Acer 9114, slick BUT problems....

Hello All;

Brother got his Acer 9114WLMi. Looks slick and dedicated 256MB geforce 7600 go BUT the HDD is formatted in FAT32 and runs at 5400rpm. I am more worried at why it is formatted in FAT32 yet running XP home. I really dont understand why as FAT32 is last generations fole format? Why and how can i get this to be NTFS?

 

Converting from FAT32 to NTFS

As to why they use FAT32 - it's easier that way due to the following reasons

1)Their recovery partition is FAT32
2)Users might need Linux, and FAT32 is the best when you want Windows and Linux without major conflicts
3) NTFS to FAT32 conversion is not as easy as FAT32 to NTFS conversion; so that'd be a headache to some users.

 

I've been reading quite a few threads so basically as the laptop is fresh might as well create an image of the current setup and reformat all in NTFS (what i dont understand is why not have 1 parition in ntfs and the other in linux like i have, but i do use ext3 as in linux so easy to edit the partitions). But can i use the same windows CD key code OR do i have to install a fresh copy. Also if i want to revert back to the orginal default, would i use linux live ISO and reformat the primary partition to FAT32 and just use the DVD image to restore ot factory?

 

As long as you are reinstalling the same Windows, you should be able to use the CD Key. Those are OEM keys and prolly won't work with the Windows that you buy from Target or Bestbuy. To revert back to the original default, popping in the restore DVD might work. Some people have had success, some haven't. I have =P

 

I found to revert with the DVD (on my 8204) I needed to clear off the partition completely, and just let the refresh program repartition as it wanted (interestingly it did NOT partition the same way the original partitions were).

 

It doesn't, lol. It only fixes up C:. Doesn't look at the size or anything. I think thi s is what the program is commanded to do:

"1.) Find C: and 2) Restore it to factory settings."

No more, No less. Period.

 

I did read that converting to NTFS and installing a fresh OS means that get audio problems?
I just want to know if I do this, can i go back as there are 3 partitions in fact, *special 3GB*, acer windows OS and acer data file, latter 2 55 GB respectively. If i image the 3GB *special*, which i dont know how as not a visible partition in My Computer, can i go back?
But the reason why the DVD might not work initially because the partition would be NTFS so if i delete it then it can be reformat it to FAT32.

I have 2 different keys, one with the installed OS and the one underneath?