New Sager 9155 always freezes during boot. Unusable. Any advice? (video inside)

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From what you described, it could be a hardware fault; most likely RAM/HDD as a CPU/GPU fault would be unlikely to corrupt your system files.

If you have spare, I guess you could try a switch. Whilst in the mean time, if you could provide a detailed log, it may help with diagnosing the issue.

Another thing you could try is cleaning and checking the connection of all your components. Unlikely anything came lose, but it couldnt hurt to try unless warranty is a factor.

 

Have you tried checking the cpu voltage in the bios?

 

Thanks, appreciate the quick reply. Could you tell me how I can procure this log? As you can see it almost immediately freezes upon booting.

 

Given OP stated that they didnt make any alterations, there would unlikely be any issue regarding voltage. It would also be unlikely that OP would be able to check voltage in the bios if its the stock one unless they have Permas one?

 

Oops, sorry, phone didnt load that part of your message for some reason. In that case, try running a memory diagnostic. Doesnt always find faults, but its a good first step.

 

How can I run a memory diagnostic? Is it possible through the bios? As you can see in the video I don´t get further than the Sager logo before it freezes after I tried to reinstall windows.

 

Not sure if Windows 10 still has fhe one you can launch without the startup.

If not then pick one from here (instructions included):
https://www.lifewire.com/free-memory-test-programs-2626178

Its a straightforward process.

 

Thanks. Although Im unable to get into windows via safe mode after I reinstalled it. Its f8 at boot right? The laptop freezes before it even gets there. Isnt that hinting at it possibly being the SSD thats at fault?

 

Can you try to access the BIOS and take picture of all the options available to you? I have a feeling that something might not show up/show up incorrectly in there.

 

Thanks. Heres the bios menu. Any specific submenu you´d also like screenshots of?

https://imgur.com/gallery/8rvj3

 

that's not the boot menu, that's the last tab to exit or save changes and exit. the boot menu is the one before it

 

Also, would it be possible somehow, to remove the SSD from the boot menu and see if I can install windows onto my 1tb 7200rpm drive and therefore diagnose whether the problem stems from the SSD?

Or install windows on a USB drive, disable the SSD and see if I can boot from that?

That would save me having to ship the entire thing which costs a fortune when sent from europe.

 

Sorry I meant bios, he asked for the bios not the boot. But thanks though, ill edit.

 

no worries, I got confused

 

The drives showed up, which is good. Do you recall installing the recent Win10 update? Did you configure Win10 to not install driver updates after you get your laptop?
Also, what do you mean by reinstalling Win10? Did you use some external flash drive to do the job, or did you simply use the reset feature of Win10?

 

Thanks for your help. Im fairly certain I had the latest windows 10 version (creators edition). Sorry, yes. I simply used the reset feature of win10.

Im starting to think that I might have a failed SSD on my hands. It would make sense considering how the laptop acted when I initially got into windows via safe mode. I tried opening apps and chrome and nothing happened. Then it finally froze. Do you know of any way to test whether its the SSD?

 

I suggest you try to swap the slot where your SSD is at to another spot. Your problem could be caused by something as simple as bad slot contact. Download the service manual here and look at instruction regarding how to pop open the keyboard if you couldn't find the SSD on the underside of the laptop.
Side question: do you carry your laptop around from indoor to outdoor often? I'm thinking that the temperature swing may affect the connection.
Testing the SSD directly is going to be a hard since you would need an A+E M.2 key to USB adapter in this case.

 

Thanks, appreciate it. I do carry it from indoor to outdoor often. I take it to work and home everyday, although its sealed well and I never leave out in the cold.

Is there no way I can just disable the ssd via bios and then try to install windows on my 7200rpm drive and see if that works? Or do I have to remove the SSD physically before I can do that?

Although im willing to open the laptop up, id like to avoid it if its possible at first. Thanks!

 

I think you have to disable UEFI under Boot tab and enable Legacy Boot or something. I don't know much about the consequences with the data on the SSD though if there's still any left.

 

Thanks! I don't care about data on the SSD. Nor the 7200rpm drive.

Anyone else feel like chiming in whether disabling uefi and enabling legacy boot might allow me to disable the SSD and install windows on my other HDD to see if the SSD that's the problem?

 

btw, the video you linked to doesn't show up.

 

I would certainly open her up and try remounting the SSD. Also make sure that the thermal pad is on it properly. You should be able to change the boot drive in BIOS menu then install Win10 to the HDD.

You can also try a bootable WinPE or Linux on a USB stick and boot to that.

 

So I tried the bootable drive.. It was super duper slow but I almost got through the install before it froze. I'm not sure if it's the usb drive I had or problems or if it's the laptop. But either way, it didn't work.

So I removed the SSD drive and the thermal pad seemed to be mounted correctly.

Now I'm trying to install windows on the 7200rpm disk with a USB image created through the microsoft tool but I can't get the microsoft install thingy to pop up when booting. I just get a blank blue screen for some reason.

Can anyone take a look at my bios and see whether my boot settings are wrong after I removed the SSD?

HTTPS://imgur.com/gallery/D9Mat

 

In the BIOS menu, can you check what is under "UEFI Setting" and "Boot" ?

 

https://imgur.com/EOTCnBT

 

Try disabling UEFI boot and check if anything pops up in boot order menu.

 

After a few reboots I actually can get into the menu Windows menu. But the installer freezes as soon as it opens, so I think we can rule out the SSD being the issue.

So I'm guessing it's the RAM or a bigger problem. What do you think?

 

Windows setup is locking up on two different bootable drives? Sounds like it might be a USB problem with the system, if that's the case. Possibly RAM, but I think you'd experience a different issue if it was memory.

 

Aight, thanks. I'll try a different usb stick too, just to be sure.

 

Yea at this point I think we can rule out SSD and driver being an issue.
Do you notice anything strange about the laptop fans at the time of freeze? Are they on maximum RPM?
What I want you to try now is to do an soft reset by unplugging the laptop, remove battery, press and hold power button for a minute or so, place battery back in, plug in power adapter. After that, try installing Windows again.
If the soft reset doesn't work, try doing an NVRAM reset. Same steps as soft reset, but in addition to removing the main battery, you must also remove the CMOS battery as well before holding down power button. What this does is resetting the BIOS settings completely. Be careful to damage any component with ESD while you are removing the CMOS battery.

 

Didn't work, thanks though.

I also did a bootable memory test and it came up with no errors. So it's neither the RAM nor the SSD. At this point I think I just have to ship it out unless anyone has other suggestions.

 

Seems to be fixed.. I removed the 1tb drive 2.5" drive and it's working again. Which is surprising. Never would've thought a failed secondary hard drive could basically kill your computers ability to operate.

 

I've seen a dead SSD do the same thing, if you get garbage back from a component during boot it can halt the whole process.

 

Cool. Glad you figured it out.

 

It failed again after 3 days. Back to the same problems. What I find very peculiar is the fact that it stopped freezing when I removed the 1 tb hard drive. Then it crashes again and its freezing again, even with the 1tb drive out. Mysterious indeed.

Btw, is there any chance a 240hz monitor could be causing crashes/unstability?

 

It could be the controller failing on the 1TB drive, can you run it in another system and disk check?

 

Can you download CrystalDiskInfo and post a screenshot of the readouts?

 

Oh and no, a 240hz monitor should be just fine.

 

Thanks, appreciate your replies. Right now its freezing at the boot screen. It will either freeze after the sager logo flashes or if I have a windows usb key connected it will freeze as soon as the windows install screen opens up.

Is it possible to use crystal with out having windows installed? I.e. can I boot it through usb?

 

No it's a windows only program. Will it boot to USB without any other drives in the system?

Could need to go back at this point.

 

Section 5 of this article has some information about using Windows PE to do a disk check. Can you try this after testing Meaker's suggestion?

 

Did OP ever get this figured out?

 

...

 

no, i just ordered a very similar setup to yours though and was following the thread, looked like yours had a number of issues (backlight bleed as well??) where did you order form?

 

in.

 

you have a pretty good attitude about it honestly...$300 extra bux to get it working is rough, but maybe that's the hard part of ordering something international, when will you get it back

 

Thanks. I will get it back by the end of the week probably. It is indeed the risk you take with purchasing a laptop overseas. Sager was more than willing to repair and fix all the issues I had, so if I had been stationed in the US it wouldnt be a big deal. The shipping and repair would be free.

But since its international it becomes expensive and time consuming. As long as it doesnt happen again, ill be okay. If they send it back to me and its not 100% then I would probably ask for a refund since I dont have the time to constantly send a unit back and forth, nor am I willing to waste the cash.

 

Got it back and have had it for a few weeks now. No problems what so ever.

 

Good to hear