[makai]

Please download and install Everest free edition. Once installed, launch Everest and go to File>Preferences. In the left window, look down the list for Report and click on it. In the right window, uncheck "include debug information in the report" and click on OK... the Preferences window will close bringing you back to the main Everest window. In the menu bar at the top of the window, click on Report... launch the "Report wizard", and then click on "Next" on the first window that opens. For the Report profiles, select "Hardware-related pages", and click on Next. For Report format, choose "plain text", then click Finish. Everest will run and create the report. At the top of the Report window, click on Save to file and save the file to your desktop. Attach the report to your next reply. Please don't copy/paste the report here, just attach it so I can download it. Thanks!

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Here's the report you asked for.

Attached Files

•  Everest_Report.txt   177.44KB   249 downloads

[Tahim79]

Here's the report you asked for.

Attached Files

•  Everest_Report.txt   177.44KB   249 downloads

[makai]

Thanks for the report!

Option 1)

It appears this unknown device problem is quite widespread. Supposedly depending on an implantation of the bios manufacture in different machines. I've found a PAGE with some information regarding your problem and its very interesting reading. The problem is that it applies to an ASUS motherboard, and yours is an ECS motherboard. At the end of the document, there is a link to Windows Vista ACPI drivers. I unzipped the driver and from reading the .ini contents, this driver should work on win2000, XP, win2003, and Vista. Whether or not this driver will work for your ECS is questionable, however, you don't have to install the driver to find out. What you can do is unzip the file to a folder and command Windows to look for the driver in that folder by updating the driver through Device manager for the Unknown device. If Windows uses the driver, then most likely it'll work. If Windows uses it and it’s incorrect, then it may crash your machine. However, you’re an expert at reinstalling by now... you're using an Acer recovery on an HP... so what the heck!

Before you do this though, create a System Restore point…just in case!
Start menu>All Programs>Accessories>System tools>System Restore. Name it “lets hope it works”… (just kidding!)

Ok…
unzip the file
Open Device manager
Double click on Unknown Device
Go to Driver tab
Click on update driver and when asked, browse to the folder you unzipped to.

Option 2)

Note about bios…
Making changes in the bios requires “saving”. If you don’t save, then no changes will be made. If ever you get confused while working in bios, just hit the “Esc” key on your keyboard until a screen pops up asking if you want to exit the bios without saving your changes (worded something like that). The screen will have options for you to choose and once you exit, your machine will restart.

Ok…
This other option is go into bios and look for an entry for "Away Mode". Whether or not this entry will be present with this name is questionable. I've also read that it may be called "Intel Quick Resume Technology". The options will probably show up in the Power menu of the bios. Also, the problem could be that ACPI is enabled in bios. You could try disabling it to see what happens, but don’t do this yet as I need to know the exact name of the ACPI that’s enabled.

To enter bios, continually hit the F1 or F10 as the machine starts up. You have to do this right after you push the power button and before Windows begins to load. Once you get into the bios screen, you will only be able to navigate it using the keyboard keys. You navigate though the menus and screens using the up/down/left/right arrow keys and as you do, the item you're on will become highlighted. This is what'll tell you what you're currently "focused" on.

Ok… Use the right arrow to move over to the Power menu. Look down the list for something to do with "away mode", or "Intel quick resume" (you may need to scroll the list if all of it doesn't show up). If you see the entry, and its "enabled", focus on it, and hit the enter key... the entry should change between available settings… choose "disabled". If you don't find the entries for "away mode" and "Intel...", then check to see if ACPI is enabled and take note of the name (s) and post back into the thread.

If you were able to make changes, hit the F10 key on your keyboard. A window will open up asking if you want to “save and exit bios”. Click on OK, and your machine will restart. If you aren’t able to make changes, then hit the “Esc” key until you get a popup asking if you want to quit without saving.

If you have any questions about how to work in bios before starting, PLEASE ask. Note… do not mess around with the bios unless you know what you’re doing. You could render your machine unbootable.

(I'm on lunch right now and just dropped in... I may not get back to this until I go home later)

Edited by makai, 24 August 2009 - 01:38 PM.

[Tahim79]

Thanks for all of that info!
Option # 1 did not work.

I'm going to try option 2 which is the bios option.

I'm gonna keep my fingers crossed and hope I know what i'm doing!

[Tahim79]

Sorry I couldn't reply sooner. Work got in the way and then when I get home my 3yr old demands attention so I have no time.
On that note, I went into the bios about 4 different times and went thru everything. I guess you can call them subdirectories as well if that makes any sense to see and check this ACPI and Awaymode or IntelQuick Resume Tech.
To my surprise I didn't find any one those 3 things you were asking about. I though I was doing something wrong and my bro went through it also but to find none of those.

So I came to a conclusion of "Lets just forget it"

You've done so much for us and we have taken so much time of yours that we don't want to keep bothering you.

On the other hand I do have couple of quick questions for you.
Please don't do any research or anything that will consume your time.

1st Q - I have a Acer Aspire SA85. I've bought this thing on Aug 18, 2006. My warrenty has expired as the fine staff at futureshop would say by 4 days. SOL.
This computer kept shuting down on me when I went into any program. As soon as the computer needed to do alittle bit of work it would shut down. When I say shut down, it would seem like someone pulled the plug or having a power outage.
I took in for investigation last year and the techs at futureshop had said everything was fine and ran speedfan on it to check the temps.

I had a hunch it might be something stupid, so I did what I do best (I'm a pro at this) which was re-format. HAHAHA

The problem went away. A little while later it started doing it again. But this time it would take some time for the computer to i guess cool down before I could restart it again.

Then it got to the point that it wouldn't restart and I had to toggle with the power cord (either taking it out and putting it back in and pressing the power button just to get it started).

The funny thing is that now I know the "secret" to get this machine started.
Please don't laugh!
In order for this machine to start. I need to turn the power on and remove the ethernet cable from the back and it will start up. If there is no ethernet cable, then I need to plug it in inorder for it to fire up.

Now as I'm in a program or if it's idle it will log off first and then shut down. The computer can stay on for 2mins or 2hrs. It has a mind of it's own. I thought it could be a overheating problem because speed fan showed that there was a heating problem. So I changed the CPU fan. Cleaned the heatsink and applied the paste. It worked fine for 4days. Same problem again.

I had installed a Graphics card. BUt that's fine as well.
Now I am getting extreme heat from the PSU.
So i'm thinking of replacing the PSU.
What I wanted a professional opinion to what you might think.

2nd Q - You've been great, kind, helpfull and honest.
I would like to donate to this site but I don't know where.
If you could point me in the right direction for that, that would be great.

Hope to hear from you soon!
Sony

[makai]

So I came to a conclusion of "Lets just forget it"

No! Absolutely NOT!

Just kidding! If nothing is being affected by it, then it's probably ok to let it go. Later if something does show up, we'll whack at it again with a larger stick! I'm sorry we couldn't nail it right away... some things are so stubborn!


As for the Acer...
The ethernet thing is funny, but I won't laugh! Actually, it may not be that strange after all as the bios may have a setting for "wake on lan". Basically the setting allows the compter to be turned on over the ethernet cable. Whether this is the cause is unknown to me, but you could go into the bios to see if it's enabled. If it is, disable it, and see if that stops having to do this exercise of plugging/unplugging the lan cable.

As for the shutdown, are you sure it's actually shutting down and not just going into hibernate? Sounds like a strange question, as I'm sure you know what a shutdown looks like, but I just wanted to ask about if the computer settings are also set to hibernate. Hibernate is in Display Properties>Screen Saver>Power>Hibenate tab.

You also mention "extreme heat from the PSU"... this is probably a very good sign to replace the PSU. Is the heat something you actually feel, or is there some type of thermal monitor you're using to tell you the PSU is hot? Might have something to do with the shutdown.

By the way, while reading the Acer site I came across THIS utility. It basically does what speedfan does, only it's an Acer version. Might be something of interest to you. Also, you can get the esettings pdf manual from HERE.

As for the contribution to GTG... I don't know... let me get back to you.

[Tahim79]

Thanks for the reply. Something wierd happened this morning. I was burning a DVD for my sister when once again it shut down on me. Now I know it's not a lan problem because I checked it out myself. When I took this unit in to futureshop, one tech was looking up my warrenty and the other one was checking out the problem. He came across saying he checked the bios and it's not a lan(wake) problem. Once it was determined that my warrenty had expired they just packed it up and gave my unit back to me.

But getting back to today, it shutdown half way through the burn of the DVD. When I restarted it and when to check if anything is on the dvd, I had a small box show up with some sort of a "windows error" and It went so fast that I couldn't read it and once again it [bleep] down like usual. Along time ago some one had told me it was the bootsector that was wrong and after the reinstall things were good again.

speed fan does show a "Temp 1" overheating to about anywhere from 50-60 degrees. But this thing shutdown when I was sitting at 37 degrees.

I will go to that site you posted for the acer temp gauges but I gotta go to work now.
The psu is very hot by feel. Alot of hot air is blowing out of the back end apposed to the Pavilion that has nice cool air.

So something is wrong there!

I have gone into control panel and unchecked or checked or something like that for automatic restarts so I can tell what the error is if applicable.

Upon shutdown the screen kind of fades away and just my desktop pic shows (all of the apps are gone), then it logs off just as if I was to log off and then it saves my setting and shuts off.

Like I said I'm very sorry for taking sooooooo much of your time.

Thanks once again
Sony

Edited by Tahim79, 26 August 2009 - 01:25 PM.

[makai]

If the PSU is "physically" hot, I wouldn't leave the computer on. Be sure to unplug it before you go to work... just to be safe.

Let me think about some of what you mentioned an I'll get back here. Go to work!