Windows 7: HELP desperately needed - Win 7 upgrade

Hello Knowledgeable folkies, I am new to this site and a novice with forums & computers and having a hellish time and just hope someone can help me as Microsoft and Acer won’t. History In brief: I have a new ‘Acer Aspire 2920 250GB laptop. It originally came with Vista but was assured I could upgrade to Win 7 by Acer. Upgrade took 34 hours! Win 7 works but I have incompatibilities with Acer’s ‘e-Management software*’ (a recovery system of sorts) & ‘Acer Arcade’ whatever that is & CD DVD maker platinum 7. My Vista recovery/boot discs no longer work. Acer now admits I need Vista reinstalled – but I want Windows 7 for obvious reasons. My questions are these:- If I have Vista cleanly reinstalled (by Acer), can I then remove the incompatible programs and then re-install Win 7 so it works smoothly – or would I loose important drivers*? If I can upgrade then I need to create a boot/recovery discs for win 7, is this possible as it was an upgrade? Please if you can help you will be my saviour, and please guide me in baby steps as I am a novice and don’t properly understand computer tech words and which screen to find them in. I will then do my upmost to follow your advice. Thanks so much for reading.

Are you using ACER's free upgrade to Windows 7?

Thanks to MS, manufacturers had to include a clean copy DVD of Windows 7 in the Upgrade Kit. We have two Acer kits here, and successfully booted the DVD to do a Custom install with formatting. This is vastly superior to an in-place Upgrade which imports all of the corruption of the worst OS ever into the best OS yet.

Any favorite apps can be found on the CD included in the kit. Others are on the Acer Support Downloads page for your computer model. I would not rely on Acer tech support for these install issues as I find them to be greatly lacking. You can get the support you need here.

Back up your files first to an external source. Gather any program disk/installers you need.

When you boot the Windows 7 DVD, it will scan the HD to see the former OS and allow use of the Upgrade key on the insert in your Kit. Then select Custom install, and use Drive tools (advanced) to delete all partitions (the recovery partition is disabled anyway), create new one(s) as you wish, then format all and install Windows 7 to the first partition.

The DVD Is driver-complete, with newer arriving in Windows Updates. ANy drivers missing in Device Manager can be found on the Apps CD in the Kit, along with favorite apps. Adobe Reader/flash and Java runtime/Free Open Ofc are available at their sites.

Going through this still puts you ahead because those buying new Windows 7 computers are forced to live with corrupting factory bloatware (which is corrupting your in-place Upgrade now) with no clean-copy DVD to reinstall, just bloated factory recovery disks. Acer will send you a free set within 90 days of purchase if you want to have them on hand, but you'll never likely need them and can reinstall Vista from any Vista DVD.

Hello, not sure if i am replying in the right place. I purchased the Win 7 upgrade kit from Acer for £13. Does this help?

I think that charge is for shipping in Europe.

Isn't it the same Kit: a Windows 7 DVD with product key, and a Drivers/Apps CD?

If so, you're all set to do a clean install by booting the DVD. Just back up your files first.

Clean Install Windows 7

Post back for any other help needed.

Hello Gregrocker, Thank you so much for your expert excellent advice- Bless you! I am relieved my update disc will serve as a recovery/boot disc. I will print up your advice (and what I have received from others) because I won’t have access to the internet when working on the laptop so I need to make sure I am absolutely clear in all that I need to do. Please pardon my total ignorance, but I am unsure ‘how to do’ some of the tech things you mention.
1)How do I gather these ‘program disk installers’ and what exactly are they? Do you mean the programs that are pre-installed on my computer? I have listed right at the bottom the programs that are pre-installed. Is it these that I have to somehow collect and store on an external HDD because they won’t be included on Win 7, i.e. NTI CD/DVD Maker – if so how do I do this please?
2)The term ‘Boot’ – is this when I insert the update disc, then turn off the computer and then turn on again? Will this load the CD’s next phase automatically or do I have to press an ‘F’ key to activate it?
3)Will the screen guide me thru when I click ‘custom install’ & ‘driver advance’, ‘partitions’ & ‘format’ etc..? Is it clear instructions so that ‘I’ the novice will understand it?
4)In my update kit, I received another disc with Acer drivers on them BUT these were for models 2930 and not 2920 – how do I view the disc to see if its the drivers I need? Or should I download from Acer before the clean install? Acer refuse to tell me the difference of a 2930 & a 2920.
1A) Here’s the list of pre-installed programs – not sure what they all do, but if you could tell me what is vital for my laptop to work properly this would be fantastic!
NTI Backup Now! 4.7 – New Tech Info Systems
NTI CD & DVD Maker Platinum 7 – New Tech Info Systems
Power Producer – Cyberlink Corp
Realtek High Definition Audio Driver
Realtek USB 2.0 Card Reader
Synaptics Pointing Device Driver
Microsoft Visual C
Intel R TV Wizzard – Intel Corp
Intel R Matrix Storage System
Intel R Graphics Media Accelerator Driver
Java (TM) 6 update 15 – Sun Microsystems
Agere Systems HDA Modem
Touchpad

Also:- Are these the sort of drivers you were speaking about that I need to save – if so, how do I do this?
DISC DRIVES
Generic-multi-card USB driver
WDC WD2500BEVS-22USTO ATA Device
DVD/CD-ROM DRIVES
HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GSA-T4ON ATA Device
IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers
NETWORK ADAPTORS
Broadcom.netlink (TM) Gigabit Ethernet
Intel (R) Pro/Wireless 3945ABG Network Communications
KEYBOARDS
Launch Manager (Acer)

Thanks again – you have so brightened my day and restored my faith in humanity!

LOL. I disagree entirely. Vista is an excellent o/s.

Hello again; I’ve tried following your instructions but have some major hiccups right at the starting post of re-installing Windows 7 for a clean install –
(1)I’ve downloaded/saved necessary drivers from Acer website on Harddrive, but it will not allow me to copy them (mouse right click) from download screen to paste on EX HDD or temporarily in desktop to put into EX HDD, it will only allow me to open them. Help! Is there another way? As I will need these drivers. The driver disc that came with my Acer Windows 7 upgrade are the wrong drivers for Acer Aspire 2930 and mines a 2920.
(2)Windows 7 upgrade disc won’t boot: In immediate start-up I click F2 which takes me into set-up. In ‘Boot’ I select CD/DVD: HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GSA-T4ON-( then F10 to save and exit, and ‘yes’ to confirm configuration. Laptop then loads as normal opening windows rather than reading disc. I’ve shut down but same thing happens. Should I be doing something else?

(3) If I go to my computer and click on disc, the disc reads and opens without options to explore. It just tells me I have already completed phases 1 & 2.
I suppose it’s telling me I already have installed Windows 7 – but I need to do a complete clean install getting rid of the Vista fingerprints. I have printed up from this site the clean install instructions, but no can do until problems 1 & 2 are resolved. My brain is now computered out, time to eat something, so I will log in tomorrow and see if you have any suggestions. Thanks again for your help – this forum is fantastic! I so much appreciate your great advice.

So long as your files and photos are backed up, 1 isn't really an issue just now, but perhaps someone can help you with 2.

Have you made sure it's the first thing to boot?