Disk failure

Sorry to start a new thread - it's probably been covered dozens of times, but I'm new on here and can't find my way round.

The disk on my son's Aspire 5610 has failed. I've managed to copy virtually all the content so I can start again from scratch. What I don't understand is how I can use the Alt-F10 reset option if the disk itself, and the hidden recovery partition, are unreliable.

Obviously, I'm going to have to replace the disk, but when I do that, I won't have the hidden partition. Is there any way of copying the hidden partition? The old disk is too damaged to do a straight volume copy, but I can (mostly) recover individual folders and files by putting the disk in a USB case and reading it on another computer. However, I can only see the C and D drives, and I've got no idea where the hidden recovery stuff is located. I've got no distribution kit or recovery disks - my son says he never got any with the machine.

Any help or pointers to other threads would be welcome. Otherwise, I'm going to have to scrap the thing.

 

If you can boot into windows on that Acer, you can create recovery media. Your created recovery media can be used on a brand new HDD to recover original OS including the hidden recovery partition. As you pointed out you can not use Alt+F10 on the new HDD, since this function will try to launch recovery program from the hidden partition, which would not exist on the new HDD.

 

Thanks for that. I can get into Windows, but, presumably because of the state of the disk, it runs so slowly as to be effectively unusable. When I say slow, I mean really, really, really slow - 10 to 20 minutes to get a response sometimes. TBH, I'm amazed it can do that - I would have thought it would time out.

Because of the slow response, I haven't managed to get it to see my network, although somehow or other it's managed to pick up the correct time and date.

Would it be possible to put in a new hard drive and then re-install Vista from a disk? And where can I get a disk - don't need a license, as there's a readable sticker on the machine?

I'm only trying to do this 'cos my only other laptop is about 15 years old, runs Windows 2000 and would be even more difficult to get going!

 

Yes you can o that and that's a very good idea- far less to do. Just make sure do download essential software from Acer Support especially Launch Manager which is needed for Wi-Fi on/off button to work.

 

Thanks, but I'll need some pointers:

"...download essential software from Acer Support..."

Got absolutely no idea what the "essential software" is - not my computer, never used Vista, know nothing about Acer

"...especially Launch Manager..."

What's "Launch Manager"? Presumably I'd have to get this from Acer and add it after Vista is up and running

"...Wi-Fi on/off button to work..."

There's an on/off button for Wi-Fi? Do you mean a physical button on the machine or an on-screen button? And can I do this without Wi-Fi? - my router packed up a few days ago so I'm having to use cables till I get a new one.

 

Start with Launch Manager - you can find it on Acer Support website by choosing your notebook model and OS version.

The physical button is there but won't work unless Launch Manager is installed - that's why I mentioned it. As for other essential apps - I don't need anything else but Acer pre-installed quite a lot of apps - some clearly useless but others might have been used by your son. The best way to proceed is probably to install only what's essential and be aware of the fact that other apps are available in case your son starts complaining that something is missing.

You can skip installing Launch Manager for now if you don't need it but I wouldn't. Connect via Ethernet, install it and forget about it- by the time you buy a new router you will have forgotten about this app and a new mystery will be looming (why isn't Wi-Fi working).

 

Thanks - that's a great help.

I've managed to get Acer eRecovery facility up and I've selected the option to create a factory settings DVD. It seems to be working with a reasonable response time, although it hasn't actually done anything yet - it went through the "preparing data" phase, then stopped on 99% - I've got no idea what it's trying to do, if anything!

I've left it sitting there in the hope that it will actually do something, but I've got other things to get on with for the rest of the evening - back later.