Windows 8 Update BIG PROBLEM

westonr
westonr Member Posts: 35 New User

I had a Problem with the upgrade to Windows 8 Pro, Downloaded the Offer version for my new Acer W500   At the start I request not to keep any thing in the install process and was expecting it to format the drive and create a partition as my windows 7 did on a new build with an SSD drive on Desk top Machine.

 

I did the Following

 

I created a USB bootable drive with windows 8 download and reconfigured the Bios to boot from the USB the windows 8 started to boot up and went through the setting up process request not to keep any thing in the install process, and got to a point where it said that there was not enough memory available so I think I did a very silly thing and formatted the one partition of the SSD that holds windows 7 (this was an option in the installation windows 8) now I have an empty partition of 29Gb  (SSD 32 Gb on the ACER W500) but the windows 8 will still not install I have tried to recover the System with the Recovery Disks copied to a USB device but nothing happens.

 

I think that I need to reinstall windows 7 how do I do that without the Disk and only the Product Key Can you please help, may be I should have trimmed down my windows 7 Program before installing Windows 8 upgrade I had just under 7Gb free but no mention of what the minimum space required to install Windows 8 requires until you get to a very critical stage.

 

Can you please help and give me some guidance as to what my options are . Can any one provide a link to download windows 7 I have the Product Key I have also contacted the Manufacturer for advice as well.

 

I have ordered a USB DVD Drive to use the recovery disks supplied with the Computer just in case the process of copying them to USB was not the right thing to do, Hope you can help me I do not know where to start would be very grateful for your help I did a really silly thing selecting the format option in the Windows 8 installation. The small single partition is still present on the drive as when booting it asks me to install system disk to undertake a repair ? Obviously I only Have the Recovery Discs Not the same thing ?.

 

Best Answer

  • westonr
    westonr Member Posts: 35 New User
    Answer ✓

    After much research an answer to my own question. If you install windows 8 on an Acer W500 32 Gb SSD you must slim down the installed software to an acceptable level before attempting the up grade as Windows 8, MS said it requires 16Gb of space as it  is an upgrade only and requires windows 7, after the upgrade  you will find only a very small amount of space left on the SSD  but you will also have a file called windows 7 old which is the backup of redundant files which I have been informed can be deleted creating more usable space.

     

    Yes I did the system restore with the recovery disks which turned the machine back to the factory settings. Microsoft live chat via mail seems very good also Acer support was excellent very quick in providing information I needed as well.  If you lose a windows 7 installation Disk you can order a replacement from Microsoft (with a valid Product Code) but you cannot order a replacement if it is an OEM copy in this case you need to contact the PC Manufacturer for a set of rectory disks if you did not get one with the PC.

Answers

  • snoopy1492
    snoopy1492 Member Posts: 21

    Tinkerer

    Hi, sorry for all the problem you're going through! Smiley Wink

     

    You can legally download the iso of windows 7 at : http://www.w7forums.com/official-windows-7-sp1-iso-image-downloads-t12325.html

    You will just need you key in order to register windows  7 during installation Smiley Wink

     

    And yes regarding your problem, you have to reinstall windows 7 on the w500 (otherwise you can't upgrade, the installer will check if there is a valid windows XP/Vista/7 on the pc), activate it and you should try installing it from windows 7, maybe it will pass. But I really don't see why the win8 installer would tell you that there isn"t enough disk space with 29gb... That is weird.

    If you want to try again booting from the usb disk, you can also try, instead of formating the partition, deleting it and windows will create its own partition on the disk. That's worth trying at least.

  • westonr
    westonr Member Posts: 35 New User
    Answer ✓

    After much research an answer to my own question. If you install windows 8 on an Acer W500 32 Gb SSD you must slim down the installed software to an acceptable level before attempting the up grade as Windows 8, MS said it requires 16Gb of space as it  is an upgrade only and requires windows 7, after the upgrade  you will find only a very small amount of space left on the SSD  but you will also have a file called windows 7 old which is the backup of redundant files which I have been informed can be deleted creating more usable space.

     

    Yes I did the system restore with the recovery disks which turned the machine back to the factory settings. Microsoft live chat via mail seems very good also Acer support was excellent very quick in providing information I needed as well.  If you lose a windows 7 installation Disk you can order a replacement from Microsoft (with a valid Product Code) but you cannot order a replacement if it is an OEM copy in this case you need to contact the PC Manufacturer for a set of rectory disks if you did not get one with the PC.

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