Acer 5920 D2D Recovery

Hello;

I just lost my Windows Vista on my 5920. Don't ask how. Now; how do I reinstall my windows using D2D recovery. About 24 GB of my hardisk is allocated to D2D.

> I don't get the recovery option by pressing Alt+F10 nor by Cntl+F10.

> According to Acer manual (online) I should Press F2 when Acer Logo comes during the start of the system. Go to boot & put D2D as boot 1st option. However, I don't see any D2D option in boot options.

How do I do it?

 

press F2 to enter setup,, on second tab of BIOS there should be an option to ENABLE or DISABLE the D2D feature... just make sure it is enabled...

to my knowledge there is no option in the BOOT ORDER section of the BIOS that deals with D2D,, so just make sure the HDD is the first boot device since the D2D is on the HDD.

save the bios settings and exit...

then at the ACER BOOT SCREEN when you see the press F2 message,,, just keep press/releasing the ALT+F10 and it should boot into hidden partition (which will be XP command line) and follow the onscreen instructions to recover the HDD from the data on the hidden partition..

if you have reloaded the OS from a VISTA CD then your MBR has been replaced and you will not be able to get the D2D feature to work with out restoring the original custom ACER MBR from some other source.

hope that clears things up a bit

 

Thanks. I'll check that.

Didn't get this part though. Can you tell me in English

 

If you did not use the D2D (disk to disk) recovery when fixing windows, you will never be able to use the D2D recovery option every again unless you made a backup of your pc with some imaging software

There is some engrish 4 ya's!

 

or if you have EVER used a VISTA CD to load VISTA onto the ACER, then that CD replaced a file that is critical to the D2D process... and without that file the D2D will never again work.

 

Oh! I have installed Vista from another CD/DVD for temporary period till I learn D2D recovery. This means D2D wont work anymore?

 

that is correct... unless you made the RESTORE DISKS the D2D won't work again unless you figure out how to restore the ACER MBR...

so hopefully you made the RECOVERY DISKS... if not you may have to send to acer to have the system reloaded properly if you cannot find info on replacing the ACER MBR... (i know nothing about it,, but i have seen threads here discussing the process)

 

No I haven't made a Recovery Disk

Guess I'll have to do with this Vista from here on.

 

we need or ACER needs to make it more clearer and show how important it is to BURN/MAKE the recovery disks.

we have come across this problem so many times something needs to be done.

 

I agree.

Acer should not allow Windows to work at all or partially (preferred since prefer to turn on the laptop at the shop before buying ... helps make decision) unless the user makes a Recovery DvD. Plus; BIOS/DOS should give clear warning that you are installing Windows from another DVD/CD, with this you'll loose your D2D and also ask 'Are you installing windows from Recovery CD? Yes [Y], No [N]" If No then it should give warning.

Anyways; I don't know if I lost my D2D but I did try it. D2D is enabled & when I pressed Alt+F10 it gave me "Edit Bios Option" where I can't do much but to go back to the windows.

 

hoggie, that FIXMBR.zip,,, do you remember seeing that file??

was it for VISTA??? the OP may be able to use it to get the D2D function back?? or will it not work with VISTA?

just another thought... (yea i know.. thinking gets me in trouble )

 

you shound be able to set the partion activion active provideing you did.nt delete it dure the vista setup ?

 

does you vista still boot if so you can use diskpart command to set it active

 

I didn't delete anything other then formating C: drive.

 

How I don't knw how to use diskpart command nor knw what it is. My Vista is booting from the new installation.

 

ok i have a RAR file called AcerMbrUtil.rar and a readme with this file gives you instructions on how to rebuild the mbr
this is the read me
just run fixmbr.bat or go to your directory at command promt
where files mbrwrwin.exe and rtmbr.bin are
and type mbrwrwin.exe install rtmbr.bin. Then you can restore factory
defaults by pressing Alt+F10 by seeing Acer logo at system start-up.
would this file be of any use BigO ?
just a thought
i have it on my laptop
Phil

 

i have sent BigO the file to take a look at
he will get back to us soon.
lets all hope its ok

praying hard
Phil

 

The ACER boot loader , works as boot selector .
If no ALT-F10 is pressed at system boot (recovery partition boot) ,redirects the boot process to the OS partition.

The boot to OS does not depend on the ACERs loader.

If the Microsoft command FIXMBR fails , there is some sort of serious problem.

And i do not have the solution .... its the first time in my life that someone reports that the FIXMBR fails ... the next though of my after this are the possibility of an MBR Virus or something.

 

I realize I have not returned to this topic for a time now & nor has anyone else.

Anyways; last night I tried experimenting again but regardless of pressing either F10+Ctrl or F10+Alt I get the same screen: Edit Boot Options For: Windows Vista. This is happening even though I have enabled D2D in Boot Options (F2).



What is going on?