[okiol]

Hi!

 

I have a laptop, and I'm looking towards doing a reboot. I haven't done one since I bought it, and I hope to increase performance aswell as have a chance to get a new start with all of the trash. The name of the laptop is ASUS ASPIRE 5740G if I understand things correctly. I have no installation cd, W7 came with the computer.

 

I also have Linux Mint parallel installed, and I'd like to get rid of that. That is: Now: 150 (or something similar) Gb of disc space is devoted to the Linux OS. After the rework: I want 0 Gb to be devoted to the Linux OS. I might install it in the future, but seeing how little I've used this one, I'm probably not going to bother, and I sure as [bleep] don't want to spend 150 Gb on that.

 

I also want to create atleast 3 separate accounts, one that is optimized for performance and gaming, one that is completely minimalistic, optimized for studying/serious work, and one big trash account that I will probably rarely use.

 

I imagine that the setup of the accounts will be fairly straightforward, the only difficult part with that is that I think I will want some different services to start at different accounts.

 

Is there a software that can help me to find all of the saved files and hotkeys, etc? I'm sure I'm forgetting atleast a couple of games or places where I have put documents.

 

I already have a portable disc to use for saving. If there is a good place to store it online aswell I might go ahead and do that just to be extra safe.

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Hi, there is possibly a recovery partition that will allow a complete restore back to factory condition, however that will then reinstall all the other junk that you may have had to remove when you first got the computer. Then after that the long waiting time while all the windows updates including service pack 1 installs as well.

 

However, do you have the product key on the sticker, usually underneath or in some cases underneath the battery?

If so, don't tell us what it is, we don't need it, but you will if you want a completely clean install of Windows 7 service pack 1.

 

If you wish to go for the clean install, have a read of this article, it does also explain where to download a fully legal copy of Windows 7 service pack 1 and how to burn it to a disk as well as explain how to clean install Windows 7.

 

http://www.sevenforu...indows-7-a.html

 

Nev

Edited by Plastic Nev, 13 November 2014 - 04:40 PM.

[Plastic Nev]

Hi, there is possibly a recovery partition that will allow a complete restore back to factory condition, however that will then reinstall all the other junk that you may have had to remove when you first got the computer. Then after that the long waiting time while all the windows updates including service pack 1 installs as well.

 

However, do you have the product key on the sticker, usually underneath or in some cases underneath the battery?

If so, don't tell us what it is, we don't need it, but you will if you want a completely clean install of Windows 7 service pack 1.

 

If you wish to go for the clean install, have a read of this article, it does also explain where to download a fully legal copy of Windows 7 service pack 1 and how to burn it to a disk as well as explain how to clean install Windows 7.

 

http://www.sevenforu...indows-7-a.html

 

Nev

Edited by Plastic Nev, 13 November 2014 - 04:40 PM.

[okiol]

reinstalling with junk is ok, I will have a great time removing all of it. And believe you me, it will certainly be less junk than I have right now.

 

I'm not sure if I found the registration key on the computer. But I think I found it under control panel>system and security>system: under Windows-activation: Product-ID: nnnnn-CCC-nnnnnnn-nnnnn where n is a number, and C is a character. Does that sound right?

[Plastic Nev]

Yep, that sounds right, you will only need it though if you choose to download and burn the full Windows 7 SP1 disk. If you use the systems own factory restore you won't need it. However I will recommend you write it down and keep it in a safe place, you never know when it may be needed.

 

Nev.

Edited by Plastic Nev, 15 November 2014 - 09:15 AM.

[okiol]

Ohh, now I see what you're saying!

 

I think that the cleaning part will be fast in either case, and backup and installation will be slowest. As long as I'm not losing saved filed or documents, and manage to install it with no parallel installation, I'm happy! Which way would you recommend for the least amount of trouble?

[ruggie_uk]

hi. Just like to add that the product ID you found isn't the installation key. The key you found will be nnnnnn-OEM-nnnnnnnn-nnnnnn which basically identifies the type of product. The key presently installed in your system anyway (should you retrieve it) is likely factory installed and would not activate from a normal install.

 

There should be a sticker on the bottom of your laptop such as:

Edited by ruggie_uk, 15 November 2014 - 05:30 PM.

[Plastic Nev]

ruggie is correct about the sticker, the product key should be on that, however quite often it does match what you saw in the Windows system page, however not always. If the sticker is either missing or not readable, it can still be found using a small application called Magical Jelly Bean. You only need the free version for the Windows key and you can download it from here :-

 

https://www.magicalj....com/keyfinder/

 

I thought you wanted to do a complete clean install, which will wipe out all data, now you say you want to retain the data, in which case you need to do a repair install only, unless you have somewhere to back it all up to first.

 

Nev.

[ruggie_uk]

Again, be careful with this. If it is a factory installed image, the key that Jellybean will retrieve cannot be used to install the product.

 

If you do not have a visible sticker on the bottom, then it is best not to attempt any kind of reinstall as you will not be able to licence your windows.

[okiol]

ruggie is correct about the sticker, the product key should be on that, however quite often it does match what you saw in the Windows system page, however not always. If the sticker is either missing or not readable, it can still be found using a small application called Magical Jelly Bean. You only need the free version for the Windows key and you can download it from here :-

 

https://www.magicalj....com/keyfinder/

 

I thought you wanted to do a complete clean install, which will wipe out all data, now you say you want to retain the data, in which case you need to do a repair install only, unless you have somewhere to back it all up to first.

 

Nev.

I want to have a clean wipe, but I also want to save some stuff before I do the clean wipe. This can hardly be uncommon.

 

 

Again, be careful with this. If it is a factory installed image, the key that Jellybean will retrieve cannot be used to install the product.

 

If you do not have a visible sticker on the bottom, then it is best not to attempt any kind of reinstall as you will not be able to licence your windows.

What about the system's own factory restore that got mentioned earlier? It sounded to me like Nev was saying that no key would be necessary.

[ruggie_uk]

Factory restore as Nev pointed out is different, it will be already activated and you will not need the key.
But like he also said, keeping the key is important. If for example you ever need to replace the hard drive or get a bad infection, it may be necessary.

[Plastic Nev]

Thanks for the extra ruggie, however I have been told that providing you download and burn to disk the correct version of Windows 7 from Digital river, the product key should work OK.

 

However, back to okiol.

firstly get everything saved that you wish to save to your external hard drive, you can save all data such as music, documents, photographs etc. However all programs will have to be reinstalled, so if you have the disks or installation media that is OK, if any were downloaded from websites, if you did save the installation files they can be saved to the external drive, however if those downloaded files were not kept you will have to download them again after the re-installation. Any product keys for paid for software make sure you know what they are.

 

Next is the reinstallation from the eRecovery system.

 

This will delete everything on the hard drive, be sure you have made copies of everything you wish to keep on your external hard drive first before going further.

 

Reboot or power on the laptop, and as soon as you see the Acer screen, press both the "Alt" and "F10" keys together. The time window is very short so if it doesn't go to the eRecovery screen, shut down and try again.

Once you see the eRecovery screen click on "Restore to factory default settings"

Then click OK to continue.

 

It will take some time, I read somewhere it should take around ten minutes but it may take longer, however it should restore the computer back to the full original factory settings as it was when new.

You will probably be asked to reboot the system once it has done the recovery.

 

Nev.

[okiol]

I found the sticker.

 

Currently in the process of finding everything that i want to save. I guess I'll have to accept that no matter how hard I try there'll be something I missed. Let's hope it's something insignificant.

 

How much junk is there in a factory install? Should be easy to get rid of it, right? Doing it from a cd seems like a bunch of bother aswell, so it's just a matter of what will be less bothersome.

 

Also, I read through the thread again and found this, by Nev, that I must've misunderstand the first time around:

 

I thought you wanted to do a complete clean install, which will wipe out all data, now you say you want to retain the data, in which case you need to do a repair install only, unless you have somewhere to back it all up to first.

 

What does this mean? How much will get saved in a repair install?

[Plastic Nev]

Hi,

The thing is that you are wishing to return the computer back to a reasonably fast one as it was when new!

Over time and use and also while using it, eventually things do get bogged down.

There are many reasons for this and so long as it isn't too badly affected various clean ups can make a big difference such as dumping all temporary files, uninstalling programs no longer needed, stopping unwanted processes from starting etc.

However sometimes as you have decided, it can be better to start from fresh again as it actually can be quicker providing everything is backed up.

 

To do that is as I have outlined and completely bring everything back to what it was when new.

 

However, if for example something got chewed up in the operating system, and yet everything else is OK, a system repair can be carried out, that can be selected in the beginning stages of the recovery process in most cases. However all that a repair does is to just reinstall the operating system and refreshes the registry at the same time, yet leaving all data alone.

 

That can give some improvement in performance, however a system repair still leaves all data and everything else, including all the junk that may be slowing it down.

 

Hence why a full back to factory condition can be the better option.

 

However it is up to you to decide which way you wish to go. If you decide on trying the repair option first, you should see the choice for that once you start the recovery system.

 

If you do go for the full factory restore, it does take the computer right back to the condition it was in when it was bought brand new, that means any so called "Usefull" software that was bundled in by the manufacturer which you may have since uninstalled or removed, will be back.

Also, depending on how old the computer is, you may then have a few hours of downloading and reinstalling all the Windows updates and service packs.

 

Nev.

[okiol]

I have run into some problems. The formatting in this message will be terrible, because it's the best I can do. Sorry about that. So... I made the factory reinstallation thing. I accesed it from the control panel as found in a youtube video, because I couldn't get the alt+F10 at the start to work. I think that things went as they were supposed to. There is just one problem now, and that is that I still have the linux parallel installation on the computer. I think it got wiped, but honestly it wouldn't be that easy to tell the difference because I have barely used it at all. When the computer restarted after the installation I came to the place where I get to choose between the two OS and a couple of other possibilities before starting. When I try to startby choosing what I normally choose, I get a message that says something like: No such disc, no such space. I guess it's trying to reach the old w7-installation, and can't find it because it's gone. How do I remove the linux mint installation, and how do I get to start up w7? Thank you!

[Plastic Nev]

Hi, I am wondering about two different possibilities here that may have happened, the method you chose has tried a system repair rather than the full factory restore and somehow the Linux partition has interfered.

The other possibility is that the restore to factory from the recovery partition was somehow corrupt and hasn't worked properly.

 

Can you give us a link to that Youtube video you found so we can see exactly what methods were explained in it please.

 

Secondly, do you have access to another computer whereby you can download and burn to disk or thumb drive the Windows 7 ISO?

 

Go back to post 2 where I gave a link for instructions, follow them through for the download and making the disk. Remember that it is important to obtain the download for the correct system that yours is, either Windows 7 home premium, or Windows 7 professional etc. Also make sure you get the correct one for either 32 bit or 64 bit.

I will also ask one of the technical guys here to have a look in case he can see something that I might have missed.

 

Nev.