new user, 6930g questions

Hi all, I'm new to laptops, and this forum.

I know PCs inside and out, build my own etc. I have recently bought my first laptop ever (6930g-6762, in canada, since they seem to be different in various countries?).

I love it so far, but I have some questions, and Acer help/documentation is no help at all.

1. My on board speakers sound like crap. They sound like unpowered speakers, very tinny and very distorted. HDMI output and speaker out both sound great, when I bypass the onboard speakers.

2. Do I need all the Acer software? I'd like to delete the hidden partitions, repartition the drive and do an install from a 'normal' Vista x64 DVD. I can't believe all the bloat that comes with a laptop.

3. Is a regular install the same process as for a regular PC? ie, install windows then all the drivers etc...or must I make a vlite DVD?

4. Can I use my OEM license on a retail DVD image?

5. How do I use the volume slider, and media controls (the lit up blue ones) on the PC itself? are they touch sensitive? I'm not sure mine work...

thanks for any answers, links, etc.

 

1. Laptop speakers sucks(with very few exceptions) so I guess you're saying it because you aren't used to it

2. The hidden partition is actually your OEM Vista backup. If you don't need it just wipe out the HDD, repartition and use your own Vista copy. If you want to you can make an external backup of the hidden partition - recovery cds(well, DVDs actually, I think you'd need at least 2 of 'em). Think before you wipe out the HDD, many users want to recreate the partition later and I can tell you they have a lot of problems and most of the time can't do it.

3. Yeah normally Vista install and driver install is the same for laptops and desktops.

4. Yes but Vista will downgrade. I mean, if your OEM key is for Home Premium you cannot use the key to install Ultimate.

5. No idea, I don't have this fancy stuff on mine but normally there is a drivers/software which you have to install first to make 'em work.
Normally, the best, most updated site for ACER drivers is the European:
http://support.acer-euro.com/drivers/index.html
The only problem is that the download speed is too low.

Hope all this helps.

Cheers,
ATG

 

Thanks for the quick reply. I've made the 3 DVD backup, but the files on it are encrypted, or compressed or something, but they're full of something!

My other big concern I forgot to ask is Blu-Ray playing- is Acer Arcade essential to play BDs? Any Nvidia driver concerns to note? (HDCP makes me paranoid).

I read the sticky and saw the Euro Acer link, I assume those drivers apply to Canadian models as well?

 

I'm not very familiar with the structure of the recovery CDs but they surely use some compressing/formatting..


About the blue-ray - I've never owned one myself but as far as I know you need Acer Arcade to play blueray movies. I think there were alternative programs but I don't remember any names and if I recall correctly they aren't free and cost a lot.

Yeah the drivers will work don't worry about it. In your case the 6930 drivers will work with all 6930 models around the world. By the way if you're going to use x64 OS make sure ACER provide x64 drivers. For some models they were hard to find.