Acer laptop Win 7 Ultimate x64 OEM, how to clean install without disk?

silverfx · 02 Dec 2015

Cool, thanks alpha, I'll take a look.

silverfx · 02 Dec 2015

Can't see any MSDN tab within the ACPI Tables, is it somewhere else?

alphanumeric · 02 Dec 2015

There probably isn't one if there is no Embedded key. I don't see one on this PC either, it doesn't have an embedded key. Give me a couple of minutes and I'll run it on my laptop that does have one.

alphanumeric · 02 Dec 2015

It's there on my laptop and my OEM key is visible.

silverfx · 02 Dec 2015

So no oem key was ever there apart from the false HP one boot loaded or flashed. Ok. And OEM Technical Support must know that.

And there's no point in guessing or asking them, whether purchasing recovery media will work regardless, because whatever they say, if it doesn't work, I'm no better off.

So, I will install WES7 with a Dreamspark license.

Really appreciate everyone's help and advice, and if I can return the good karma, I will. :)

Now, let me see if I can get this 64bit/32bit dual boot working without bricking it...

alphanumeric · 02 Dec 2015

It's up to you, but one thing you could do is flash the BIOS with the latest official BIOS for your make and model. Then run rweverything again and have a look. If it shows AcerOEM SLICK and the other code is 20 01 00 02, you'll then know your Windows 7 recovery media will/should work. If it's 20 00 00 00 then it only supports Vista OEM recovery media. Flashing the BIOS will break your current fake OEM activation. The SLIC and the activation files won't match anymore.

silverfx · 02 Dec 2015

Thanks. Well, I'm tempted to flash the bios (64bit) and risk the annoying pop up and black desktop if it triggers a failed activation, as I've heard some system changes can, and then run rweverything, to see if Win 7 recovery media should activate.

Option A: If rweverything showed AcerOEM SLICK with 20 01 00 02, then I could purchase Win 7 x64 recovery media, with little or no risk of the installation not activating? Assuming they don't agree to 7 on the phone, and then send out Win 8 media. But I still won't have a COA - isn't it true some laptops just don't come with them now? My fathers newish Toshiba Satellite with Win 8.1, for example, no COA anywhere (though didn't check near the battery yet), bought online here in the UK from a reputable dealer and must be genuine activation.
If there remains a slim chance the recovery media might not install, might be safer to go straight to WES7 x32?

Option B: If rweverthing didn't show AcerOEM SLICK, then I'd definitely go ahead and install WES7, right.

alphanumeric · 02 Dec 2015

For option A yes if it shows Acer and 20 01 00 02, there should be little to no risk ordering the Windows 7 recovery media. Windows 7 PC's should come with a COA sticker with an actual product code on them. Windows 8/8.1 Pc do come with a sticker, but all it says is Windows 8 with no key. With the embedded key there is no need to have one printed on the sticker. The COA sticker on my Windows 8 laptop does not look like the COA sticker you'd expect to see. So some would think that there isn't one. Windows 8 Recovery media will not work on your PC, if it requires an OEM embedded Windows 8 key, which I believe it does.

For option B, yes if there is no correct SLIC for your factory recovery media it will not work and you'll have to go another route. I have no experience with "embedded" so I don't know what pitfalls or restrictions come with that version.

silverfx · 02 Dec 2015

Thanks. Now looking into any 'standard embedded' restrictions.

alphanumeric · 02 Dec 2015

If I understand it correctly, it's meant for systems like Point of Sale (cash registers), Instant tellers, KIOSK etc. Not sure how well that will work as a daily Windows PC. I have access to it via MSDN but have never even looked at it. I've never had a use for it.