# Reverting old laptop to factory settings **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 16, 2014, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reverting-old-laptop-to-factory-settings/678936 "2014-01-16T03:20:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reverting-old-laptop-to-factory-settings/678936/1 "2014-01-16T03:20:39Z")
I have an old laptop running XP with a bunch of crap on it. I realize XP is no longer supported come April but I can still get a little use out of this one. What I’d like to do is strip everything down to the original setup and update as needed. This is a little more than the system restore can handle. Is there a way todo this? I don’t have a Windows dsc as it was already loaded. It’s an Acer TravelMate 2304LCi if that helps. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reverting-old-laptop-to-factory-settings/678936/2 "2014-01-16T03:25:21Z")
I’ll type fast so I can be first–put Linux on it. ETA: I won! Actually, I kinda hate Linux, but it’s both good advice (use it for fun) and what most everybody will tell you to do. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reverting-old-laptop-to-factory-settings/678936/3 "2014-01-16T03:40:29Z")
From the [user’s manual](http://us.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/drivers): > [@](#): > > Restore without a Recovery CD > > This recovery process helps you restore the C: drive with the original > software content that is installed when you purchase your notebook. > Follow the steps below to rebuild your C: drive. (Your C: drive will be > reformatted and all data will be erased.) It is important to back up all > data files before you use this option. > Before performing a restore operation, please check the BIOS settings. > a Check to see if “Hard Disk Recovery” function is enabled or not. > b Make sure the [Hard Disk Recovery]setting in [Advanced]is [Enabled]. > c Exit the BIOS Setup Utility and save changes. The system will reboot. > > Note:To activate BIOS Setup Utility, press \ during POST. > > 1 Restart the system. > 2 The instruction “Press \ to Enter BIOS” is shown at the bottom > of the screen, during POST. > 3 Press \ + \ at the same time to enter the recovery process. > 4 The message “The system has password protection. Please enter > 000000:” is displayed. > 5 Enter six 0s and continue. > 6 “Acer Self-Configuration Preload” window appears. > 7 Use the arrow keys to scroll through the items (operating system > versions) and press “Enter” to select. > > Setup password and exit > > Press “F3” to setup password or press “F5” to exit the system recovery > process when “Acer Self-Configuration Preload” window appears. > If “F3” is pressed, the next screen shows “Please enter new password:” > enter one to eight alphanumeric characters. You will be asked to > reenter your password for confirmation before continuing. > The screen will display “Password has been created. Press any key to > reboot…”, hit any key to reboot your system. > If “F5” is pressed, the recovery process will be terminated and the > system will reboot and start normally. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reverting-old-laptop-to-factory-settings/678936/4 "2014-01-16T03:40:36Z")
You can use something like Magical Jellybean (ignore the silly name) to get the current XP product key from it, then download an Acer OEM image of XP from the Pirate Bay or similar, then install it and activate it. It might require a phone activation, but that usually only takes a few minutes. Then you go to the website and update all the drivers. But yeah, putting a modern Linux distro or Windows 7 on it would be easier and quicker. ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reverting-old-laptop-to-factory-settings/678936/5 "2014-01-16T03:51:35Z")
Forgot to mention 7 won’t work on this. At least not for what I need. And it has to be Windows for school. I’m basically trying to limp along with this until my aid check is in and can buy a new machine. I’ll try the BIOS restore route. ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reverting-old-laptop-to-factory-settings/678936/6 "2014-01-16T12:35:12Z")
OK, that worked. Mostly. Thanks **Fear Itself**. The only thing left is the HDD partitioning. For some reason it still shows C: as approx. 20GB total. It also shows (for a 40GB HDD) a drive D: set to about 20GB. Also, above the D: drive is an icon that looks like a thumb drive. C: is named “Acer” and D: is titled “Acer data”. Any ideas what that’s about? The only thing I can think to do to fix it is format the whole thing, but then I suspect I won’t be able to reinstall the OS using the above-mentioned steps. Is there a setting I’m missing? Is this normal for an Acer? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reverting-old-laptop-to-factory-settings/678936/7 "2014-01-16T13:08:19Z")
> [@duffer](#): > > OK, that worked. Mostly. Thanks **Fear Itself**. > > The only thing left is the HDD partitioning. For some reason it still shows C: as approx. 20GB total. It also shows (for a 40GB HDD) a drive D: set to about 20GB. Also, above the D: drive is an icon that looks like a thumb drive. C: is named “Acer” and D: is titled “Acer data”. > > Any ideas what that’s about? The only thing I can think to do to fix it is format the whole thing, but then I suspect I won’t be able to reinstall the OS using the above-mentioned steps. You are correct. The D: drive contains the recovery data for installing Windows in factory condition; if you delete that, you won’t be able to install Windows. You might be able to resize the partitions and give back some of the the unused space in the D: drive using a program like [Parted Magic](http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/parted_magic.html). ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reverting-old-laptop-to-factory-settings/678936/8 "2014-01-16T13:34:33Z")
Not likely. Whoever set this up way back when, separated C: and D: as System/Windows drive and data drive. If you have a restore-to-factory-default partition it’s likely 2GB or less. Use the disk management to check this out. (Control Panel-Administrative Tools - Computer Management, the Disk Management utilities entry in there) This will show the physical disks and how they are partitioned. Watch for prompts during boot on how to do a factory restore. If not, google for the drivers for your laptop - they may still be on the Acer site. Most important is the network device driver - with that you could load anything more that you need. However, building a laptop from generic OS install, installing drivers, etc. may be a bit more technical than you want to get. If you are lucky, there is a factory restore partition you can use. ---
**Author:** ![DJ\_Motorbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90ced4/32.png) [@DJ\_Motorbike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DJ_Motorbike)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reverting-old-laptop-to-factory-settings/678936/9 "2014-01-16T16:16:00Z")
What makes you think Win7 won’t work on it? You may have to install more RAM it supports up to 2GB. But the machine is within the minimum required specs for 7. Also, why does your school require you to use Windows? Linux really would be the way to go with this machine. XP is all but dead. Move on. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reverting-old-laptop-to-factory-settings/678936/11 "2014-01-27T05:52:01Z")
Reported.