Reformat gone bad - please help

arayfo1 said:

I am trying the two nic drivers now. I'll report back when I'm done.

Okay, so apparently I had already downloaded both nic drivers from the Acer support site last night. I downloaded all available drivers on Acer's support site which I listed in a previous comment.

Since I had internet at one point after manipulating my connection settings and the trouble shooter keeps repeating the same error message it seems to me that the problem must be something to do with the router or some wireless setting on my pc.

Also, whenever I was installing updates and I had internet I was prompted to install Homegroup on my pc because apparently it suddenly recognized the other pc which has windows 8 installed, but I didn't have the password and opted to skip it for now. Could that somehow interfere with my connection?

//Edit: Just in case I missed an important piece of information and you connect to the internet wired, here's the LAN driver (there's only one listed)//

Can you please tell me if there is some setting I have to manipulate in order to get internet via ethernet cable? I know where to plug it in.

Slartybart said:

It simply means to locate dsics or download programs that you use. The reinstall only installs Windows, no other programs.

So here's the rub... A clean install takes a little over 5 hours and that includes all Windows Updates and reinstalling programs. Most of that time, you're not really doing anything - the install and Windows Updates are fairly automatic.

Being a novice isn't an issue. Listening to your friend over the advice of decades of experience is an issue. You kept saying that you managed to reinstall, but were never clear on what you actually did, how you installed, or where the media came from.

So once again, I'lll back out and defer this issue to your friend.

arayfo1 said:

Slartybart, what is meant by "program installers" ??? Is that another term used for drivers? I will try google.

I don't mean to get on anyone's bad side here. All I can tell you is it takes time to take initiative when you don't know what you're doing. I've been working on this pc for three days straight now. I have just never attempted any of this up till now. Up till now the only experience I have had with Windows software is inserting a Windows 7 upgrade disc and following the prompts. As I said, I am a noob. I was ready to start over and try the tutorial step by step like you all are suggesting but then a friend told me I may be jumping the gun in starting over so I just want to be sure before I go through all of that again.

One of the commenters here made some wise crack about expecting Greg to find the Acer drivers for me, and also some sarcastic remark about how Acer is not a Windows product. I simply meant that I had an aversion to using the tutorial because there didn't seem to be one for my specific computer, because I was told that if I'm not sure which version to download someone would help me make that call. Of course I wouldn't want anyone here to do anything they don't wanna do, but does that mean that I can still download one of the versions available in the tutorial link or that I have to look elsewhere for my download? Because as I said in a previous post I didn't download this version of windows via the link provided in the tutorial.

The friend was my mom who suggested I was jumping the gun whenever I told her I was going to start over. Also Greg seemed to think I was having modem/router issues. But if someone can help me choose which download of Windows to go with I would be more than happy to try it your way.

whs said:

My post was not meant as a 'wise crack' but to give you a perspective of reality. There is nothing special to an Acer PC other than the drivers (maybe) and those you find on the Acer website. All the rest is vanilla business.

You have to understand that all helpers here gives this service free of charge and use their spare time. If you want Acer specific help, you will have to go to Acer.

I have been in the computer business for 52 years and have rarely found a group of peoplle that is as friendly and helpful as the guys here. So don't abuse them and do a bit of thinking and research yourself.

I wasn't asking for Acer specific help. I was just unclear about whether or not I could use any of the downloads available via the link on the clean install tutorial.

The impression I am getting now is that it doesn't matter what type of computer you have. I didn't think that it did matter prior to reading the tutorial/link.

Which download would you suggest?

Windows 7 Direct Download Links

This is the link I use, correct?

So I look under English and I choose the one which says "Windows 7 Home Premium x64 SP1 U (media refresh)" ???