Lost Acer programs due to Windows 8 System Refresh on Aspire 5750

I upgraded to Windows 8 and did a System Refresh because of problems accessing the internet. The internet access problem was fixed, but now I have a status message in the Devices listing telling me the Base System Driver is missing. This appears twice under Other Devices. If I click on update driver, it tells me it cannot find one.

What is going on? How can I reload basic Acer system items. The documentation refers to going in Start/Acer, etc. However in Windows 8, there is no Start button and Acer software does not appear on the new Start screen.

In the System Refresh process, it created a document on the desktop called "Removed Apps". In it it lists many Acer programs and other drivers belonging to the system. I do not have a recovery disk, so how can I restore all these items?

Accepted answers

rogerf

FINALLY! I have solved the problem myself with a hint from the tech support guy at my local Staples where I bought the laptop. Turns out all the Acer software & drivers are in a hidden directory called OEM/Preload/Autorun/AutorunX. Then you run the AutorunX executable file which lists all the available programs & drivers. You have to install them one at a time, and several require a reboot. The only one that didn't reinstall was MyWinLocker.

I could not find these before because the Windows 8 Search function does not look in HIDDEN folders/directories. I need to find out if I can change a setting somewhere for that!

Now I am downloading all the updated apps & drivers for Windows 8 from the Acer site. That is also long and tedious.

Then I will make the eRecovery disks so that I will have a fresh starting point if I run into any problems later.

So all I have lost are about 2 months of emails and I will contact Microsoft Live to see if these might still be on my drive somewhere.

Once again I caution everyone not to use the System Refresh in Windows 8 unless you realize it will wipe out all your programs and many drivers.

I'm still disappointed in Acer for not having anypne who could tell me that the Acer programs I was looking for were on my drive all along. Instead I spent over $20 ordering recovery disks that I do not need and several frustrating hours of my time that I will never get back.

All comments

acerfan

for the drivers, you just have to install one by one

for acer programs, i don't think you can get it back unless you want to restore back factory default(only if the hidden partition is still there)

rogerf

I have spent the last 2 days bouncing from email tech support, the Acer on-line store, and telephone tech support. First they tell me (by email) that I need to order the recovery disks from the on-line store. I use the link, enter my SNID only to find out the item is out of stock and there is no option to ship to Canada. I email tech support again with this problem, so they give me a longer reply telling me they have confirmed the disks are available and add the option to order by telephone. Since the on-line store is still showing me the disks are out of stock, I try to order by telephone.

They tell me there are problems shipping to Canada, so I need to call "Level 2" tech support and give me a new telephone number. I call this number and explain my problem. They tell me I can order the disks on-line, so I explain again that I can't and that this is why I'm talking to them. They also tell me that my SNID is not registered (although I did this with Acer Canada the day after I bought the laptop at Staples - 2 months ago!), so we complete (again!) the registration process and now she can order the recovery disks for me (for US$22.54). Now I should receive the disks in 5 -10 days, although this person made no reference to shipping problems to Canada. It remains to be seen if I ever get them!

Are Acer US and Acer Canada on the same planet? If we must rely on Acer US for support, why are there no communications between Acer Canada and them?

My other issue is that I'm not sure these disks will solve my problem without causing me to lose everything once again. There does not appear to be an option to only re-load the Acer software (without going back to Windows 7).

To everyone out there: If you run into problems after upgrading to Windows 8, DO NOT DO A "SYSTEM REFRESH" unless you realize you will lose pretty much everything! Too bad "System Refresh" is such an innocent-sounding name for an action which really seems to be just short of a complete reformatting of your drive!

Is there anyone at Acer (Canada or US) who understands how frustrating this is? Judging from the questions and comments on this site, I am not the only one who has this problem.

rogerf

FINALLY! I have solved the problem myself with a hint from the tech support guy at my local Staples where I bought the laptop. Turns out all the Acer software & drivers are in a hidden directory called OEM/Preload/Autorun/AutorunX. Then you run the AutorunX executable file which lists all the available programs & drivers. You have to install them one at a time, and several require a reboot. The only one that didn't reinstall was MyWinLocker.

I could not find these before because the Windows 8 Search function does not look in HIDDEN folders/directories. I need to find out if I can change a setting somewhere for that!

Now I am downloading all the updated apps & drivers for Windows 8 from the Acer site. That is also long and tedious.

Then I will make the eRecovery disks so that I will have a fresh starting point if I run into any problems later.

So all I have lost are about 2 months of emails and I will contact Microsoft Live to see if these might still be on my drive somewhere.

Once again I caution everyone not to use the System Refresh in Windows 8 unless you realize it will wipe out all your programs and many drivers.

I'm still disappointed in Acer for not having anypne who could tell me that the Acer programs I was looking for were on my drive all along. Instead I spent over $20 ordering recovery disks that I do not need and several frustrating hours of my time that I will never get back.

peggyx3

Acer should supply a recovery cd, I dont mind doing a factory reset but I cannot even do that since I lost all acer programs including the empowering one.

liz75

rogerf are you able to do a step by step of how you found the eRecovery as mine is missing too and im not too great with stuff like this. I brought mu v2 571 secondhand it alot is missing Smiley Frustrated . Thanks in advance

goldenroshan

how do you go here--->OEM/Preload/Autorun/AutorunX , please clarify Smiley Sad

njnataraj

Hi Rogerf,

Can you tell me in which Hidden folder your open the file OEM/Preload/Autorun/AutorunX ?

Hootiej

Finally someone who knows how to restore lost apps and drivers. rodgerf instruction were great after perfoming several steps I was able to install all my lost Accer apps and drivers. This problem had me ready to buy a new CD from Accer now I don't have to. Thanks again to rodgerf

Hootiej

Thanks to rogerf I followed the following steps to restore Accer Apps and Drivers. I hope this will keep someone from going through what I did trying to refresh my laptop. CAUTION!! If you are going to refresh your computer you will loose your Accer apps and drivers be prepared to reinstall them one at a time

!. Click on computer

@. Click on Accer

3. Click on OEM file

$. Click on preload

%. Click on Autorun

^. Click on Autorunx

6 Click on Autorunx again

7. Do you want to allow the following program to make changes to this computer. ( YES )

*. Aspire Software Click on continue

(. Install all missing apps and drivers

When reinstalling your lost apps and drivers you need to reinstall them one at a time also many will need to reboot.

It takes a little time and patients but this works great. I hope this will keep someone from going through a bad time refreshing their laptop like I did my laptop.