Notebooks & Netbooks

[quantum]

New to this site. 

I have an Aspire one D270 -1806.  I had the hard drive die and no recovery disk was burned.  I have replaced hard drive and need to find a clean copy of window 7 starter to install. I understand i can use the same product key to verify the copy to be installed.  I don't have a USB optical drive.  Is there a way to install from a USB flash drive? I've a large enough flash drive [16GB] (must the operating system be the thing on the flash drive?) I can't seem to find the 7 starter version either.... 

  I've been at this for a few days now with little result.  thanks in advance for direction and help.

[septitank]

Official Microsoft downloads of Win7 including SP1:

http://www.w7forums.com/threads/official-windows-7-sp1-iso-image-downloads.12325/

[discgolfdc]

This is entirely doable.  I have a D270, as well, and have done this plenty of times.  Follow these steps and you'll be back up and running soon.  You will, of course, need temporary access to another computer:

1. If you haven't already, download the following files:
   
   Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool (http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/html/pbPage.Help_Win7_usbdvd_dwnTool)
   
   Windows 7 Home Premium (32-bit) with SP1 [I know that's not the version you have, but we'll fix this]
   (https://drcdn.blob.core.windows.net/win/X17-58996.iso)
   Note: This file is an untouched disc image file of Windows 7 which comes directly from Microsoft.  Though it is labeled "Home Premium," it should also contain the Starter edition, which we will be "unlocking" in one of the steps.  This is a >2GB download, so you may want to go catch a movie during this download!
   
   eicfg Removal Utility
   http://code.kliu.org/misc/winisoutils/eicfg_removal_utility.zip
   Note: This is the utility that will "unlock" the Starter edition of Windows 7 from the ISO file you download from the link immediately above this one.
   
   
2. Install the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool on the "other" computer.
   
   
3. Unzip the eicfg Removal Utility on the "other" computer (I recommend unzipping it into its own folder on the desktop somewhere - this utility does not require installation, per se).  Run "eicfg_remover.exe" in that folder.  When the browser window opens, navigate to where you saved the Windows 7 Home Premium (32-bit) with SP1 disc image file and select it.  After a few seconds, you should get a notification that "eicfg" has been removed.
   
   
4. Using a 4GB USB flash drive at minimum, insert the drive into a USB port.  Run the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool.  Follow the steps, choosing the ISO file (the one you just removed "eicfg" from), choosing your USB flash drive as the target, etc.  After everything is set and the tool is doing its job, it creates a bootable USB drive with Windows 7 ready to install.
   
   
5. Once the USB image is completed, safely remove it and take it to your Aspire One D270.  I don't know how your BIOS is configured, so let's see if we don't have to tinker with it.  With the netbook powered OFF and the blank hard drive installed, stick the USB flash drive into an available USB port.  Turn your netbook on.  If Windows setup begins, then you're golden.  If not (you get some error message about there being "no bootable device" or something similar), the first thing I would do is power the netbook back down and try putting the USB drive in a different USB port.  Do this until either (a) Windows Setup starts on boot or (b) you've run out of USB ports.  If you get to "(b)," then it will be necessary to change some settings in your BIOS to make your netbook first check for a bootable USB upon power-up.  To enter your BIOS configuration utility, turn the netbook off.  Power it back up, and as soon as you turn it on, press the F2 key (I recommend doing it repeatedly).  If you've succeeded, you'll likely be looking at a blue screen with really "old-school"-looking text in it.  The section you want is "Boot" (usually toward the right side.  Use your right arrow key to get there and follow the keystroke instructions (usually shown on the bottom of the screen) to change the order of the boot devices.  Just make sure that USB HDD (USB Hard Disk Drive) is placed ABOVE your normal hard disk drive (usually the longest name in the list) in the order.  Save the settings and exit -- your computer should restart.  If your flash drive is still in the USB port and you've configured your BIOS correctly, then Windows Setup should start.
   Note: IF YOU ARE NOT COMFORTABLE IN CHANGING YOUR BIOS SETTINGS, STOP AT THIS STEP AND TAKE IT TO SOMEONE WHO IS.  YOU CAN DO SOME REAL DAMAGE IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING HERE.  IT'S NOT COMPLICATED, BUT MAKING SURE YOU'RE MAKING THE CORRECT CHANGES HERE IS CRITICAL.
   
   
6. Assuming that Windows Setup has started, you will be given the option to select the edition of Windows you wish to set up.  Choose "Windows 7 Starter."
   
   
7. On the "other" computer, do a Google search for "Windows 7 Starter Acer OEM Key."  I'd give it to you here, but I'd probably be violating TOS somehow.  This information is readily available for anyone who does a search.  They are manufacturer-specific and 25 characters in length.  You want the one for Acer/Gateway/Packard-Bell.  The first character is an "R" and the last character is a "6."  You might want to save this information for later reference, in case you ever need it again.
   
   
8. When installation completes, you should have a fresh copy of Windows 7 Starter installed on your machine.
   
   
9. You will need to download drivers for the D270 from Acer's website.  You'll want to do this from that "other" computer, as well, and save them to a flash drive.  Install them from that drive.

Hope this is of help.

[quantum]

Thanks for good info, but I'm not out of the woods yet,

I had tried going to Microsoft to download ' Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool '  it was not available.  I called their help number and was told they do not support the ' USB/DVD Tool '   and that I should have burned a disk from my computer....

Any other recommend places to find this tool?

[discgolfdc]

Do a Google search for "Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool."  The first result that comes up should be a Microsoft site. Look under the "Installation" section. There's a link there. I just clicked on it (6/25, 3:10pm EDT) and it works.

[discgolfdc]

If you still have trouble after trying that suggestion, I'll post a link to the install file which I'll copy to Dropbox or something. I back all my executables and other utilities up to a NAS server.

[quantum]

Hi, closer but not there yet...

install started from bootup,  I had configured properly I'm guessing.

I was able to get all downloads you have suggested.

Upon install it had partitioned the hard drive into the three original.  It stated the hard drive was about to fail.???

  I had upgraded size to a  WD 750GB [7200rpm].  Might it not recognise the size? speed?  Is this a possible reason?  It was brand new in sealed from store.  [ still has two years warranty ]

It ran through set up  ok.  There was an error code after it had completed:   0x8007045D.

it uninstalled all changes.  I then did same procedure from other USB port and got error code:  0x80070057 and it un-installed all again.

I don't know what these mean.  The hard drive is under waranty. is it a possible failed divice from store?   

The set up of Win 7 OPP system did not ask for type of install [ WIN 7 starter etc.]  and would not get to a point of asking for my pass key. 

I'm looking for any information again.... thanks in advance....

[discgolfdc]

It is possible that the new hard drive is DOA. You can possibly hook it up to another computer and run CHKDSK on it. You'd just connect it via USB, run cmd.exe (command line), and run CHKDSK on whatever drive letter gets assigned to it. Or, you could just try installing to a different HDD.

[discgolfdc]

Oh, and generally, you should have no problem installing a 5400 RPM HDD or a 7200 RPM HDD.  Compatibility isn't an issue there.  The only difference is disk access speed, and, again, that's not going to cause one drive to work in your system and another not to.

If you're unfamiliar with how to run CHKDSK, here's a site that helps explain that a bit.  If you're hooking it up externally to another computer via USB enclosure or similar method, which I'm assuming you'll have to do since there's no OS installed on your Western Digital 750GB drive, have a look here:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/check-your-hard-disk-for-errors

Keep me posted, and I'll continue helping you however I can.

[discgolfdc]

With regard to your Error codes, the first seems to be an Input/Output error (0x8007045D).  Here's a page that seems to suggest the same thing I'm suggesting to you (interestingly, also with a WD 750 GB HDD):

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-windows_programs/error-0x8007045d-the-req...

With regard to your second error code, have a look here:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2476568

I would suggest doing CHKDSK as before, and if you are able to get the HDD in shape to install Win7 again, when install starts, choose the option to do the Custom install (not the "upgrade" option -- the bottom one).  When it shows you the screen with the partitions, DELETE THEM ALL (you'll probably have to select "Advanced Options" for this -- go ahead and do that).  Once you do that, you'll see "Unpartitioned space" with some big number of MB.  Create one new partition with all the space available.  When you do this, the installation will probably tell you it's going to create a small partition for system files -- let it do that.  Once partitions are created, try again.

Any other problems, post up.