Windows Vista Operating system transfer

[mechanic]

I have an Acer aspire 7520 Laptop that has Vista Home Premium installed.The Operating System was already installed when purchased new.I contacted Acer at the time about the lack of disks with the Laptop and was told that no company supplies O/P system discs any longer. Also, as the hard disk is partioned, any virus etc cannot corrupt the operating system.My problem is,can i transfer the contents of the hard disk to say an external hard disc so at a later date if i need be it can be reloaded?.If this is possible can someone tell me how to do this? I have various numbers on the base and with paperwork which i believe is required to authorise the copy.Also I have read that sometimes microsoft will not authorise this even with the correct numbers for the laptop as their equipment might recognise this as a new computer because of a new hard disc?Any help would be greatly received.

 

[floppybootstomp]

You'll need backup software to backup your system and in the case where no Windows disk is supplied to backup to an external hard disk is a good idea.

I think Seagate do a free copy of Acronis True Image.

The Windows code number on the base of your laptop is your legal Windows Vista licence, try contacting Microsoft to see if they will supply you with a hard disk copy of Windows Vista, they very likely will.

You could also borrow somebody's same copy of Vista (probably Home Premium) and use that to reinstall Windows then activate with your code number, that's quite legal.

Myself, I wouldn't buy a laptop without a full copy of Windows, which is probably why I don't own a laptop

And what's this about your hard disk is partitioned so a virus can't corrupt your OS? I'm afraid you're living with a false sense of security there, you're still vulnerable to viruses and malware, hard disk partitioned or not.

Best defence against nasties is use a firewall, the Windows one is quite sufficient, a good AV software program and an anti-malware software program, all of which can be had for free.

 

[mechanic]

Thanks for the reply floppybootstomp .There seems to be a bit of my post missing.I contacted Acer about the operating system disc missing/not supplied and was told by their IT dept that as the disc was partitioned no virus or nasties could corrupt the operating system.That was were i got that info.They said this was one of the reasons they did not supply disks.So Acer seemed to have just fobbed me off.I do have anti virus and a firewall installed .But as i said i would like to have the ability to reinstal windows if the need arose.I think as a first stop i will contact Microsoft and see if they will help as you suggest.Thanks for the advice.

 

[floppybootstomp]

Ah, it seems that maybe Windows is lurking on a partition within your laptop ready to be reinstalled in case of OS failure.

It may be that all you have to do to reinstall Vista is boot from the Acer's CD and then reinstall Vista from the partition.

My understanding of laptops is not particularly spectacular I'm afraid

That would also make Acer's claim about nasties not infecting that OS true, they meant the 'reserve' OS on the partition, not the actual Vista you're using.

However, if you had to do that you'd lose all current updates, drivers, browser favourites, e-mail, documents, music, pictures movies, software et al.

So if you have the means and the space on the external hard disk to back up the whole system, I'd do so. Check out the Seagate site to see if they still do a free copy of Acronis True Image. When it backs up default compression is two thirds, roughly, so if your hard disk has, say, 24Gb on it, your back up will be 16Gb (as an example).

And ask Acer what the procedure would be for reinstating a crashed OS, they'll probably confirm what I've said above.

Good luck.

 

[mechanic]

I have been in contact with Microsoft and they have referred me back to Acer as the

o/s was pre-installed. Acer say they will provide a back up disc at a cost of

£51.00 + VAT! But they will not provide a o/s disc no matter what i say.I am not that

computer literate to really know the difference but guess that the back up disc would

only repair but not re-instal windows.A really unhelpful company to be quite honest

and a premium rate phone line as well!

It appears that Acer have installed the o/s on C and everything else on D.

So i will probably struggle to get this transfer correct!

 

[floppybootstomp]

So you didn't get a disk with the Acer then?

Did you get a manual at all that gave you instructions on how to reinstall Vista And did Acer tell you what exactly was on that partition?

Your best bet is to borrow a copy of Vista or even get a friend to copy a disk for you to use with your own serial number.

Not strictly kosher I suppose but if MS won't supply a disk and Acer have their head up their bum it seems fair to me.

I've never understood why this should be with laptops, it annoys me.

And I don't like Acer, I hear nothing but bad about them, both from friends and online.

Hard disks are mechanical devices and they fail and viruses cripple OS's, so why laptop suppliers don't supply a Windows disk is beyond me.

You could, of course, always consider Linux

As I said previously, check out the Seagate site for a free copy of Acronis True Image or even consider buying a copy online and burning to disk yourself, it's about 25 quid.

 

[mechanic]

Nope no disc from Acer but did get an instruction manual that does not tell how to reload or repair anything.I have downloaded Acronis,it was there as you said.May try that first.Then go for borrowing a copy of Windows if that fails.Thanks again for the help.

 

[EvanDavis]

. Also, as the hard disk is partioned, any virus etc cannot corrupt the operating system.My problem is,can i transfer the contents of the hard disk to say an external hard disc so at a later date .

I have had a few acers in the last few years. And the same issue with Acer saying they won't supply a disk. The other partion you can see is a recovery partion which you can use to restore your Acer to factory spec. Its caled IESA partion. And very difficult to get into or get rid of for that matter. When you use Acronis to create a disk image it will not copy the EISA Partiotion. Even after you reformat this partition will still remain. In my opinion I would just go out and buy a new HDD for the laptop and install your new OS, and set your old drive aside for a day where you might wish to go back to Vista.

 

[mechanic]

Thanks for the reply EvanDavis.The basic problem is i don`t have an operating system disc to reload windows if i ever needed to replace the hdd.What i was hoping to do is copy the whole hdd (both partitions)to an external hdd so i could then reload windows from that if i ever needed to.