do factory default install from old hdd to new ssd?

My buddy has an Aceer Aspire v3-571 with a failing hard drive, lots of
s.m.a.r.t errors, and read errors, it constantly hangs or tries to
repair itself. I would like to install an SSD and attempt the factory
default installation from the old hdd hidden partition, hoping that that
part of the disk is still readable. Is this possible?

On 02/22/2016 07:45 PM, Mike S wrote:
My buddy has an Aceer Aspire v3-571 with a failing hard drive, lots of
s.m.a.r.t errors, and read errors, it constantly hangs or tries to
repair itself. I would like to install an SSD and attempt the factory
default installation from the old hdd hidden partition, hoping that that
part of the disk is still readable. Is this possible?


Since the drive is bad my guess would be "no".


If you tried to clone the old drive to the new, the process would more
than likely fail.


You could contact Acer to see if they have recovery media


http://us-store.acer.com/erecovery/rcd/

Mike S wrote:
My buddy has an Aceer Aspire v3-571 with a failing hard drive, lots of
s.m.a.r.t errors, and read errors, it constantly hangs or tries to
repair itself. I would like to install an SSD and attempt the factory
default installation from the old hdd hidden partition, hoping that that
part of the disk is still readable. Is this possible?

When the computer is new, you burn the following to DVD.
You purchase a 5-pack of DVD blanks and do...

Disc1 \
Disc2 \___ 4GB each, 12GB total, enough storage to restore
Disc3 / the factory restoration partition.

Disc4 --- Driver DVD, 500MB of drivers for fresh OS installation purposes

Disc5 --- Microsoft 200MB emergency boot media (gives Command Prompt etc)

Now, if this person didn't plan ahead, you could go over to his
place with your 5-pack of blanks, and burn at least the first
three discs. And preferably, all five.

The first four discs, come from an Acer prompt. You
are prompted within the first or second day of
ownership, to burn Discs 1-4.

Disc5 would be a Microsoft prompt, and it would be
in the System Image (backup) panel.

A typical user burns the discs, and then promptly
misplaces them. And nobody images the DVDs and
stores the ISO images in a safe place (giving them
to a person like yourself, when there is an
emergency, so you can burn nice fresh DVDs from
the ISO files). Modern DVDs have decent reliability,
but I like to store the DVDs as ISO files, just in
case.

*******

If the individual hasn't burned their emergency media,
you could attempt to do that. You are given just one
opportunity to burn media. If you blow it, the software
doesn't typically allow a second try.

If the disk drive is already dead as we speak, you can
purchase the first three discs from Acer. Maybe it
costs you $50 for the set. Recovery media is generally
only available during the "support" period for a product.
After about three years, they stop carrying the media.
Instead, there are merchants on Ebay, who carry that
same sort of media, and they'll be only too glad to take
your $50.

So that's a way to get the factory OS back into the machine.

*******

And while you can clone/copy/massage the info on the
existing hard drive, the number of people who
successfully figure out how, is roughly zero percent.
I'm finding that writing up the process, is pointless.

Simply use your favorite software, to clone the
existing disk (Macrium Reflect Free can clone
a disk, and even change the partition sizes so that
the info fits on a smaller SSD). If it works, great.

If it doesn't, then you'll be buying some recovery DVDs.
That's a pretty simple recipe.

Paul

In article , says...

My buddy has an Aceer Aspire v3-571 with a failing hard drive, lots of
s.m.a.r.t errors, and read errors, it constantly hangs or tries to
repair itself. I would like to install an SSD and attempt the factory
default installation from the old hdd hidden partition, hoping that that
part of the disk is still readable. Is this possible?

I'd try and clone the old disk to the new ssd. Chances are that is
likely to fail given you state there's SMART errors.

Assuming that's the case, you could try and clone just the restore
partition part of the old hard disk. That might stand a better chance of
no errors given it was likely never used or even accessed for that
matter.

Assuming that works, you then hope the magic keys you use when booting
the pc work with the ssd. I would think it would but one never knows
until one tries.

On 2/22/2016 7:06 PM, pjp wrote:
In article , says...

My buddy has an Aceer Aspire v3-571 with a failing hard drive, lots of
s.m.a.r.t errors, and read errors, it constantly hangs or tries to
repair itself. I would like to install an SSD and attempt the factory
default installation from the old hdd hidden partition, hoping that that
part of the disk is still readable. Is this possible?

I'd try and clone the old disk to the new ssd. Chances are that is
likely to fail given you state there's SMART errors.

Assuming that's the case, you could try and clone just the restore
partition part of the old hard disk. That might stand a better chance of
no errors given it was likely never used or even accessed for that
matter.

Assuming that works, you then hope the magic keys you use when booting
the pc work with the ssd. I would think it would but one never knows
until one tries.

philo, Paul, and php,

I appreciate all of your information. I tried to create the Factory
Restore DVD set but the computer keeps hanging, it acts like the hdd is
failing more every time I boot, everything I try do do either takes
several minutes or never happens... so I'll let the owner know he can
buy a Windows 7 installation DVD or the Acer DVDs.

Thanks Very Much,
Mike

On 02/22/2016 11:14 PM, Mike S wrote:
On 2/22/2016 7:06 PM, pjp wrote:

philo, Paul, and php,

I appreciate all of your information. I tried to create the Factory
Restore DVD set but the computer keeps hanging, it acts like the hdd is
failing more every time I boot, everything I try do do either takes
several minutes or never happens... so I'll let the owner know he can
buy a Windows 7 installation DVD or the Acer DVDs.

Thanks Very Much,
Mike




If Acer can supply a "restore" DVD, that would probably be best. Though
there might be a fee, it would be cheaper than buying Win7 all over again.

Once the machine is up and running, you can put the old hard drive in a
USB enclosure and attempt to retrieve the data.


There is a good chance some of it at least can be saved.

In article , , philo
says...

On 02/22/2016 11:14 PM, Mike S wrote:
On 2/22/2016 7:06 PM, pjp wrote:

philo, Paul, and php,

I appreciate all of your information. I tried to create the Factory
Restore DVD set but the computer keeps hanging, it acts like the hdd is
failing more every time I boot, everything I try do do either takes
several minutes or never happens... so I'll let the owner know he can
buy a Windows 7 installation DVD or the Acer DVDs.

Thanks Very Much,
Mike




If Acer can supply a "restore" DVD, that would probably be best. Though
there might be a fee, it would be cheaper than buying Win7 all over again.

I know here in NZ, it's about $100. Half the price of Windows, and all
the drivers etc included.

And all the "Acerware" too

But another plus is you get the factory partitions (ie including the
recovery partition) back on the new drive.

--
Duncan.

On 2/23/2016 1:20 AM, Dave Doe wrote:
In article , , philo
says...

On 02/22/2016 11:14 PM, Mike S wrote:
On 2/22/2016 7:06 PM, pjp wrote:

philo, Paul, and php,

I appreciate all of your information. I tried to create the Factory
Restore DVD set but the computer keeps hanging, it acts like the hdd is
failing more every time I boot, everything I try do do either takes
several minutes or never happens... so I'll let the owner know he can
buy a Windows 7 installation DVD or the Acer DVDs.

Thanks Very Much,
Mike




If Acer can supply a "restore" DVD, that would probably be best. Though
there might be a fee, it would be cheaper than buying Win7 all over again.

I know here in NZ, it's about $100. Half the price of Windows, and all
the drivers etc included.

And all the "Acerware" too

But another plus is you get the factory partitions (ie including the
recovery partition) back on the new drive.

Thanks Philo and Dave Doe, it's in the hands of the owner now.

Best Regards,
Mike

On 02/23/2016 04:56 AM, Mike S wrote:
On 2/23/2016 1:20 AM, Dave Doe wrote:



If Acer can supply a "restore" DVD, that would probably be best. Though
there might be a fee, it would be cheaper than buying Win7 all over
again.

I know here in NZ, it's about $100. Half the price of Windows, and all
the drivers etc included.

And all the "Acerware" too

But another plus is you get the factory partitions (ie including the
recovery partition) back on the new drive.

Thanks Philo and Dave Doe, it's in the hands of the owner now.

Best Regards,
Mike




OK, thanks for the follow up