Can't get ALT+F10 to work

I have never deleted my partition. But this isn't working. Is there a specific time I am supposed to do it? I restart the computer and try at various points before and during Windows startup but NOTHING is working. I have tried at least a dozen times so far.

 

What are you talking about?

 

1. Stop pushing Alt.
2. Try Esc, F8, F11, and F12.

 

Acer's recovery console (from the hard drive) is initiated by pressing Alt+F10.

Have you ever installed any other OS other than the factory OS? If you have then you have overwritten acer's special master boot record (MBR) that allows alt+f10 to work.
However if you haven't installed any other OS and just want to re-install windows using the image on the hard drive hidden partition then you have to press alt+f10 at the post screen (first screen that says "acer") when you turn the notebook on.

 

OK, so I tried following the instructions found on the Acer site:

1. Plug in the AC adapter and battery.
2. Turn the system on
3. Immediately, press ALT on the keyboard and start tapping F10.
Continue holding ALT and tapping F10 as the unit boots up.
4. A screen stating "Starting Acer Erecovery" should appear.
(Release ALT and stop tapping F10 at this point)
5. There will be 4 options:
1. Restore system to factory default
2. Restore system from user backup
3. Restore system from cd/dvd
4. Exit

Doesn't work, gives me an error message or something:

 

OK, I guess that answers my question. I have in fact installed Vista Ultimate over this. So, if I use the recovery disks I have made, am I still screwed as far as this ALT+F10 thing goes?

 

The recovery discs will re-install windows to factory spec but AFAIK they won't replace the lost acer MBR. There is a way to restore acer's MBR using 2 files in the hidden partition but it is complicated and sometimes it doesn't work so I wouldn't recommend it. Also I have only seen it work on notebooks that came with XP from the factory and not vista.

 

I read this post with increasing alarm. Fired up the 5920, sure enuf, Alt+F10 doesn't get me into Recovery Console any more. I'm dual-booting Linux.

There oughta be a law against manufacturers tweaking on their products so that the user is boxed into their way of doing things.

 

Give this a try... it worked for me.

http://www.roundtripsolutions.com/blog/2007/10/18/300/acer-disk-to-disk-d2d-recovery-broken/

 

when you see that screen press the enter key, it will only do that the first time you enter the eRecovery utility