W3 - Problem reinstalling Windows 8 with recovery DVD

Good day everyone.

My dad gave me his Acer W3 and I wanted to start fresh, so I followed the steps for using the Recovery DVD provided in the product box and did all the mumbo-jumbo with the BIOS and so.

I'm starting having some problems, first of all after all the installation (which lasted more than an hour), everytime I boot I recieve an error like this: C:/OEM/Preload/Command/AlaunchX/AlaunchX.exe "A referral was returned from the server". How to fix that?

Something I've noticed is that it takes so long to boot, and other minor issues. Some of them I've seen how to fix on some posts around here.

I tried to download Windows 8 ISO but my windows key don't allow me to download such ISO.

I want to know if I can get the following:

- Having exactly as it was before the clean install (because using the DVD removes all it had, incluidng Office and Acer wallpapers, etc.)

- The way for making a REAL clean install which can be activated using my original OEM product.

I have no backup of anything (neither the OEM files[Edit: I've seen they are hidden]) so I would ask for your help.

Thanks in advance.

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All comments

ong14

In my case; W3-810 64GB second hand with Windows 8.1 upgrade.

I did a clean installe of Windows 8.1 from scratch, which wipe all partitions.

Then I cannot activated with my Windows 8 or 8.1 key which I grabbed it before clean install.

This is what I do;

1. Grab original Windows 8 OEM (en_windows8_x86_dvd_915417.iso)

2. Set up Windows 8 ontop of Windows 8.1 by not keep anything (I use a USB Bootable for this process)

3. After setting up you should apply drivers for Windows 8 from Acer

4. Clean your disk of everything including Windows 8.1

5. Update your Windows

6. Upgrade to Windows 8.1 via Windows Store

7. Apply drivers for Windows 8.1 from Acer

Now I'm happy with my free-from-Acer-bloatware W3-810.

Only bug that I found is battery remaining time doesn't show.

Hope this helps.

HsinHung_Yu

Somehow, the error message "C:/OEM/Preload/Command/AlaunchX/AlaunchX.exe "A referral was returned from the server" was gone after upgrading to Windows 8.1 via Windows Store.

Another point, before upgrading to Windows 8.1, be sure that you had uninstall the graphics driver and have sufficient diskspace, let's say, more than 10GB or so.

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