Restoring Acer Aspire One to Factory Defaults?

**Acreo Aeneas** · 02-24-2009, 05:08 AM

Has anyone figured out a way to restore XP to their AAO using the hidden partition?

I currently have Win7 Beta installed and wanted to switch back to XP. Unfortunately, I did a clean install, so I can't just do a revert.

If no one else has figured it out, then I'll just try copying the files from a XP Home DVD onto my 8 GB flash drive and boot loading it using F12.

**Dick Blonov** · 02-24-2009, 07:17 AM

Does this make any sense to you ?

DB

**msdz** · 02-24-2009, 10:03 AM

I am not sure about this but the if you had the option of burning back up disc you should have done that. I read that when Windows 7 Beta is installed it deletes the information that's needed to start the recovery process and the only way of restoring to factory defaults then is by ordering a new set of restoration disk.
If Alt-F10 does not start the restoration service at boot then contacting Acer is the only thing I know to do UNESS you can find someone that will let you borrow their restoration disk.

**Acreo Aeneas** · 02-24-2009, 01:06 PM

Originally Posted by Dick Blonov

Does this make any sense to you ?

DB

I will try this in another 20 or so minutes (after I've backed up my data).

The DVD option isn't even an option as my AAO never shipped with a restoration DVD, only a quick start guide and a user manual (and of course the netbook).

I've already enabled D2D last night and disabled quick boot. I'll post back if it worked or not. If not, I'll give what I posted in the OP a try.

**Acreo Aeneas** · 02-24-2009, 11:18 PM

The Alt + F10 didn't work.

I'm going to go with my method tomorrow and start afresh. Unfortunately, I'll have to download SP2 and SP3.

**Spulat** · 02-25-2009, 05:50 PM

Windows 7 will blow away and and all partitions when you tell it to do a clean install, including the hidden one.

So all you need to do is get a copy of XP Home, Slipstream SP3 into it, throw it on the flash drive, and give it the same key that's one the bottom. That should work. But unless there's a recovery image, there will no longer be a utility partition

I'm sure there's a way to CREATE one and link it up in such a way that the BIOS option will boot into it same as factory, but I haven't the foggiest on going about that one.

**Acreo Aeneas** · 02-25-2009, 11:04 PM

Originally Posted by Spulat

Windows 7 will blow away and and all partitions when you tell it to do a clean install, including the hidden one.

So all you need to do is get a copy of XP Home, Slipstream SP3 into it, throw it on the flash drive, and give it the same key that's one the bottom. That should work. But unless there's a recovery image, there will no longer be a utility partition

I'm sure there's a way to CREATE one and link it up in such a way that the BIOS option will boot into it same as factory, but I haven't the foggiest on going about that one.

Darn. That explains why Alt + F10 didn't work for me.

Oh well, I'll get around to getting XP back on there. It will have to be the weekend since I lost most of today running around the city getting some chores and errands done.

And the "angry bee" fan noise suddenly came back yesterday while I was sitting in my animation class working with Flash.