Which Acer and other apps should I restore after Windows 10 Fresh Start?

Beck18

I am about to do a Fresh Start clean install onto my Acer R5-471T laptop using Windows 10 (i.e. using: Windows Security > Device Performance & health > Get Started . . .).

Fresh Start shows me a list of programs which will be deleted.  For many programs I recognize what they are associated with, and know that if I reinstall the parent program, I'll get back whatever I need.

But for a bunch of items listed, I either don't recognize them as being from programs I installed, or I don't know where to find them of if they are integral to the functioning of the laptop.

My question is: 
A) Which of these Acer apps should I put back, and how do I go about doing so?

• Driver Setup Utility  [is that an Acer app?  where do I find this?]
• Acer Audio Invert utility
• Acer Care Center
• Acer Power Management
• Acer Quick Access
  

Then, of the following apps, which do I need to install to ensure normal laptop functioning, and how do I find and reinstall them?

1. Dolby Audio x2 Windows API SDK
2. Dolby Audio x2 Windows APP
3. FCC 2.25.5004.10001 (current user)
4. Intel(R) IPP Run-Time Installer 5.2 for Windows* o IA-32
5. Intel(R) Management Engine Components
6. Intel(R) Processor Graphics
7. Intel(R) Rapid Storage Technology
8. Intel(R) Serial IO
9. Intel(R) Virtual Buttons
10. Intel Security Assist
11. InterActual Player
12. Qualcomm Atheros 11c Wireless LAN&Bluetooth Installer
13. Realtek Card Reader
14. Realtek High Definition Audio Driver
15. Smart Switch   
    
16. VBCABLE-A, The Virtual Audio Cable  [I'm not sure if this is an app that came with some audio hardware I may have later used with the laptop.]
    
17. VBCABLE-B, The Virtual Audio Cable
18. VideoPad Video Editor    [I don't remember, but this might just be from a program I installed myself.]
    
19. Vulkan Run Time Libraries 1.0.42.0
    

Thanks for any direction you can provide!

egydiocoelho

Hi! Before reinstalling windows, I suggest that you back up your operating system, so that you can reinstall windows provided by acer in the event of a disaster:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCmAOwRYNwY&list=FLVBqwtBw09_Z9tXo1Injakw&index=8&t=23s

You do not need to perform an installation using freshstart from windows defender. You can reinstall windows by pressing alt + f10:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpzLJRAZldA&list=FLVBqwtBw09_Z9tXo1Injakw&index=11&t=14s

In addition, all programs will be installed automatically.

Now, about your questions:

A) Which of these Acer apps should I put back, and how do I go about doing so? I consider all of these applications important. Now I would uninstall norton antivirus and other programs that are not needed.

Then, of the following apps, which do I need to install to ensure normal laptop functioning, and how do I find and reinstall them? All of these drivers are important for the hardware to function properly!

Beck18

Hi, Thank you once again for providing instructive information!

I realize now that I did not give adequate context to my question:  In actuality, once I had installed a new M.2 drive on my laptop (replacing the one that had been there), I then restored an older image to the new drive (that I had earlier made using Macrium Reflect).

So my laptop is currently working ok with the new 1 TB m.2 SSD drive, and the setup I had on my computer when I had imaged it back in May.

So the reason I want to use Win 10's "Fresh Start" is (1) because I want to retain all my data files / folders on my computer, but clean out a bunch of older programs and other ***** from 4 years'-worth of use. 

(2) I don't want all the bloatware that would accompany a factory install.

Included among the programs I am trying to get rid of is Office XP.  I currently have both Office XP and Office 2007 installed on my computer.  I am planning to replace them with a new install of Office 2016.
I recently tried uninstalling Office XP from this laptop, and it did not successfully uninstall.  It left a bunch of stuff behind.

I figure at this point it may just be easier to do a Fresh Start (which should retain my data files), and then just install Office 2016 without having to worry about remnants of Office XP and Office 2007 conflicting with it.

Of course this will necessitate reinstalling a bunch of other programs, but I feel it's worth it.

So this is why I am asking how to find and reinstall the programs I listed which will be removed with Fresh Start.

Beck18

Beck18 said:

but clean out a bunch of older programs and other ***** from 4 years'-worth of use. 

(In previous post I had written "clean out a bunch of older programs and other s-t-u-f-f"  [but without the hyphens].  
I don't know why the posting process replaced that benign word with asterisks!)

egydiocoelho

OK! In that case, I recommend that you install the latest versions of these programs:

acer care center: https://global-download.acer.com/GDFiles/Application/Acer Care Center/Acer Care Center_Acer_4.00.3014_W10x64_A.zip?acerid=637226028490865511&Step1=NOTEBOOK&Step2=NITRO&Step3=NITRO AN515-55&OS=ALL&LC=pt&BC=ACER&SC=PA_3

acer quick access: https://global-download.acer.com/GDFiles/Application/Quick Access/Quick Access_Acer_3.00.3010_W10x64_A.zip?acerid=637226031805780106&Step1=NOTEBOOK&Step2=NITRO&Step3=NITRO AN515-55&OS=ALL&LC=pt&BC=ACER&SC=PA_3

About the drivers, you can install the latest versions on the intel and nvidia websites:

https://www.intel.com.br/content/www/br/pt/support/intel-driver-support-assistant.html

https://us.download.nvidia.com/GFE/GFEClient/3.20.4.14/GeForce_Experience_v3.20.4.14.exe

The other drivers can be downloaded through windows.

Now, as you really want to reinstall windows 10, it might be better to perform a cold installation using a microsoft iso.

Beck18

Thanks for the files!! 

Are those specific to my model?  Or are the Acer Care Center and Quick Access basically generic to all the Acers?

(So Driver Setup Utility, Dolby, Qualcomm Atheros, and Realtek will basically install themselves via the Windows Fresh Start or subsequent Windows updates?)

    Re: "Now, as you really want to reinstall windows 10, it might be better to perform a cold installation using a microsoft iso."

Why, if I may ask, would you recommend a cold install from a MS iso?  What are the advantages over Fresh Start?

I figured that doing Fresh Start seems straightforward and will likely achieve my goals since it (purportedly*) will leave my data files / folders in-place.  
[* I am backing up my data before the Fresh Start process, just in case it goes awry.]

Beck18

I noticed that this link you provided (https://us.download.nvidia.com/GFE/GFEClient/3.20.4.14/GeForce_Experience_v3.20.4.14.exe) is not a link to a webpage, but rather an exe file.

What will it initiate when I click on it?

Beck18

egydiocoelho said:

OK! In that case, I recommend that you install the latest versions of these programs:

acer care center: https://global-download.acer.com/GDFiles/Application/Acer Care Center/Acer Care Center_Acer_4.00.3014_W10x64_A.zip?acerid=637226028490865511&Step1=NOTEBOOK&Step2=NITRO&Step3=NITRO AN515-55&OS=ALL&LC=pt&BC=ACER&SC=PA_3

acer quick access: https://global-download.acer.com/GDFiles/Application/Quick Access/Quick Access_Acer_3.00.3010_W10x64_A.zip?acerid=637226031805780106&Step1=NOTEBOOK&Step2=NITRO&Step3=NITRO AN515-55&OS=ALL&LC=pt&BC=ACER&SC=PA_3

About the drivers, you can install the latest versions on the intel and nvidia websites:

https://www.intel.com.br/content/www/br/pt/support/intel-driver-support-assistant.html

https://us.download.nvidia.com/GFE/GFEClient/3.20.4.14/GeForce_Experience_v3.20.4.14.exe

The other drivers can be downloaded through windows.

Now, as you really want to reinstall windows 10, it might be better to perform a cold installation using a microsoft iso.

I did the Fresh Start.  Then I unzipped the Quick Access link you sent me and it opened to 3 folders and 4 files.  I clicked on setup.exe.config and that seemed to install the User Guide in my Start Programs menu.  
How do I open the rest?  setup.exe did not install Quick Access or anything besides the User Guide.

egydiocoelho

You must install the appxbundle that is contained in the file!

Beck18

egydiocoelho said:

You must install the appxbundle that is contained in the file!

Not sure what you're referring to by "appxbundle".  So for example, for the Quick Access link you sent me, I extracted it, and then it gave me 3 folders named ColorIntelligence; LumiFlex; QuickAccessUWP, and then 4 files named DelayStart; QuickAccess_x64, Setup, and Setup.exe.config.

I clicked on "Setup" file and then that opened an exe file which I clicked on.

Is that what I was supposed to do?  I think it did eventually install Quick Access onto my computer.

Do I do anything regarding the other folders and files (ColorIntelligence, etc), or just leave them there and Acer QuickAccess will use them if it needs them?

egydiocoelho

click on the QuickAccessUWP folder and install the appxbundle.

Beck18

egydiocoelho said:

click on the QuickAccessUWP folder and install the appxbundle.

So I think what happened is that after I tried installing from your Quick Access 3.00.3010 linked folders, I looked on my Start Programs list and didn't see any "Acer Quick Access" program listed under the "As" so I assumed something went wrong and it didn't install.  
[I only discovered a day later that it actually installed under "Q" as "Quick Access" -- which is why I didn't know it had installed.]

So thinking it hadn't installed, I then went to the Acer support page for my model Acer (R5-471T-71W2) and figured I should just download the Acer Quick Access there, even though it was clearly an older version (2.01.3028).

Then I tried your other Acer Care Center link and clicked setup, and something installed.

So here's the sum-total of Acer apps I ended up with on my computer's Programs list (followed by the resulting problem and my questions):
 - Acer Power Management   7.00.8109     [opens]
 - Acer Quick Access 2.01.3028                 [opens]
 - Acer User's Manual                               [opens]

 - Care Center   4.00.30140                     [opens]

 - Quick Access  3.0.3010.0    [Does not successfully open.  Instead, I get a solid black rectangular box where the program's 
                                             interface would be, and a blue spinning "wait" icon.]

My questions:  
1) Should I uninstall Quick Access 3.0.3010.0 since it isn't opening?
OR
 2)  should I uninstall that and Acer Quick Access 2.01.3028, and then retry your link, this time clicking on the QuickAccessUWP folder ?

3) If I had done this correctly, should additional Acer apps be showing in my Programs list?

egydiocoelho

1) yes
2) I suggest you uninstall version 2.01.3028 and try to install version 3.0.3010 again

3) Yes, it should appear in your list of programs

Beck18

egydiocoelho said:

1) yes
2) I suggest you uninstall version 2.01.3028 and try to install version 3.0.3010 again

3) Yes, it should appear in your list of programs

Hi,

Thanks for your reply!

I don't know if you saw my latest posts on my other thread -- but now my computer seems to be dead and I'm open to and desperately appreciative of any troubleshooting suggestions . . .

Below is post copied from other thread:

!!!!  PLEASE ADVISE!!!  Got BSOD!!

Hi, So things were going along swimmingly after I had done a Fresh Start on my computer . . . but then . . .

I had just initiated a download of Firefox from Ninite, and the install was taking longer than usual.  After about 10 minutes of waiting for the install to complete, I finally clicked Cancel.  Then the cancel kept going and not completing, so I finally clicked on the X to close the whole process.

During this time, my portable external drive with all my backup data had been plugged into my laptop's USB port, so I decided I should remove the portable drive and then do a restart on my laptop. 

When I clicked on the Eject icon on my taskbar to remove the external drive, and then clicked on Eject, it brought up my Devices list (printers and mouse, etc.) instead of letting me click on the drive to eject it.

So with no recourse, I clicked on the Windows logo on bottom-left of screen and clicked Shut Down to close everything up so that I could remove my external drive when it was no longer powered and blinking.

The strange thing was that after I shut down -- and even after I disconnected the AC, the external drive's light remained lit.  That's never happened before.

Finally, (I think after I long-pressed the power button) somehow, the light went off and I unplugged the external drive from the USB port.

Since then, every time after I press the laptop's power button to start the computer, all I get is the splash screen with "Acer Explore Beyond Limits", the white spinning dots for about 1 second, and then the whole screen goes black!! 

If I move my mouse, I do see my white mouse arrow moving around on the black screen -- and maybe every couple of minutes, the blue spinning "wait" wheel pops onto screen for a few seconds -- but that's it!!!

This is beyond frustrating and demoralizing after all the hours I spent researching how to replace my hard drive, etc, etc.

Could this problem be because of the bad battery?  OR is it likely something else?  Might you have any suggestions on how I can troubleshoot this?

I'm wondering if I should just give up and buy a new laptop (even though I'd prefer not to have to incur that expense right now).

egydiocoelho

About the new problem, the ideal is that you create a new topic and add me by putting an @.

Beck18

egydiocoelho said:

About the new problem, the ideal is that you create a new topic and add me by putting an @.

ok, thank you for letting me know.  (I'm new to do this.)  Will keep in mind for next time.

Beck18

egydiocoelho said:

1) yes
2) I suggest you uninstall version 2.01.3028 and try to install version 3.0.3010 again

3) Yes, it should appear in your list of programs

So first I went to Add-Remove programs and I uninstalled: Acer Quick Access 2.01.3028.

Then (because their shortcuts in the Start Programs list didn't work to open anything), I also uninstalled Quick Access and Quick Access Service 3.0.3010.0

Then I went back to the link you had sent, I extracted it, and I clicked on the QuickAccessUWP folder and then clicked on APPXBUNDLE File (top line in photo below).  That took me to a dialog asking if I wanted to open the Acer Quick Access app from Microsoft Store.  I said yes, but nothing discernible happened.  (I'm not signed into a Microsoft Account on my laptop.  Would that matter?)

Restarted my computer in case some process had to finish.  Nothing.

There is again a listing under Quick Access in my Start Programs list, but nothing happens when I click on it.

So then I right-clicked on it and got below screen, and clicked "Run as administrator" . . .

 

That got me the below screen, and when I clicked "Yes", again, nothing discernible happened.  I even restarted my computer, and then again clicked on Quick Access in Start Programs.  Nothing. 

Quick Access 3.0.3010 is showing again in my Add-Remove programs list, but it doesn't open from the Start Programs list . . .

Your thoughts?

egydiocoelho

What is the version of windows? Example 1909. I think that the newer versions of acer care center and acer quick access are not compatible with older versions of windows 10.

Beck18

egydiocoelho said:

What is the version of windows? Example 1909. I think that the newer versions of acer care center and acer quick access are not compatible with older versions of windows 10.

  Currently I have Windows version 1903   (build 10.0.18362).

 

  Is there any substantive difference between Acer Quick Access 2.01.3028  vs. version 3.0.3010.0?

 

  BTW, Acer Care Center 4.00.30140 did install fine on my computer and opens without a problem.

egydiocoelho

There are not many differences. I think these newer versions work better on windows 10 2004.

Beck18

egydiocoelho said:

There are not many differences. I think these newer versions work better on windows 10 2004.

  Okay, then in that case, I may as well just stick with what works, so I'll reinstall Acer Quick Access 2.01.3028.
 
  About my previous failed attempts to install Quick Access 3.0.3010.0, do I need to worry about any residual files or folders left from those failed attempts, that might interfere with something in the future?
If I did the uninstall of Quick Access 3.0.3010.0from inside of Add-Remove Programs, should that be sufficient?