Ultrabook M5-481PT

I got a problem with my HDD (500 GB), crashed. And I didnt have any backup from my system or drives, anything.

So I bought a new HDD (same size, 500 GB seagate). And now the real problem start.

I can't install windows on it. I tried a lot of things already. Changed a lot of things in the BIOS setup.

I tried install windows 8.1 and when I click "install" I got the message "coudn't find drives on your computer".

I tried windows 7 so after install 7 I can upgrade to windows 8, but it failed too. I clicked to install windows 7 and got a error with the partition.

I tried "LEGACY BIOS" and "UEFI" and nothing.

I have 6 CD's with Windows from Acer, because I got another problem a long time ago and they sent it to me.

I tried all of then but still cant do anything.

When I use the CD to boot the system I got the message "this CD dont work on LEGACY BIOS MODE, change it to UEFI", so I change the BIOS to UEFI and tried again and got the message "this CD dont work on UEFI BIOS MODE, change it to LEGACY BIOS", I was like , it making me crazy lol.

If someone can help me, please.^^

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IronFly

you need to completly wipe your HDD
http://www.partitionwizard.com/partition-wizard-bootable-cd.html
download the .iso file
then use a software to burn CD/DVD or USB flash drive and burn the .iso file
once done, put the CD/DVD/USB on your PC, boot from CD/USB (maybe you need to boot under Legacy if you have UEFI BIOS)
press F12 at boot and choose CD or USB
at the desktop
select your HDD
right click on your HDD icon and choose delete all patitions and click on yes and then apply
http://www.partitionwizard.com/help/delete-all-partitions.html#howto

or wipe your HDD completly (it will erase also any GPT or MBR on the HDD), choosing the first option after selecting the wipe function.
then exit partition wizard, boot to BIOS, set UEFI back from Legacy (if you have UEFI BIOS) and boot from the erecovery media.

RonanFelipr

I don't have the recovery media. I have 6 discs from Acer (3 discs for recovery, 1 disc to clean the computer, 1 disc of language and 1 disc of system).

IronFly

recovery media = disks from Acer Smiley Happy

so you have it, wipe your HDD and re-install

RonanFelipr

It didn't work. After wipe my HDD, I try to use the recovery media and got the message "no bootable devices".

RonanFelipr

Using the recovery media now I got the message "it only work on UEFI bios mode" I changed it and got the message "it only work on LEGACY bios mode".

RonanFelipr

I got now, I changed the security boot to "disable". And it work.
But the recovery media gave me a new error
"error=0x3(the system cannot find the path specified) Smiley Sad

IronFly

which OS had your M5 from factory?

win7 or 8.x?

RonanFelipr

Windows 8 and after a few month Windows 8.1 came.

IronFly

The 6 disks from Acer are with windows 7 or 8?

RonanFelipr

Windows 8

IronFly

ok.

i would wipe completly your HDD, using partition wizard bootable media from my previous post.

switch to Legacy and disable secure boot to boot from partition wizard bootable media.

once booted choose wipe HDD instead of deleting partition only, i suspect that your try to install windows 7 messed up GTP to MBR; so you need to wipe HDD choosing the first option.

once done, boot to BIOS, go to the last page/tab and choose load default settings, save and exit.

insert your recovery CD (i think number 1), at boot press F12 and choose CD; let me know if it works.

RonanFelipr

It took almost 2 hours to wipe my HDD. After that I tried the recovery part but still same error.
The system don't boot from the recovery disk I, I need to use the system disk to boot, so I choose the idiom, and it start and ask for the recovery disk I, after put the recovery disk I got the error. It have 2 option to recovery, the first one is the one I'm trying. But I tried the second one (same steps) and got the error "the disk don't have enough space to temporary files".
I got from my friend a CD with windows 8.1 and tried but after click install I got the error with drives.
I'm trying contact im mail with the Acer support.
But yea it almost 1 week with that making me crazy, last night I went to sleep 4:00am lol

IronFly

Can you check on BIOS if HDD password is set as Frozen?

RonanFelipr

HDD password is set "clean".

IronFly

Let's try a last thing, download windows 8.1 enterprise trial:

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/evaluate-windows-8-1-enterprise

once downloaded the iso file, create a bootable USB flash drive using Rufus:

http://rufus.akeo.ie/?locale=en_US

set it for EFI BIOS, load the iso file and let it burn it.

then put it to your M5, press F12 at boot and choose the USB flash drive and check if it's able to install.

if it installs, probably your CD/DVD drive has some issue, if it doesn't install, i would start suspecting an HDD issue or SATA chipset issue.

RonanFelipr

This weekend I did a lot of tests. And I got a lot of different error. I got my IT friend to help me but still end with some error. I'm giving up, this thing making me crazy. I wish to broken it in a million of pieces lol. I'll buy a new one soon.
Thank you a lot for try to help me!!

IronFly

Last thing to try:

http://us.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/drivers/4545;-;Aspire%20M5-481PT

BIOS update the latest version for windows 8.x is 2.22 but you need a working windows OS installation or (never tried) a windows 8.x recovery disk, that will let you have a command prompt to run the BIOS updater .exe