Acer laptop failed to reset

I Have an Acer Aspire Computer That I Rebooted to Factory Settings & Now I Can't Get It to Start

Windows 8 allows you to format the hard drive and reinstall the operating system without the need for a recovery partition or any recovery media, but the process won't restore any of the Original Equipment Manufacturer software that came with your computer. Fortunately, your Acer Aspire includes built-in recovery software that not only resets your PC to its factory configuration, but also reinstalls all of your device drivers and Acer software. Following reset, your notebook should boot a fresh copy of Windows 8 without issue, but if your PC won't proceed past the startup screen, your system or its hard drive may be damaged.

Incomplete Recovery

If you turned off the computer during the factory reset, you may have corrupted the partition to which Windows is installed. If you didn't create a recovery backup, you can contact Acer Support to obtain a copy of the recovery media. Otherwise, connect to your Aspire the USB flash drive containing the recovery software and then turn on the PC. To load the contents of the drive, you may need to press "F12" during startup and select "USB Device" from the boot menu. Click "Reset Your PC" on the Troubleshoot screen and you'll be guided through the recovery process. Follow all of the instructions at each prompt and then allow the wizard to complete the factory reset. Your Aspire restarts when the process completes.

Hidden Partition

Your Acer Aspire includes a recovery partition that contains data used to restore your notebook to its default configuration. If the partition is corrupted or has been infected by a virus, it may fail to properly restore your notebook to its factory defaults. This issue, however, is only relevant if you restored your Aspire from within Windows, as the recovery backup doesn't rely on the hidden partition to complete a factory reset. To troubleshoot your PC, follow the same process described in the section above.

Hardware Failure

If you performed a factory reset because your Aspire was experiencing problems, the issues may have not been software-related, but hardware-related. If your computer makes a clicking, rattling or grinding noise when you turn it on, the hard drive may be failing. If the Aspire doesn't power on at all, even when connected to the AC adapter, your motherboard may be defective. Contact Acer Support for assistance. If your warranty is still valid, the company should fix or replace your notebook with no cost to you.

Servicing Parts

You can connect the hard drive to another computer using a SATA-to-USB adapter to test the integrity of the disk. On the bottom of your notebook should be one or more access panels covering the hard drive and other serviceable components. After disconnecting the power adapter and extracting the battery, remove these panels using a screwdriver. Sometimes, you'll find a tab attached to the hard drive you can use to lift the device out of its slot; other times, you can grab onto the chassis and pull the drive out that way. Once you've removed the drive, insert the SATA connector onto it and plug the USB connector into a USB port on the other computer. If Windows can't detect or access files on the drive, you should be able to restore operation to the Aspire by replacing the hard drive.

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