Aspire V3-471G-Help required to update Win-10, pulled out the external USB drive during installation

TryChloroform

I have an old Aspire V3-471G that I am trying to update to Windows 10. I successfully did so once but pulled out the external USB drive used to install it, resulting in my computer now having no operating system. On my next attempts, the windows installer prompts me to find a location to install to, where I am given only Drive 0, unallocated which has 0mb of free space and used storage, and cannot be expanded, split into more partitions, or other operations. I believe that the internal HDD is now corrupted as it had went fine before.

Things I have tried to fix this:

DISKPART: List disk is able to identify the disk and I am allowed to select it, but still shows 0 space. Clean appears to work while clean all, create partition, extend, convert and modifying attributes all fail, returning either incorrect function or selected disk does not exist. Attributes show that it is not read only, though all the values read either zeros (e.g.: ID 00000000, Path 0, etc.) or false.

WMIC: Only recognizes the USB drive being used to install Windows.

CHKDSK: Same as WMIC, attempts to modify using /f, /r and x all fail as they cannot open the volume.

Linux based tools and other not using the Windows setup CMD (e.g.: GParted): Same as WMIC

Testdisk: Same as WMIC

BIOS: I have tried changing the SATA configuration to no effect. My BIOS appears to be outdated as I cannot find my drives or options such as secure boot.

I am hesitant to open the laptop as it is 12 years old and has its screws rusted until I might damage the computer while removing them. I do not have any replacement hard drives or any cables to connect the hard drive to another computer.

[Edited the thread to add model name and issue detail to the title]

StevenGen

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/716213/aspire-v3-471g-help-required-to-update-win-10-pulled-out-the-external-usb-drive-during-installation

I don’t know which cpu model and ram capacity Aspire V3-471 14 inch version you have , but my Aspire V3-571G is the exact laptop but it’s the 15 inch version and it only came with the MBR/Legacy bios which I used a mod to convert the bios to a UEFI bios, I don’t know if you have the MBR/Legacy bios on your V3-471 too? I’ve been using this laptop since new in 2013 and its been upgraded to Win-10 Pro and it works flawlessly, my V3 has an i7-3610QM cpu/upgraded the ram to 8GB 2x 4GB DDR3-1866MT/s /2.5” 500GB Samsung 850 EVO SSD and also I’ve converted the ODD/DVD space with a caddy for an additional 2.5” HDD for extra storage, so you can do the same things to your V3-471.

What I suggest that you do is this, take the battery out first, then open the laptops Base Cover (try to do this at any cost) as its only got 4 screws as underneath that door is the HDD, WLAN card and the RAM modules, then throw that old 2.5” SATA 3 HDD into the garbage, as by what you say that the screws are rusted, the HDD will be rusted and corroded also and faulty, then replace that drive with a new 2.5” SATA-3 SSD drive (which for a 500GB drive, can cost under$50) as that will improve performance by over 100% of your V3-471 laptop.

Then boot the installation USB and proceed with the Win-10 operating system installation. After you have finished the Win-10 installation, download all the drivers for this old Aspire V3-471 laptop from here @ Acer Aspire V3-471 Notebooks & Tablet PCs - HelpDrivers as they have 80 available files including all the bios files that you can update this laptop to its last bios version, so update the bios to the last bios version and use whatever other drivers that Win-10 doesn’t install from there. Btw, I can vouch for this site because I’ve used their drivers, and they are legit.

Also and if you want to make this laptop perform to its best with Win-10 OS, I suggest that you fist change the HDD like I’ve advised you above, upgrade the ram to this laptop max 8Gb @ 2x 4GB DDR3-1333/1600 SODIMM 1.5V type ram. Good luck and hope this helps you out.

This is the V3-471 base door that you must remove as that old 2.5 inch SATA-3 HDD need to be replaced

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