Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: jereboam on 01 July 2010, 10:41:16
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Don't laugh.
My son, in his infinite wisdom, has managed to destroy the Acer laptop we bought him when he went of to university 3 years ago. He managed this by the time-honoured process of connecting to every dodgy looking file-sharing site he could locate. Naturally, he succeeded in picking up enough malware to utterly destroy his Windows Vista OS.
Now, having been unemployed for nearly two years, I can't afford to replace his computer - I can't even afford to replace mine! An intelligent friend of his has helped him to recover almost all of his files, but she can't get rid of the virus (or whatever it is), because it has disabled the AV software.
My advice is to wipe the system and start again, but Acer don't seem to have provided any recovery mechanism - no disc, no recovery partition. And I've not actually managed to get my hands on the system to have a look - I suspect there may be things there that he doesn't want me to see.
So - the question: anyone know how to restore Windows Vista without a disc? Alternatively, anyone know where I can get hold of a disc?
All advice gratefully received. :( :( :(
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Acer hide the partition for recovery, if he has all the data he wants safe then factory reset it by:
ALT+F10 (tap both while booting)
Press enter at the "edit boot options" screen
select "restore to factory defaults"
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Sadly, MS spend most of their time trying to prevent you from re-using their OSs these days. I can't get you past that one. Sorry.
If he's still a studnet then there are discounts on buying new. Also there's Linux if he was prepared to make the transition.
Otherwise, you don't say how far the machine boots. Can you run a free AV downloaded from t'internet onto it? Can you get the HDD as a second drive on a good desktop and run an av scan from there?
Sorry about the 2 yrs. Not far off that myself.
HTH
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3 years is damn good for Windows lappy, bet it was running like sack of poo! I re-built mine at Uni every 3-5 months (XP), but i had a recovery image DVD that restored it to factory settings within 20 minutes, so re-builds were a doddle
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I dont think Acer's come with recovery disks, so u maybe able to go on there site and download the recovery software that way if possible?
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Acer hide the partition for recovery, if he has all the data he wants safe then factory reset it by:
ALT+F10 (tap both while booting)
Press enter at the "edit boot options" screen
select "restore to factory defaults"
I always thought that "restore to factory defaults" only applied to the hardware settings. But I have only come across the phrase in connection with old mainboards and a fairly well-hidden microswitch. Is it part of Vista?
My knowledge of MS operating systems only goes as far as XP. Vista seemed like a step backwards, so I didn't bother to upgrade, and I can't afford to go to W7 now. :(
Edit: forgot to say "thanks" - thanks. :)
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I dont think Acer's come with recovery disks, so u maybe able to go on there site and download the recovery software that way if possible?
It was nearly 3 years ago - can't remember what came with the system.
[Whisper mode] There was a Sony Vaio on offer for much the same price when he got the Acer - I thought he should have gone for that. [/Whisper mode] :)
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content deleted as it discussed duplication of copywrite software
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Both my Acer Laptops came with software to burn your own recovery discs
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Is he still at Uni or does he still have contacts there? If so just google Windows 7 academic, you can buy a new full copy for 30-40 quid if I remember correctly. I know thats precious drinking money but it solves the problem of accessing the hidden partition, gets rid of Vista and gets you a CD ready for future reinstalls :)
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Is he still at Uni or does he still have contacts there? If so just google Windows 7 academic, you can buy a new full copy for 30-40 quid if I remember correctly. I know thats precious drinking money but it solves the problem of accessing the hidden partition, gets rid of Vista and gets you a CD ready for future reinstalls :)
Now that's an interesting question! He passed his exams, but he hasn't graduated yet - that's 2 weeks away. So I suppose he's still a student.
I tried to check it out, but it needs his university e-mail address, and the validation process sends a message to it, so he'll have to do it himself. I don't think they'll bother to check with the university offices to see if he's staying on as a student - I think it will all depend how long he can retain the academic e-mail address.
Thanks for the suggestion.
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Is he still at Uni or does he still have contacts there? If so just google Windows 7 academic, you can buy a new full copy for 30-40 quid if I remember correctly. I know thats precious drinking money but it solves the problem of accessing the hidden partition, gets rid of Vista and gets you a CD ready for future reinstalls :)
Now that's an interesting question! He passed his exams, but he hasn't graduated yet - that's 2 weeks away. So I suppose he's still a student.
I tried to check it out, but it needs his university e-mail address, and the validation process sends a message to it, so he'll have to do it himself. I don't think they'll bother to check with the university offices to see if he's staying on as a student - I think it will all depend how long he can retain the academic e-mail address.
Thanks for the suggestion.
You're welcome :)
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content deleted as it discussed duplication of copywrite software
Thanks for the offer! What's the difference between the Acer Vista DVD and the "Vista setup disc from Acer"?
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Not sure how vista works, but is there a keycode /licence sticker on the laptop, then would not a copy of Vista be able to be installed using your own code.
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acer dvd is just a standard setup disc, acer setup disc is from acer has all vista settigs and for all acers its 9gb disc coded and i need to put pass code in.
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Not sure how vista works, but is there a keycode /licence sticker on the laptop, then would not a copy of Vista be able to be installed using your own code.
I would think you are correct, but we don't have any sort of Vista installation disc. And I can't think of anyone I know who might have one - everyone hated it and "downgraded" to XP Pro. Or they bought an Acer and never got one in the first place. :)
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acer dvd is just a standard setup disc, acer setup disc is from acer has all vista settigs and for all acers its 9gb disc coded and i need to put pass code in.
Sounds like we should have the disc then, but I don't remember seeing it, and it's not there now. Mind you, my memory's a bit dodgy, and/or the lad could have lost it.
Ho hum. :(
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I would chance ringing Microsoft and asking them for help - forgive me if you've already done this - you never know, they may well be of assistance.
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I would chance ringing Microsoft and asking them for help - forgive me if you've already done this - you never know, they may well be of assistance.
Haven't done it yet, but he only returned last night, and it took us the best part of an hour to unload his car. The contents of a student's room is now piled up in the hallway, blocking access to the living room and downstairs loo. Priority has to be given to getting that lot clear, as the management has invited the rest of the coven a number of friends round for a take-away tomorrow.
Another possibility would be to contact Acer.
But the biggest problem is that the lad bought me the the latest Terry Pratchett for Fathers' Day. He picked it up when he got home, and I won't get any sense out of him till he's finished it. :(
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Not sure how vista works, but is there a keycode /licence sticker on the laptop, then would not a copy of Vista be able to be installed using your own code.
I don't 'do' Acers but it's highly likely it will be an OEM key and need an OEM Vista CD to install from (possibly even a tailored Acer CD).
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I would chance ringing Microsoft and asking them for help - forgive me if you've already done this - you never know, they may well be of assistance.
Haven't done it yet, but he only returned last night, and it took us the best part of an hour to unload his car. The contents of a student's room is now piled up in the hallway, blocking access to the living room and downstairs loo. Priority has to be given to getting that lot clear, as the management has invited the rest of the coven a number of friends round for a take-away tomorrow.
Another possibility would be to contact Acer.
But the biggest problem is that the lad bought me the the latest Terry Pratchett for Fathers' Day. He picked it up when he got home, and I won't get any sense out of him till he's finished it. :(
Methinks it's time you pulled up the deckchair and gave him an opportunity to become 'independent'. ;)
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I would chance ringing Microsoft and asking them for help - forgive me if you've already done this - you never know, they may well be of assistance.
Haven't done it yet, but he only returned last night, and it took us the best part of an hour to unload his car. The contents of a student's room is now piled up in the hallway, blocking access to the living room and downstairs loo. Priority has to be given to getting that lot clear, as the management has invited the rest of the coven a number of friends round for a take-away tomorrow.
Another possibility would be to contact Acer.
But the biggest problem is that the lad bought me the the latest Terry Pratchett for Fathers' Day. He picked it up when he got home, and I won't get any sense out of him till he's finished it. :(
Methinks it's time you pulled up the deckchair and gave him an opportunity to become 'independent'. ;)
TBH, if he gets a job, I could do with the rent money.
I'll give him a few weeks - graduation is on 13th July, then we're off on holiday (he may come with) on 24th July, then it's his 21st birthday on 5th August.
6th August, he starts real life!
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Acer laptops don't come with a recovery disc they use a recovery partition on the HD to restore to factory pre authorised state (so the key is unnecessary it's built into the restore).
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Reboot, Hit F2 to get in the bios.
On the main settings screen ensure D2D Recovery is enabled then exit.
On start up hitting F11 should begin the recovery process.
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Simples .. and I've just done it for a friends laptop.
You can use any copy of Vista you like, as long as it has the same "version" as yours ... Vista Home basic or Vista Home Premium, just borrow one from a friend. As long as you use your own serial number, which should be on a sticker attached to the laptop, and also says which version you have (had) you are acting totally legaly.
So, get hold of a disc, set the system to boot from the CD, reformat the drive, install Vista, and you have a clean install, but may have a few missing drivers.
Using another system that is connected to t'internet, down load the drivers - usualy available from the makers site .. even if archived - copy to a memory stick and transfer to the laptop.
Once the laptop is running and has internet access you can , quite legally, and with no problems, "activate" it then do all the windows updates.
Takes a while but is very simple to do.
If you can't get hold of a Vista disk, I can loan you one .. just need to know which version.
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Brand new vista 32 bit. http://www.ebuyer.com/product/123052
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Brand new vista 32 bit. http://www.ebuyer.com/product/123052
If you spend money on an OS then bypass Vista and go for W7 64bit.
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/173791
Only a £1 more exspensive :y