hi guys,
 
i want to set my acer laptop to factory setting without using recovery cd but <Alt> <F10> doesn't work. i just recently try do recovery with the cd recovery but when i put the 1st cd when boot nothing happen. i have to do recovery because of some issues with spyware problem. after i did some spyware removal i restart but windows do some checking and really took a long checking almost 6 hours. checking on file and folder and checking on free space. and i think the long check occurred because i had the 1st recovery cd on my cd drive. the boot actually took quite some time and looks like the cd drive is controlling my laptop. then i try to make another recovery cd but the process of copying the 1st took so long like nothing happen. so i can't make recovery cd and also can't do recovery without cd using the <Alt><F10>. is there still a way to set to factory setting? how can i check whether the factory setting backup up files in the hidden partition still working after going thru the long windows check up. http://img.tomshardware.com/forum/ [...] s/ouch.gif

 
thanks

Have you checked the Acer support site?  It's been close to a year but I had to run the recovery disk on a couple of Acer laptops and I think there is something you have to do to run the CD but don't remember what it was.  Maybe a BIOS setting.

hi,
 
i don't think i would get any reply from acer site. if they do reply it could be weeks from now.  
 
i'm not very good with this OS thing. but still trying to figure out how can i take a look at the hidden partition. i'm just want to make sure the recovery files in the partition are still there. have asked to three forum but still not getting any reply yet only views. have checked to a lot previous thread but i still don't get it. i want to know what options i still have. is the <alt> <f10> won't work because the recovery doesn't exist anymore. if they still exist is there a way i can run any files thru the hidden partition to do recovery without any external cd or use the <alt><f10> method.
 
anyway i'm  still waiting if anybody has any ideas.
 
thanks.

 
Did mean you should contact Acer support, they likely would reply.  Rather go to the support section of their website and see if there are instructions to do this, which I just did and couldn't find anything.  I think you have to change a setting in your BIOS to run the CDs but don't remember precisely what.  Check your BIOS settings and see if there is anything about recovery or something similar

not sure it will help but try this.
 
http://websupport.acer.com.tw/uplo [...] 070605.pdf
 
I have used it on my system before and it worked like a charm.  If it isn't working your might have been deleted somehow.  

hi,
 
thanks g-paw and weskurtz81
 
i've look at pdf and the bios thing but sorry to say i have look at that solution before.
 
i'm sure that i didn't delete it but i'm not sure whether the hidden partition is still there because just don't know how to take a look at it. i know about IT programming but anything related to OS, partition , fat or ntfs i'm lost. just not my thing.  
 
hope you guys could give more input related to it before i have to go to the store to get it done. acer definitely won't give me new recovery cd without extra charges.
 
still hoping that i could recover the factory setting. pleaseeee!!!!!
 
thanks.
 
 
 
 

They actually might send you one in the mail if you ask them.  Just email them and tell them your pc did not come with a recovery cd (I don't think they do) and tell them the recovery partition is not working.  I will see what I can find for you though.  

hey, mine didn't but I think I might have found some info for you.  Be back shortly.

Remember to activate in Bios:
- Boot from cd From Boot menu.
- Activate the option D2D RECOVERY in the Main menu. The ( ALT+F10) when started Ok.
 
I copied that off of another forum.... try that out.  Let me know.

hi weskurtz81,
 
for the D2D recovery option it is already enabled but i'm not so sure about the boot from cd options. I have done this recovery with my recovery cd once before and it worked just fine.
 
i will look into the bios thing once more. let u know when i'm done with it.
 
anyhow thanks for the help i appreciate it very much.  
 

hi weskurtz81,
 
what a relieve!!!!!!  i enabled boot menu from bios to activate <F12>. <Alt> +<F10> still don't work and don't know why.
 
so use <F12> instead, then select boot from cd and put the recovery cd in. work perfectly.
 
i guess since the order for boot sequence is hard disk first and cd/cdrom second so it had no effect although the cd recovery is a boot cd. so i know now.
 
just finished update windows XP and norton anti-virus. feels so good!!! and the screen looks so nice when it is new... but still need to install more program..
 
well weskurtz81 thanks for the help.. i really appreciate very much!.. hope all the best to you.. keep it up the good work!!.
 
see ya!

I know that i'm late, but i spent a day searching for a solution for the lost Alt+F10 problem, and after i found it i wanna share it:
 
The problem is: installing an operating system may overwrite the MBR on the HDD. This MBR contains the code that boots the PQService partition instead of the windows partition if it detects an Alt+F10 keystroke.
 
The solution is here: http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-R [...] &id=794500
 
I did it on a Travelmate 4150:
I disabled D2D in BIOS, booted Ubuntu from LiveCD, simply copied RTMBR.bin and MBRwrWin.exe (mbrwrdos.exe was there too) from the PQService partition (from the ACER\TOOLS directory) to a pendrive, booted the windows (which destroyed the Acer MBR while the installation process), executed MBRwrWin.exe (with RTMBR.bin in the same directory and of course with administrator account), enabled D2D in BIOS, and now i have the Alt+F10 function again.

Oops!
I was so happy having my Alt+F10 back, that i forgot to check my windows. Unfortunately the method described in my previous reply killed it (i think the windows boot manager dislikes the modified state). It isn't a problem for me, because i will now recover the original windows (with Alt+F10), but it would be a very big problem for those who don't want to do it.
Sorry!

People are looking at this thread because they didn't get their recovery disc/s with their systems, otherwise they would simply set their computers to boot from CD in the BIOS. To use the <Alt><F10> method to recover their systems from the 'hidden partition' I have made this little guide:
 
I know this works because I had to do this myself
 
Reboot your computer and hold down F8, from the menu that follows choose:
 
Repair your computer
Select keyboard layout, click Next then enter your user details
Click Command prompt
here you should be presented with 'X:\Windows\System32
type 'cd\' <Enter> without quotes
then at X:\ type 'mbrwrwin boot hdo:x' <Enter> without quotes
this sets the MBR to boot off the X: partition (ie. 'hidden partition')
now type 'Exit'
 
click on Restart and as soon as the Acer splash screen comes hold down the magic combination <Alt><F10>
and from there you can proceed to start D2D recovery

Hi Guys
I too have forgotten my empowerment password, but can still access Vista okay. Its just that the Laptop Acer Aspire 5570 is running like a dog and I would like to reset to factory settings and start again. I tried the mbrwrwin thing but it said it wasnt a correct command.....can anyone assist? If I go down the path of taking the battery out can you tell me whereit is? Cheers