TRyin to boot into Acer Aspire Netbook

GIO

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Hope someone can help, ive been tryin to boot into this laptop for days now.
it doesnt have a dvd drive so im using a 2gb usb pen and an 80 gb portable hard drive and having no luck.

ive tried many programs but im getting back different errors about missing mbr helper or bootmgr is missing.

ive looked up both errors and cant make head or tails about what they mean.

the laptop crashed for this person and im trying to repair it, it has an unmountable boot volume error which is easy enough to fi if u have a dvd drive or an external which im getting closer to buying.

i know its possible to boot from usb but ive tried a few and cant get it.
i managed to put files on it and get into a dos mode, it brings up the c drive but when i try commands like chkdsk it just cant find anything which might be down to the problem.

if anyone can suggest a fix that would be great .
thanks
gio
 
Can you get into the bios with F2, if so have you set it to boot from usb, some bios dont have this and may need a bios update.

You could also try Windows Live disc or Hirens boot disc, but you will still need it to boot from usb if you put those programs onto a usb drive.

Also....have you tried restting factory settings, the Acer Aspire has a partition on it and you can access it by pressing Alt + F10 at boot up. It may have an option to repair in there.
 
Can you get into the bios with F2, if so have you set it to boot from usb, some bios dont have this and may need a bios update.

You could also try Windows Live disc or Hirens boot disc, but you will still need it to boot from usb if you put those programs onto a usb drive.

Also....have you tried restting factory settings, the Acer Aspire has a partition on it and you can access it by pressing Alt + F10 at boot up. It may have an option to repair in there.

its definitely booting from usb.
i cant use discs because it doesnt have a drive to put them in. just noticed u mentioned the usb drive, that will be my last alternative,as there about 40 quid, i know if i buy one of those i will be able to get in no problem,its trying to boot from a portable drive or usb pen.
tried your alt f10, no joy
 
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You dont need to use discs, you can make Hirens disc for a pen drive from a working pc like what you are on now.

Heres a wee tutorial from the Hirens site.

Hiren's BootCD From USB Flash Drive (Pen Drive) - www.hiren.info

i'll give this a try soon. I had dowmloaded a hirens version for the pen,it came back one of those errors at the top.

Was just thinking of something. Is it possible to get an extension to join an ordinary dvd writer with sata connection to usb and the drive could take its power from the laptop.
 
you could also strip down the external and attach a dvdrom, thats what i did for my aspire one, stripped down an icydock and connected it to a spare ide dvdrom
 
Heres a guide i used to install XP onto my girlfriends HP Mini dont see why it wont work for the Acer.

My Idiot-proof XP SP2 Install from USB STICK! In Forum:Windows XP Help By:fauxpas - HP 2133 Mini-Note Forums

I spent a full day looking on how to do it then oem across this and this worked first time so maybe worth a try, i know its not for the Acer but in theory it should work. Also you could get hold of an external USB Cd drive and install it from there.

Thanx managed to get it with the hirens tut but yours looks interesting,im going to get my daughter one of these aspire one web books, asda £150 + i have a friend who works there,get 10% off. Daughters 18th soon and she goes to uni so will come in very handy.
Thats when i'll try your tut.
cheers
gio
 
Thanx managed to get it with the hirens tut but yours looks interesting,im going to get my daughter one of these aspire one web books, asda £150 + i have a friend who works there,get 10% off. Daughters 18th soon and she goes to uni so will come in very handy.
Thats when i'll try your tut.
cheers
gio

where for £150 mate, if so I'll get another for my Sis.

Also there is an XP SP3 image out there with all the aspire one drivers, if you want it PM us
 
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