Are the 4 Recovery Disk In ISO format, can they run from USB stick?

mawil1013 · 23 Mar 2013

I'm having problem's with an install which I think is due to issues with the DVD. I had to load win7 on a USB stick in order to get it to be found by the laptop. I have performed a clean install but now that I'm trying to utilize the recovery disks I get into same issue of the laptop cannot find them in the DVD drive. so I'm thinking, can I place the four recovery disks on the USB stick and
retry.

Update: I'm letting go of this idea. I did manage to finally muddle through and performed a Clean install, which left me with having to download from Acer, Ethernet and wireless drivers onto my desktop PC then transfer to the laptop. All seems well!

gregrocker · 23 Mar 2013

This almost never works unless you make the Recovery media in USB format to begin with. For example you can write the Recovery disk ISO to stick using UltraISO Software To Create Bootable USB Flash Drive but it only works rarely. If it does however for the first disk, then you can write each subsequent disk as it is requested in the same way and it should complete.

What is the problem with the disks not being recognized? Sometimes what works is booting the Win7 DVD or REpair CD to wipe the HD first from its Command Line with Diskpart Clean Command.

Since a Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 is much superior install, perhaps we could help you resolve any issues you have with it since it is a specialty of these forums where we have helped countless thousands get perfect Clean Reinstalls.

mawil1013 · 23 Mar 2013

I had to make a boot able USB with win7 on in order to install win7, after it loaded I figured I could use my recovery disks to tale it back to original set. figured to save time rather than trying to stumble upon missing drivers. I cannot use wireless nor cable modem. but anyway I go through the process and the DVD or info cannot be found, its there as I looked with computer and files and such are on the disk. I used advanced disk to erase the HD and make a new which gave two partitions, then formated both, nothing.

jumanji · 23 Mar 2013

I shall answer your query in two parts.

1. Do you want a clean install? Then go ahead and do it. Any problems can be sorted out.

But make sure that the Certificate of Authenticity on your machine is intact and the licence key is readable without any ambiguity. Otherwise, you will be at the mercy of Microsoft when it comes to activating it.

2. Do you want to restore it to the factory condition using the Recovery discs? Then go ahead and restore it as per the instructions of your OEM. You may find it in the user manual/manufacturer's website.

If your optical drive is impaired and fails to read the recovery discs, hook up a known to be good external optical drive and carry out the recovery process.

Not just worth the time and effort involved in creating a bootable pendrive out of the four discs, with unpredictable results. Unpredictable because you or something else can go wrong in many ways.( You already went wrong in a simple task. :))

Amen.

gregrocker · 23 Mar 2013

In that case we can help you finish your Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7. It is not possible to do both a Clean Reinstall and Factory Recovery which are two separate types of installs: Clean Reinstall gives you pure Win7 with its full native performance, while Factory Recovery reinstalls all the added OEM crapware which is one of the worst installs you can have.

First read the blue link tutorial above so you understand more about this procedure, and understand how drivers are handled in Win7 which is different than XP. Any drivers not in the installer are normally delivered when you do all rounds of Important and Optional Windows Updates. To get online if the ethernet driver was not provided during install (which it would only be if you had the cable modem plugged in) download and install the LAN driver from the PC's Support Downloads webpage. If you'll fill in your System Specs or at least tell us your make/model PC we can help you find this driver if necessary.

Then after installing the LAN driver and connecting to your network, run all rounds of Important and Optional Updates which should provide most of the rest of the drivers. After all updates are done check which drivers are missing in Device Manager and download those as well. If you have any questions ask back.

jumanji · 24 Mar 2013

You have marked the thread as solved but we do not know which approach you took. Clean install or recovery ? :)

mawil1013 · 24 Mar 2013

jumanji said:

You have marked the thread as solved but we do not know which approach you took. Clean install or recovery ? :)

I did an update under my first post.