Which is best: install Win 7 from ISO or from Acer recovery disks?

G'day everyone

I have an Acer computer for which I created the 4 recovery DVDs at the time when I bought the computer. I also have a DVD with drivers, which I had created at the time (but I'm not sure if I created this manually or via some automated system). The computer came with Windows 7. There was a 100 MB partition (without a drive letter) and two partitions (one with Windows and all programs on it, and one data partition).

Last week the hard drive decided to give up the ghost completely, so now I have a brand new blank hard drive in my computer, and I have to install Windows 7 again. My question is: which is better -- installing Windows 7 from a generic Windows 7 ISO (burnt to DVD, of course) or installing Windows 7 from the Acer recovery DVDs?

I'm not exactly a "power user" but I do tweak my Windows quite a bit, and I would have no objection to installing Windows 7 from a generic Windows 7 DVD. The Acer computer came with no useful Acer-specific software that I absolutely must have again (not counting the drivers, of course). In one sense it may be useful for me to have an installation without all the bloatware extras. On the other hand, the bloatware doesn't bother me too much, and perhaps it may be safer (driver-wise) to use the recovery DVDs instead.

What do you say?

Interestingly, if I start an installation using the recovery disks, it doesn't offer to create that 100 MB partition, but simply asks me how much space I'd like to allocate to the "OS partition", which turns out to be the normal C drive. The remainder is then allocated to the D drive, named the "data partition".

Thanks for your help.

Samuel (who will implement a BACKUP PROCEDURE this time)

You can order the Microsoft official OEM Recovery disks from your the OEM manufacturer's website.


You can Order Acer recovery disks from here:
https://secure.tx.acer.com/RCDB/Main.aspx?brand=acer
or
Acer | Recovery Media
Check in Accessories
or check the main web site.
Acer Worldwide - Select your local country or region

theog said:

You can order the Microsoft official OEM Recovery disks from your the OEM manufacturer's website.

Yes, but why would one do that if one had created those recovery disks when one bought the computer, as per the manufacturer's instructions? I realise buying the disks is a nice option for people who neglected to create those disks shortly after they bought the computer, but I have them. Or do you mean to say that those disks would likely be worthless and that it is better to purchase the disks from the manufacturer's site anyway?

Bongo said:

If you have the COA sticker with the 25 letter/numbers Key I would follows Greg's tutorial Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 and go to Acer support site and download the drivers you need.

So you're saying that a generic install is better than using the recovery disks, right? I do have the sticker (its on the computer itself, which is fine except that the hard disk gave out without warning).