Trying to factory reset my Helios 700 using recovery USB from Acer, but USB will not boot.

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Answers

  • xapim
    xapim ACE Posts: 7,253 Pathfinder
    edited August 2020
    Gr3yWolf usually its from 8 to 10gb depending on the os stock version that why i recommend a good 16gb usb drive like a cruzer force for ex also you said you got the recovery drive directly from acer its weird because acer only sells recovery drives in the US/CA only no other countries have that option and they do not ship internationally and in the UK they arent even available for sale at all i tried many times to get one for mine they have refused so i really doubt they will even get u any solution for ex my win10 1809 stock recovery drive for my spin 5 its 9.40gb and you only have 2 folders in any recovery drive heres what you should have in any recovery drive created under windows 10 either way good luck






    https://www.userbenchmark.com/UserRun/11532543

    UserBenchmarks: Game 43%, Desk 61%, Work 40%
    CPU: Intel Core i5-7300HQ - 63.5%
    GPU: Nvidia GTX 1050-Ti (Mobile) - 41.9%
    SSD: WDC WDS200T2B0B-00YS70 2TB - 71.4%
    HDD: WD WD10SPZX-00HKTT0 1TB - 93.7%
    RAM: Kingston HyperX DDR4 2666 C15 2x16GB - 76.8%
    MBD: Acer Predator G3-572

    I'm not an Acer employee. (just here to help in the best way i can)
    If my answer fixed you issue please accept it for any other users who search for it would find it quickly thanks :)
    If you want to learn more about undervolting/optimizing windows join the Predator fb group and youtube channel:

    Owner/Admin (HOTEL HERO/Red-Sand/Opoka Opoka)
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/PredatorHelios300
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNJwGUHxSJ8FKqAhnOqQuAw
    Acer support:
    https://www.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/service-contact
    http://www.acer.com/worldwide/support/  


  • Gr3yWolf
    Gr3yWolf Member Posts: 22

    Tinkerer
    Thanks for that. Do you happen to know what the file/folder structure should look like? Just so i can compare it with mine to make sure i have everything that is needed and also make sure i dont have what i shouldnt.
  • Commodore_1995#
    Commodore_1995# ACE Posts: 98,322 Trailblazer
    Can you send some screenshots of the files that appear on the usb stick (erecovery)?

    Oi! Eu não sou sou a cortana! Mas estou aqui para ajudar! Hi! I'm not the cortana! But I'm here to help!
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  • Gr3yWolf
    Gr3yWolf Member Posts: 22

    Tinkerer
    The USB came with the laptop when i got it:

    Here some screenshots, if you need any more let me know:













  • xapim
    xapim ACE Posts: 7,253 Pathfinder
    edited August 2020
    Gr3yWolf said:
    Thanks for that. Do you happen to know what the file/folder structure should look like? Just so i can compare it with mine to make sure i have everything that is needed and also make sure i dont have what i shouldnt.
    Gr3yWolf your file structure will never be the same as one created via windows recovery drive your drive was supposedly created by acer themselves and the version of the erecovery might even be incompatible with your model or not even for the correct model as i stated above they only supply erecovery drives in the US/CA for US/CA models only they do not supply it in any other country care to share how and where you got it as this is really weird as i said i know in fact and for sure as i spoke with acer top staff myself and they do not supply it anywhere else i tried it myself they manage however to send my 5 recovery dvds thats i never tried but they are supposed to recover everything to stock if used in the proper order (its a bit more complicated than that) and i need to use a external usb dvd drive of course :) 

    That erecovery usb drive seems to had been created via the really old discontinued acer erecovery management that i have on my aspires 5740G and 7745G to create win7 recovery discs as i remember that exact UI when i created some about 12 years ago not really sure but thats what it seems to me its just weird as i have somewhere the recovery dvds with the same UI you can try to extract/mount your windows.wim image in a virtual drive to check whats on  it including the version 


    https://www.userbenchmark.com/UserRun/11532543

    UserBenchmarks: Game 43%, Desk 61%, Work 40%
    CPU: Intel Core i5-7300HQ - 63.5%
    GPU: Nvidia GTX 1050-Ti (Mobile) - 41.9%
    SSD: WDC WDS200T2B0B-00YS70 2TB - 71.4%
    HDD: WD WD10SPZX-00HKTT0 1TB - 93.7%
    RAM: Kingston HyperX DDR4 2666 C15 2x16GB - 76.8%
    MBD: Acer Predator G3-572

    I'm not an Acer employee. (just here to help in the best way i can)
    If my answer fixed you issue please accept it for any other users who search for it would find it quickly thanks :)
    If you want to learn more about undervolting/optimizing windows join the Predator fb group and youtube channel:

    Owner/Admin (HOTEL HERO/Red-Sand/Opoka Opoka)
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/PredatorHelios300
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNJwGUHxSJ8FKqAhnOqQuAw
    Acer support:
    https://www.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/service-contact
    http://www.acer.com/worldwide/support/  


  • Gr3yWolf
    Gr3yWolf Member Posts: 22

    Tinkerer
    As i said i got the USB recovery drive with the laptop, although not in the box but a seperate parcel.

    I have checked the files on the drive, and also the .wim files containing windows, and there is mention of this specific laptop model in the files (PH717-71). Unfortunately i do not know how the recovery usb was created.

    I have since just done a clean install of windows 10 via the windows creation tool (or whatever its called). Although now there are things missing from predator sense such as CPU Overclocking, whereas before both GPU and CPU overclocking options where available - so i suspect that only the Acer specific version of windows 10 will bring it back - which is why i wanted to recover from the USB, but alas it will not work for whatever reason. As i said, i have contacted Acer support to see what if anything they can do about it, though im not hopeful.
  • engr146
    engr146 Member Posts: 21 Networker
    edited August 2020
    I unplugged my 2nd internal HD and my system booted off internal ssd drive C:\,when I had an issue booting
  • Gr3yWolf
    Gr3yWolf Member Posts: 22

    Tinkerer
    Thanks for the suggestion engr146, but this isnt the issue im having. The issue is getting the USB recovery drive to boot.
  • Gr3yWolf
    Gr3yWolf Member Posts: 22

    Tinkerer
    Ok, so after much tinkering around and trying different things, i decided to clone drive D (the drive that got wiped) onto an external HDD, i then put the drive pack into the laptop and attempted recovery again using the USB recovery from Acer - and now with that drive back in, it works first time, i can boot into Acer recovery and the whole process completes with zero errors. Really strange. Only thing is the recovery process will ONLY complete on drive D, but i need it to complete on drive C (the two SSDs in raid 0). If i try to do the recovery with only the 2 SSDs (drive C) then recovery always fails, never gets passed the verification process without throwing up multiple errors... im puzzled.

    So the process completes on drive D and copies over approx 16gb of data:

    The only problem is that when the computer attemps to boot from drive D, it boots into recovery again, and the recovery process begins over again - but i have to have the recovery USB connected else i will give an error saying that the USB drive containing the file NAPPDeploySetting.xml could not be found. So i have to insert the recovery USB again to continue - only when i do it just installs the whole thing over to drive D again - and this happens over and over again.

    If i could just get the recovery to properly comlete and install factory OS and settings to drive D, then i could just then clone D over to C - but it wont complete, just loops recovery.

    Anyone have any ideas?

    Thanks
  • Gr3yWolf
    Gr3yWolf Member Posts: 22

    Tinkerer
    I was just looking through the NAPP log and think i may have found the problem, it seems that during the part of the recovery process that detects the drives in the computer, it doesnt seem to detect the SSDs, only detecting the HDD - which would explain why the recovery fails with only the SSDs, and also would explain why even with the HDD installed it still wont recover to drive C - as it doesnt detect it, though i dont know why it doesnt detect it... strange.
    Another odd thing i noticed is that there is mention of Winodws 8 recovery environment - though elsewhere the Windows version is '10', not sure what to make of it.

    This is an excerpt from the log file (which i have attached):

    2020-08-25 16:36:15.540    [0007]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output: 2020/08/25 16:36:15.5401 : InternalDiskCount is 1
    2020-08-25 16:36:15.540    [0007]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output: 2020/08/25 16:36:15.5401 : Getting disk0 information...
    2020-08-25 16:36:15.665    [0007]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Command] pushd "X:\NAPPHDD\Tools\DiskConfigDetection\nonrotatingmedia\AMD64
    2020-08-25 16:36:15.665    [0007]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Command] nonrotatingmedia.exe -d \\.\PhysicalDrive0 -nsm 0
    2020-08-25 16:36:15.665    [0007]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Command] popd
    2020-08-25 16:36:15.946    [0007]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Output] Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.10240]
    2020-08-25 16:36:15.962    [0007]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Output] X:\>pushd "X:\NAPPHDD\Tools\DiskConfigDetection\nonrotatingmedia\AMD64
    2020-08-25 16:36:15.962    [0007]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Output] X:\NAPPHDD\Tools\DiskConfigDetection\nonrotatingmedia\amd64>nonrotatingmedia.exe -d \\.\PhysicalDrive0 -nsm 0
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.328    [0007]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Output] Machine: Build=9600.00
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.328    [0007]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Output]     Platform=AMD64
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.328    [0007]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Output]     OS=Windows (TM) 8 Preinstallation Environment
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.328    [0007]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Output]     ServicePack=""
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.328    [0007]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Output]     Version=6.3
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.328    [0007]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Output]     BuildLab="th1"
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.328    [0007]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Output]     BuildDate=150709-1700
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.328    [0007]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Output]     Language=English (US) (REDMOND)
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.343    [0007]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Output]     Config=n/a
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.343    [0007]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Output] Start: Required Arguments Check, TUID=
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.343    [0007]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Output] End: Pass, Required Arguments Check, TUID=, Repro=nonrotatingmedia.exe  -d \\.\PhysicalDrive0 -nsm 0
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.343    [0007]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Output] Start: Rotational Rate Test, TUID=
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.343    [0007]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Output] Device in test: '\\.\PhysicalDrive0'
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.343    [0007]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Output] Bus type is: RAID
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.343    [0007]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Output] Warn: Bus type is not ATA, SATA, SAS, or NVMe, skip the test.
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.343    [0007]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Output]     File=testsrc\driverstest\storage\wdk\nonrotationalmedia\nrmtest.cpp, Line=57
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.343    [0007]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Output] End: Skipped, Rotational Rate Test, TUID=, Repro=nonrotatingmedia.exe  -d \\.\PhysicalDrive0 -nsm 0
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.343    [0007]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Output] Summary: Total=2, Passed=1, Failed=0, Blocked=0, Warned=0, Skipped=1
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.343    [0007]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Output] X:\NAPPHDD\Tools\DiskConfigDetection\nonrotatingmedia\amd64>popd
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.343    [0007]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Output] X:\>exit
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.343    [0007]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [ExitCode] 0
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.359    [0007]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Command] pushd "X:\NAPPHDD\Tools\DiskConfigDetection\SSD_precheck\AMD64
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.359    [0007]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Command] SsdPrecheckTool.exe 0
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.359    [0007]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Command] popd
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.389    [0007]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Output] Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.10240]
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.389    [0005]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Output] X:\>pushd "X:\NAPPHDD\Tools\DiskConfigDetection\SSD_precheck\AMD64
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.389    [0005]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Output] X:\NAPPHDD\Tools\DiskConfigDetection\SSD_precheck\amd64>SsdPrecheckTool.exe 0
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.404    [0005]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Output] Physical Drive 0: (SATA) ST1000LM049-2GH172
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.404    [0005]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Output] Physical Drive 0
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.404    [0005]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Output] ---------------------------------------
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.404    [0005]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Output] Type: SATA
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.404    [0005]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Output] Model Name: ST1000LM049-2GH172
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.404    [0005]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Output] Serial Number: ZGS0X4WG
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.404    [0005]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Output] Media Rotation Rate: 7200 RPM
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.404    [0005]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Output] X:\NAPPHDD\Tools\DiskConfigDetection\SSD_precheck\amd64>popd
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.404    [0005]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [Output] X:\>exit
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.420    [0005]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output:  [ExitCode] 0
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.436    [0005]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output: 2020/08/25 16:36:16.4361 : Checking internal disk count
    2020-08-25 16:36:16.436    [0005]    <Trace>    [CommandLine.OutputDataHandler()]        Output: 2020/08/25 16:36:16.4361 : Only one internal disk0, OsDiskIndex is 0 and PbrDiskIndex is 0

    Any ideas anyone?

  • Commodore_1995#
    Commodore_1995# ACE Posts: 98,322 Trailblazer
    Maybe there is a problem with the usb stick. Does the same problem occur when copying files to another usb stick?
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  • Gr3yWolf
    Gr3yWolf Member Posts: 22

    Tinkerer
    Thanks for the reply.

    Yes i have tried to copy the files to another USB and get the same thing unfortunately, but i will give it another go and get back to you - though from past experience i doubt it being successful. What i dont understand is why after completing the recovery process does drive D boot back into recovery and begin the process over again...


  • Commodore_1995#
    Commodore_1995# ACE Posts: 98,322 Trailblazer
    This is because you are not disconnecting the usb stick when you restart your computer. That's why the procedure starts again.
    Oi! Eu não sou sou a cortana! Mas estou aqui para ajudar! Hi! I'm not the cortana! But I'm here to help!
    Se você gostou da minha resposta, marque como solução clicando em sim! If you liked my answer, mark it as a solution by clicking on yes!
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  • Gr3yWolf
    Gr3yWolf Member Posts: 22

    Tinkerer
    edited August 2020
    I am actually diconnecting the USB stick, as promted to do so at the end of the initial recovery process, then with the USB disconnected i boot into drive D and Acer recovery loads again. When i click continue the varifying process begins and then fails with the error saying that the USB drive containing the file NAPPDeploySetting.xml could not be found, and then after clicking OK the system reboots. If i boot into drive D without the USB connected, it boots into recovery, i then have to insert the USB else i will get the error saying the XML file couldnt be found on the USB, the varifying process then completes and the whole recovery begins again. It just loops like this over and over, i am not sure what is supposed to happen when booting to drive D after recovery - i assume it is supposed to boot into the now 'recovered' Windows OS.
  • Commodore_1995#
    Commodore_1995# ACE Posts: 98,322 Trailblazer
    Does the same problem occur when reinstalling windows, using a microsoft iso?
    Oi! Eu não sou sou a cortana! Mas estou aqui para ajudar! Hi! I'm not the cortana! But I'm here to help!
    Se você gostou da minha resposta, marque como solução clicando em sim! If you liked my answer, mark it as a solution by clicking on yes!
    Aceite somente a resposta que ajudou a solucionar o seu problema! Please accept only the response that helped to solve your problem!
    Detection tool click here to find the serial number or partnumber of your model!                                                          
                                                      
                                                     egydiocoelho Trailblazer
     
    ProductKey clique aqui para descobrir o serial do windows! click here to discover the windows serial!
    Para usuários da comunidade inglesa, espanhola, francesa e alemã, usarei o google tradutor! :)
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  • Gr3yWolf
    Gr3yWolf Member Posts: 22

    Tinkerer
    As mentioned previously, i actually did a fresh install of Windows 10 after using the Media Creation Tool on a different USB and had no issues at all - although now some features within for example the Predator Sense software are missing, which is why i want to recover using the Acer USB. Its just using the Acer Recovery USB that gives me issues - i can get the recovery process to complete, but only on drive D (not C like i need it to), but as stated, even then drive D will not boot into windows and instead begins the Acer Recovery process again (without the USB inserted).

    BTW, thanks for replying.

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