Upgrade issues

4antom

What about merging? 

4antom

Ok, so I merged the unallocated space but now the recovery shows as a separate drive letter in this computer and when I hit rest this PC I got, could not find the recovery environment.

brummyfan2

Yes, you can also merge the unallocated space, right click the OS partition and select extend, could you please post the Disk management snip.

4antom

https://www.disk-partition.com/articles/move-unallocated-space-to-c-drive-windows-10-4125.html

I had to go to that site in order to merge the unallocated space.  I'm stuck with a recovery (drive letter E) but no recovery environment found when I try to reset this PC.

brummyfan2

Does your Disk management looks like this:

4antom

Here: The recovery (E:) shows as separate in my computer. Is that what is stopping me from performing a reset?  Can't I just get a recovery from Acer?

edit: Obviously this is after I used that partition tool to merge the unallocated 119GB which was situated on the right of the recovery.

4antom

So do I have to use macrium to clone instead of copy the disk image (It's good I have the image now as a backup).  I just want the option of resetting the PC.

brummyfan2

How are you trying to reset? Please have a look at this tutorial and see whether it helps you:https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/4130-reset-windows-10-a.html

JackE

If we really have here a clone of the original ACER disk, then the ALT+F10 cold boot recovery method should work. Jack E/NJ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpzLJRAZldA

4antom

Well, I want to clone it. I used the method above. Copied the image then used a macrium boot drive a recovered the image. 

Now I have put the original back in and it is resetting as I type. I'm going to try and clone this drive to the new one but now the new drive isn't showing up in my computer. It is showing  up in minitool though.

So another issue to contend with. I need to make sure that I can use the reset function after cloning otherwise it hasn't really cloned, imo. 

4antom

JackE said

Nope, it's acer alright. When I tried to reset I got "could not find recovery"... And trying to create a recovery USB via Windows was the same story. Copying images is fine but I need the recovery environment to work. What if something goes wrong and I really need it? 

wis

Because matters have become so convoluted, the most direct way out would be a factory reset. 
Going on these presumptions:
1) The registry has been corrupted on both the 128 gb stick & the 256 gb stick. 
2) Performance on the 256 gb stick has been sub-optimal.
3) Recovery within Windows 10 has been unsuccessful.
Suggestions:
1) Create Acer eRecovery USB.
2) Swap out the 256 gb stick for the 128 gb stick. Use 256 gb stick as the external drive.
3) Recover with Acer eRecovery USB as shown in the video below to the 128 gb stick.
4) After deleting bloatware & installing 3rd party applications, create a system image of the 128 gb drive with Macrium Reflect, using 256 gb stick as destination. N.B.: The Difference between a Clone & a System Image. Why waste time & energy copying empty portions of the drive? An argument can be made that greater fidelity is more likely with recovery of a smaller chunk of data.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwC9U5Sf16E

JackE

Sounds good to me. Let's try it. Jack E/NJ

4antom

Well I already swapped out the 256 to th128 and its resetting now. The 256 no longer shows up when connected via the caddy but once I sort that I plan to try the only thing I haven't yet and clone the drive rather than making images. It can't be a waste of time if it works.

The registry is a bitessed I think. Fir example when I edit the fonts in core temp (an app that I use to display core cpu temperatures) the fonts on the fresh install (256 stick) where all present (in particular small fonts, kind of retro) whereas on the original they are not (even after resetting numerous times). 

So I plan to clone using macrium after I figure out how to get the 256 stick to show up, but I will take a look at what you have posted Wis. 

wis said:

Because matters have become so convoluted, the most direct way out would be a factory reset. 
Going on these presumptions:
1) The registry has been corrupted on both the 128 gb stick & the 256 gb stick. 
2) Performance on the 256 gb stick has been sub-optimal.
3) Recovery within Windows 10 has been unsuccessful.
Suggestions:
1) Create Acer eRecovery USB.
2) Swap out the 256 gb stick for the 128 gb stick. Use 256 gb stick as the external drive.
3) Recover with Acer eRecovery USB as shown in the video below to the 128 gb stick.
4) After deleting bloatware & installing 3rd party applications, create a system image of the 128 gb drive with Macrium Reflect, using 256 gb stick as destination. N.B.: The Difference between a Clone & a System Image. Why waste time & energy copying empty portions of the drive? An argument can be made that greater fidelity is more likely with recovery of a smaller chunk of data.

JackE

Yeah, but as long as you got the 128 back in there you might as well try to make the recovery stick like @wis suggested. Seems simple enough. Can't hurt...much. Then you can use the recovery stick to put it directly on the 256. No Macrium, no Minitool , no AOEMi, no nothing.   Jack E/NJ

4antom

Yep, going to bed. Another day lol. But put a 16gb in and it's creating a recovery. The 256... I deleted the recovery partition in minitool. If I put the 256 back in my laptop and use this USB recovery, will it set it up as new? 

JackE

@4antom >>>going to bed>>>

It's too early for this. Not even midnight there yet.  If you can get the ACER erecovery stick made, you can just let it wipe everything on the 256 and install  Win10 system fresh. You've got the erecovery stick. So you can put it in a safe place. Then you won't need the ACER recovery partition on the 256. Use the extra space for the Win10 system. Jack E/NJ 

4antom

OK, it's a little scary seeing that blue screen pop up (this pc need repair etc.) but the USB drive seems to be working.  Correct me if I'm wrong; f2 change f12 boot to enabled, change boot order to USB (using a recovery USB), then I booted from USB and the recovery seemed to take over and just chose rest this pc as if the recovery were on the pc. Am I correct? 

How can I reinstall a recovery to the laptops internal drive? I notice the original recoveries seemed to be around 1gb in size whereas the USB option required a great deal more space. Also can I setup a recovery on the secondary drive in the laptop. And if so, could I also set that drive up with Bootable capabilites (a small os) in case of a crash? 

Convoluted I know, silly questions pop into my head and I must ask. 

4antom

Ok everyone, all sorted. The USB recovery worked a charm. I rest on the original, created a recovery and now the new drive works a treat. Thanks for sticking with me throughout.

brummyfan2

4antom said:

Ok everyone, all sorted. The USB recovery worked a charm. I rest on the original, created a recovery and now the new drive works a treat. Thanks for sticking with me throughout.

Well done, glad you have got it sorted