hi! i am wanting to do a clean install on Acer Travelmate P663-M.

capetownal
capetownal Member Posts: 5 New User

i  am not very advanced in computer knowledge but would like to know if there is a way to re-install the oem windows 7 and 8.1 that were preinstalled on my laptop - the same effect as a clean install. i have already tried to create an iso file on usb flash drive but cannot get it to boot,  so am hoping there is a way to get either win7 (preferably) or win 8.1 to reboot as original? if i could save my data in the process that would be great but have back-ups so it's not essential.

 

thanks

Best Answer

  • capetownal
    capetownal Member Posts: 5 New User
    Answer ✓

    hi ironfly - i did a reinstall of win 8 (the only one it would let me do) from within windows 8. then used the acer recovery management tool to load windows 7. all sorted, so thanks a lot for your help! regards, alan

     

     

     

Answers

  • IronFly
    IronFly ACE Posts: 18,413 Trailblazer

    at boot press F12 and select the USB flash drive as bootable device, if this doesn't work try to press ALT+F10 at boot, this will start the Acer erecovery from HDD.

     

     

     

    I'm not an Acer employee.
  • capetownal
    capetownal Member Posts: 5 New User

    hi ironfly. thanks for that. i have tried the f12 button, to no avail. i have also tried getting into the bios via windows 8.1 and have reset the boot order to the usb drive with iso files for booting win 8 (i know this usb works as i have tried it on another pc). however, when i save the settings and close the bios in order for the laptop to reboot off the usb, it will not remember the changes on boot order and keeps booting back to win 8.

     

    if i hit alt F10 as per your suggestion, will the machine boot off the original installed window programs (win 7/8.1) or will it require a usb to boot from? i don't want to end up in a no return situation where i can't get the machine to boot!

     

  • IronFly
    IronFly ACE Posts: 18,413 Trailblazer

    ALT+F10 will re-install the original OS from factory so windows 7, if the windows 8.x update didn't kill the Acer erecovery.

     

    about F12, check on BIOS if the boot menu is enabled:

    http://acer--uk.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/6814/~/enabling-the-boot-device-menu

     

    so when you boot pressing F12, you will have a list of bootable device, try it.

    I'm not an Acer employee.
  • capetownal
    capetownal Member Posts: 5 New User

    hi ironfly. i enabled the boot menu as per instruction - it still will not work. pressing F12 on boot up does nothing - the machine keeps loading win8. i am now going to try the alt + F10 option.

  • capetownal
    capetownal Member Posts: 5 New User

    ......alt+F10 again no response...the pc boots up to win8. i am now going to try the "remove everything and re-install windows" option in UPDATE & RECOVERY on win 8....

  • IronFly
    IronFly ACE Posts: 18,413 Trailblazer
    Ok, let me know.
    I'm not an Acer employee.
  • capetownal
    capetownal Member Posts: 5 New User
    Answer ✓

    hi ironfly - i did a reinstall of win 8 (the only one it would let me do) from within windows 8. then used the acer recovery management tool to load windows 7. all sorted, so thanks a lot for your help! regards, alan

     

     

     

  • IronFly
    IronFly ACE Posts: 18,413 Trailblazer

    good to hear it. Smiley Happy

    I'm not an Acer employee.