Using Recovery DVD

[Tigerllc74]

I am trying to help a friend re-format and reload the factory settings.

 

Acer Aspire 5610 laptop.

Still works on Vista and function properly most of the time. Not totally crashed.

Typically, recovery CD\DVDs are bootable, so insert dvd then power on the rest is history.

 

These are things that I tried, but failed.

 

1. Shut down, then at power up, presses F2 to access BIOS to boot from DVD. Direction was to press F2 when Acer logo showed, but only Windows logo then proceeded to load Vista.

 

2. Same thing except pressed F12 (maybe F2 was not correct). Same result..kept loading Vista.

 

3. tried Alt-F10, but kept loading Vista.

 

4. tried eRecovery management in Acer. When asked to insert DVD then click yes to format, laptop shuts down and nothing happens.

 

5. Just for kicks, tried F8 for safe mode menu. Again kept loading Vista in normal mode.

 

Sometimes right after power on, when function key is pressed, laptop stops loading Vista. Power light is on but nothing happens??

 

Under each try, laptop totally ignored any attempts to access BIOS and proceeded to load Vista.

as I said, some computer have bootable recovery DVDs. But apparently for ACER BIOS must be accessed first.

 

So, either entire functions keys are bad (unlikely), or ???

 

Any ideas ??

Thanks,

[login123]

Hi, Tigerllc74.

 

See if this applies to your situation.

 

I really think that all I would have had to do was "Disable fast boot using Acer eManager" as in post #54, but not sure of that. That fast boot option determines what you see on the screen while booting. If it is off, you can see the recovery options, if it is on, you only see the Acer logo.

 

Maybe another member with more experience will add to this. Anyhow. thats how if worked for the 1690.

 

Post back if it works for you.

[Tigerllc74]

Thanks for the idea about fast boot.

It didn't make any difference on Aspire 5610, BUT you gave me a forum thread which discussed (by total chance) a battery issue. I have absolutely no idea how taking out the battery has anything to do with bootup process. But taking out battery and using AC power alone showed the Acer screen and allowed F2 to access the BIOS menu.

 

Again, I have no idea why and how battery has anything to do with my issue, but it did allow me access to the BIOS.

 

Speaking of removing the battery, this is the third time where removing the battery resolved weird and strange issues with the computer.

 

Anyway, thanks for the input, and thing like this makes me really appreciate this forum.

It make me think and not ever give up on any problems !!!!

 

Thanks again.

[login123]

Well, great. Glad it helped.

 

"... weird and strange issues with the computer..." Its windows, eh? "To turn off click 'START'".

 

Edit: So now tell me, by what method can you now boot to the BIOS or recovery screen? Just for my curiosity if you have time. Thanks.