Acer Aspire 5737z Service Guide

							Chapter 4121
No Display Issue
If the Display doesn’t work, perform the following actions one at a time to correct the problem. Do not replace 
a non-defective FRUs:
No POST or Video
If the POST or video doesn’t display, perform the following actions one at a time to correct the problem.
1.Make sure that the internal display is selected. On this notebook model, switching between the internal 
display and the external display is done by pressing Fn+F5. Reference Product pages for specific model 
procedures.
2.Make sure the computer has power by checking at least one of the following occurs:
•Fans start up 
•Status LEDs light up
If there is no power, see “Power On Issue” on page 120.
3.Drain any stored power by removing the power cable and battery and holding down the power button for 
10 seconds. Reconnect the power and reboot the computer.
4.Connect an external monitor to the computer and switch between the internal display and the external 
display is by pressing Fn+F5 (on this model). 
If the POST or video appears on the external display, see “LCD Failure” on page 123.
5.Disconnect power and all external devices including port replicators or docking stations. Remove any 
memory cards and CD/DVD discs. Restart the computer.
If the computer boots correctly, add the devices one by one until the failure point is discovered.
6.Reseat the memory modules.
7.Remove the drives (see “Disassembly Process” on page 42).
8.If the Issue is still not resolved, see “Online Support Information” on page 175. 
						

							122Chapter 4
Abnormal Video Display
If video displays abnormally, perform the following actions one at a time to correct the problem.
1.Reboot the computer.
2.If permanent vertical/horizontal lines or dark spots display in the same location, the LCD is faulty and 
should be replaced. See “Disassembly Process” on page 42.
3.If extensive pixel damage is present (different colored spots in the same locations on the screen), the LCD 
is faulty and should be replaced. See “Disassembly Process” on page 42.
4.Adjust the brightness to its highest level. See the User Manual for instructions on adjusting settings. 
NOTE: Ensure that the computer is not running on battery alone as this may reduce display brightness.
If the display is too dim at the highest brightness setting, the LCD is faulty and should be replaced. See 
“Disassembly Process” on page 42.
5.Check the display resolution is correctly configured:
a.Minimize or close all Windows. 
b.If display size is only abnormal in an application, check the view settings and control/mouse wheel 
zoom feature in the application. 
c.If desktop display resolution is not normal, right-click on the desktop and select 
Personalize´ Display Settings. 
d.Click and drag the Resolution slider to the desired resolution. 
e.Click Apply and check the display. Readjust if necessary.
6.Roll back the video driver to the previous version if updated.
7.Remove and reinstall the video driver.
8.Check the Device Manager to determine that:
•The device is properly installed. There are no red Xs or yellow exclamation marks. 
•There are no device conflicts. 
•No hardware is listed under Other Devices.
9.If the Issue is still not resolved, see “Online Support Information” on page 175.
10.Run the Windows Memory Diagnostic from the operating system DVD and follow the onscreen prompts.
11 .If the Issue is still not resolved, see “Online Support Information” on page 175.
Random Loss of BIOS Settings
If the computer is experiencing intermittent loss of BIOS information, perform the following actions one at a 
time to correct the problem.
1.If the computer is more than one year old, replace the CMOS battery.
2.Run a complete virus scan using up-to-date software to ensure the computer is virus free.
3.If the computer is experiencing HDD or ODD BIOS information loss, disconnect and reconnect the power 
and data cables between devices.
If the BIOS settings are still lost, replace the cables.
4.If HDD information is missing from the BIOS, the drive may be defective and should be replaced. 
5.Replace the Motherboard.
6.If the Issue is still not resolved, see “Online Support Information” on page 175. 
						

							Chapter 4123
LCD Failure
If the LCD fails, perform the following actions one at a time to correct the problem. Do not replace a non-
defective FRUs:
Built-In Keyboard Failure
If the built-in Keyboard fails, perform the following actions one at a time to correct the problem. Do not replace 
a non-defective FRUs: 
						

							124Chapter 4
TouchPad Failure
If the To u c h P a d doesn’t work, perform the following actions one at a time to correct the problem. Do not 
replace a non-defective FRUs:
Internal Speaker Failure
If the internal Speakers fail, perform the following actions one at a time to correct the problem. Do not replace 
a non-defective FRUs: 
						

							Chapter 4125
Sound Problems
If sound problems are experienced, perform the following actions one at a time to correct the problem.
1.Reboot the computer.
2.Navigate to Start´ Control Panel´ System and Maintenance´ System´ Device Manager. Check 
the Device Manager to determine that:
•The device is properly installed. 
•There are no red Xs or yellow exclamation marks. 
•There are no device conflicts. 
•No hardware is listed under Other Devices.
3.Roll back the audio driver to the previous version, if updated recently.
4.Remove and reinstall the audio driver.
5.Ensure that all volume controls are set mid range:
a.Click the volume icon on the taskbar and drag the slider to 50. Ensure that the volume is not muted.
b.Click Mixer to verify that other audio applications are set to 50 and not muted.
6.Navigate to Start´ Control Panel´ Hardware and Sound´ Sound. Ensure that Speakers are selected 
as the default audio device (green check mark).
NOTE: If Speakers does not show, right-click on the Playback tab and select Show Disabled Devices 
(clear by default).
7.Select Speakers and click Configure to start Speaker Setup. Follow the onscreen prompts to configure 
the speakers.
8.Remove and recently installed hardware or software.
9.Restore system and file settings from a known good date using System Restore. 
If the issue is not fixed, repeat the preceding steps and select an earlier time and date.
10.Reinstall the Operating System.
11 .If the Issue is still not resolved, see “Online Support Information” on page 175. 
						

							126Chapter 4
Internal Microphone Failure
If the internal Microphone fails, perform the following actions one at a time to correct the problem. Do not 
replace a non-defective FRUs:
Microphone Problems
If internal or external Microphones do no operate correctly, perform the following actions one at a time to 
correct the problem.
1.Check that the microphone is enabled. Navigate to Start´ Control Panel´ Hardware and Sound´ 
Sound and select the Recording tab.
2.Right-click on the Recording tab and select Show Disabled Devices (clear by default). 
3.The microphone appears on the Recording tab. 
4.Right-click on the microphone and select Enable.
5.Select the microphone then click Properties. Select the Levels tab.
6.Increase the volume to the maximum setting and click OK.
7.Test the microphone hardware:
a.Select the microphone and click Configure.
b.Select Set up microphone.
c.Select the microphone type from the list and click Next.
d.Follow the onscreen prompts to complete the test.
8.If the Issue is still not resolved, see “Online Support Information” on page 175. 
						

							Chapter 4127
HDD Not Operating Correctly
If the HDD does not operate correctly, perform the following actions one at a time to correct the problem. 
1.Disconnect all external devices.
2.Run a complete virus scan using up-to-date software to ensure the computer is virus free. 
3.Run the Windows Vista Startup Repair Utility:
a.insert the Windows Vista Operating System DVD in the ODD and restart the computer. 
b.When prompted, press any key to start to the operating system DVD. 
c.The Install Windows screen displays. Click Next. 
d.Select Repair your computer. 
e.The System Recovery Options screen displays. Click Next. 
f.Select the appropriate operating system, and click Next. 
NOTE: Click Load Drivers if controller drives are required. 
g.Select Startup Repair. 
h.Startup Repair attempts to locate and resolve issues with the computer.
i.When complete, click Finish. 
If an issue is discovered, follow the onscreen information to resolve the problem.
4.Run the Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool. For more information see Windows Help and Support.
5.Restart the computer and press F2 to enter the BIOS Utility. Check the BIOS settings are correct and that 
CD/DVD drive is set as the first boot device on the Boot menu.
6.Ensure all cables and jumpers on the HDD and ODD are set correctly.
7.Remove any recently added hardware and associated software.
8.Run the Windows Disk Defragmenter. For more information see Windows Help and Support.
9.Run Windows Check Disk by entering chkdsk /r from a command prompt. For more information see 
Windows Help and Support.
10.Restore system and file settings from a known good date using System Restore. 
If the issue is not fixed, repeat the preceding steps and select an earlier time and date.
11 .Replace the HDD. See “Disassembly Process” on page 42. 
						

							128Chapter 4
ODD Failure
If the ODD fails, perform the following actions one at a time to correct the problem. Do not replace a non-
defective FRUs:
ODD Not Operating Correctly
If the ODD exhibits any of the following symptoms it may be faulty:
•Audio CDs do not play when loaded 
•DVDs do not play when loaded 
•Blank discs do not burn correctly 
•DVD or CD play breaks up or jumps 
•Optical drive not found or not active: 
•Not shown in My Computer or the BIOS setup 
•LED does not flash when the computer starts up 
•The tray does not eject
•Access failure screen displays
•The ODD is noisy
Perform the following general solutions one at a time to correct the problem.
1.Reboot the computer and retry the operation.
2.Try an alternate disc.
3.Navigate to Start´ Computer. Check that the ODD device is displayed in the Devices with Removable 
Storage panel.
4.Navigate to Start´ Control Panel´ System and Maintenance´ System´ Device Manager. 
						

							Chapter 4129
a.Double-click lDE ATA/ATAPI controllers. If a device displays a down arrow, right-click on the device 
and click Enable.
b.Double-click DVD/CD-ROM drives. If the device displays a down arrow, right-click on the device and 
click Enable.
c.Check that there are no yellow exclamation marks against the items in l D E  ATA / ATA P I  c o n t r o l l e r s. If 
a device has an exclamation mark, right-click on the device and uninstall and reinstall the driver.
d.Check that there are no yellow exclamation marks against the items in DVD/CD-ROM drives. If a 
device has an exclamation mark, right-click on the device and uninstall and reinstall the driver.
e.If the exclamation marker is not removed from the item in the lists, try removing any recently installed 
software and retrying the operation.
Discs Do Not Play
If discs do not play when inserted in the drive, perform the following actions one at a time to correct the 
problem.
1.Check that the disc is correctly seated in the drive tray and that the label on the disc is visible.
2.Check that the media is clean and scratch free. 
3.Try an alternate disc in the drive.
4.Ensure that AutoPlay is enabled:
a.Navigate to Start´ Control Panel´ Hardware and Sound´ AutoPlay.
b.Select Use AutoPlay for all media and devices.
c.In the Audio CD and DVD Movie fields, select the desired player from the drop down menu.
5.Check that the Regional Code is correct for the selected media:
IMPORTANT:Region can only be changed a limited number of times. After Changes remaining reaches zero, 
the region cannot be changed even Windows is reinstalled or the drive is moved to another computer.
a.Navigate to Start´ Control Panel´ System and Maintenance´ System´ Device Manager.
b.Double-click DVD/CD-ROM drives. 
c.Right-click DVD drive and click Properties, then click the DVD Region tab.
d.Select the region suitable for the media inserted in the drive.
Discs Do Not Burn Properly
If discs can not be burned, perform the following actions one at a time to correct the problem.
1.Ensure that the default drive is record enabled:
a.Navigate to Start´ Computer and right-click the writable ODD icon. Click Properties.
b.Select the Recording tab. In the Desktop disc recording panel, select the writable ODD from the 
drop down list. 
c.Click OK.
2.Ensure that the software used for burning discs is the factory default. If using different software, refer to 
the softwares user manual.
Playback is Choppy
If playback is choppy or jumps, perform the following actions one at a time to correct the problem.
1.Check that system resources are not running low:
a.Try closing some applications.
b.Reboot and try the operation again.
2.Check that the ODD controller transfer mode is set to DMA:
a.Navigate to Start´ Control Panel´ System and Maintenance´ System´ Device Manager. 
						

							130Chapter 4
b.Double-click IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers, then right-click ATA Device 0. 
c.Click Properties and select the Advanced Settings tab. Ensure that the Enable DMA box is 
checked and click OK. 
d.Repeat for the other ATA Devices shown if applicable.
Drive Not Detected
If Windows cannot detect the drive, perform the following actions one at a time to correct the problem.
1.Restart the computer and press F2 to enter the BIOS Utility. 
2.Check that the drive is detected in the ATAPI Model Name field on the Information page. 
NOTE: Check that the entry is identical to one of the ODDs specified in “Hardware Specifications and 
Configurations” on page 17.
3.Turn off the power and remove the cover to inspect the connections to the ODD. See “Disassembly 
Process” on page 42.
a.Check for broken connectors on the drive, motherboard, and cables. 
b.Check for bent or broken pins on the drive, motherboard, and cable connections. 
c.Try an alternate cable, if available. If the drive works with the new cable, the original cable should be 
replaced.
4.Reseat the drive ensuring and all cables are connected correctly.
5.Replace the ODD. See “Disassembly Process” on page 42.
Drive Read Failure
If discs cannot be read when inserted in the drive, perform the following actions one at a time to correct the 
problem.
1.Remove and clean the failed disc. 
2.Retry reading the CD or DVD. 
d.Test the drive using other discs.
e.Play a DVD movie 
f.Listen to a music CD
If the ODD works properly with alternate discs, the original disc is probably defective and should be 
replaced.
3.Turn off the power and remove the cover to inspect the connections to the ODD. See “Disassembly 
Process” on page 42.
a.Check for broken connectors on the drive, motherboard, and cables. 
b.Check for bent or broken pins on the drive, motherboard, and cable connections. 
c.Try an alternate cable, if available. If the drive works with the new cable, the original cable should be 
replaced.
4.Replace the ODD. See “Disassembly Process” on page 42.