there are progrmas that are not properly installed/

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uuch
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I think I found the cause and I am pretty sure it is hardware [CPU MoBo] related. I installed a PC benchmark program and this caused the CPU to hit the 100% and that immediately freezes the system. With the task manager you can see it really clear.

Funny thing is that I have the same laptop as my daughter and only on my Daughters the problem occurs. I had already tried everything to solve it software wise, but without any luck.

When I saw the 100% result into a crash I knew this was hardware related. Sent the module back to my shop, within two weeks I will be notified.

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