A "fresh" install for my Acer 8204

Hi all

I would love to know the exact procedure of how to do a "fresh" install on my Acer 8204. All that I have is an external hard drive, the notebook and a factory default image DVD (that the computer/Acer made for me). So is it possible to do a clean reinstall with this, or will I need a XP CD? The goal of this will be to ultimately get rid of the 'e' stuff and merge the partitions.

thank you

 

I contacted Acer today, and they told me that no matter what I do with the laptop, the factory default image DVD will restore the laptop to exactly how it was sent (software and original 3 partitions). So, can this disk be used to do a "fresh" install of XP?

Does anyone have any experience using this approach?

Thanks

 

Really? When I used my recovery DVD (I own a Aspire 5672) it only restored my C: to factory state. It didn't make any new partitions, especially the recovery partition. What I plan on doing is getting hold of an XP Home from "somewhere" and use my OEM key to install it. That should be the cleanest re-install.

OR, what you could do is if you have an i386 folder in your C: you could slipstream it with SP2.

Read up on how to do it. Even though the website says copy the whole XP disc,that is actually unnecessary,as long as you have the i386 folder.

Hope that helps!

 

Kythoon, I'am afraid.zoXan is right (and the Acer support people should update their databases).

Restore, at best, only brings you system partition (usually C) back in the condition before you started it after delivery.
It does not restore the hidden partition.

'at best'?
Restore from your backup DVD may require you to put the Acer MBR (the HD's Master Boot Record) back before you actually run it.
Restore goes in two phases:
phase 1 puts back a more generic HD image which contains all of windows
phase 2 applies some patching (e.g. including drivers for your specific model). This phase 'breaks' if the Acer MBR is gone. Windows will still start, but the nstallation is incomplete.

hth

Drio

 

Kythoon, re your original question, maybe this is useful:

Build your own fresh install CD

Introduction
Acer Notebooks don't come with a Windows Installation CD, and some even lack the System and Recovery CDs.
The following describes how you can build your own Windows Installation CDs; how to extend this CD to include the relevant drivers for your machine as well as most recent updates; and finally it gives examples of installation scripts to adapt for your own purposes.

The 1st CD, a bare one with only Windows (lacking additional drivers, updates and installation script) can also be used for system recovery (using Windows recovery console)
As such it should work on any PC or notebook. Use as an installation CD, however, will only be successful on an Acer machine because the installation checks for an Acer BIOS signature.
The CD key required for installation is the key at the bottom of your notebook.
After installation Windows will still ask you to Activate, but as soon as you click the activation link Windows will inform you that your copy is already activated (it won’t even connect to MS for this).
This is also the ultimate test for having followed the correct procedure. Anything else would indicate that you have done something wrong (or that the instructions weren't as clear and comprehensive as intended).

The 2nd CD, including script won't allow usage as recovery CD since the script (in the example presented) doesn't stop at the option to run a recovery.
But it will result in a fresh install including all the right drivers and most recent patches.

Note that this is written from TravelMate 8106WLMi experience. Though the principles are general and would apply even for desktops as well as other brands, the specifics, mainly drivers, may be different for your machine.



Preparation

Create the following directory structure somewhere on a HD accessible for your burning program
XPCD
BOOT
ROOT
$OEM$
$$
INF
SYSTEM32
$1
Drv
BOOK

Explanation:
During install everything under $OEM$\$$ is copied in your Windows directory (or the subdirectories specified), and everything under $OEM$\$1 is copied to your installation drive (or the directories specified)
Note: this actually requires a setting in the WINNT.SIF, but using this structure from the start saves you time when moving to a more advanced install CD)

Getting the Windows installation files?
Unpack the i386 directory from the image files from either
- your hidden restore partition
- your recovery DVD/CDs
- your System CD and Recovery CDs that may have come with the system

The ghosted files are password protected.
You can find the password by searching for the ASCII string "-PWD=" (wh the quotes) in
- D2D.exe in hidden partition
- CD2D.exe on your Recovery DVD/CDs
- Recovery.exe on system CD
the string just after the find is the password.
You may need a hexadecimal capable editor for this (e.g. ultraedit or hexedit)

The disk image is stored in a set of .GHS files about 50Mb in size each. The first (actually last) one is named .HDD. Rename this to .GHO, and you version of ghost should be capable of opening the set with the password.

If you don't feel comfortable with this (or you don't get your Ghost or the v8 one on the CD\DVD\partition to work) you can also use the i386 directory from you hard disk. As long as you don't have applied any updates yet this should be as crisp and clean as a fresh extract from the ghosted image.

Copy the whole i386 directory in the XPCD\ROOT directory (including the directory itself)


Adjustments to enable working with your CD-Key
Note: you would also need to do this part if you adapt an OEM CD gotten from ‘elsewhere’
Delete the following files (if they exist) in your XPCD\ROOT\i386 directory:
cmdlines.txt
UNATTEND.TXT
WINNT.SIF
(the above three to avoid an unattended install from starting)
oobeinfo.*
oembios.*

Search for the following files in your Windows directory:
oobeinfo.ini (can probably be found in Windows\System32\oobe)
oembios.bin (can probably be found in Windows\System32)
oembios.dat (can probably be found in Windows\System32)
oembios.sig (can probably be found in Windows\System32)
OEMBIOS.CAT (can probably be found in Windows\System32\dllcache)
and copy them into XPCD\ROOT\i386

Explanation:
oobeinfo.ini contains the OEM install key that relates to the key at the bottom of your notebook)
the 4 oem*.* files contain the link to a signature in the BIOS needed for the install to 'self-activate'
Actually, it won't self-activate completely in this case, but if you do it right clicking the activation link in Start should notify you that your copy is already activated (wh connecting to the MS registration site).
Any other notice implies you did something wrong!

Enabling the Acer branding in My Computer -> Properties
Search for:
OEMINFO.INI
OEMLOGO.BMP
Probably both can be found in your Windows\System32 directory
Copy these files in $OEM$\$$\SYSTEM32
Note: Branding also requires a setting in WINNT.SIF, but getting it right here saves work later on

Notifying install of service pack level
Create the following (may be empty) files in XPCD\ROOT
WIN51
WIN51IP
WIN51IP.SP1
WIN51IP.SP2

Explanation: these files notify Windows what is on the CD, in my case Windows XP Pro with SP1 and SP2 integrated.
Note: for a XP Home or Multimedia edition the names may be different.
Question: Can anyone add to this for the cases of XPHome and MCE, just for completeness?

Non-English languages?
For non-English XP there may be a directory MUI which also needs to be copied in (same procedure as copying in the i386 directory)
Note: I am not sure about this, since it may be that MUI already is integrated in the i386 during Acer's OEM install, in which case you can omit this, just copy it in if it exists in your ghosted images (or on your HD after installation).

Preparing for a bootable CD
Download the tiny (2kb) boot image from http://www.tacktech.com/pub/microsoft/bootfiles/bootfiles.zip
and unpack it in XPCD\BOOT

DVD-Title
I used X2PVOL_EN, but I don't think it actually matters

Burning
Start your CD burner.
Select bootable CD (or DVD if you did put all the drivers in)
In the bootable CD type screen (Boot tab in Nero, but something like it in other packages)
1.) Set Bootable CD Type: to No Emulation.
2.) Set Load Segment: to 0000
3.) Set Sector Count: to 4.
4.) Press the Browse ... button.
5.) Locate the bootsector file (boot.ima) in the folder XPCD\BOOT.
6.) Click the Open button.
7.) Click the OK button.
In the other tabs just make sure you select ISO9660 and support long filenames (select Joliet, and the maximum number of filename and path length on offer)
Select all the files from XPCD\ROOT (but not the directory itself)
Burn works with rewritable DVD so I suggest you use a rewritable first, even though it may be a bit slower in reading)


Test it
Now you have a bootable Windows XP install CD which can also be used as a recovery CD.
This is also the 'gold standard' from which to work to a CD for partially or fully unattended install.


CD2

Adding Drivers
Download all the drivers you need, unpack the packages (e.g. with WinRar) to make sure the installation files (.INF files) are accessible for windows and copy them in subdirectories of $OEM$\Drv
I used the following structure under $OEM$\Drv for My TM8106
000_chip
010_vga
020_audio
030_touch
040_modem
050_lan
060_wlan
070_cardbus
080_bluetooth
110_launchman

You may have to add/adapt for your machine
Be aware that order matters a lot.
Chipset definitely first, followed by graphics and audio.
Modem may require audio first if it is using the same chip
BT may require LAN stuff to be there for it's BT LAN function.
Launchmanager requires .NET framework, so if you want to automate that part you may have to include automatic installation of the .Net framework.
I put it on the CD because it's the only Acer tool I still use.


For future unattended install you need to do two additional things
a. copy (DO NOT MOVE) the relevant INF files from the directories with the drivers to XPCD\$OEM$\$$\INF
b. adjusting the WINNT.SIF so
• Windows copies them to the HD during install
[Unattended]
OemPreinstall=Yes
• Windows knows where to search for the driver once it has detected the hardware.
[Unattended] OemPnPDriversPath="Drv\000_chip;Drv\000_chip\SP;Drv\010_vga;Drv\010_vga\BIN;Drv\010_vga\CPanel;Drv\010_vga\Driver;Drv\010_vga\Driver\2KXP_INF;Drv\010_vga\Driver\2KXP_INF\B_25858;Drv\020_audio;Drv\020_audio\Config;Drv\020_audio\MSHDQFE\Win2K_XP\us;Drv\020_audio\WDM;Drv\030_Touch;Drv\030_touch\US;Drv\040_Modem;Drv\050_LAN;Drv\060_wlan;Drv\060_wlan\Drivers;Drv\070_cardbus;Drv\070_cardbus\O2Micro;Drv\070_cardbus\O2Micro\Ctapi;Drv\070_cardbus\O2Micro\WinXp;Drv\080_bluetooth;Drv\080_bluetooth\Custom;Drv\080_bluetooth\Win32\svcpack"

As you see it includes every relevant subdir in the Drv path
• make sure windows also installs unsigned drivers
[Unattended]
DriverSigningPolicy=Ignore


Note1: Maybe you do not need to copy the drivers to your HD if you can point windows to the right directory in your CD (but since you don't know in advance which letters will be assigned to which drives during install this may be a bit difficult)
Note2: After successful install you can delete the \Drv directory from your installation drive (though windows may as for it when it needs a driver).


Adding updates
Go to http://www.ryanvm.net/msfn/updatepack.html and download the pack of post SP2 hotfixes and the integrator.
It works with just the click of a button, and it saves downloading 40+ updates from MS (and the caching of these updates on your HD).
You may also want to download the .NET v1.1 and v2.0 packages from the same site; they include all the updates for .NET, and include themon your DVD
Note: after integration your obviously don't have 'the gold standard' starting point any more, so you may have to repeat this from scratch starting from the 1st CD whenever you decide to build a new cd


Unattended install
adapt the example WINNT.SIF and OOBEINFO.INI (see below) and copy them in your ROOT\i386 directory


Fully unattended, including integration of other packages
Please study the materials at http://unattended.msfn.org/unattended.xp/
Since I'm not a sysadmin I cannot be bothered, so ask your questions on the forums overthere.


Bugs and features
1.
There is a bug in the windows XP installer that doesn't allow you to set the right timezone in WINNT.SIF unless you do a fully unattended install. So don't be surprised if you end up in Tiguana, just change it.
2.
You can set all language features in WINNT.SIF and OOBEINFO.INI. The downside seems to be that it also sets the langauge used for sorting (e.g. for date sorting in explorer and some Databases).
Go to Control Panel -> Regional and language options -> Advanced Tab -> Language for non-unicode Programs
and set it to English (United States)
Any other choice here seems to mess up date sorting (I use dd/mm/yyyy display, since that's what the clients are used to) in Explorer, as well as MSAccess
If anyone has the definitive word on how to set this in WINNT.SIF/OOBEINFO.INI, please let me know
3.
If the MBR of your HD is still the Acer MBR and your install in the 1st partition the MBR may hide the first partition
You can solve this from the recovery console by running FIXMBR (type FIXMBR /? for the rigth syntax)


Example installation driver files
See MS website for details for each key (or google for deploy.chm)
Please don't bother to PM me (it all goes straight in the spam bucket anyway)
Post here if you have something that makes it better!

========== Begin Example WINNT.SIF ==========
; you will need to fill in/change/delete the DUMMYs, as well as some other settings
[Data]
AutoPartition=1
MsDosInitiated="0"
UnattendedInstall="Yes"

[Unattended]
UnattendMode=ProvideDefault
OemPreinstall=Yes
; IN CASE YOU WANT ADIFFERENT DIR FOR WINDOWS, OTHERWISE DELETE
TargetPath=\DUMMY
DriverSigningPolicy=Ignore
Repartition=No
NtUpgrade=No
Hibernation="No"
; DELETE IF YOU WANT FAT32
FileSystem=ConvertNTFS
ExtendOemPartition=0
DisableVirtualOemDevices=No
CrashDumpSetting=0
; ADAPT TO YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES !!!!!!
OemPnPDriversPath="Drv\000_chip;Drv\000_chip\SP;Drv\010_vga;Drv\010_vga\BIN;Drv\010_vga\CPanel;Drv\010_vga\Driver;Drv\010_vga\Driver\2KXP_INF;Drv\010_vga\Driver\2KXP_INF\B_25858;Drv\020_audio;Drv\020_audio\Config;Drv\020_audio\MSHDQFE\Win2K_XP\us;Drv\020_audio\WDM;Drv\030_Touch;Drv\030_touch\US;Drv\040_Modem;Drv\050_LAN;Drv\060_wlan;Drv\060_wlan\Drivers;Drv\070_cardbus;Drv\070_cardbus\O2Micro;Drv\070_cardbus\O2Micro\Ctapi;Drv\070_cardbus\O2Micro\WinXp;Drv\080_bluetooth;;Drv\080_bluetooth\Custom;Drv\080_bluetooth\Win32\svcpack"
WaitForReboot = "No"
NoWaitAfterTextMode = 1
NoWaitAfterGUIMode = 1
NonDriverSigningPolicy = Ignore

[SetupData]
OSLoadOptionsVar = "/noexecute=optin"

[SystemRestore]
; YOU MAY WANT TO ASSURE SYSTEM RESTORE IS SWITCHED ON AGAIN AFTER INSTALLATION; HERE IT IS SWITCHED OF FOR SPEEDIER INSTALLATION
DisableSR = 1
CreateFirstRunRp = 0

[GuiUnattended]
AutoLogon = "Yes"
EncryptedAdminPassword = "No"
AdminPassword = "DUMMY"
TimeZone = "DUMMY"
OEMSkipRegional=1
; IN CASE YOU WANT TO HAVE YOUR DOCS AND SETTINGS SOMEWHERE ELSE, OTHERWISE DELETE
ProfilesDir="D:\DUMMY\Documents and Settings"

[Shell]
DefaultThemesOff = "Yes"
DefaultStartPanelOff = "Yes"

[Components]
Iis_common = On
Iis_inetmgr = On
Iis_nntp = On
Iis_smtp = On
Iis_webadmin = On
Iis_webdav = On
Iis_www = On
Iis_asp = On


[UserData]
;HERE YOU PUT THE KEY FROM THE BOTTOM OF YOUR NOTEBOOK
ProductKey=DUMMY-DUMMY-DUMMY-DUMMY-DUMMY
FullName="DUMMY"
OrgName="DUMMY"
ComputerName=DUMMY

[Display]
BitsPerPel=32
Xresolution=1680
YResolution=1050
Vrefresh=60

[TapiLocation]
CountryCode=DUMMY
Dialing=Tone
AreaCode=DUMMY

[RegionalSettings]
LanguageGroup=1
SystemLocale = "DUMMY"
UserLocale = "DUMMY"
InputLocale = "DUMMY UMMY"
UserLocale_DefaultUser = "DUMMY"
InputLocale_DefaultUser = "DUMMY UMMY"


[Branding]
; THIS SHOULD ENABLE SHOING THE ACERDETAILS IN MY COMPUTER -> PROPERTIES
BrandIEUsingUnattended=Yes

Home_Page=about:blank Se...part, if your other software doesn't need it.

 

Hmmm

Going back to the factory restore, i'm understanding that it will recreate a C drive of 54GB with the orginial stuff. What about the other 66 GB? And what is exactly on the hidden partition (somewhere around 4GB)?

Edit: What if i used an external hard drive like Maxtor. Would it be just as effective for restoring?

 

From TM8106 experience (but I am not aware that this is different for TM8204)

Cases using Recovery DVD:
1.
As long as Acer MBR is there it will put the original stuff on your C drive (as long as you don't have more than 2 partitions (or 3 including the hidden one).
This also applies if you only have 1 partition (apart from the hiden one).
(The reason it doesn't work with more partitions, or with more 'visible partitions to be exact, is that the batch file used for patching some drivers and updates, uses enumeration of disks to decide what type of restore process is the case. It'll make the wrong decision when it sees more disks)

2
If the hidden partition is gone and the Acer MBR is still there it may install and patch correctly but fail to boot because the Acer MBR is instructed to hide the first partition when the patching finishes. Since that partition is your install partition windows doesn't boot.
Just make it visible (type FAT32) and active, and boot from a normal Windows CD; go into recovery mode and type FIXMBR /?; this should tell you the exact command to use for restoring a 'normal' MBR

3.
If the hidden partition is gone and the MBR is gone, it will put back the windows image but may fail to run the phase 2 patching process. You will be capable of booting normally, but you'll have to check if all drivers and utisl are installed.


Cases using hidden partition:
1.
If MBR is still thee and you don't have more than 2 other partitions it'll work (it works with only 1 other partitio).

2.
If MBR is gone, you can still boot into recovery mode, but process will fail phase 2 of recovery (like above)


Cases using system CD and Recovery CDs:
1.
Will work even with one partition


Restoring Acer MBR?
In recovery partition (just press Ctrl-C to interrupt autoexec.bat)
there is a file called mbrwrdos.exe in directory acer\tools
there is also a file called rtmbr.bin (512bytes) in the same directory (may be named different on 8204).
th command is:
acer\tools\mbrwrdos install acer\tools\rtmbr.bin

According to some MBR doesn't matter, but I guess they don't see that they have an incomplete install.


The same files are also on the backup DVD (but not on SystemCD and Acer's Recovery Cds)
There is also a file named mbrwrwin.exe which works in windows, but since xp doesn't allow direct access to MBR by any file it is of no use.

SystemCD or backup DVD?
Where I say DVD I mean the backup DVD of the factory install.
Where I say System CD and recovery CDs, I mean the CDs with official Acer part numbers that come with a system (if your supplier did a proper job (some suppliers try to save a few bucks here, by unbundling this)


What's on the hidden partition?
Actually not much more than there is on your backup DVD, taking up about 1.9Gb (maybe more if your machine came with Works)
If you have a partition manager you could use it's explore function to have a look. Otherwise enable D2D recovery in BIOS, press Alt-F10 (or whatever your manual says) just after boot, and be fast to press Ctrl-C to interupt the batch file before it launches the recvoery program (don't worry, it won't start recovery straight away; it will ask).
Rename autoexec.bat to auto.bat and have a look.
Just remember that next time you boot into the recovery partition, you have to start auto.bat to get the recovery running.


Restoring to external HD?
all 3 restore potions (hidden partition, backup DVD and systemCD+RecoveryCDs) put the windows image back on the 1st visible partition on your 1st HD.
In phase 1 that's just unpacking the Ghosted image
In Phase 2 that's patching that image with additional drivers/utils depending on your model.

But you can get ghost (either your own vesion, or the one in hidden partition/backup DVD to unpack the image to another drive.
I don't know the exact commands, so youll have to research.
And you can adapt the file patch.bat to apply the patches to the drive/partition you specify.
This will require analyzing/tracing that file and the batch files/tests it runs.

I samply imaged the initial install and now I can put it back wherever I like

The only dificulty may be that you have to change the boot.ini file, because that assumes that you start from directory Windows in partition 2 on your first drive.
you can do that with a Windows install CD, going into recovery console and typing FIXBOOT /? (see the command and take the right one)


hth

Drio

 

Drio,

Any chance you can post a link to where this info came from, because it is messing up the format something cronic (also from text it sounds like the directory structure required isn't showing correctly).

 

Looking for a "simple" answer here. If I merge C and D, how will the DVD restore the computer? (assume I make no other changes)

REALLY appreciate the help

EDIT:

PM from .zoXan.

 

@Kythoon

Dvd will simply restore to C (the merged partition)
but maybe eRecovery still expects an additional D, so that could be the only thing not working

And hidden partition will also restore to the C (at least on my TM8106)

hth

Drio

 

@ Arla

Sorry for the mess. I just copied and pasted from a Word document; apparently that's not a good idea.
If you select the thread and copy it in Word yourself it should be more readable. It's just sentences going all the way to the right (and the whole page with it.

A good moment to test the Synaptics 360 degrees scrolling button, isn't it?

It's a rewrite of some of my notes.

It all started of with a thread by DaveLessnau
http://www.notebookforums.com/showthread.php?t=143068

The recovery stuff is in another thread overthere
http://www.notebookforums.com/showthread.php?t=150981

but both are updated with stuff I learned since then.

hth

Drio

 

Lol, now because of that I know that you shouldn't do it. I didn't see the quick reply box because it was all the way to the right. Post Reply didn't work either. I ended up PM-ing him

 

I'm currently waiting on my 8204 to arrive. When it gets here, I'd like to immediately create a restore DVD of some kind that will allow me to return the image to exactly the state it was in after being received from the factory and booted up, including *all* partitions.

Is there any program that will accomplish this?

 

There are different backup software solutions, you could try these

http://www.novastor.com/
Norton Ghost
Acronis

some of them have trial versions

 

...and will these back up *all* partitions, including Acer's hidden partition?

 

@gweilo8888

If you have the chance install Acronis TI (version >= 9.1.3567) from "somewhere" on your current machine and burn the Acronis CD. The CD should work on any other machine.

Once you receive your machine
Attach a USB HD (though maybe it'll fit on a DVD)

As soon as you get your new machine, don't even boot from HD but get into BIOS (usually F2, but see the manual) and set the machine to boot from your Acronis CD.

Go into the Acronis TI full version (takes a little longer to load but has the full USB support) and backup your whole HD to the USB HD. It should include the whole shebang including MBR and all partitions).
Using maximum compression the whole thing should eventually fit on a DVD.

While your are at it also take a separate image of the hidden partition so you can put this back seperately if needed (and the 2nd partition you C-drive).

After that your DISCONNECT your USB HD and on reboot change the BIOS back to it's initial settings and have fun.
(I would expect the Acer batch files to mess up if your would leave the USB HD connected, thus leaving you with an incomplete Acer installation)

After Acer has done it's thing (but before you connect to windows update) take another image of your C-drive.
Since Acronis can mount images you can use the i386 dir of this image and a few files in your windows dirs to build your own XP CD.


Other tools mentioned are probably capable of doing the same, and so are
http://www.drivesnapshot.de/en/
http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/
In the cases I know (the above 2 and Acronis) the trial versions still allow recovery, but not new imaging, after the trial period expires.


hth

Drio

 

has anyone tried this????

 

Thanks for the detailed info. Have you done this yourself, and was Acronis able to back up all partitions for you? Also, how much space does it require for the backup of a 120GB drive, roughly? (I've got a USB 2.0 external HDD, but dunno if I could fit two 120GB backups onto it, unless they compress very well).

 

Oh, and also, which version of Acronis would I need? Home? Workstation? Another?

 

I have used/tried True Image workstation 9.1.3567 (and Disk Director 10.0.2117) and the CD it burns.
And I own Ghost 10 which is installed for normal backup purposes. I am just waiting for Acronis to offer a competitive upgrade.

And no I didn't do this when my machine arrived (and I regret it), but I now have a full disk image on a USB hard drive as well as separate images of recovery partition, fresh factory install, actual working install (including all settings and applications), etc.

hth

Drio

 

How much space do those full images take? (Why I'm asking is so I know whether to back up the factory state of the notebook, I'll need 120GB+ available on my USB drive, or whether the backup of everything including hidden partition only requires as much space as there is data on the drive at the time of the backup?)

 

Let's see
for my TM8106 with Acronis max compression
hidden partition = 1.9Gb
factory install = 1.7Gb
So if factory install is already on C when delivered it should not be more than 4Gb, otherwise about 2Gb (since the rest is empty).

My working systems take about 8-10 Gb each (3 versions max compression, system only wh data)
While experimenting to get a stable fresh install this was a bit more since I backed up before each major change.

Data is a bit of a space hog in my case since I back this up regulary (unlike the static system partition). I use a separate HD 320Gb. but that will be different for you depending on the nature of your work/hobbies/usage.

BTW in most cases "hot-backup" (that is while your system is running) works quite well both for Acronis and Ghost (as long as you don't change too much, e.g. install yet another program).
My preference changed to Acronis because setting back an image is faster, mainly because the Acronis Cd loads faster (sort of embedded Unix) compared to the Symantec Recovery CD (a windows PE environment I think).
I mean it's nice to have your optimised system partition back within 10 minutes.

hth

Drio

 

For full info, you can opt to image the disk bit by bit (a full clone), but I guess that doesn't really add anything (MBR, HD volume number, partition structure, etc. will be included anyway if you choose to do the whole disk, and even with only one partition).

 

Thanks for the detailed info.

 

i covered the hiden partition by mistake, how could i rebuild the hiden partition from my backup CD(which i backed up in eRecover). now the Alt+F10 doesn't work now. Do you have a good idea to do this? thank you very much

 

Once your hidden partition is deleted, you're fully dependent on your recovery DVD. At least I can't build the hidden partition back in my Aspire 5672. Did you make a backup DVD? If not you can call Acer and they'll send you everything (although you'll have to pay around $40 )