[SOLVED] New Acer Aspire 5 slim --

[Gregg101]

Hi all, so after asking for recommendations on a laptop, I was informed of the Acer aspire 5 slim laptop, the one thats amazons choice for $349 USD, as being a good choice.

I chose this one, I plan to do a lot of multimedia stuff, maybe use it to type papers in the future. - What else?

Anyways, its been a while since I have had a PC and got really into it like I want to get into this one. My questions are as follows:

1) - What should I do first when I get the new laptop?

2) - Should I leave it in S mode? (I'm thinking that this is a good idea)

3) - Is there anything that could happen to the laptop that'd make it so it could not be restored to the factory settings? / How do I revert to factory settings?

4) - Do I need to go into the registry at all?

5)- Do I need to do a clean install of windows?

6)- Any additional advice or questions that I forgot to think of?

7) - Anything to do to enhance my studies, become more happy, comfortable, at ease?

 

[Gregg101]

How or what is the Windows Install USB? - Is that the same your saying as the Recovery drive (USB)?

I don't have a external hard drive, I just plan on making the recovery drive via the USB.


Any additional information appreciated,

my USB recovery drive is about 80% loaded, I have a feeling it might be a success this time. If not, I dont know what to do with the USB, perhaps at music to it and play it through my cars dongle, not sure what else to do. Perhaps save my math screenshots to it. -- But I'd like to create the Recovery drive successfully that way I can fix the PC if it breaks.



Lastly, any word of advice on system freezing? My laptop has froze twice where I've had to use the power button to get it unstuck



Thanks as always!
- Gregg

 

[onespeedbiker]

This link describes making an install USB https://forums.tomshardware.com/faq/how-to-do-a-clean-installation-of-windows-10.3170366/ . Also keep in mind, a recovery USB does not back up any information, it simply gives you a vehicle to use some recovery apps if your PC won't boot and to be able to access a saved image to restore a hard drive. IOW, unless you also save a recovery image saved on an external hard drive, recovering from a failed hard drive will not be possible with just the Recovery USB.

 

[Gregg101]

I cannot afford another hard drive. I am hoping that my computers hard drive doesn't break, I think what is usually the case is if it becomes corrupted, somehow, requiring the Recovery drive-- which in this case I do now have it... -- I didn't safely eject the media though, I hope I didn't mess it up after FINALLY getting it loaded. The only important things I want to save really are my screen shots of math problems. As far as I know, as of now, they are all backed up to one drive. Don't want to do a fresh install because then I will not be in S mode.


What will be possible recovering from a recovery drive (USB) ?







thanks

 

[onespeedbiker]

Again, the recovery drive simply gets you to the point here you can use saved backup information. I had not mentioned One drive, which is another good way of backing up your data. The issues I have with One Drive is, depending on how much data and apps you will use, have to buy more storage as the default (free) size is only 5GB and costs $2 @ 100GB after that.

OTOH, there are free after market backup image software that allow you to save the image on a USB https://geekermag.com/best-disk-cloning-software-windows-10/. A lot of people on this forum recommend Mini Partition Wizard Free Edition; I don't have any personal experience, but most of these well known Image/Partition software will do a good job.