Aspire 5735-6694 questions

Hi everybody!

These were not answered by Acer tech soupport [not a typo or misspelling]. Each was sent in as a separate question and returned marked "closed".

1. Where are the drivers for Vista-to-Win 7 upgrade?
2. What is the recommended procedure for 1?
3. Should the C/D partition be preserved after upgrade?
4. If 3 is "yes", which backup program should be used thereafter: Acer, MS, or both?
5. What is the matrix key for the 2 LEDs on the left top edge (see pic)?

1. (this should be 6.) Can the card reader be upgraded to read SDHC memory cards?
2. (this should be 7.) Where is the Acer knowledge base reference library for this notebook?
3. (this should be 8.) Where is the Acer-sponsored user forum for Acer computers?

Will appreciate your help with these.

Hi Michelle - Thanks for your reply. I bought the upgrade from Amazon last July, when MS ran their pre-order promotion. (Acer was not even listed as an eligible vendor for the promotion.) They were just shipped today, so I should receive them shortly. Does this mean that Acer will refuse to provide me with the Win 7 drivers?

UPDATE: Went to Acer's FAQ page re Win 7 upgrade and noted the following:

How do I know if I am qualified for the Windows® 7 Upgrade Program?
Supported models purchased between June 26, 2009 and January 31, 2010 are eligible for the Windows® 7 Upgrade Program.

My 5735 is supported, but was purchased 5/14/09, so therefore is "ineligible" for the Upgrade Program, which would include the driver and application updates? This will be a disagreeable situation if I'm forced to compile the drivers and applications list myself and then scrounge for the Win 7 updates from individual vendors, when these files could and--in the interest of customer support--should be available directly from Acer's website at absolutely no cost to them.

Please see my answer above.

Do you recommend the upgrade or the clean install?
Are there any advantages to retaining the C/D partition and continuing to use the Acer backup program, or should the D partition be eliminated during a clean install, and then direct backups to an external HDD?
I've been getting an intermittent amber from the right (battery) LED. It comes on once every few days or so, lasts a few minutes to about an hour, and then goes green. Is this normal?

Before I bought this laptop, I read a review (from 2/09) where the user stated that his SD cards were read fine, but the built-in card reader wouldn't read his SDHC card. The specs from Acer only list "SD", and tech support confirmed this. I haven't bought any SDHC cards yet. Didn't want to waste the money if they couldn't be read conveniently by the built-in card reader, and my SD cards have so far been more than adequate for my needs. The SDHC cards would be handy if I decided to shoot video with my camera. If you're sure they can be read, I'll buy a couple. I don't want to have to use an external card reader to read these.

Yes, I have those 2 PDFs. And that's it? No Acer links to "Help and Support"? Guess I've been spoiled by Dell's extensive knowledge base that's integrated into their computers.

Yep!

Hey powerpack, good to hear from ya!
I'll reply to these one at a time as it's easier for everyone (especially me!) to keep track of.
I'm trying to stay optimistic about this. Here's what I've got so far:

• A non-committal reply to my question from Acer tech support: I am extremely sorry to inform you that currently Windows 7 drivers are not available in the web site.

• Nothing (as yet) on Acer's Drivers Downloads page that references Windows 7 as an OS option for the Aspire 5735.

• And this from Acer's Windows 7 Ugrade FAQ page: What is included in the Windows® 7 upgrade kit? You will receive an Upgrade Wizard disc with necessary drivers and applications and a Windows® 7 Operating System DVD. The disks will be in a case with a manual and the Certificate of Authenticity (COA). [my emphasis]

• Nothing about them here either http://www.acer.com/windows7/eng/step-by-step.html

So when will Acer migrate the W7 applications and drivers files that are found only in their "upgrade kit" CD to the model-specific drop down menus on the Drivers Downloads page? That's the big question.

Sorry, the question was badly worded. The D partition takes up half the space on my int HDD. Does it need that much space? Is it needed at all? The second part has to do with the pros and cons of Acer eRecovery Management vs Windows Backup and Restore, and whether anyone's using both. And finally, whether the Acer program needs the D partition in order to work correctly.

Hi qhn Thanks for your input, and sorry for the delayed reply. I've answered these in order, and try not to reply with something that's half-baked.

If I perform the upgrade and don't like the outcome, can I start over with a clean install? Will that count as a "second use" of the OS disk? (I think I remember reading that you're allowed either two or three installs on different computers per retail version.)

Will that include all W7 apps and drivers? What about those from Acer? (Guess you've seen my earlier dialog about this.)

Regarding the built-in card reader, I noticed that you've recently reviewed the 7738G. Although it's a higher-end model than mine. it only lists SD compatibility in the specs--same as mine. Did you happen to check whether it can read SDHC cards?
Thanks!