Desktops & All-In-Ones

[IronFly]

Windows 7 doesn't permit to use USB pen to create recovery media but on acer video they used windows 7.

So maybe you need a newer version of erecovery if it exists.

[Spartan1]

Guys, thanks for ongoing help  -  much appreciated.

Ironfly, if that's correct, how come I have that USB eRecovery option on an Acer Veriton M4630G, also running Windows 7 pro?  Just checked it, and that has a slightly earlier version of the Acer eRecovery software, namely 5.01.3507.

[IronFly]

That's interesting.
Are you running the erecovery as administrator?
Maybe is a permit problem.

Or.....You can try to copy the erecovery folder of the m4630g, rename the erecovery folder of the desktop with the issue and then paste the "older" version.

Try to run the erecovery exe and check if it runs and the USB option is available.

[Spartan1]

I'm ahead of you on that one!  Already tried copying the Acer eRecovery Management folder over to the M2631G machine and rebooting, but unfortunately it made no difference.  Also, user has administrative rights, and I have also logged on as The Administrator.  Still no go.

Tried updating Windows with the 128 updates which were waiting, but didn't do a thing to solve it.

And here's another twist to the tail...  I have another Veriton M4630G, absolutely identical to the other one in every shape and form, and that DOESN'T offer the USB option.  This is all becoming consistently inconsistent. 

[IronFly]

crazy things.

Have you tried to do the USb recovery on the pc that let you choose USB?

have it worked?

[Spartan1]

Hi again!  Yes I have...  Carried out the Create Factory Default Backup onto a 32Gb USB stick, and after some time it reported it had completed satisfactorily.  I haven't tested it to see if it'll work, but I'm fairly confident it's ok...

Other than a call to Acer technical on Monday (not sure how worthwhile that might be!?), I guess the only other option is to create a Windows 7 System Image for this installation, via the Maintenance menu under Backup and Restore.  I note that the USB stick will apparently need to be formatted NTFS  -  do you think there will be any problems doing this?  And am I correct to assume that since an Acer backup will easily fit onto the USB stick, a Windows System Image will not require any more space?

[IronFly]

windows system image is different from Acer factory backup

the system image is a full copy of your partitions at the time you did it (so you will find all your installed programs, drivers and issues if any), so need more space (some partitions must be saved, other can be chosen) and you must have a recovery media to re-install your system image

the Acer factory backup, will create a bootable media to re-install your OS.

see this video from Acer:

http://youtu.be/737wBusvs8w

[Spartan1]

Well I spoke to Acer Tech today, and the upshot is you can't make a recovery onto a USB stick.  They failed to explain why I managed to do it on one machine out of the four!

So I resort to using umpteen DVDs to make a recovery...  Oh no I can't, it doesn't work!  Laboriously went through making the first recovery (used 4 DVDs) and then thought "I'll check this really works".  Bunged in a new blank HDD, booted on the UEFI DVD option using the first DVD only to be informed "Please boot this Recovery Disk using legacy BIOS mode".  Booted up selecting 'non-UEFI DVD' from the boot menu, and now told "This Recovery System can only be used on UEFI mode...".

[IronFly]

So,

maybe you can try to use and external USB HDD, this will work for sure, since i used to create recoveries or system images.

about your issue now.

is your new HDD with raw data or formatted?

the HDD must be raw, without any partition or formatted, set UEFI and secure boot ENABLED.

[Spartan1]

Hi

It's without format or partition.

Think I'm gonna try making an image using Acronis, as Acer's backup and recovery software seems to be utter cr*p!