Aspire ACX-605: BIOS will not let me install new HD (original HD failed)

My original HD failed so I am trying to install a fresh OS (Windows 8) using Acer recovery disks that I bought through the store.

During the recovery (following the info provided with the disks I come up with this error message: "Please boot the recovery disc using legacy BIOS mode".

After some research I figure our how to change to legacy BIOS mode (Change Secure Boot to disabled in authentication, change Launch CSM to always in Boot Options).

When I reboot I get the following message: "Restore Fail: This recovery system can only be used on UEFI mode. Please press ok to restart the system immediately".

I seem to be going in a circle, as it will not let me start in UEFI mode, nor will it let me start in legacy mode. I have read that UEFI usually has a partitiion on the HD that the system is likely looking for. However this is a newly formated HD so does not have any partitions.

Could anyone help me throug hthis process. I have the recovery disc from Acer but nothing seems to be working!!

Thanks, Desmond

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JordanB

I would guess that the problem is that your new hard drive is formatted MBR.....so the recovery discs have detected that. I'm assuming your computer came pre-installed with windows 8 or 8.1.

To fix the problem:

1. Go in to your BIOS settings and load the defaults (probably F9) and then save and exit (probably F10). This will put the bios back to the default UEFI/GPT mode.

2. Boot the Acer recovery discs and look for "repair your computer" or "troubleshoot" and try to navigate in the menu to locate the "command prompt"

3. From the command prompt, use "diskpart clean" on your new HDD.

http://forum.crucial.com/t5/The-Cru/Reset-your-SSD-to-factory-settings-Windows-DiskPart/ba-p/162503

4. Then navigate in the acer disc's menu until you find "shutdown your computer"....and shutdown your computer.

5. turn on your computer to use the acer recovery discs and follow the disc's instructions from acer.

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If for some reason you can't find the "command prompt" using Acer's recovery discs, you'll have to use Microsofts tool to create a Windows 8.1 installation/recovery drive. You'll have to create the Microsoft USB or DVD recovery drive on a different windows 8.1 computer.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/create-reset-refresh-media

LAHoward

Thanks Jordan

I followed your guidance to format the new HD to the default UEFI/GPT mode, using the command prompt "diskpart clean" options that you provided the link to. I actually did this using another working computer.