Recovery. Acer Aspire E1-732G, Aspire E1-772, Aspire E1-772G

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R

ECOVERY

If you are having trouble with your computer, and the frequently asked questions (

see Frequently asked questions on page 62

) do not help, you can 'recover' your computer - i.e. return it to an earlier state.

This section describes the recovery tools available on your computer.

Acer provides Acer Recovery Management, which allows you to create a recovery backup, a drivers and applications backup, and to start recovery options, either using Windows tools, or the recovery backup.

Note

Acer Recovery Management is only available with a pre-installed Windows operating system.

Important

We recommend that you create a Recovery Backup and Drivers and

Applications Backup and as soon as possible.

In certain situations a full recovery will require a USB recovery backup.

Creating a recovery backup

To reinstall from a USB storage drive, you must first create a recovery backup. The recovery backup includes the entire original contents of your computer’s hard drive, including Windows and all factory-loaded software and drivers. Using this backup will restore your computer to the same state as when you purchased it, while giving you an option to retain all settings and personal data.

Note

Since the recovery backup requires at least 16 GB of storage after formatting, it is recommended to use a USB drive with a capacity of 32 GB or larger.

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1. From Start, type 'Recovery' and then click Acer Recovery

Management in the list of apps.

2. Click Create Factory Default Backup. The Recovery Drive window opens.

Make sure Copy contents from the recovery partition to the

recovery drive is selected. This provides the most complete and safest recovery backup.

3. Plug in the USB drive then click Next.

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• Since the recovery backup requires at least 16

GB of storage after formatting, it is recommended to use a USB drive with a capacity of 32 GB or larger.

4. You will be shown the backup progress on the screen.

5. Follow the process until it completes.

6. After creating the recovery backup, you can choose to delete the recovery information on your computer. If you delete this information, you can only use the USB recovery backup to restore your computer, if you lose or erase the USB drive, you cannot restore your computer.

7. Unplug the USB drive and label it clearly.

Important

Write a unique, descriptive label on the backup, such as 'Windows

Recovery Backup'. Make sure you keep the backup in a safe place that you will remember.

Creating a drivers and applications backup

To create a Drivers and Applications Backup, that contains the factory-loaded software and drivers needed by your computer, you

22 - Recovery

may use either a USB storage drive or, if your computer features a

DVD recorder, one or more blank recordable DVDs.

1. From Start, type 'Recovery' and then click Acer Recovery

Management in the list of apps.

2. Click Create Drivers and Applications Backup.

Plug in the USB drive or insert a blank DVD into the optical drive, then click Next.

• If you are using a USB drive, make sure your USB drive has enough capacity before continuing.

• If using DVDs, it will also show the number of blank, recordable discs you will need to complete the recovery discs. Make sure that you have the required number of identical, blank discs.

3. Click Start to copy files.You will be shown the backup progress on the screen.

4. Follow the process until it completes:

• If you are using optical discs, the drive ejects each disc as it completes burning it. Remove the disc from the drive and mark it

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with a permanent marker.

If multiple discs are required, insert a new disc when prompted, then click OK. Continue until the process is complete.

• If you are using a USB drive, unplug the drive and label it clearly.

Important

Write a unique, descriptive label on each backup, such as 'Drivers and

Applications Backup'. Make sure you keep the backup in a safe place that you will remember.

Recovering your system

To recover your system:

1. Perform minor fixes.

If only one or two items of software or hardware have stopped working correctly, the problem may be solved by reinstalling the software or the device drivers.

To reinstall software and drivers that were pre-installed at the factory,

see Reinstalling drivers and applications on page 24

.

For instructions on reinstalling software and drivers that were not pre-installed, see that product’s documentation or support Web site.

2. Revert to a previous system condition.

If reinstalling software or drivers does not help, then the problem may be solved by returning your system to a previous state when everything was working correctly.

For instructions,

see Returning to an earlier system snapshot on page 26

.

3. Reset your operating system.

If nothing else has solved the problem and you want to reset your system, but keep your user information,

see Returning your system to its factory condition on page 27

.

4. Reset your system to its factory condition.

If nothing else has solved the problem and you want to reset your

system to factory condition,

see Returning your system to its factory condition on page 27

.

24 - Recovery

Reinstalling drivers and applications

As a troubleshooting step, you may need to reinstall the applications and device drivers that came pre-installed on your computer from the factory. You can reinstall using either your hard drive or the backup you have created.

• Other applications - If you need to reinstall software that did not come pre-installed on your computer, you need to follow that software’s installation instructions.

• New device drivers - If you need to reinstall device drivers that did not come pre-installed on your computer, follow the instructions provided with the device.

If you are reinstalling using Windows and the recovery information stored on your computer:

1. From Start, type 'Recovery' and then click Acer Recovery

Management in the list of apps.

2. Click Reinstall Drivers or Applications.

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3. You should see the Contents section of the Acer Resource

Center.

Images for reference only.

4. Click the install icon for the item you want to install, then follow the onscreen instructions to complete the installation. Repeat this step for each item you want to reinstall.

If you are reinstalling from a Drivers and Applications Backup on a DVD or USB drive:

1. Insert the Drivers and Applications Backup into the disc drive or connect it to a free USB port.

• If you inserted a DVD wait for Acer Resource Center to start.

• If Acer Resource Center does not start automatically, press the Windows key + <E>, then double-click on the optical drive icon.

• If you are using a USB drive, press the Windows key + <E>, then double-click on the drive that contains the backup. Double-click on ResourceCenter.

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2. You should see the Contents section of the Acer Resource

Center.

Images for reference only.

3. Click the install icon for the item you want to install, then follow the onscreen prompts to complete the installation. Repeat this step for each item you want to reinstall.

Returning to an earlier system snapshot

Microsoft System Restore periodically takes a 'snapshot' of your system settings and saves them as restore points. In most cases of hard-to-resolve software problems, you can return to one of these restore points to get your system running again.

Windows automatically creates an additional restore point each day, and also each time you install software or device drivers.

Note

For more information about using Microsoft System Restore, from Start, type

’Help’ and then click Help and Support in the list of apps. Type ’Windows system restore’ in the Search Help box, then press Enter.

Returning to a restore point

1. From Start, type ’Control Panel’ and then click Control Panel in the list of apps.

2. Click System and Security > Action Center, then click Recovery at the bottom of the window.

3. Click Open System Restore, then Next.

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4. Click the latest restore point (at a time when your system worked correctly), click Next, then Finish.

5. A confirmation window appears; click Yes. Your system is restored using the restore point you specified. This process may take several minutes, and may restart your computer.

Returning your system to its factory condition

If your computer experiences problems that are not recoverable by other methods, you may need to reinstall everything to return your system to its factory condition. You can recover from either your hard drive or the recovery backup you have created.

• If you can still run Windows and have not deleted the recovery

partition,

see Recovering from Windows on page 27

.

• If you cannot run Windows, your original hard drive has been completely re-formatted or you have installed a replacement hard

drive,

see Recovering from a recovery backup on page 30

.

Recovering from Windows

Start Acer Recovery Management:

• From Start, type ’Recovery’ and then click Acer Recovery

Management in the list of apps.

Two options are available, Restore Factory Settings (Reset my PC) or Customized Restore (Refresh my PC).

Restore Factory Settings deletes everything on your hard drive, then reinstalls Windows and all software and drivers that were pre-installed on your system. If you can access important files on your hard drive, back them up now.

See Restore Factory Settings with Acer

Recovery Management on page 28

.

Customized Restore will attempt to retain your files (user data) but will reinstall all software and drivers. Software installed since you purchased your PC will be removed (except software installed from

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the Windows Store).

See Customized Restore with Acer Recovery

Management on page 30

.

Restore Factory Settings with Acer Recovery Management

1. Click Restore Factory Settings.

Important

’Restore Factory Settings’ will erase all files on your hard drive.

2. The Reset your PC window opens.

Images for reference only.

3. Click Next, then choose how to erase your files: a. Just remove my files quickly erases all files before restoring your computer and takes about 30 minutes. b. Fully clean the drive completely cleans the drive after each file is erased, so no files can be viewed after the recovery. Cleaning the drive takes much longer, up to 5 hours, but is much more secure as old files are completely removed.

4. Click Reset.

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5. The recovery process begins by restarting your computer, then continues by copying files to your hard drive.

6. After the recovery has finished, you can start using your computer by repeating the first-start process.

Recovering from the hard drive during startup

1. Turn on your computer and press <Alt> + <F10> during startup. A screen appears asking you to choose the keyboard layout.

2. Several options are now presented. Click Troubleshoot.

3. Click either Refresh your PC or Reset your PC.

Note

"Refresh your PC" enables you to restore your computer to the default factory condition with files intact. "Reset your PC" completely removes all your files and resets your computer to factory settings.

4. Click Next. The process will take several minutes.

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Customized Restore with Acer Recovery Management

1. Click Customized Restore (Retain User Data).

2. The Refresh your PC window opens.

Images for reference only.

3. Click Next, then Refresh.

4. The recovery process begins by restarting your computer, then continues by copying files to your hard drive. This process takes about 30 minutes.

Recovering from a recovery backup

To recover from a recovery backup on a USB drive:

1. Find your recovery backup.

2. If your computer does not have a built-in keyboard, make sure a keyboard is attached to your computer.

3. Plug in the USB drive and turn on your computer.

4. If it is not already enabled, you must enable the F12 Boot Menu: a. Press <F2> when starting your computer.

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b. Use the left or right arrow keys to select the Main menu.

c. Press the down key until F12 Boot Menu is selected, press <F5> to change this setting to Enabled. d. Use the left or right arrow keys to select the Exit menu.

e. Depending on the type of BIOS your computer uses, select Save

Changes and Exit or Exit Saving Changes and press Enter.

Select OK or Yes to confirm. f. Your computer will restart.

5. During startup, press <F12> to open the boot menu. The boot menu allows you to select which device to start from, select the USB drive.

a. Use your arrow keys to select USB Device, then press Enter. b. Windows starts from the recovery backup instead of the normal startup process.

6. Select your keyboard type.

7. Select Troubleshoot and then choose the type of recovery to use: a. Click Advanced then System Restore to start Microsoft System

Restore:

Microsoft System Restore periodically takes a ’snapshot’ of your system settings and saves them as restore points. In most cases of hard-to-resolve software problems, you can return to one of these restore points to get your system running again.

b. Click Reset your PC to start the reset process:

Reset your PC deletes everything on your hard drive, then reinstalls Windows and all software and drivers that were preinstalled on your system. If you can access important files on your hard drive, back them up now.

See Reset your PC from the recovery backup on page 32

.

c. Click Refresh your PC to start the refresh process:

Refresh your PC will attempt to retain your files (user data) but will reinstall all software and drivers. Software installed since you purchased your PC will be removed (except software installed from the Windows Store).

See Refresh your PC from the recovery backup on page 33

.

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Reset your PC from the recovery backup

Important

Reset your PC will erase all files on your hard drive.

1. The Reset your PC window opens.

Images for reference only.

2. Click Next.

3. Select the operating system to recover (normally only one option is available).

4. Choose to keep any changes to the hard drive: a. If you have deleted the recovery partition or otherwise changed the partitions on the hard drive and want to keep these changes, select No. b. To completely restore your computer to Factory Settings, select

Yes.

5. Choose how to erase your files: a. Just remove my files quickly erases all files before restoring your computer and takes about 30 minutes. b. Fully clean the drive completely cleans the drive after each file is erased, so no files can be viewed after the recovery. Cleaning the drive takes much longer, up to 5 hours, but is much more secure as old files are completely removed.

6. Click Reset.

7. After the recovery has finished, you can start using your computer by repeating the first-start process.

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Refresh your PC from the recovery backup

1. The Refresh your PC window opens.

2. Click Next.

3. Select the operating system to recover (normally only one option is available).

4. Click Refresh.

5. The recovery process begins by restarting your computer, then continues by copying files to your hard drive. This process takes about 30 minutes.