RE: Going to Do a Factory Reinstall & would like advice/opinions

Aargh! Once again, my browser became unresponsive and even now, tis slow to load the page.
Yep, a clean install is the path I've chosen.

Yes, our gal has a dvd burner. By the way, her name is Gertie. LOL, we've named all our home computers. Our 2 really old desktops are Bessie and Frannie.

And, since I'm doubtful to internet access once I begin this process, I want to make sure I have all the info I might require at hand, henceforth - many printed pages now cover my table!

Bessie might be able to get me online, in a pinch. The last time I was online with her, I had installed an older version of Opera and was able to get a slow but steady access to my yahoo groups and to my e-mail. Facebook came up but was really slow to download but I was able to post from there as well.

I hate to use her though since I don't have any kind of virus protection on her. She's loaded as far up as she goes with Win 2000. She's an HP 8570C pavillion, that despite being old, still works just fine and I do use her her an alternate when I'm working in Office or playing a few older games like lose your marbles.

Anyhow, as far as burning the copy of Win to the DVD, should I do it right away before I begin the clean install process just to be on the safe side or do you think I can wait until afterwards?

I also have 2 sets of recovery discs for Gertie the troubled laptop, so I have no worries about getting her operational in some form or fashion. The least migraine-inducing will be what I hope for, LOL.

I'll go through the tutorial here and pop in my questions starting from the top.

Files are all almost backed up. Have just a few small things left.

Programs either have disc or were online installed - office 2010. Not a problem, have reinstalled it before and easily accessible.

browser bookmarks backed up

we don't have itunes so no need to de authorize that

not sure what the unbootable windows copy in #3 refers to. If it is something I need to consider, if someone wants to clue me in, that would be awesome!

Recovery discs are made

do I need to consider doing the windows 7 backup image since I have the recovery discs?

I shall run the Belarc Advisor next. What should I be looking for with this?

Got the program key

Will have to take a look at this ninite - should i do this before or after the clean install?

wireless and ethernet drivers - lol - does Acer really have a support download page? Sorry, but after our brief experience with them when we 1st got the laptop - and then to get the notice of a class settlement act because of windows 7 supposedly not containing all data or something.....well....enuff said there.

I don't understand the partition thing in #8 so I guess I shall just click next after deleting and so on as the instructions state unless someone tells me otherwise.


#9 says to connect to network and so on...should I use our wireless router or go via cable directly to the modem at 1st? Or, does it make a difference?

Should I download copies of CCleaner and Puran and malwarebytes now or should I wait until the laptop is back up and running? I can save these to the backup drive and then load them in after the install, correct?

I don't know how to a windows 7 backup image as stated in #17, but we can do that once everything is back up and running.

Lastly, if anyone can think of anything that I'm overlooking, please let me know.

Since I don't work until tomorrow afternoon, I may just go ahead and get this puppy started tonite, that way by the weekend, I should have a happy Gertie laptop again, right?

Thanks again to everyone!!!! This site is awesome and you are all wonderful!!!!!

Okay, just checked my recovery discs and yes, I had already created the drivers one - have 2 copies of it as well.

Thank you, thank you for the advice.

By the way, I downloaded the ninite thing and saw one of the apps was called TeraCopy. got a chuckle out of that one, I didnt' know I had created a copy thing, LOL.

Anyhow, back to checking my list in preparation.

You have to burn the dvd in order to use it.

Delete all the partitions during the install.


Clean Install Windows 7

Are you downloading the iso now ?

Well,
got the win 7 downloaded and now on a dvd.
Printing out one last set of instructions
then going to make sure I have all backedup one last time
and then, we're going to start the process

Wish me luck!!!!!

Yikes,
as I'm reading, I am confused on the drive options.
Right now I have C and Q - Q being reserved, I guess? Is that where all of the factory reinstall stuff resides?
Do I want to make sure that there is still this same kind of thing on the new install?

Oh gosh, yes...I am confused!

The tutorial Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 explains that your Recovery partition may or may not run after reinstall. So it's important to make the Recovery Disks as you did.

With those to use if you ever want to revert to Factory condition, you can delete all partitions using the drive options shown in Steps 6-7 of Clean Install Windows 7, then create new as you wish to format, ignore the small boot partition it creates, highlight the first large partition to click Next and begin install. Or after deleting all just click Next to let the installer create and format the install partition for you.

If you'd like specific advice you can post back a screenshot of your maximized Disk mgmt drive map and listings, using the Snipping Tool in Start menu, attaching the saved file using the paper clip in reply box.

awesome
give me a few and I shall be right back, hopefully....everything is running slow so give me a bit and THANKS!!!!!!!!

hope that i did the capture right!

gregrocker said:

The tutorial Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 explains that your Recovery partition may or may not run after reinstall. So it's important to make the Recovery Disks as you did.

With those to use if you ever want to revert to Factory condition, you can delete all partitions using the drive options shown in Steps 6-7 of Clean Install Windows 7, then create new as you wish to format, ignore the small boot partition it creates, highlight the first large partition to click Next and begin install. Or after deleting all just click Next to let the installer create and format the install partition for you.

If you'd like specific advice you can post back a screenshot of your maximized Disk mgmt drive map and listings, using the Snipping Tool in Start menu, attaching the saved file using the paper clip in reply box.

You can save the Recovery partition and it MIGHT run later as shown in Acer Support - Answers, E-Mail, Chat - How do I restore my computer using the eRecovery Management program?

But since you have chosen the path for Clean Reinstall I'd want the prime real estate for Win7 and rely only on the Recovery Disks for the off-chance you'd want to restore the factory bloatware.

So when you come to the window where you select where to install Win7, click on Drive Options, highlight each partition to Delete, then select Create New and create one or two partitions depending upon if you want the OS on one and data on another, format each, highlight the first large partition (ignore small boot partition at front of drive) and click Next.

Then study again the section about drivers so you're prepared to get that important step correct.

Let us know how it goes.

ok, I think that I am ready to do this....feeling a little bit nervy but hopefully everything I've gotten from you all will make it fairly easy to do.
Obviously, if you don't see any replies back by sometime tomorrow afternoon before 2:30 p.m.(the time I leave for work), then you know something went wrong.

Thanks so much for all of your wonderful help & tips!!!

Wish us luck and here we go..................