USB Boot Issues on Acer Aspire S7-392 UEFI, GPT, etc.

sunogbahay

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I recently purchased an Acer Aspire S7-392 that came pre-loaded with windows 8. While I was attempting to make the machine dual-boot (with Ubuntu), I wiped out the original Windows 8 install.

I purchased a recovery USB from Acer. This USB stick boots fine and the Windows 8 install goes smoothly until, when it is finally finished, and it says that the version of Windows that I have now installed is inactive and must be activated with a Microsoft Product Key. Acer won't do anything about it and wants me to return the machine to them to be repaired. They claim that the embedded product key on the hard drive has somehow been corrupted and it must be sent back to them to be fixed.

I really don't want to have to send the machine away.

My employer (a university) has access and licenses to all microsoft products. So I thought that I'd try to install windows 8 from a different source. I have a Windows 8 Enterprise 64-bit DVD that I have made into a bootable USB with Rufus (I originally tried the Windows DVD-USB utility but it formats the USB as ntfs which I have read is not going to work under UEFI machines - in any case, I tried it and it wouldn't boot either).

Now, for the life of me, I cannot get the machine to boot off of the USB stick. I have tried in UEFI and legacy mode, with secure boot on and off, and with the sata mode in Raid and AHCI mode.

According to Rufus, the USB drive from Acer (that the machine will actually boot from) is flagged as non-bootable. Out of desperation, I tried to format my other Win 8 USB this way - to look more like the USB stick that works, but that didn't seem to help.

I found another thread: http://Need more help with Win 8 & 7 dual-boot (UEFI, GPT) here in the forum that describes a situation pretty similar to what I'm seeing.

Last week, I was able to get a USB stick with Ubuntu to boot when I killed the Raid setup via the Intel Rapid Store configuration. With no raid and the bios in legacy mode, I was able to install Ubuntu. However, I would really like to get Windows 8 restored to this computer.

I have upgraded the bios from V2.03 to V2.05 (the latest from acer). I have tried to run confirm-SecureBootUEFI in an elevated command prompt terminal but windows says that it cannot find the command.

From what I've read, people are having trouble with these Acer machines. Does anyone have any suggestions (short of abandoning the machine and going with something else)? Is there something in the bootable USB recipe that I'm missing? Any other ideas?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
I purchased a recovery USB from Acer. This USB stick boots fine and the Windows 8 install goes smoothly until, when it is finally finished, and it says that the version of Windows that I have now installed is inactive and must be activated with a Microsoft Product Key. Acer won't do anything about it and wants me to return the machine to them to be repaired.

Have you tried to activate?
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/29885-activate-windows-8-online.html
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    ME, XP,Vista,Win7,Win8,Win8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Other Info
    Notebooks x 3

    Desktops x 5

    Towers x 4
I would love to activate it, but since it was a machine with pre-installed windows, there is not an activation code. The enterprise version of windows 8 that I have is also a volume licensing situation, so there just isn't a standard Microsoft access key available. Likewise, the Acer recovery USB doesn't have an access key.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
I would love to activate it, but since it was a machine with pre-installed windows, there is not an activation code. The enterprise version of windows 8 that I have is also a volume licensing situation, so there just isn't a standard Microsoft access key available. Likewise, the Acer recovery USB doesn't have an access key.

Q) Have tried to Have tried to activate??
A) NO

Try to activate on line.
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/29885-activate-windows-8-online.html
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    ME, XP,Vista,Win7,Win8,Win8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Other Info
    Notebooks x 3

    Desktops x 5

    Towers x 4
I have not tried to activate windows online.

I do not have a product key with which to activate.

A product key is a 25-digit number that's used to activate Windows 8/8.1. Activation helps verify that Windows hasn't been used on more PCs than the Microsoft Software License Terms allow.

Your product key should be in the box that the Windows DVD came in, or in an email that shows that you bought Windows.

It looks like this: PRODUCT KEY: XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
In all cases, the installation was attempted with the computer connected to the internet. The UEFI/bios-embedded product key is apparently not functioning - this is why Acer wants me to send the product back for repair.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
Q) Have you tried to activate??

YES or NO.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    ME, XP,Vista,Win7,Win8,Win8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Other Info
    Notebooks x 3

    Desktops x 5

    Towers x 4
The UEFI/bios-embedded product key

NO for a product key.

Q) Have you tried to activate??

YES or NO.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    ME, XP,Vista,Win7,Win8,Win8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Other Info
    Notebooks x 3

    Desktops x 5

    Towers x 4
NO for a product key.

Q) Have you tried to activate??

YES or NO.

How can I try to activate if I don't have a product code? Trying to activate implies that I have an activation key with which to attempt an activation. I do not have such a code.... so, no attempt at activation.

So, to answer your question, the answer is NO.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
I purchased a recovery USB from Acer. This USB stick boots fine and the Windows 8 install goes smoothly until, when it is finally finished, and it says that the version of Windows that I have now installed is inactive and must be activated with a Microsoft Product Key. Acer won't do anything about it and wants me to return the machine to them to be repaired.

Have you tried to activate?
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/29885-activate-windows-8-online.html

You need to be saying, YES I have tried to activate on line.

NO need to type in a product key.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    ME, XP,Vista,Win7,Win8,Win8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Other Info
    Notebooks x 3

    Desktops x 5

    Towers x 4
Well, I don't see exactly what you envision. Following the link that you keep posting.

Option 1 is to activate during installation. I am online during installation and the product key is not automatically sent like it should be:

"All OEM PCs that come with Windows 8/8.1 or Windows RT/RT 8.1 preinstalled will automatically be activated when they are connected online to the internet next. The product key is embedded in the UEFI/BIOS firmware of OEM PCs with Windows 8/8.1 preinstalled, and is automatically detected and entered during installation."

Option 2 is to "Activate Windows 8/8.1 Enterprise Online After Installation"
This option requires a product key...
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
Click on the Activate Windows.

Activate_8_1_PC-settings-1.jpg

Activate_8_1_PC-settings-2.jpg
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    ME, XP,Vista,Win7,Win8,Win8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Other Info
    Notebooks x 3

    Desktops x 5

    Towers x 4
Have you Click on both of the Activate Windows.
Did Windows activate? YES or NO.

NO NEED TO TYPE IN A PRODUCT KEY.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    ME, XP,Vista,Win7,Win8,Win8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Other Info
    Notebooks x 3

    Desktops x 5

    Towers x 4
ACER can not send you a Product Key.

Return to ACER for a UFEI/BIOS firmware rebuild, & microsoft will add the Product Key as part of the rebuild.

Will need to have Windows 8 install.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    ME, XP,Vista,Win7,Win8,Win8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Other Info
    Notebooks x 3

    Desktops x 5

    Towers x 4
Enabling the boot device menu

Acer said:
On most Acer systems, you can use the F12 key on boot to select the drive or network from which loading the operating system. In case the F12 option does not work, you may need to enable this function.

SOLUTION

Enabling the F12 function:

1.Power on the system. As soon as the first logo screen appears, immediately press the F2 key, or the DEL key if you have a desktop, to enter the BIOS.
2.Press the right arrow key to select Main.
3.Use the arrow keys to navigate to F12 Boot Menu, and press ENTER.
4.Select Enabled, and press ENTER.
5.Press the F10 key to save changes and restart the system.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    ME, XP,Vista,Win7,Win8,Win8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Other Info
    Notebooks x 3

    Desktops x 5

    Towers x 4
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