I want to do some partitioning of my hard drive and ideally would like to reclaim the space used by the recovery partition. If I copy my recovery partition (20GB) to an external HD or other media and restore it later if necessary will that work? Is there some hidden something I should know about that will come bite me in the a** if I do that?
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I'm trying to move my operating system from the preinstalled HD to a SSD I just installed in my laptop. I know that it is typically recommended to do this using the recovery media on DVD or USB but I don't have an optical drive or a large enough USB (if I can't get anything to work I'll just have to go buy one). I also am hesitant to use Acronis to clone the OS to the SSD as I've heard that there are problems with using an OS that was originally installed on an HD with an SSD.
For these reasons I'm trying to use the recovery media from an external HD. Using lenovo's built in media creator I wrote to an external hard drive (there was an option for usb hard disk drive and everything) without any trouble. Then I modified the boot order so that it would boot from USB HDD first. However, when I try to actually boot from the HDD I get the error "PXE-E61: Media test failure, check cable" and I can't boot or install the OS. I know that the problem isn't with the cable because I can write to the drive and see its contents.
Is there anyway to use this hard drive recovery media? Do I need to make the partition "active" or "boot" using disk management? I've been trying to get this to work for two days.
After purchasing my new Student Version of Windows 7 Professional I was keen to do a full system format, and start fresh. I no longer had a need for the Dell Recovery Partition which contained Vista (and a decent amount of bloatware), so I removed all partitions from my disk to start with a blank 180GB HDD.
I thought to myself, if I am going to start fresh I might as well do things right and mimic Dell’s setup with a recovery partition of my own. Now to be fair, this isn’t an extremely wild idea as there are plenty of manufacturers and software companies who provide such solutions very simple and easy. Everyone knows that Norton Ghost is fantastic, and Acronis TrueImage is right there with them. Of course you can simply run-up Imagex along with WinPE and sysprep a WIM to re-image your HDD at anytime for a free solution.
However, all these solutions require that you have some sort of recovery media for boot time operation, and the Imagex solution isn’t for the faint of heart. Now I do a lot of travel, and I wanted a solution that didn’t require me to look after a bootable DVD or USB stick, and because I am working with a laptop I didn’t have second disk which I could boot from via BIOS settings. My recovery solution had to be a Primary Partition on my only HDD with boot time options (in case my system is completely rooted.)
This turned out to be quite the challenge, as Windows 7 / Vista no longer support the simple easy boot.ini file that allows you to manually adjust boot time parameters. Instead Windows 7 / Vista have moved onto some fancy form of bootsect / BCD (Boot Configuration Data) which is very difficult to edit manually. Thankfully all of my hard work paid off and I now have a self sufficient system with all the diagnostics and re-imaging tools I could ever need. And thanks to Windows 7’s new Backup and Restore options, I was also able to include a system image which contained all of my settings and applications so that I don’t have to sit through 10 hours of Windows Update again.
What I ended up with is a Primary partition on my HDD that is a full and complete bootable version of the Windows 7 installation media. When I choose this partition at boot time it is exactly as if I have inserted the Windows 7 Install DVD into my disk drive! I can utilise all of the tools in the Windows Recovery Console (which includes the option to restore from a previously created system image), or I can simply re-install Windows 7 from scratch - without affecting my restore partition or boot menu variables!
I tried to break the disk on several parts with Partition Manager, but at the middle of the process it froze and I forced the computer to restart. After resetting it says to "Insert the Recover Disk or other Recovery Media". After it I put the disc with the Windows 7 and at the menu where you have to choose to move (by keyboard arrows) to installation, the keyboard does not work, so I can't move to the installation and it jumps directly to the Local Disc. I also tried Windows XP disc and the same problem - there is no chance to reinstall the system. The keyboard is working in the BIOS, but after does not work.
View 5 Replies View RelatedStarted using robocopy to do my backups. In my command lines, i can specify directories on a external drive to backup to.Some directories show up and i see everything. My most important directory " my documents" DOESNT SHOW UP. I have confirmed a backup is occuring, via log file and properties on the backup folder. I edited it down to a backup of only that folder. Log file shows good, external drive shows the "backup" root directory and properties ( size, number of files) match log file. Open up the backup folder, NOTHING LISTED. I have to run the script as adminstrator , my user is admin also, but if i run it as myself, it cant access the folder. I think im dealing with a rights issue, i have edited security on the external drive, even reformatted it , still nothing shows up?
View 5 Replies View RelatedI have Unallocated space at the very end of my hard drive, even after the 25gb Recovery Partition, this is due to copying my old hard drive onto this new one via Clonezilla, and it automatically keeping the unallocated space at the end. Can I either move the unallocated space around the Recovery Partition, or delete the Recovery Partition altogether? Sorry if I am being a little unclear.
View 4 Replies View RelatedI've gotten to the point where I need to just reinstall windows completely on my Asus G74SX (too many problems, I want to start fresh.). I encounter an error 1029 with Asus's recovery disks that I made when I had windows working: it says it is recovering all the way to 100% then doesnt work. I am in the process of trying it again so I'll see if it actually managed to wipe my hard drive like it said it was doing, and maybe if it did actually work and reinstall windows.However, I'd like to be able to get into the recovery partition because I would prefer restoring it with Asus as they recommend me to. However, when I hit F9, their target to get there, it doesn't do anything and just reloads the boot screen, with the Asus logo on it. I don't have an actual Wndows recovery CD so that's not an option, and at this point since my hard drive has likely been wiped by these recovery DVDs, I don't think going into Ubuntu and fixing the MBR will do me much good anymore.It may be worth noting that before I last restarted, I marked the Windows partition as active because of a tutorial here, making it so that recovery partition isn't active anymore.
View 4 Replies View Relatedis not empty - it is almost 80% full but when i click on it there are no files. Tried - to the extent of my knowledge - to see if the files are hidden but didn't reach anywhere. Tried a restore point but that didnt work either.
View 4 Replies View RelatedI created a 20gb partition on my external hard drive and no longer require the partition. It is currently unallocated space so I want to format it into NFTS. Using computer management the partition was selected and and I went through the steps to format but i keep on getting an error message saying there is not enough space on the disk to complete this operation.
View 1 Replies View RelatedI bought Toshiba Laptop this march 2012, I have not used it as I am having a problem trying to get recovery media creator.
View 3 Replies View RelatedMy daughter has a Dell XPS with Windows 7 on it. It was having alot of issues so short verision after several house with Dell support they told me I would have to tell the computer to go back to the factory version. I followed the steps told to me and now nothing works. When I turn the computer on I do get the Windows word to start then a flash of something that could be an error message of some sort but its not there long enough for me to be sure. I then get something about I need to run a repair, which I do but the repair doesnt work. I tried putting the original install disk in the same thing happens. I have been told to try getting the recovery partition to open but I dont know how. Does this sound right? If so how do I do that and if not what should I do.
View 1 Replies View RelatedI have a Asus k52jc laptop with windows 7 home premium pre installed. Now I cant recover my windows installation using recovery partition.It does not appear in the boot menu. But i can see the partition is still there. I cant create a recovery disk either.
View 7 Replies View Relatedjust want to know if it is safe to delete the recovery partition so i can unlock more gb in my hp notebook. when i first bought it, it was with vista preinstalled. so the recovery partition is vista, but i did make a complete rescue disk of my computer the first time i turned it on with windows recovery. so my question is, is it ok and with no problem, that i can just format the recovery partition, since i actually never use vista, but windows 7. it wounldt mess my laptop??
View 6 Replies View Relatedwhy should I go through the icon dismount instead of just pulling the media when file transfer is done?
I've done it with SSD's directly many times with no problems. perhaps platter drives need time to park?
I've created the recovery DVDs, but unbeknown to me at the time - you're only allowed to create one set. What i'd like is to put this onto a USB stick.Currently i have:DVD #1 - Boot Media: (312mb)The boot DVD containing "BOOT" folder, BootMgr file which is quite small & Winre.Wim at about 300mb.DVD #2 - Data DVD #1: (4.03GB)factory recovery folder, recovery folder & Autorun fileDVD #3 - Data DVD #2: (3.87GB)factory recovery folder & recovery folder (NO autorun file)DVD #4 - Data DVD #3: (3.04GB)factory recovery folder, recovery folder, LenovoQDrive file, qdrive icon file.My USB stick is 16GB capacity.So basically i'd like to make the USB stick the recovery media. I can't do this from the laptop as Lenovo only let you create one ......... so how can i do this
View 9 Replies View RelatedMade the mistake of deleting this partition, and really regret it since it would of been handy to have if i install win 7 again. So feeling bad about that. Any way i could get a PQSERVICE (a recovery) partition back on there?
View 7 Replies View RelatedMy sister just got a new laptop with 7, then accidentally installed a friend's version of 7 on top of it, thinking it was Microsoft Office. I'm trying to restore to factory settings so she doesn't lose all the software that came with the computer.
I know the recovery partition is on the computer (I made it appear by assigning it a drive letter). But I cannot boot from it (or whatever I need to do to access it).
I have tried the following:
1) Advanced Boot Options -> Repair -> System Image Recovery: no system image
-> System Restore: no restore point
2) all possible F# keys at startup, including F10 which got me to Edit Boot Options, which seemed hopeful because it named the partition number, 3, but did not allow me to change it (the recovery partition is 2).
3) F2 -> setup (nothing there)
4) burning an iso of Windows 7 recovery disc, which just gave me the same repair tool as in the 1st attempt.
5) setting the recovery partition as "active" (in fact, I think it was already active).
I recently upgraded my Acer 722 netbook to an 265GB SSD and installed Windows 7 on it. I was wondering if there was a way to create a partition for a recovery environment (just in case something happens). I have a system image of this pc saved, however I feel it would be best to also create a recovery partition.
Note: This does not have a CD drive.
I am using dell insipiron 1464 model with preinstalled windows 7 home basic os.i have lost my installation cd.now how do i take backup of my os in separate dvd or usb drive with the help of recovery partition.
View 5 Replies View RelatedI have a Presario Compaq CQ60 laptop
I've been to their chat they said if I install Windows7 It will erase/delete my recovery partition.. is there anyway i can avoid this? I'm making a recovery disks right now will that help?
Ive got a dell xps 8300 that came with a recovery partition on the hard drive. Its taking up about 19 gigs of space and is not needed as I use recovery software on my machine. I want to format this partition and merge it with the rest of the C: drive. How do I go about this. I have tried right clicking on the partition but the format choice is greyed out
View 9 Replies View RelatedI have a Sony Vaio VPCEC4SOE I bought cheap - needs a new screen.After purchasing first thing I done was a Reinstall of windows using F10 on boot up and following instructions.However after all finished Task manager showed 90+ processes at idle and the amount of bloatware was more than I had ever seen included with any PC.So, Made up a Windows 7 Install disc as I wanted to go for a totally fresh install. Once installed it asked for product key - I checked underneath and half of the sticker is missing (I know I should have checked before hand!) Plus thinking about it after I really don't think the product key can be reused even if it is on the same machine (can someone confirm?)I now have a nice clean operating system, but no product key, that will self destruct in 27 days! So I would like to return to VAIO factory state. I have checked and recovery partition is still there and intact - 13gb, but how can I reinstall from this partition? F10 now does nowt on boot up.
View 9 Replies View RelatedI'm upgrading a Compaq Presario running XP that has a recovery partition installed by the manufacturer. It's my understanding that the recovery partition will be useless after the upgrade. Should the drive be reformatted and the partition deleted?
View 7 Replies View Related1.Can I delete my recovery partition after creating recovery discs.
2.Or Is there any advantage of keeping that partition than recovery discs.
I have not backed up my system for 2 years, last time it was brand new with vista, now I have win 7. This partition is taking up a couple of gigs of hard drive space. So is it OK for me to wipe this partition clean? Does it auto-save stuff on it?
View 3 Replies View RelatedI have upgraded from Vista to Windows 7 by clean installing.
So now as I can understand my recovery partition will not work.
Should I delete it or is there any way to fix it?
and is there anyway to create similar partition for windows 7?
And question about backups:
As I don't have external HD, can I do backups like this:
Laptop A backup to Laptop B
Laptop B backup to Laptop A
i've fitted a new hard drive into my laptop and want to get rid of the recovery partition on the one i've removed.I've formatted it via Disc Management but the 15gb Recovery Partition remains there. Is there a way to format it so that i get the maximum amount of disc space.
View 2 Replies View RelatedI had got some virun problem in my HP laptop so that I use a recovery partition in order to install Windows 7, but unfortunately during installtion the system stucked and I think my recovery partition is also corrupt. Now I want to install Windows 7 without using recovery partition and want to use my own Windows OEM key but the question is that how can I get my Windows 7 product key from my recovery partition, actually the sticker on the bottom of my laptop wipe out as well as I cannot run keyfinder program because I couldn't login into my Windows. Is there any possibilities that I can get my product key from my recovery partition.
View 9 Replies View RelatedJust want to run something by you guys before I install my compy of Windows 7 Ultimate on my laptop.
I have a Fujitsu-Siemens Amilo Xi 2250 with Vista Home Premium. When I got the laptop I created the restore DVD:s (3) and have since then used them a couple of times.
From what I've gathered reading trough this and other forums, and from my own knowledge and experience it should be safe to remove the recovery partition from the HD right? Or could I run in to some kind of problem if I'd like to go back to Vista using my recovery DVD:s and the partition is not there? As I understand it if I for example had a Dell it whould be ok, but could it be different on my computer? Or do these recovery-partitions always work the same way?
Also, if I decide to leave the partition there and I do a clean install of Windows 7 will this do anything to the restore partition? Cause in that case I could just leave it there right?
I have tried to Delete my Recovery Partition on my Acer Netbook but it doesn't work. I have the boot files on the C: Drive. My Recovery Partition has nothing on it.
I have used the cmd
select volume 1
active volume 1
delete volume 1
and than cmd freezes up on me and all i can do is close the program or check for online solution
than after i try
select volume 1
active volume 1
delete partition
i get an error:
"Cannot delete a protected partition without the force protected parameter set."
I have also tried to go in the Disk Management section and delete the Recovery Partition but when I select it, I can only click on settings.
How can I make the Recovery Partition become usable?
How to Create a Windows 7 Recovery Partition ?
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