Update my Acer Predator G3620 from Windows 7

Zimonio

Hello, I have an old Acer Predator G3620 I currently use as a Plex-server. However Plex have stopped supporting Windows 7 which my computer currently runs on and I want to upgrade it to Windows 10 preferably.

I tried going through Microsofts website looking for different ways but wasn't successful. Does anyone have any ideas on how to do it? Thanks in advance

William_mk2

@Zimonio

Try this method..

On a different working computer. 

Go to the website 
https://www.microsoft.com/en-in/software-download/windows10
Below the info Create Windows 10 installation media
click on download tool now.. 
It will download the windows media creation tool  - click on media creation file on the lower left corner.
Insert a blank 8 gb flash drive 
it will download and install the windows 10 on the blank flash drive..  Kindly use atleast a 8 gb usb flash drive to download windows 10

Now insert the flash drive on the broken computer

Tap f2 for laptop and del for desktop while turning on the computer
It will go to bios
Go to main
change the f12 boot menu to enabled
Go to boot tab or boot options tab
change the settings
Boot mode: UEFI
Secure boot : Enabled
F10 - Save the changes
Try f12 while turning on the computer.
It will go to boot menu
chose the usb

Boot it using flash drive..
click on install
chose custom
on where do you want to install windows screen - remove all the partitions
It will become like one single unallocated space  
There is no need to format it.. 
chose the unallocated space 
click on next 
It will install the operating system. 

Zimonio

UPDATE - I tried going here https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/windows10 and Download Tool Now but I just get the error message Unknown Error code 0x80072F8F - 0x20000, if that helps

Alejandro_AC

Hi @Zimonio your model is compatible up to Windows 8.1 so you could have problems during the installation due to incompatibility with your processor:

https://www.acer.com/us-en/support?search=Predator%20G3620&filter=global_download&suggest=G3620;0

You could also have driver problems.

I would try Windows 10 first.

But the problem is really the license, you would have to buy it and without the security that it works correctly on the computer.

The Windows 10 free update program ended on July 30, 2016 but some servers still maintain the right to update for free from the Microsoft page, so you just have to try it from the current installation, going to the following address to the "update now" following the steps:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

But there is no guarantee that it will accept your current license as valid for Windows 10, in which case, it will ask you for a license.

Thank you.
All the best.

StevenGen

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/683974/update-my-acer-predator-g3620-from-windows-7

Just in addition and to help you out some more, as your Acer Predator G3620 problems with Plex server could be rectified by upgrading to Win-10, but Plex server works on Win-7 32bit and 64bit. Anyway, your desktop came with two bios versions, and if you have Win-7 fitted oem by Acer then your bios is the MBR/Legacy type bios, as this desktop also came with Win-8.1 that had the UEFI bios format too.

I don't know which version G3620 you have, but your Win-7 can still be upgraded for FREE to 32bit/64bit Win-10 Home or Pro, see how to do this upgrade here. First is to update the bios, if you have the MBR/Legacy bios format update to Version: P01.A2 or if you have the UEFI bios version, then update to Version: P11.B1 first. The Acer Predator G3620 overall specs is enough to run Win-10 every version perfectly.

After and also upgrade the ram to 16GB into its 4 DIMMS (4x 4GB DDR3-1600Mhz type ram) and install a 2.5" SSD SATA-3 drive and if you have the i7-3770 cpu then this cpu is the fastest cpu for this desktop, if you don’t then upgrade to this cpu also as this cpu with the ram and the 2.5” SSD will upgrade and make your desktop perform 100% better with Win-10.

Doing all the above upgrades will make your desktop handle Win-10 of all versions, I know this as I’ve done this to a similar spec Intel 3rd Gen laptop, that is running Win-10 Pro perfectly on an 11 years old laptop the Aspire V3-571G (i7-3610QM, DDR3-1866MHz ram, Samsung 2.5” SSD 560 EVO) and this laptop works perfectly and has worked perfectly with Win-10 Pro since Win-10 was released and it works even though, this laptop came with an MBR/Legacy bios and Win-7 OS like you have, but there was a bios mod which I could upgrade the bios from its MBR/Legacy bios to the UEFI format bios, and if your Acer Predator G3620 has an MBR/Legacy bios you could do the same, but I don't know if there is a bios mod for this desktops bios? So do the research if your desktop has an old MBR/legacy bios to the UEFI bios, but it doesn’t matter as this desktop will work with the MBR/Legacy bios also, but the problems that you might have with the Plex-server, so either way you will be able to run Win-10 Home or Pro on the Acer Predator G3620. Good luck and hope this helps you out some more.

Zimonio

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1196764#Comment_1196764

Hey, StevenGen and thank you so much for your reply!

Is upgrading to my 16 gb ram into 4 DIMMS and SSD necessary to fulfill the upgrade to Windows 10? I went ahead and tried without it as I don't have the resources right now to upgrade. I saw I had the Legacy Bios so I went on Acer support and downloaded the latest P01.A2 for the Predator G3620 and managed to flash the bios I believe.
I got a little further than before, now when I tried the Installation media for Windows 10 I got the logo just before the error message of Unknown error, error code 0x80072F8F - 0x20000 appeared.

Would it theoretically work if I upgraded the hardware before instead you think? Or is there something else I could try? Thanks in advance!

William_mk2

@Zimonio

Try this method..

On a different working computer. 

Go to the website 
https://www.microsoft.com/en-in/software-download/windows10
Below the info Create Windows 10 installation media
click on download tool now.. 
It will download the windows media creation tool  - click on media creation file on the lower left corner.
Insert a blank 8 gb flash drive 
it will download and install the windows 10 on the blank flash drive..  Kindly use atleast a 8 gb usb flash drive to download windows 10

Now insert the flash drive on the broken computer

Tap f2 for laptop and del for desktop while turning on the computer
It will go to bios
Go to main
change the f12 boot menu to enabled
Go to boot tab or boot options tab
change the settings
Boot mode: UEFI
Secure boot : Enabled
F10 - Save the changes
Try f12 while turning on the computer.
It will go to boot menu
chose the usb

Boot it using flash drive..
click on install
chose custom
on where do you want to install windows screen - remove all the partitions
It will become like one single unallocated space  
There is no need to format it.. 
chose the unallocated space 
click on next 
It will install the operating system. 

StevenGen

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1196803#Comment_1196803

Its my please to help you out, and just in addition to how William_mk2 has explained how to do a bootable windows installation USB. It does not matter if you can’t upgrade the desktop to 16GB but you need at least 4GB of ram at the very minimum, but its preferable to run Win-10 with 8GB min as and otherwise it will run like snail slow.

With the boot drive, its ok to have a mechanical (spinner HDD) but again it will be allot slower in operation and especially in boot time, that is why an SSD SATA-3 boot drive is essential as they allot quicker, you can do all this later on when you have the budget to increase the ram to 4x 4GB DDR3-1600MHz DIMMs and a 2.5" SATA-3 SSD.

Now and coming to your installation of Win-10, and when you do the install of Win-7 do a clean install, and when you get to the Win-10 installation section of "Where do you want to install Windows" delete the boot drive and its partitions completely > then format the boot drive (there should be just one drive shown) and continue the Win-10 installation. So that you get rid of every trace of Win-7 from your boot drive, then proceed with the Win-10 installation, as the ERROR 0x80072F8F - 0x20000 is repated to having files from Win-7 on your HDD.

Here is an explanation of what Error 0x80072f8f - 0x20000 is:

Its a common error that occurs when you try to upgrade your OS using the Media Creation Tool. It can happen because the TLS 1.2 Protocol is disabled by default on Windows 7 and Windows 8 computers. It can also happen because of conflicting applications, the absence of admin privileges, or the system cannot access Windows Updates files.

Zimonio

Thank you so much guys, I got it working! Can't believe it, thank you 😁

StevenGen

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1196891#Comment_1196891

Not a problem glad to help you out👍