Install Windows 8.1 Pro on Acer Aspire V Nitro VN7-591

Hi forum,

I recently bought the Acer Aspire V Nitro VN7-591 and I noticed that it only comes with the Core Edition of Windows 8.1. As I need some of the features of the Windows 8.1 Pro Edition (joining domains, remote display etc.) I would like to upgrade the System to Windows 8.1 Pro. I still have an unused Pro retail key (no OEM, no Upgrade Pack) here so at the moment I'm downloading the ISO for Windows 8.1 Pro. But prior to installation I would like to make sure that everything works out fine and I don't run intro problems.

First of all: is there anything I need to save from the old OS (except from the recovery partition- I already saved that to a USB drive using the recovery program provided by Acer)? Do I have to know my Product Key (using for example a key viewer software) just in case? Do I have to disable secure boot in BIOS?

Second: can I just install Windows 8.1 Pro using my ISO and installing the drivers from the Acer support website? Drivers should still work, right?

Third: if I ever want to switch back to Windows 8.1 Core (the OEM edition) do I just use the USB pen drive created with the acer recovery tool? Will my retail Windows 8.1 Pro Key be usable again if I switch back to the original OS?

Sorry for asking that many questions but I just have to make sure that it runs trough right in the first place because I need the Laptop to function.

What would be your standard procedure to this kind of "problem"?

Thanks in advance and with regards,

The_DJ

Edit:

I might have forgotten to mention that I want to do a clean reinstall without all the bloatware from Acer. That's why I'm using the Windows 8.1 Pro "Vanilla" ISO and if I ever want to switch back to core use the Windows 8.1 Core "Vanilla" ISO. Is that possible or would I have to use the recovery partition saved to my USB drive?

Accepted answers

All comments

vvprad

Changing the Operating System may cause driver conflicts. The compatible drivers for Windows 8.1 will not be available in the website for this laptop. Hence, some of the features on the laptop might not work after changing the OS.

1: Since you have already created the USB recovery media from the laptop, you do not have to copy anything else other than this.

Make sure you you backup all files before installing the OS, as it will remove all data from the laptop.

I see that, you have the unused Pro retail key for the OS, hence, you do not have to have the OEM product key. You need to use the product key for Windows 8.1 Pro to activate it, not the Acer OEM product key.

In the BIOS, select BOOT tab.

Select BOOT MODE as Legacy Mode instead of UEFI.

Disable Secure Boot.

Under Boot Priority Order, you need to select 1 as CD/DVD (if you are using disc), or USB FDD or USB HDD (if you are using USB drive) to install Windows 8.1 Pro.

Then press the F10 key and select "Yes" to save the changes in BIOS.

->You an install Windows 8.1 Pro using my ISO and installing the drivers from the Acer support website. As said before, there may driver conflicts.

-> If you want to switch back to Windows 8.1, you may use the USB reovery drive (which created you have created from the recovery partition). When you do this, the Windows 8.1 Pro and it's product key will be removed from the laptop and the factory shipped OS, drivers, apps (and the OEM product key) will be installed automatically. You do not have to use the Windows 8.1 Pro key with Acer OEM USB reovery media.

-> You need to do a clean install using the USB recovery drive to install factory shipped Windows on the laptop.

The_DJ

Thanks for the information!

So you think the drivers for Windows 8.1 Core (provided by Acer) won't work for the Pro version? Aren't they pretty much the same except for a few features?

1) I was just wondering if I should probably save the OEM key just in case I would need it if I ever go back to the preinstalled OEM OS? Of course, for the new OS I would use the unused Pro key.

3) If I want to switch back: Does that mean, I can only reinstall OEM OS from Acer using the recovery USB drive or can I also use the "Vanilla" core ISO that I can download directly from Microsoft (I don't want all the bloatware installed in the factory version from Acer)? After reinstalling original Windows 8.1 core (using the OEM key from Acer), my Pro key is free to use again on another computer, right? Or will the Pro retail key be bound to my notebook forever once I install it?

Thank you very much already! Smiley Happy

vvprad

Most of the drivers in Acer website will work. I just wanted to inform you that, there is a change of driver conflict. It does not mean that the drivers will not work.

If you use the Acer recovery medis to install the OEM Windows, it will not ask you to enter the product key, as the product key is embedded on the recovery media. The product key is embedded in the UEFI/BIOS firmware of OEM computers with Windows preinstalled, and is entered automatically for activation.

In order to go back to the factory shipped Windows, you need to use the Acer recovery media. If you download OEM from Microsoft, you will need to enter the product key which is unavailable with Acer.

les99

The following was done on an Aspire E-15 notebook with quad core, 8 gb memory, hd graphics.

I originally tried to upgrade windows 8.1 to 8.1 pro by doing a clean install - this did not work - had lots of errors. than i read somewhere about upgrading 8.1 to pro and this worked for me without a hitch.

IMPORTANT: save your oem key in case you ever decide to go back to windows 8.1 home. make a system image with an imaging software like Macrium Free version (include all the partitions that were set up when you purchased the computer). I have found that windows image sometimes fails to recover or the image cannot be found or not accepted. ALSO, make sure that if you use Macrium, you will have to create rescue media to a CD. without this, you will not be able to recover the image. (NOTE: you can create a Macrium image while still using the computer BUT you have to boot from the CD to be able to restore the image to your hard drive. Also, make sure you saved the recovery partition and the driver/application files to usb or dvd in case something goes wrong).

1. go into control panel
2. click windows update
3. bottom left hand corner, click on 'add features to windows 8.1
4. new windows appears - click on 'I already have a product key' (if you have a spare windows 8.1 pro key)
5. new windows appears - enter product key
6. if product key is accepted, the 'next' box (bottom right) can be clicked on and you can follow further instructions.

what happens is that the installed program will be updated to the 'pro' version by windows update by installing the additional files that are missing in the home version. Also, after all files have been installed, you can go into 'turn windows features on or off' (example hyper-v). the installation of the files will take approx 1/2 hour. I have not had any problems at all but I did have to set up my wireless system to my router again.

billyneoh

hi can let me know after i change m2 ssd harddisk 250gb after i boot usb cd room after got windows 10 logo and hang it there what im suppose tp do? acer aspire v nitro vn7-592g

Quick Links

Top Members

Weekly

Puraw 165

Swift Series Intel^® Evo™

Game Pass

Acer Corner

Gaming on Chromebook

Swift Series Intel® Evo™

Game Pass

Acer Corner

Gaming on Chromebook

Swift Series Intel^® Evo™