Help with clean windows 7 install on Acer desktop - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

TSXCman · 05-18-2011, 06:10 PM

hey guys,

Main question:
Is it possible to re install win 7 with someone else's install disc? then put in my serial when i get to it? I am getting mixed results from searching, some people say yes, some people say it flags your windows serial as being used illegally and nulls it.

background:
I recently picked up an inexpensive Acer desktop that had Win 7 prem preloaded on it. The cashier warned that it was a returned item, so I suspected I would have someone else's initial load already setup.

Upon booting up the computer, it already had a guy's name, and a couple of the bloatware programs installed and running. He also seemed to have deleted my Acer recovery partition in the hard drive to save space (people tend to burn the 15gb of discs then remove the partition.

Unfortunately for me I now am missing the means to have a fresh start/ a clean windows 7 install without any bloatware.

I attempted to use a recovery disc burned from my laptop that is similar, and the outcome was a currupted boot drive now. It overwrote any previous info on the HDD, so now I am in a bind.

Acer will send me the recovery discs for $$, but I'd also need to wait for shipping.

Thanks in advance guys

boogerz · 05-18-2011, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TSXCman

hey guys,

Main question:
Is it possible to re install win 7 with someone else's install disc? then put in my serial when i get to it?

The answer is yes. When you're done the install, Windows will prompt you to enter your serial

ricosuave · 05-18-2011, 07:09 PM

here is the download link for win 7 isos from MS

http://techpp.com/2009/11/11/downloa...ownload-links/

TSXCman · 05-18-2011, 10:00 PM

thanks guys,

as soon as the download is finished I am going to burn it and try to boot my computer from it.

the iso for win7 prem is 3gb. from my experience OS usually take up about 15 gb

EDIT: Burned the iso and tried to reboot, boot to dvd. but it tells me to press any key to boot from disc, then says an error and reboots.

may need to order the acer discs

Rathji · 05-19-2011, 05:25 AM

If you would like another copy to try with, send me PM. Downtown pickup or deep SE.

ricosuave · 05-19-2011, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TSXCman

then says an error and reboots.

what is the error?

boogerz · 05-19-2011, 09:49 PM

If you have a USB drive big enough, try this

http://www.techmixer.com/install-win...-memory-drive/

Disregard Vista in the title, it will work with Windows 7

TSXCman · 05-19-2011, 10:59 PM

I will copy the error i just received exactly.

I booted via usb into ubuntu and formatted the HDD to NTSF format (and confirmed that the recovery partition had been removed)

I then asked the staples manager for a set of ACER recovery discs since i was never given the means to start fresh, he was nice and burnt me a set for free.

I then booted via DVD with the acer recovery, got thru 3 discs successfully, then upon rebooting and windows initializing, I received an error saying windows is unable to install properly.

with these recovery discs I really should have been finished. I am going to attempt a retry after the weekend.

Thanks for the notes guys

Frank MetaMusil · 05-19-2011, 11:00 PM

You should format with the tools on the Windows 7 disc. My brother's Acer had the same issue and I had to format using the windows tools, formatting any other way wouldn't work for some reason.

1. Boot the DVD.
2. Go to the steps until you get to the "Where do you want to install Windows" screen.
3. Erase all existing partitions and create a new one.
4. Click format - this will perform quick format

TSXCman · 05-19-2011, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frank MetaMusil

You should format with the tools on the Windows 7 disc. My brother's Acer had the same issue and I had to format using the windows tools, formatting any other way wouldn't work for some reason.

1. Boot the DVD.
2. Go to the steps until you get to the "Where do you want to install Windows" screen.
3. Erase all existing partitions and create a new one.
4. Click format - this will perform quick format

Thanks I will try this when I get back from the long weekend.

I will most likely need to find a full win 7 disc.

At my disposal I have the:
win7 recovery disc (3gb)
acer recovery discs (14gb between 4 dvds)
ubuntu usb drive

Frank MetaMusil · 05-19-2011, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TSXCman

Thanks I will try this when I get back from the long weekend.

I will most likely need to find a full win 7 disc.

At my disposal I have the:
win7 recovery disc (3gb)
acer recovery discs (14gb between 4 dvds)
ubuntu usb drive

Yeah, you need the full install disc. Don't worry bother with any recovery ones though, you won't need them.

TSXCman · 05-31-2011, 10:46 PM

I tried booting from Rathji's Win7 disc and got an option to boot up normally, in safe mode, and the other 2 options from that screen.

I gave safe mode and normal 'resume windows' options a try and get errors no matter.

I will play around for another hour but I will most likely end up contacting staples tomorrow for a return or a replacement HDD.

Thanks Rathji for the disc

Hack&Lube · 06-01-2011, 12:13 AM

Failure to install could be because of bad ram.

Rathji · 06-01-2011, 05:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TSXCman

I tried booting from Rathji's Win7 disc and got an option to boot up normally, in safe mode, and the other 2 options from that screen.

I gave safe mode and normal 'resume windows' options a try and get errors no matter.

I will play around for another hour but I will most likely end up contacting staples tomorrow for a return or a replacement HDD.

Thanks Rathji for the disc

Are you sure it is set to boot from CD/DVD? Sounds like it isnt even trying. Are you entering the boot menu at startup and selecting the DVD drive? You could alternately have it set to boot automatically from the DVD drive. In either case you will need to 'hit any key' to boot with the disc. If you dont get the 'Hit any key" message then either bump up the boot priority in your bios (f2/del/esc to enter at boot) or use the book menu (f12 on most acer models I believe)

While I didnt test that disc to ensure it booted, the image I burnt it from has done a few installs, check to make sure it wasnt a bad disc by seeing if it will boot in another machine (or that it shows as a Windows install disc under "My Computer") It was a week ago or more I burnt it and I dont remember for sure if I checked it. If the disc is bad, just let me know and I can burn you a new one.