Acer Aspire V3-771G Troubleshooting

The laptop feels hot and sometimes shuts off while working without any notification.

Certain programs, especially gaming programs, will cause the laptop to become very warm. This may be checked by looking at the CPU usage for programs. Open task manager, and select the tab "Processes" and sort by "CPU". This will show programs using a large amount of the CPU. Closes the programs and allow time for the CPU to cool down.

Over time dust and other particulate matter will get stuck to the fan and the vents. If there is enough, the fan will not properly cool the system and will overheat. A can of compressed air may be used to carefully blow the dust from the vents and fan to increase the performance of the fan.

Some fans are very quiet. However, if there is no sound (spinning fan), and no air coming out of the vents, the fan may not be working. The fan should be checked to see if it is properly connected. If the fan is properly connected, but not working, a replacement fan will need to be purchased and installed by removing the screws and connections holding the old one in, and inserting the new one.

If there is not enough thermal paste between the CPU and the heat sink, or if the paste has separated, the system will begin to overheat as the CPU is not cooled properly. To fix this issue, the old thermal paste will need to be completely cleaned off of the components, and new thermal paste will need to be applied. Replace the heat sink and gently compress the thermal paste between the two components. Screw the heat sink back in to place to keep the components stationary. Specific directions for application will be printed with the new thermal paste.

The laptop will not boot up as normal and proceed to the home screen.

If the laptop will turn on, but not boot into the operating system, the hard drive may be dead. To check this, when the computer starts and the screen says "Acer" press the F12 button on your laptop. This will load into the BIOS of the system. Under the information tab, a list of information about your laptop will be displayed. The second item set is about the hard drive. Check to see if your hard drive is listed here. If it is not, turn the computer off, remove the battery, and ensure the hard drive is connected properly. If it is and the laptop still does not recognize the hard drive, it may be faulty. Connectors are available to check this by attaching to another laptop. If the hard drive is unrecognizable, it may be dead and will need to be replaced, by accessing the previous hard drive, removing it from the sled, installing the new one into the sled, and securing to the connections in the laptop.

The laptop will not power on unless plugged in to charger.

Ensure the battery has been properly placed and connected to the laptop. This may be done by fully removing the battery and then re-installing it per the manufacture specifications. The edge closest to the outside edge of the computer is set in first, and then the other edge is gently, yet firmly pushed into place until a click is heard.

If the battery is installed properly and the laptop will not hold a charge unless it is plugged in to a power source. The battery may be unable to hold a charge due to usage and age. If the battery will hold no charge, a replacement will need to be purchased and installed into the, now empty, battery slot.

No matter what, typing will not produce the letters that are being pressed.

A specific key is not working, or a specific set of keys, but not the keyboard as a whole. It is possible that a few of the keys have broken and the buttons may need to be replaced. The laptop will need to be opened, and the keyboard removed. Once removed, the key or keys will need to be removed, and then replaced with replacement pieces.

If the whole keyboard is not working, check to make sure the keyboard is properly connected by all connectors. If any are loose or broken, the connection will not be proper, and the keyboard will not work. If a connector is broken, it will need to be replaced by removing the connector and replacing with a new one.

It is possible that the keyboard can break due to use. If the keyboard has broken, which will be seen if the connectors are all correct, then it will need to be replaced. the laptop will need to be opened, and then the keyboard removed by unscrewing the securing screws. The new one may now be placed in and secured by the screws. Then the keyboard should be reconnected in the proper way, and put back together.

The disc is not able to be read or played on the laptop.

The disc should be checked for excessive or deeps scratches. If the disc is too scratched then the optical drive will be unable to read the disc. The disc will need to be replaced with a different copy in working condition.

The optical drive may not have been installed correctly which will mean it has a bad connection. The optical drive should be removed and checked for any obstruction in the path to the connector. The optical drive may now be reconnected to the laptop to check if the drive is functional.

When a disc is inserted, the drive should begin to spin and make some noise. If this is not heard and the drive is inserted correctly, it may no longer be functional. If the drive does make sound, but the disc may not be read, it is possible the laser diode may be misaligned and broken, or the circuitry for the optical drive is faulty. A replacement optical drive will need to be obtained and connected to the connectors.