Acer recovery Disk(s)

I don't remember seeding any, if by any chance I need to format, is there a way I can get all the software I need again. Like a download and then I can burn to a DVD or something. I don't mind, just as long as I can.

I really, do hope, I got a good laptop.

 

You're doomed. Doomed I say!

Not really. You have a program installed called the Acer Empowerment. One of the programs in that suite allows you to create a bakup recovery. It will take two dvds to burn. Acer saves money by not including those little gems. But at least you can create a set of recovery disks that are up to date and have all the proper drivers already installed whenever you want. The catch is, I haven't had to use one of these disk sets so who knows how well they work. Hopefully they have given us functional competant software suite to accomplish this. So far I have not had a problem with the Acer Empowerment suite.

 

You scared me there, nice little joke.

Ok thanks, I will have to make those DVD's then.

(Does that mean it will put the Acer Empoweremtn program on a DVD as well?)

You've been such a great help past few times, Thanks.

 

I would assume that is added to the backup. If not you can download it from the update site also.

Have a great week.

 

You too.

Merry X-mas & Happy new year!

 

Greetings. I just found this site the last day or two...pretty nice.
Re the Acer empowerment overlay that loads at boot up...do you know how I can turn that off? I think it is interfering w/ a monitoring/keylogging app I have loaded. I could then turn it back on when I want to use it.
For that matter, is there a way to toggle apps that load at startup on and off? I remember how that could be done in W98, but can't find it in XP home.
Thanks for any feedback.
Tim
btw, Justin, I burned 2 CDs just for the apps that came on my 2480. If you just wanted them, instead of a full backup, you can do that in the recovery program.

 

There is a setting in the Acer Empowerment options that turns it off at start up (i.e. so it won't run all of the time). I have mine turned off and turn it on when I need it.

 

Thanks.
Is that setting in the Settings Management window, ...the fast boot option? I don't see any other setting that is similar to what I am looking for.
Thanks
Tim

 

Or, If you would like, go Start > Run > MSCONFIG > *tab* Start-up.

There, you can change what boots up with your PC, also, I did mine in Windows before, and it didn't seem to work well. And had to do it safemode for it to work. (Safe mode is F8 while booting up.)

 

I guess I was smoking crack. Goink*

I cannot find a setting in the Acer Empowerment suite that does this.

I must have just right clicked on the Acer Empowerment icon in the Startup folder and dragged it onto the desktop. If there is an Acer Empowerment icon in your Startup folder. Try that.

 

Not in my startup folder.
Fortunately, I had just dl'd a reg scanner that has a utility built in that allows me to toggle startup files independently. I disabled the acer empowerment file and, as I write this, the error message has not shown its ugly head...knock on wood.
THanks for putting your two cents in. If I find where it is enabled, I'll post it here.
Tim

 

Well, that euphoria didn't last long. As soon as I executed an app, my EM came back. I'll toggle some other start up commands and see if I can find the culprit.

 

Use regedit.exe and look here-
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

If it's not in the Startup folder then it is here.

NOTE: Be sure to back up your registry before editing it.

 

Justin,
That tip is what I was looking for in XP. Used it all the time in 98. I missed your post earlier. Now that I don't need the regcure app for that, I was curious. Do either of you guys use a registry cleaner? I dl'd three different ones and the number of fixable errors ranged from 256 to 1665, on a new system! I find that hard to believe. I have basically been setting it up the past week, with hardly any use, if you will.
Anyway, the portion of the acer empowerment proggy that caused my error messages was the settings one. When I need to use it in the future, I'll just end the error and continue.
Tim

 

Well, I guess if your smart enough, you can use the one built into Windows. Its Start > Run > *something... not sure... lol*

So, I know thats a lot of help, but other than that, I don't even bother with it, so thats why I can't help you.

 

Registry cleaning is often problematic.
I have used several cleaners and all find different stuff and work, often too well. Be sure to create a backup because they somtimes clean things that are needed. I prefer to let them find things and for me to go through them and say yes or no.

Here are some good ones:
CCleaner
Registry Mechanic
RegSeeker
Norton WinDoctor (not free)

Other nice registry tools are:
RegMon
ERunt w/ NTRegOPT
RegScanner

Many times when you get hundreds of entries after a scan they are MRUs, cookies, temp files, or file types. So although a computer can be relatively new, if you have surfed, installed programs, or just played with the computer it can generate several entries.

 

Just wanted to post my experiences with the eRecovery tool, as it has saved me from several unfortunate situations. I seem to be able ‘to break’ the initial installation by letting third party cleaner programs do their thing. I’ve yet to pin point what exactly I’m doing or cleaning so I’ve been in the habit of constantly using the eRecovery tool to make backups.

Recovering from a DVD backup takes a long time, 1-2 hours. I would recommend that while you are still tweaking and loading your programs you make use of the option to back up to the D: drive as this image only takes 20 minutes to reload. Once you’re happy with your config, make a DVD backup. Don’t forget that Alt-F10 at the Acer boot screen will allow you to recover if for some reason you can’t even get into windows.

In all I’ve had to recover 4 times since buying the unit (2 weeks ago, AS5050-5827). I wanted to do a clean install, but Acer said they would not provide me an OEM copy of the o/s. I will probably always keep a backup on my D: drive even though it takes a good chunk of space.

 

I dont understand two things.

Why you've had to recover so much already... your or Acers fault?

And whast on the D: Drive that should be backup?

 

I can't say for certain that it is my fault or Acer's fault. I don't see posts complaining about 'breaking' the acer install or "what you should not remove from an acer install", so I assume it's me.

My D: drive reference means that the backup image is stored on the D: drive, not that the D: drive is backed up. I believe you don't even have an option to do that with eRocovery.

 

Zcd, thanks for the bootup tip for eRecovery (alt-F10). I hadn't read my manual thoroughly yet, but seeing in writing here will help me remember it. i have my original configuration backed up on the D: drive, along w/ several incremental backups. I am just about ready to burn a complete backup to CD (don't have dvd burner) of my "finished" setup (all my apps loaded and setup like I want it.)
I do have a question. The manual seems to indicate that if I wanted to do a complete backup at this time for the d: drive , that it would overwrite my original complete backup. Is that correct or do you know for sure if that is the case. I wouldn't mind having both backed up on the pc, but don't really want to replace the oem setup w/ my full setup.
justin, the run command for editing the registry is regedit. I used to do it in w98 occasionally. I always backed up the reg prior to tweaking though.
Tim

 

I’ve quickly looked through the manual and options available in eRecovery for my unit and I don’t think that imaging/backing up the D: drive is even an option. Your setup might be different so it is hard for me to say otherwise.

From a practical stand point it doesn't make much sense to allow the user to easily change the original OEM install on the hidden partition. I bet the hidden partition is sized just big enough for an OEM install and nothing else. Perhaps the wording of the manual is stating that if you backup both C: and D: you lose your last user saved backup. Again, I don't know for sure as your model may be different. However you can still use a third party application to back up the data on D: and then still keep an Acer created backup of the C:

 

Corinne9,
You can try neosmart technology`s web site ( www.neosmart.net) and search for Vista recovery disc.It is free and a handy tool but whatever you do please do not pay £50 to Acer. But you have to download this iso file and burn it to a DVD using a third party tool(free again) and you have to boot with this disc. Good luck.

 

the Acer Empowerment baclup utility will put everything from your Laptop onto the 2 DVD's it will then re install it all when you run them so it bassicaly does a reset of your laptop back to its current configuration, i made mine when i first got my laptop and started it up onmly downside is that it means it installs vista not XP

 

Hi Corinne9
Sorry I didn't give you the address correctly, try this www.neosmart.net/blog/2008/windows-vista-recovery-disc-download/
then you go through the page, everything is explained very well there,it worked for my Aspire 5610 and I believe it should be ok for you as well.

 

Hi Corrine
I hope you got Vista any time upgrade disc. If you have that go to www.vistaX64.com, you will find a nice Tutorial written by "brink" on how to do a repair install. If you follow that(take a print out) I believe you can solve your problem. I hope this helps.