My son was given an acer laptop that was running slow, I attempted to factory reset it. During the process it crashed now it shows no operating system. I have no backup and no software license. I have seen on ebay Windows 10 on USB with a license, but I don't know if I require 32 or 64 bit. All I know is it came originally with Windows 7 then upgraded to Windows 10. And the hard drive is showing in the bios. My question is, is it repairable with one of these flash drives and is 32/64 bit a requirement. It does offer to boot from a USB in the bios.
The bios should tell you what cpu the laptop has. Google the model and it will tell you whether it is 64 bit or 32 bit. In this day and age it would be astounding if it was a 32 bit processor though, that would be one old old brick of a laptop. Alternatively just Google the laptop model (normally details are found on the underside)
Thanks I will have a look.
It is repairable with one of those flash drives, but it can be quicker, and a simpler process as far as licensing goes, to just request a recovery CD/USB from ACER. You will also get the benefit of being supplied with the correct driver suite for the machine hardware.Originally Posted by saturn5
https://uk-store.acer.com/erecovery/rcd/
Many ACER machines come supplied with a recovery partition installed at the factory. You can try pressing "Alt" key and "F10" during a reboot and see if yours has as well.
Last edited by jcm3; 1st January 2018 at 20:45.
Do NOT buy this. You don't need it. It is a red herring and a waste of money.
Having upgraded from W7 to W10 it is most likely that there is what Microsoft call a digital entitlement (which is effectively a kind of key stored at Microsoft) so you probably don't need to worry about a new licence or product key.
(N.B. If the new Windows 10 doesn't pick up the digital entitlement and thus automatically activate itself then the next step would be to reinstall Windows 7 and do the upgrade to W10 again, but cross that bridge if you get to it).
This just leaves installing a new Windows 10. See below.
Then you're sorted. Use another PC to go here, https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/soft...load/windows10 (this is Microsoft's official Windows 10 download site), and download the 'Media Creation Tool' (available via the 'Download tool now' link). Run this tool on your other PC and it will download all that you need to do a fresh install on the laptop and it will write it all to a USB stick.
Read the notes on the web page for full information. It's quite useful info.
The tool lets you choose 32 or 64 bits as well as ISO or USB. Obviously you need the USB installer if you're going to use a USB memory stick to do the installation on the laptop.
Note that a fresh install of Windows 10 from a USB stick will probably destroy any existing data on the laptop so make sure you have external copies of everything you need before you start the installation on the laptop.
As for figuring out if you need 32 or 64 bit, look at the specs of the laptop and let us know the exact CPU spec here. We can tell if you you need 32 or 64 bit.
Last edited by markrlondon; 1st January 2018 at 21:10. Reason: Fixed typo
Personally I would not go that route unless a plain, fresh Windows 10 install did not work.
I can't find anything on the machine or in the bios which tells me which cpu. The only indicator is the video memory is 64mb.? The model is aspire 1410 originally on Windows 7, 3gb ram, Intel celeron 743 1.3 ghz.
That's it: It's a 64 bit processor. Specs here: https://ark.intel.com/products/37135...Hz-800-MHz-FSB
So choose the 64 bit version of the Windows 10 installer in the Media Creation Tool.
Thanks Mark.
I've done this quite recently. Win 7 machine crashed (windows update what else) and I couldn't recover it.
I couldn't reinstall win7 from a usb as it only contains generic drivers and I didn't have the correct Dell ones. Dell chat was useless.
Yes you should be able to use your win 7 licence but if it came as a pre loaded OS not a purchased one, you won't be able to use it without contacting the manufacturer. Absolute con this is but there is plenty on the web about it.
I bought a new win 10 licence from software geeks, about £24. Worked fine and I had the machine up and running in about an hour.
Los of things should work but don't - recovery discs, existing licences, reinstalling the existing OS. But if you don't have a repair disc yourself or a saved image of your system then its a right royal pita.
My pleasure. Let us know how it goes.
I should also add that a classic problem that causes update problems in Windows, especially when trying to update or upgrade Windows 10, is faulty memory. A computer with faulty memory can often seem to run Windows ok most of the time but can exhibit bizarre problems when trying to update or upgrade.
It is well worth testing the memory before you proceed.
You can download one of the classic memory test tools, Memtest86+, here: http://www.memtest.org. Download the USB auto-installer version of 5.01, labelled "Download - Auto-installer for USB Key (Win 9x/2k/xp/7)". Direct download link here.
Unzip the downloaded file and run the program to build the USB memory stick. Make sure you specify the correct USB drive when doing so. You can then boot the laptop using the USB stick containing Memtest86+ and test the memory. It's very straightforward. Let it do two or three full passes. If you get any red error results then you know the memory is faulty.
This version of Memtest86+ dates from 2013 but that's fine for your laptop.
(For the avoidance of doubt, a similar program called Memtest86 is newer but is more complex and is probably not needed to test your laptop's memory.)
If you do find faulty memory, don't worry. The Acer you've got probably uses DDR2 SODIMMs which are easily and cheaply available so you could easily replace the faulty memory for no more than £15 or so.
Last edited by markrlondon; 2nd January 2018 at 04:53.
Bear in mind that:
(a) One machine and one manufacturer is not another machine and another manufacturer.
(b) Not all computers can be upgraded to Windows 10 (although most that were originally supplied with W7 can do so).
(c) What stopped you downloading the W7 drivers from Dell's website when you were trying to reinstall W7? Whatever one thinks of Dell, the website is generally very good about providing drivers for supported operating systems. If you have the service tag for your laptop then you should be able to see if the W7 drivers are on the website. The service tag is on a label on the bottom of the laptop and is also visible on the BIOS screen.
(d) The machine in question here in this thread has, according to the OP, already been successfully upgraded to Windows 10. The issue here is therefore to re-install Windows 10 on a machine that most certainly is entitled to run it, has run it, and for which a legitimate digital licence therefore exists.
Last edited by markrlondon; 2nd January 2018 at 04:14.
I have the boot USB, but it says it can't repair windows, so I've tried to install Windows but it says It can't be installed on drive partitions 1-5
Does it list any other partitions? Are you able to see the size of the partitions in the installer? At some stage you should usually be shown a list of partitions.
If this was my computer I'd simply delete all the existing partitions (this can be done in the W10 installer) and then let the installer repartition as necessary. If the list of partitions does not appear automatically for you then you'd need to select the "Custom: Install Windows only (advanced)" option when given the chance. From there, you can delete all existing partitions and allow the installer to re-create the partitions it wants.
I hasten to add that if you have any data you want to keep on the hard disk that you copy it out before proceeding!
Are you near London? If we can meet up, I can probably do all this for you quite quickly.
P.S. There are some useful instructions here: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...a-4a3181625b08. Follow the instructions in the section entitled "Perform a Clean Install on an Empty Hard Disk/SSD or Reinstall by Booting from Install Media (DVD or USB Thumb Drive)", which applies even if you have stuff on the hard drive as in your case. It covers deleting any existing partitions.
Last edited by markrlondon; 2nd January 2018 at 19:31.
Mark, if only it had been that simple. I'm not IT tech but I can follow instructions. The dell site would list me all the software for my exact machine from the serial number but nothing actually worked when I tried to download it. I just got error message after error message. I even received an email from the site confirming they had received a request for one part but nothing useful came. I was short of time and it wasn't practical to wait until there was a real dell person to speak to. Equally it shouldn't have been necessary.
I grant you a machine that has already had had win 10 on it should have been ok but I wouldn't put money on it to work first time. I'd argue a preloaded licence is a legitimate product and should be treated the same as an off the shelf one yet MS doesn't see it that way.
I agree with you as far as what should work but it turned out to be a process that was too fraught with pitfalls that weren't IT complexity just basic stuff that didn't actually work.
I got there in the end, which was what mattered, and I spent a little money but I shouldn't really have had to.
David
Frustrating and I agree it shouldn't have been necessary but these things happen. One can usually sort it out if it is (a) meant to work (i.e. compatible hardware) and (b) there are no hardware faults.
Unexpected hardware faults, especially memory problems (as I mentioned above), can really confuse things and slow down diagnostic procedures.
Actually Microsoft definitely does see it that way with upgrades to Windows 10, with one caveat: That an OEM licence (i.e. the sort supplied pre-installed by Dell and others) is good only for the computer on which it was first supplied. A motherboard change is treated as a new computer. For a laptop the motherboard change will not (usually) be an issue.
If W7 or W8 (even OEM licences) were upgraded to W10 and activated, then a digital entitlement for the appropriate edition of W10 will exist and should allow future fresh installs of W10 on that same computer (which will be automatically activated). If it doesn't work on hardware that should be compatible then there'll be a reason that can be addressed (if you persevere).
I accept that things don't always work first time, even when they should, but there's always some reason for it and part of the fun is figuring out the issues. ;-)
P.S. The assistive technology free upgrade for W7 and W8 to W10 apparently expired on 31/12/2017. I've not yet had a chance to see if it's really been disabled. If so, then no more free upgrades from W7/W8 to W10. :-( (Although, as above, previously activated upgrades should still be re-installable).
Last edited by markrlondon; 2nd January 2018 at 20:29.
Drive 0 partition 1 recovery 600 mb type :recovery
Partition 2 esp 300 mb type : system
Partition 3 128 mb type :msr reserved
Partition 4 acer 134 GB type :primary
Partition 5 push button reset 14 GB type : recovery
Sorry Mark I'm no where near London, your help is much appreciated, but please bare with me.
This was very helpful https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...a-4a3181625b08.
Windows appears to be installing.
Ok, here are what the partitions do.
Partition 1 is an Acer recovery partition. You can boot into this by holding down a certain key combination at boot up, by pressing a particular button, or by a BIOS option. It will (probably) reset the entire computer back to factory settings (Windows 7, etc.). If you don't care about going back to Windows 7 then you can delete this in the W10 installer.
Partition 2 is probably an EFI system partition. This can be deleted and will be replaced by the W10 installer. If you choose to keep Partition 1 then keep this one too.
Partition 3 supports the Windows boot process. This can be deleted and will be replaced by the W10 installer.
Partition 4 is the main data partition that contains Windows, your programs and user data. Clearly, if you there's nothing you need on the disk then you can delete this partition.
Partition 5 is another Acer-provided system reset partition. I presume that you can press a particular button and it will use the contents of this partition to recover the computer back to factory settings.
All in all, as long as there is nothing you need on the disk then you can delete all five partitions using the W10 installer and then let the installer create new partitions as it sees fit (this is what the guide I linked to shows you how to do). That's what I'd do.
Let me just add three caveats:
(1) If you delete partitions 1, 2, and 5 (or even just one of them possibly) then you will lose any chance there might be to recover back to original Windows 7 factory settings. Personally this would not bother me. I'd delete them. Windows 7 is ancient history and if Windows 10 has previously worked on this computer then nothing in those three partitions will matter.
(2) For ultimate safely, you could backup the entire hard disk before doing anything else. That way you could at least recover to the current status if you had to.
(3) If you experience very long hangs in the installation process then run a memory test as per #11.
Ah excellent! Hopefully this will work ok for you.
If you experience any VERY long hangs in the process then have a look at the third caveat I added in my message immediately above about memory testing,
When you have successfully completed installation then your W10 should be automatically activated as soon as you go online (using the digital entitlement from the previous W10 installation).
Thanks very much Mark. I owe you a beer or two. All appears to be working.
Woohoo! I'm very glad it went ok. :-)
To return to the subject of licencing & activation it looks like I might have to go the Softwaregeeks route following the purchase of a Dell pc from a ebay supplier. It was originally Windows 7 Pro (& has a CoA attached to the case) but had been 'upgraded' to Windows 10 Pro. Shortly after delivery it displayed a 'your Windows activation is about to expire' splash screen so i contacted the vendor & he asked to connect by Teamviewer. He loaded a small program & after running it the nag screen has gone away. It seems that there exists hooky utilites to activate Windows 10 (& other programs such as Office) but I don't know what will happen if I format the drive & do a clean install, which is what I planned to do anyway. I doubt the digital licence exits on the MS servers so I'm expecting the activation nag screen to come back.
I like the pc & it was a good price so I'm not really interested in returning it & I can't see the seller sending me a valid copy of Windows 10 so I'm potentially a bit stuck. if I could I'd install Windows 7 & upgrade to 10 but that ship has sailed.
If you head over to https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/acce...ndows10upgrade you may still be able to download Win10 for free but you'll have to be quick the offer ends on 18 January.
jim
Thanks, that was due to expire at the end of 2017.
Says 16 January (2018!) in the link!
Yes indeed it does & I was grateful to Jim for pointing out it's been extended by a few days.
Me too! I have my "old" desktop here next to me on Windows 7.
Cheers to you and Jim
You might like to have a look at this page I came across:
https://www.howtogeek.com/266072/you...-8-or-8.1-key/
It seems you can validate a W10 installation just by entering your W7 key. They tried it on the 5th & it worked so it may be worth a go.
Indeed, there are crackers around for all Microsoft activation. They all get disabled by hotfixes eventually.
Why it needs a cracker when you have a Windows 7 Pro COA I can't imagine. It should have been legitimately upgradable (and should have been legitimately activated).
As you note, you can activate a Windows 10 installing a Windows 7 product key but considering that your Windows 10 has apparently been cracked, I would not trust anything running on it.
I would strongly recommend that you completely delete everything on the laptop's hard disk (backup important data first of course, or backup the entire disk for extra security) and then:
(a) Do a fresh install of Windows 7 Pro using the COA on the laptop. If that activates successfully then do the upgrade to Windows 10 and you should have an legitimately and properly upgraded Windows 10 installation. Or...
(b) Do a clean install of W10 and activate using the W7 Pro COA.
As a general point, allowing strangers to run dodgy cracking programs on your laptop is very, very unwise.
Last edited by markrlondon; 16th January 2018 at 19:21. Reason: Fixed logic error
It's interesting that they extended it. I had a feeling it had not really been disabled on 31st December.
I do wonder if they will allow it indefinitely, even if they don't advertise it.
(Note that to utilise the assistive technology upgrade, it's not actually necessary in my experience to use the upgrade tool downloaded from the assistive technology web page. Any normal method of upgrading from W7/8/8.1 to W10 will work.)
Last edited by markrlondon; 9th January 2018 at 16:42.
Great thread, and this is somewhat off at a tangent. Where I have reused windows hardware in the past, redundant servers, laptops with failed disks, etc, I have used Linux as an alternative, as many people do. The reason for the post is that the one I did over Christmas seemed a much better, slicker installation. It was 64 bit Mint mate 18 and it is getting away from being geeky and starting to look seriously professional. I put Samba onto it and connected a windows machine straight to it, no problem. Now I can re-use 2 x 500G drives for essentially no cost and with minimal specialist technical knowledge.
Definitely think it is worth a thought nowadays.
Just to confirm something posted previously; it does seem that you can use a Windows 7 product key to authorise a Windows 10 installation. I formatted the drive on the PC I bought to eliminate any nasties (as far as possible anyway) & downloaded the Windows 10 install from Mark's MS link. I ran it as a new installation, entered the Windows 7 product key from the sticker on the PC & Windows now reports I have an authorised digital licence.
I suspect that in order to get users onto Windows 10 MS have taken a pragmatic view about leaving these alternative licencing routes open, at least for now.
Yes, I think so too.
Historically they've had a similar attitude to Visual Studio.
The program he used modifies the registry so windows doesn't look for activation anymore. There is a way to upgrade it from win7 to win10 though, I'll try to find the link and come back to you.
Sent from my [device_name] using TZ-UK mobile app
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
