How to Recover W510 (Hint: It's the System DVD, not Recovery DVD)

So, the other day I bought the W510. I decide to wipe the machine and give to my parents, but realize I can't figure out how to use the recovery DVD provided.

Finally I've figured it out, and decide to share with everyone:

1) Attach removeable DVD drive.

2) Shut down W510 (hold power 4 sec.)

3) Hold down volume-down key, and then press power. Machine should boot and quickly go into BIOS.

4) Create an admin (supervisor) password for yourself.

5) Disable secure boot. (Can't disable until you create admin password.)

6) Change boot order so that USB-CD / HDD boots first.

7) Insert ACER SYSTEM DISC into DVD drive. (THIS is the step I've been missing. So far, all posts I've read tells me to use recovery DVD, not the system DVD.)

8) Save changes to BIOS and reboot.

9) Acer SYSTEM DVD should boot, with a wizard walking you through system recovery. (You'll have to insert the Recovery DVD during this process. I inserted the one labeled "Recovery disc 1 of 1".)

Hope this helps!

Accepted answers

All comments

padgett

I got all the way through (9) but then the ACER spash screen displayed and never went away. After 15 minutes I gave up. Agree: the SYSTEM disk with the cardboard back is the only one that will boot. WIll try it again.

luminus

Yea I just successfully got all the way through and have a clean new machine again . Smiley Very Happy Note that it'll ask you to pop in the language pack disc too after the recovery disk 1of1.

padgett

Tried to boot from the System DVD again and it got to the Acer splash screen and then just stopped. After 10 minutes it was just sitting there and DVD had spun down.

tshpub

Had the same problem I had with the other methods...won't recognize the DVD and boots to Windows instead.

So far the only method that's worked for me has been restore to default using a standard Windows install.

Pete_md18

Well , I found that the best way to back up and set recovery image for my W510 is to use Macrium reflect free edition . Use the software to create an image file , then create the windows PE boot on "USB DISK" --> use usb drive and you won't have to worry on CD drive not loaded. follow the instruction from acer to disable the secure boot and set the F12 key to let you select boot option, restart and there you go!!! it just worked for me. Hope this help.

PS. I can't make a windows 8 start up disc on iconia w510, it kept showing error message and won't allow me to create one, anybody experience this??

PS2. I found that windows 8 recovery program is so unreliable , while my w510 refuse to create start up disc , my HP envy allow me to create one , but fail to restore image, so if you do made backup with windows 8 default program, be sure to test if it work. If not. look for 3rd party program because microsoft did not answer this problem properly.