VN7 571 Windows clean install

talal77maki
talal77maki Member Posts: 12 New User

Good day,

 

I have purchased a new VN7-571-7309 laptop with the following specs:

 

CPU: i7-5500u

RAM: 16 GB DDR3L

VGA: GTX850m with 4GB RAM

HDD1: Seagate 2TB HDD

HDD2: Kingston 60GB SSD.

OS: Win8.1

 

Now, as you all know, 60GB is very small for windows drive as the applications will eat it fast. WoW by itself will add at least 20 GB so this is not going to work.

My idea is to replace the 2TB HDD with a 256GB SSD I have and use it as C.

Now I could in theory (and practive, I have done it) relocate my OS partition to the new drive since it is smaller but I want to do a clean install. Now the package did not come with disks of any kind so how can I do this?

 

Best Answer

Answers

  • philetus
    philetus ACE Posts: 4,759 Pathfinder

    Go to search and type Acer Recovery. Open it and you will see Make a Recovery Drive. It will recover the drive to factory.You can install the SSD, boot from the Recovery USB drive and restore everything. 

     

  • JordanB
    JordanB ACE Posts: 3,729 Pathfinder
    Answer ✓

    Create a factory default recovery drive and a drivers and apps backup:

     

    http://acer.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/29934#_ga=1.248271175.1570583413.1443933349

     

    After you create a factory default recovery drive and an apps and drivers backup.......

     

    You can decide if you want to use your recovery drive or do a clean vanilla install....

     

    http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/create-reset-refresh-media

     

    http://us.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/drivers

     

    There's no need to enter a key.  The key is retrieved automatically from the motherboard/BIOS.

     

    I'm not an Acer employee.
  • philetus
    philetus ACE Posts: 4,759 Pathfinder

    That's what I told him Jordan

  • talal77maki
    talal77maki Member Posts: 12 New User

    Thanks guys for your support.

    Another question: can I use a Win8 installation CD from another sourse to do the clean install?

    Also can I use a Win10 CD or do I need to upgrade my copy first?

  • JordanB
    JordanB ACE Posts: 3,729 Pathfinder

    As of 10/17/2015.....you must first upgrade your Windows 8.1 to Windows 10 before can you do a clean install of Windows 10.  Make sure you are logged in to windows with your microsoft account (windows live account).  And then verify that Windows 10 activated properly.  (Settings>Update and Security>Activation). If Windows 10 is activated, then you can do a clean install of Windows 10.  When you do a clean install of windows 10, it will ask for a key.  But you don't need to enter a key.  Just click "skip" or "not now" or "do this later" and it will automatically activate after it is finished installing.

     

    I'm not sure about using a different source for Windows 8.1.

     

    There are only three sources that I would use.

     

    1. Your factory default recovery drive.

     

    2.  Microsoft's vanilla windows 8.1

     

    http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/create-reset-refresh-media

     

    3.  Your erecovery media that you can purchase from the Acer store.

     

     

    I'm not an Acer employee.
  • talal77maki
    talal77maki Member Posts: 12 New User

    OK is there a way to Disable the M2 SSD drive without physically removing it?

  • JordanB
    JordanB ACE Posts: 3,729 Pathfinder

    I don't know about that one.  If you don't get an answer, you can start a new thread about that question.

     

    If you explain why you want to disable it, you might get more in-depth answers or workarounds.

    I'm not an Acer employee.
  • talal77maki
    talal77maki Member Posts: 12 New User

    i want to installo windows on the HDD rather than the SSD but I do not want to remove the SSD, format it at this stage, or to rename the HDD as D:

    I want to install windows on drive C: but this time as an HDD

  • JordanB
    JordanB ACE Posts: 3,729 Pathfinder

    Are you wanting to install windows on your HDD so you can have a backup? 

     

    I'll be honest, if you install Windows on your HDD instead of your SSD, it's going to be a lot slower.  Ideally you want the OS on your SSD.

     

    Have you made a factory default recovery drive following the instructions in the video below?

     

    http://acer.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/26287

     

    I'm not an Acer employee.
  • JordanB
    JordanB ACE Posts: 3,729 Pathfinder

    If you make a factory default recovery drive and also a backup of your apps and drivers, and then do the upgrade to windows 10 through windows update.....you can then download windows 10 and do a clean install of windows 10 wherever you want to install windows 10.  When you do a clean install of windows 10, select "custom install" and then click on the drive where you want to install windows 10, then click "next".

     

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

     

    to install clean, here's instructions for diskpart clean....which will wipe your drive.  Be careful.

     

    http://forum.crucial.com/t5/The-Cru/Reset-your-SSD-to-factory-settings-Windows-DiskPart/ba-p/162503

     

    To gain access to a command prompt outside of windows, you press and hold the "shift" key and restart your computer.  (Troubleshoot>advanced options)

    I'm not an Acer employee.
  • JordanB
    JordanB ACE Posts: 3,729 Pathfinder

    It might give you an option to install on a different drive if you use your factory default recovery drive.  Unfortunately, I just can't remember.  It's been so long ago since I've tested all that.

     

    You can also do a selective custom install with the vanilla windows 8.1

     

    http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/create-reset-refresh-media

    I'm not an Acer employee.
  • talal77maki
    talal77maki Member Posts: 12 New User

    OK you caught me Smiley Happy

     

    the plan is as follows:

     

    replace the 2TB HDD with a 256GB SSD I have, install windows on the big SSD and use the small SSD as an SD drive for things like my documents and other things.

     

    Once everything is in place, i will remove the DVD drive and use a caddy to house the 2TB HDD and install it in the DVD bay.

    I have this setup on my HP DV6 laptop that is going to retire.

    So I want to keep windows on the small (60GB SSD) for the first phase untill i know for sure the big SSD works and is stable.

  • JordanB
    JordanB ACE Posts: 3,729 Pathfinder

    Here's the best advice I can give you in your remodeling..... Smiley Happy

     

    If you make a factory default USB recovery drive and also an apps and drivers backup of your original windows 8.1 that came with your computer, you have nothing to worry about if you make a mistake in your remodeling project. Smiley Wink Because you can easily put your computer back to factory condition by using your recovery drive and when your recovery drive asks you if you want to re-partition the drive, say yes.

     

    If you want to play it safe, make 2 factory default recovey drives and 2 drivers and apps backups and put them in a labeled envelope and then put them in safe place.  Watch both of the videos below.

     

    http://acer.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/26287

     

    http://acer.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/27090

     

    After you have those in a safe place, you can experiment with custom installing and get things exactly how you want them without worrying about making a mistake.  If you make a mistake, simply wipe your HDD or SSD clean with diskpart clean and start over.  The nice thing about installing windows on a SSD is it only takes about 20 minutes to install because they are so fast.  It might only take 10-15 minutes for you since you have i7.

     

    http://forum.crucial.com/t5/The-Cru/Reset-your-SSD-to-factory-settings-Windows-DiskPart/ba-p/162503

     

    Edit: "Diskpart clean" works on both HDDs and SSDs.  

    I'm not an Acer employee.