The Acer Nitro N50-640 is having issues with booting?
The Acer Nitro N50-640 is having issues with booting?
Hi everyone,
I'm experiencing a quite bothersome problem with my Acer Nitro N50 (DG.E2VEQ.004). The system specifications are as follows:
CPU
: Intel Core i5‑12400F
GPU
: Nvidia RTX 3060
RAM
: 16 GB DDR4 (2x8GB, 3200 MHz)
Storage
: 512 GB NVMe SSD + 1 TB Seagate HDD
Motherboard
: Intel B660
OS Attempted
: Windows 11, Linux (various distributions)
Problem:
I can boot Live USBs (Linux, Windows PE, etc.) without any issues—everything functions properly. The GPU is recognized and there are no crashes. However, when I attempt to install Windows 11 or Linux, I encounter failures with the installation process. After installing Linux, it seems to start but becomes stuck after logging in. When booting any operating system into either SSD or HDD, I see a gray screen and nothing else appears. This issue occurs consistently on both internal drives, regardless of whether I use an SSD or HDD, or whether I run Windows or Linux. The problem persists even though I haven’t updated the BIOS yet.
I’ve tried several troubleshooting steps:
- Ran MemTest86 – no RAM errors detected.
- Performed CPU stress tests – no overheating or issues.
- Updated NVIDIA drivers – temporary fix for graphical glitches.
- Disabled Secure Boot, experimented with UEFI and legacy modes.
- Swapped drives, wiped partitions, performed multiple fresh installs.
I’m a developer with prior OS installation experience. The issue seems to appear suddenly. I used the system normally in the morning, then returned later; after logging into Windows, only a gray screen appeared. Since then, no OS boots from internal storage.
Could the motherboard, storage controller, or VMD settings be contributing to this problem?
I’m seeking advice on:
- BIOS configuration (VMD, SATA/NVMe settings, UEFI adjustments)
- Disk controller or firmware issues
- Any Acer or B660 chipset specific considerations
Thank you in advance for your assistance!
Welcome to the forums, newcomer!
Storage: 512 GB NVMe SSD plus 1 TB Seagate HDD
Which SSD model are you using? Have you verified if a firmware update is required? It’s best to clear all drives except the one you plan to install the OS on.
Your BIOS hasn’t been updated yet—should I check that?
As a developer with prior OS installations, I’d recommend updating your BIOS to the latest version.
Regarding your OS installer, I’m familiar with it and have installed many before.
Where are you obtaining the installer for this OS?
What power supply unit are you using in your prebuilt? How long has it been in use?
The device details included with the PC were provided, and it seems I should consider updating to the most recent BIOS version, although I can attempt a reflash.
Processor specifications: Intel Core i5, model 12400F, 6 cores, 12 threads, clock speeds of 2.5 GHz and 4.4 GHz with turbo.
Graphics card: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060.
Memory details: 12 GB GDDR6 RAM, internal 16 GB DDR4 UDIMM (3200 MHz), maximum capacity 64 GB with no free slots.
Storage information: 512 GB SSD for primary storage; M.2 PCIe NVMe Gen 3 x4 slot (2280) with one available space for a 2.5" or 3.5" HDD.
Connectivity options: Bluetooth available, wired network via Realtek® 8118AS Dragon Gigabit Ethernet, wireless support for Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax).
Ports and dimensions: HDMI output available, DisplayPort output 3x at 1.4 Gbps, USB ports totaling 8 ports including 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type A, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type A, and 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type C; physical dimensions 175 mm wide, 386 mm deep, 392 mm high, weighing 8 kg. No optical drive present.
Motherboard: Intel B660.
Sound card included.
Power supply rated at 500W (80+ Gold).
Operating system: Windows 11 Home.
Warranty: 1 year.
Additional notes: Article ID 1978468, manufacturer item number DG.E2VEQ.004, published on 2022-04-07 at 08:10.
I can provide more context - yesterday morning I was browsing some YouTube videos and saw some visuals on both monitors. That led me to suspect the graphics driver might be the problem, so I updated my RTX 3060 driver and the artifacts disappeared. I turned off my PC for a while. After restarting, I logged back into Windows 11 and the screen turned gray again. I restarted it but it didn’t fix the issue. When I booted Ubuntu from a USB drive, everything worked fine. I tested various checks like GPU detection, RAM status (using MemTest86 before), and CPU stress tests, all passed. Still, whenever I install an OS on my HDD or SSD, it either fails or after installation and booting shows a gray screen.