Corrupt boot config data file- can't recover Iconia W510

t_hordern4

How are you supposed to recover an Acer Iconia W510 with a corrupt Boot Configuration Data file? I cannot get it into Safe Mode to create a recovery USB drive, I can't even boot it with another OS from a USB drive to try to recover it, and I've even tried mounting it to my old PC through the micro USB port, with no sucess. What am I supposed to do? I am on a disability pension and cannot afford to have this sent back to Acer to be repaired, and I need this thing for the limited amount of work that I do get from time to time. Any help whatsoever would be appreciated, thank you.

Kyler

Are you trying to recover it with an Acer recovery USB drive? If you made a USB drive with a bootleg copy of Windows, make sure your USB drive is set up as bootable. You may try calling Acer and see if you can get a recovery drive from them. Repair may be your cheapest and best option if it is in warranty.

t_hordern4

I had not yet made a recovery drive, as I had not anticipated ever needing one. Lesson learned there. And there is no point even trying to get one, I tried booting from a live USB of Ubuntu with the appropriate BIOS settings to boot from USB, but it still refused to boot from anything other than the internal SSD. I have since contacted Acer about this, and as I had taken all measures available to me to try to resolve this issue myself, and it turns out it is actually still within the warranty period, they authorised a postal return label for me to send it in for repair. I expect that they will either have a way to access the internal SSD which I as more or less a layman would not have access to, or they will simply replace it.

I must say I'm not very happy at all about their warnings that all of my data will be lost by simple virtue of the fact that they will automatically as part of the repair process return the tablet to factory settings and wipe all of my data. This has all happened as a part of the way the tablet's file system was made to be so inaccessible to the average user, not through any fault of my own, and I do not see why they would have to do this just to fix the BCD file. I will be writing to them about this, and making sure that they know I do not authorise them to delete any of my personal data, but I only authorise them to repair the BCD file without changing any other files. Will keep you guys posted about the solution when one is reached. Thanks for your help.

billsey

The assumption is that a machine that will not boot might have more problems than just the bcd. It's much simpler and faster to just reimage after verifying the drive is working correctly. Spending enough time to actually diagnose what's wrong isn't cost effective if it can be fixed with a quick reimage. If you have your MS account backed up it will add your apps back in to your start menu and install them as needed the first time you try to launch one. A bit tougher for data if you haven't kept it backed up anywhere.

t_hordern4

Ye the reason why I never got around to making online backups was that I only connect to the net through my phone as a WiFi hotspot, so I try to conserve as much data as possible, as it gets expensive if I go over my monthly allowance. And I'm the one who's always preaching to everyone about the 12th commandment: thou shalt create backups of all thine data ;-)
So I can understand about the "cost effectiveness" of a simple reimage. Thing is, I doubt it's easy for a large corporation such as Acer to identify with being in the situation of having to judge every day the cost effectiveness of something as simple as what brand of bread I buy, or whether I can afford that one treat this fortnight or not.
And before anyone starts even thinking "so he can't afford a packet of TimTams yet he can buy himself a $600 tablet", this was heavily subsidised to help me out with the social isolation associated with my disability, as well as on the odd occasions when I do get a little bit of work that I can handle. Kudos to my disability employment agency for that :-)