How to reboot an acer aspire 5742 laptop

Kate_15

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My daughter's Acer Aspire 5742 laptop is only fairly new. When I turn it on it comes up with the message No bootable device -- insert boot disk and press any key. I don't think that it came with a boot disk so how do I get this to work?
 

RetiredChief

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Feb 22, 2007
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First off - A number of laptops no longer ship with a "Bootable" recovery disk and the manuals normally state (Warning) that you must create one. The software is one the hard drive to do this. With Windows 7 there is also a methode to do this. You go into the control panel and select Back up. You have two options. (A) create an Image of the "C" drive and (b) create a bootable Recovery DVD.

I'm guess in you did not do this. Look on the laptop, there should be an activation key for windows 7. If you have a copy of windows 7, or can borrow one, you can use this to reinstall windows.

If below does not install that is will not recognize the HDD, you may have to get a New HDD (either RMA the laptop or buy a $50 replacement)

Method 1: Probably the best, but will take more time than method 2. Contact Acer and obtain a "Recovery DVD". will cost money, but cheaper than Buying a Windows 7 disk.

Method 2: Hopefully she has not damaged the HDD (ie dropped the Laptop, or jarred it while it was writting.
Insert the Windows 7 installation disk, when you get to the page for install Now, select custom install. On page asking where to install you should first delete any and all partitions that are shown, then select the Unpartitioned drive to install windows 7. One cavet - DO NOT insert Windows 7 Key, completed installation.
If this was a retail/OEM installation disk, And NOT a Upgrade windows 7 installation disk after install is completed let it finish updating windows, then activate with Your Key.

If you used an upgrade copy, you will have to do two steps prior to activating.
(1) Edit the registry (Need to change InstallMediaBoot from a 1 to a 0 and
(2) Using the Cmd propte issue a rearm cmd
Will explain how to (relatively easy) by editing this post.

Added: How to do a clean install with an Upgrade disk.
Ref: http://www.winsupersite.com/article/windows-7/clean-install-windows-7-with-upgrade-media
Method 2
Open regedit.exe with Start Menu Search and navigate to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Setup/OOBE/
Easier – Open regedit, do a search for “MediaBootInstall” without quotes.
Change MediaBootInstall from "1" to "0". (Double-click it and then enter 0 in the dialog that appears.)
Close RegEdit.
Open the Start Menu again and type cmd in Start Menu search to display a shortcut to the Command Line utility. Right-click this shortcut and choose "Run as administrator." Handle the UAC prompt.
In the command line window, type: slmgr /rearm
Then tap ENTER and wait for the "Command completed successfully" dialog.
Then enter YOUR key and activate
Method 1 also works – Install windows 7, do NOT enter Key. When done, re-install windows 7
When 2nd installation is done, YOUR enter key and activate


Note If you did NOT go the route of getting an Installtion/recovery disk from Acer, Then
When you get windows installed - CREATE YOUR OWN RECOVER DISK as outlined using windows 7 backup