Solved Reformat gone bad - please help

[arayfo1]

I decided it was time to reformat my hard drive so I used a partition tool called Mini Tool Partition Wizard. I'm pretty sure it was successful in wiping my hard drive. The problem is that my Acer only Windows 7 upgrade disk doesn't seem to work. It ran just fine prior to wiping the drive, but now there's nothing. Whenever I start my pc all I see is a black screen with a flashing cursor.

Any idea how I can restore windows 7 on my pc? I would just call Acer support but they expect you to have a pc which is under warranty before they will answer even general questions such as this one. In other words, I thought perhaps I could ask them for some type of recovery disc seeing as how I still have the original disc.

 

[Ztruker]

See here: How to Do a Clean Install with an Upgrade Windows 7 Version

 

[carwiz]

You probably have an OEM restore disk that uses the files in a special partition on the disk you just wiped out. OEMs don't normally supply a full version of Windows on the DVD. If you can still read the key on the OEM sticker, just download the version of Windows 7 that came with your system (that matches the key) and do a clean install. You'll get rid of all the OEM crapware at the same time.

If you can't read the key, a new Windows 7 purchase is in your future.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/31402-clean-install-upgrade-windows-7-version.html

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html

 

[arayfo1]

You probably have an OEM restore disk that uses the files in a special partition on the disk you just wiped out. OEMs don't normally supply a full version of Windows on the DVD. If you can still read the key on the OEM sticker, just download the version of Windows 7 that came with your system (that matches the key) and do a clean install. You'll get rid of all the OEM crapware at the same time.

If you can't read the key, a new Windows 7 purchase is in your future.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/31402-clean-install-upgrade-windows-7-version.html

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html

Hi, I do have the product key but how do I get the OS back on to my machine which currently has a black screen of death?

 

[carwiz]

The tutorials explain how to load Windows. Use the one that applies to your original version (Upgrade or original OEM installed OS) You do have to read them for this process to work.

 

[arayfo1]

The tutorials explain how to load Windows. Use the one that applies to your original version (Upgrade or original OEM installed OS) You do have to read them for this process to work.

Yes, but I didn't see anything about downloading the OS on one pc and then attempting to install it on another.

 

[carwiz]

You would download the ISO file on a good PC, which is a disk image, then write the ISO to a USB thumb drive OR a DVD. Then use one or the other to install Windows on the other PC. It is explained in tutorial. Be sure to follow the in-line links (blue characters) when necessary.

You wiped the OS (Windows 7) off your disk so there is nothing to boot into. Hence the black screen. You will need to load a new OS.

 

[gregrocker]

If you have an Acer PC which came preinstalled with Win7, then everything you need is here to get a perfect Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 including the installer and tool to burn to DVD or bootable flash stick in Steps 1/2.

 

[arayfo1]

I managed to get the iso prepared using the windows dvd/usb tool and managed to also get the OS installed, but then when Windows prompts me to restart so that the installation can continue I received at the black screen a message which reads: a disk read error occurred

I tried reinstalling it a second time on drive D but received the same error.

Any ideas what I'm doing wrong?

 

[AddRAM]

Did you wipe the entire hard drive ?

You should have only wiped your C partition.

There is no reason to wipe a hard drive, you need only to format it.

 

[AddRAM]

The tutorials explain how to load Windows. Use the one that applies to your original version (Upgrade or original OEM installed OS) You do have to read them for this process to work.

Yes, but I didn't see anything about downloading the OS on one pc and then attempting to install it on another.

Gregs tutorial explains how to get the iso file and burn it to dvd. The 2nd tutorial shows you how to install windows on the pc. Ask any questions BEFORE you start. You need a pc connected to the net, a dvd burner, a blank dvd, and the burning software installed on the pc.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html

 

[arayfo1]

Did you wipe the entire hard drive ?

You should have only wiped your C partition.

There is no reason to wipe a hard drive, you need only to format it.

Yeah, sorry. I formatted the C drive.

 

[arayfo1]

I don't have a DVD so I used a thumb drive.

 

[AddRAM]

It`s very tricky with a thumb drive, the install process can keep starting over and over again, is that what`s happening. You would use the 1 time boot key ( F2 , Esc, Del ) etc. to choose the flash drive the 1st time and only the 1st time, then it should reboot on it`s own and finish the install.

What do you mean no dvd ?

No blank dvd`s or no dvd burner ?

Or both ?

 

[Britton30]

You need to leave the USB device in the PC too. If asked to press a key to boot to something, DON'T do that.

 

[AddRAM]

It doesn`t give you "Press any key to boot from dvd" with a flash drive, Gary

If the flash drive is in and booted, it goes straight to "windows is loading files"

That`s why I say NOT to change the boot order in the bios when installing from a flash drive.


Coming to you Live from Linux Mint 16

 

[arayfo1]

It`s very tricky with a thumb drive, the install process can keep starting over and over again, is that what`s happening. You would use the 1 time boot key ( F2 , Esc, Del ) etc. to choose the flash drive the 1st time and only the 1st time, then it should reboot on it`s own and finish the install.

What do you mean no dvd ?

No blank dvd`s or no dvd burner ?

Or both ?

There is a disclaimer which says that your computer should restart itself several times during the installation process. My pc only restarted itself once and already an error occurred. It of course prompts you to restart using ctrl + alt + del but for whatever reason that doesn't work. Whenever I attempt to reboot the pc manually it goes right back to the disk read error message.

I'm not sure I follow you. Are you saying there is a command I can use to install Windows without the need for restarting? If so, are you saying I have to press all three keys simultaneously, or. . ???

I have a dvd burner. I would have to run out and buy a dvd. I have no experience with burning dvd's but I could run out and buy one if you think that would help me through this disk read error.

By the way, the install process didn't start over I don't think. I did attempt to install a second time though.

 

[arayfo1]

You need to leave the USB device in the PC too. If asked to press a key to boot to something, DON'T do that.

Yes, of course I left the usb device in the pc.

If asked to press a key to boot to something?

 

[arayfo1]

If you're saying I should go into BIOS to make my usb device my primary device then yes I did that.

 

[AddRAM]

Well then, it sounds like the usb was not set up correctly, is it going through the process of installing windows just like in the Tutorial ........ Clean Install Windows ?

After it does all that, does it reboot and continue installing windows or does it reboot and start all over again, or have you not even got that far yet ?

Be precise in your answer.

You DO NOT have to go into the bios to change the boot order, you should be able to boot the usb flash drive by pushing the 1 time function key on the keyboard, It`s called the boot menu, when you 1st turn on the pc, watch the screen at the bottom and it should say

Setup xxx key
Boot Menu xxx key

whatever key it says to get to the boot menu, push that key, then use the down arrow key to scroll down to hard drive, usb drive, then hit eneter and the install will start.

You never press more then 1 key at a time. Of course unless you hit ctrl alt del to restart a computer, then yes you hit all 3 at the same time, but if you keep seeing that, then windows is not installing to the hard drive.

You are telling the computer to boot from the flash drive. But only the 1st time. After that the pc reboots on it`s own and finishes the install.