Maintenance :: System Imaging Windows 8.1 (OEM Product Key) To New SSD
Jun 29, 2014
I posted a thread a couple days ago, which pertained to backup and restore of system images.
Windows 8.1/Windows 8 and backup software that works well with UEFI and GPT disks.
I just have another question which related to the last thread, then I think I will be able to sleep.
Can you system image a drive that has Win 8.1 (OEM) onto a new SSD, and not have your sheer will destroyed by the OS not being activated after the image has been applied to new SSD?
I would hope that once the image has been applied to the new drive, the magic within Win 8.1 would realise I am using the same motherboard, but it's just a different drive. Infact, I'm keeping the original 2TB drive in the exact same slot, but of course formatting it once I can get the SSD to boot. (I'm installing the SSD into my Acer's expansion SATA 3 bay on the front of the case - hot swappable technology or something)
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Jul 9, 2013
I recently purchased an Asus X202E laptop with Windows 8. I immediately did an update for all important/critical Windows updates, but beyond that, I haven't added or changed anything else. When I run the "File Recovery for Windows 7" I do not see the ability to create a system image. I'd like to create a system image on a 32Gb USB drive but the option is not there. I've rebooted, and done lots of searching on the internet but, so far, I haven't seen any instances where this feature reported to be missing.
I do have access to TrueImage 2013, but I wanted to see how the native imaging product stacked up against it.
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Oct 14, 2013
I am having problems with system imaging my Windows 8 machine to an external hardrive via a usb (??) cable.
First, as mentioned in another thread is the exceptionally long time. The external drive is a WD 1TB BTW. I have two older hardrives on the computer. Just installed the second, which at this time is not being used. Trying several several programs, Paragon Free, Easeus, Macrium Reflect and the built in Windows Backup I was getting 14 hour estimates.
The actual issue I wish to resolve is that during a over 9 hour backup of the primary drive with approx. 34GBs, I noted what appears to be a folder with the Windows backup icon called the name of my computer on my external drive. It contains approximately 3GBs of data in multiple folders. Windows backup is turned off. I did not have this file on the external hardrive and I didn't initiate the OS to perform this. It showed no indication of running and occurred during the Macrium backup.
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Mar 18, 2013
I'm having nothing but epic failures when I try to image a Windows 8 box with Secure Boot enabled, that was installed using UEFI and has GPT partitions.
I can install using standard MBR, and disable Secure Boot and UEFI in the BIOS and I can restore that no problem.
However, I have been playing with Aomei, Macrium, EaseUs, etc to handle my image restores and not having any luck at all. Basically it's this thread that explains my issues almost perfectly.
Home user: Need Win 8 Disk Imaging solution with UEFI-compatible Startup Disks
I want to install Windows 8, using UEFI with Secure Boot, install patches, software, etc, then run sysprep, shut down, image and then deploy the image on the same make/model down the road.
The only real success thus far has been to load Windows 8, and then run imagex to capture a new wim and then install using that WIM. But that's a whole install, I'd rather just lay an image back down.
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Feb 15, 2014
8.1 installed on SSD, Easeus backup doesn't see my HDD any more, so I can't make an image of it. It only sees the C drive and my external hard drive, but not the internal HDD (Hitachi 500 GB) that I use as a second drive for storing personal data. I tried with Macrium Reflect, and same problem.
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Mar 3, 2013
I have a paid for version of Acronis True Image Home 2010 that I have used for years with my Windows 7 box and it's been good.
I've also used Macrium Reflect Free, and today I tend to use AOMEI ddata backuper as it's free for personal and commercial use.
I have a new Dell laptop (with Windows 8), and thus far I have disabled the UEFI boot options and Secure Boot and use a classic setup. However, if I wanted to have a play with these other options to see what impact they would have on system performance, which of these drive imaging software packages would work?
I also have a desktop at work with all of these options (and that's likely where I will experiment). On that box, it's simple to drop in a test hard drive and whack away until I get it working. My laptop has an msata drive and I don't have any spares of these drives lying around.
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Jul 16, 2014
What would happen to my Acer motherboards hard coded Win 8.1 product key, when I use a Win 8.1 Pro key to upgrade my system (By using the Add features to Windows in Control Panel) Would the new Pro key replace it? Or what, if anything relevant to me, the user, would happen?
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Nov 5, 2013
I am trying to create a system image backup and I keep getting this error message
[COLOR=#FF0000]'Threre is not enough disk space to create the volum shadow copy on storage location. Make sure that for all volume to be backup up, the minimum disk space required for shadow copy creation is available. this applies to both the backup storage destination and volume included in the backup. Minimum requirement for Volumes less than 500 megabytes, the minimum is 50 megabyte of free space. for voulimes more than 500 megabytes, the minimum is 320 megabytes of free space. Recommended at least 1 gigabytes free of disk space on each volumes if volumes size is more than 1 gigabytes (0x80780119)"
I am backing it up to a external HDD with over a tb of free space but I understand its not letting me perform the backup because the hidden 100mb hidden system partition is full...if i create a larger partition how can I copy that system partition to it? if that is possible....
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Jun 19, 2013
I can not found Imaging Device option , due to which my integrated webcam is not working ... I am Using Dell inspiron 5520 , I have tried millions of things ...
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May 2, 2014
Its my first time to create my first system image in my windows 8. Can I exclude a certain file if not how many blank cd's do I need I got 146GB used currently in my C drive and while creating a system image could it take the process an hour or more?
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Apr 24, 2013
I'm attempting to follow the instructions here, to do a system image of my Dell Windows 8 machine:
Using Windows 8′s “hidden” backup to clone and recover your whole PC | Ars Technica
As I go through the wizard, I arrive at this screen:
I don't have the option to deselect any of these "drives". I proceed with the backup - it chugs along, and then consistently fails here:
"One of the critical volumes is not having enough free space." It doesn't tell me which - but, it's certainly not the OS drive, this is a virgin system.
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Jun 26, 2014
I own an OEM Machine which is from Acer.
To ask what is probably well known amongst IT pro's; does a system image backup solution (and consequently a restore from that image if needs be) work on OEM PC's, like a desktop from Acer, actually work without problems, and would I get a proper bootable and working machine after restoration.
Brief scenario - I have used Acronis TI 2014 (Or even the Windows 8.1 system image utility) to create an image of my C: Drive/EFI Partition/Recovery Partition - and backed it up to an external USB HDD.
My OS crashes for whatever reason and I can't boot.
I then either use my Acronis bootable media CD (which I've tested and boots despite all the secure boot/UEFI/GPT mania going about users like myself) to reinstall the Acronis disk image.
OR I use a Widnows 8.1 bootable disk with the ISO (which I've tested to boot) to reinstall the Windows created system image. (I could also use the recovery drive I created in Win 8.1, which just to add, however irrelvanat it might be, includes my OEM factory default partition which was copied as part of the recovery flash drive creation)
Would either of those restore solutions give me a reasonably likely working PC again - taking into account all the stuff I don't understand like the Windows 8.1 OEM key being on the motherboard (which I would understand in terms of Windows activation and authentication could have a negative impact on restoring images over an OEM installed OS and it's partitions)....
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Aug 22, 2013
I have read a lot about windows 8 (and 8.1) and how to make a system image for it.
Well the most people used the 7 file recovery tool in windows 8 to make full system images. But in windows 8.1 it's gone.
Like in this thread: System Image - Create in Windows 8
Now I hear and see everyone making system images with a powershell command.. How to Create and Restore System Image Backups on Windows 8.1
But why doesn't anybody just use the windows 8 (and 8.1) backup function wich also includes a feature called:
include a system image of drives:
It seems to me that if you do this at an clean install it's a lot easier then powershell? (and maybe you can uncheck the backup of files and only include a sytem image?)
I know that at this moment I can still make a 7 file recovery tool image and restore it with windows 8(.1) repair/recovery disc.
But I wan't to know this for the future when I have a system with 8.1 from factory.. (some manufacturers like asus don't provide repair/system restore discs or utils anymore....)
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Dec 30, 2012
When I ran my disk clean up for the system, it reflected "Windows update cleanup" at 106 mb.
I feel sure it is left overs from my recent upgrade to win 8. To be sure though, is it ok to "erase" in the System clean up?
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Mar 28, 2014
I made a system image from Windows 8.1 using Windows' own system image feature. I seem to be unable to restore it. I booted with the Windows 8 disc, and told it to restore from a system image. It found the image, ran a few minutes, then failed because of version mismatch (?). Not before hosing the entire system, by the way. Luckily, I was well backed up.
I booted with the Windows 7 disc, and it didn't even see the system image (on my external HD). It saw my Windows 7 system image and restored it just fine, and here I am.
Anyway, is there some trick to restoring a Windows 8.1 system image? I am not running Windows 8.1, so I can't generate a repair disk that way. Is there one available online somewhere for download?
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Oct 14, 2013
how to do a System Restore on my Win. 8 machine. I have the four blue square start button at the bottom left.
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Apr 2, 2013
I have been trying to a system image (Windows 8) and keeps telling me to insert a blank disk and mark it, Computer Name, Date and Disk #. It keeps telling me to install one and mark it #1 every time the current disk (DVD) is full, also the status bar does not show any advancement in the process. The other 2 machines I have and did a system image on asks you to insert a disk with the numbers going in sequence, 1, 2, 3 etc.
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Nov 17, 2013
I have a problem here with my Windows 8 pro. Whenever I open the system property (by right clicking on Computer > Property or directly from Setting > Pc info), the mouse pointer starts to flicker and slows down its movement then the desktop goes blank with the blue (or whatever) colour of the background. Then after some time it again returns back to normal but system property is closed.
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Sep 26, 2013
I bought 8 Toshiba Laptops for my company on 3rd Feb 2013 from Dubai . The laptops details as follows
Model: Thoshiba Laptop SC850 B560 i3
OS: Windows 8 single language
No DVD's and product key given at the time of purchase so how to get windows 8 single language software to re-install and the key for the same. As the OS were pre installed. This is to avoid future issues that may come up like software failure etc.
[ I need to download Windows 8 single language OS, product key for the same OS which is preinstalled- I can provide serial number if needed]
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Sep 15, 2014
I did a fresh reboot of my system and now I cannot reactivate it. My product ID is "not available" and I have an activation error description. I've tried all the slui commands and the sfc scans.
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Mar 23, 2014
If i decide that i want to uninstall windows 8 from my computer, can i then install it on another using the same product key that i used on the first or is it once used you cannot recover your product key?
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May 30, 2014
I currently have an issue with activating Windows 8.1. I bought a Samsung series 7 chronos NP780 last November that came with Windows 8 installed already. I upgraded to 8.1 a few days ago and left it overnight to complete. Everything went fine up until I had to activate it. It says that the product key is incorrect and to enter a different one. I have looked at the box that the laptop came in, the manuals in it and on the laptop itself and there is no product key to be found. One or two of the manuals/booklets might be missing but I'm fairly sure that the product key is within the BIOS so should it not recognise the product key itself automatically and complete the upgrade without asking me for the key? I ran belarc to can by laptop and at the section where the product key should be it says "Key: None activated". I also ran keyfinder and the key it gave me back didnt work (although the end of it seems to match the end of the one that is listed as the "current product key".
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Jun 30, 2013
wld like to install windows 8.1 preview on my brand new xps13 but need product key and cannot find that anywhere in the documents I received
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Aug 17, 2013
I need creating a recovery image of my system. I would like to create an image recovery drive with just the barebones needed for Windows 8 to run. I all ready have a recovery partition created. I just don't know how to create a recovery image for usage whenever something happens to the system.
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Jan 8, 2014
Last night clean installed windows 7 pro and noticed that system reserved partition is created with 100MB. Then upgrade it to windows 8 pro and finally updated it to windows 8.1 pro.
After complete installation of windows 8.1 pro and noticed in computer management that still system reserved partition is 100MB. whereas if in case i did clean installation of windows 8 pro then system reserved partition will be 350MB.
My HDD capacity is 2TB and i have nearly 1TB of unallocated space. C drive is 200GB
Therefore i would like to increase my system reserved partition from 100MB to 350MB.
How to increase system reserved partition from 100MB to 350MB with step by step ?
What is the advantages of allowing 350MB to system reserved partition in windows 8.1 pro?
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Mar 22, 2013
I have a laptop running Windows 8 Pro x64, and lately I'm facing an issue where the System process (PID = 4) has spikes of 100% of disk usage according to task manager. I can't watch a video or play a song on a media player properly, for example (there's a crackling noise and the playback is slow), because this process (System) keeps using 99-100% of my hard drive.
Even if I have just booted up and running only the essential OS process and services and completely idle, task manager keeps reporting several spikes of 100% of disk usage. Tried uninstalling antivirus (avast free), but that didn't work. I really have no clue what do to prevent this process from writing/reading so much into HD and reaching 100% of disk usage.
Specs:
OS: Windows 8 Pro x64
CPU: core i3-2350M @ 2.3 GHz
RAM: 4 GB DDR3 @ 1333 MHz
HD: Samsung Spinpoint ST500LM012 HN-M500MBB 5400 RPM
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Nov 8, 2012
I installed Windows 8 over the last weekend. Things were working fine for the first five days. Just day before i started seeing apps being unresponsive and noticed that the Task Manager showed 100% disk usage. The process taking the most disk is 'System'
Yesterday things became worse; the startup started taking way too long; after starting up launching any app takes up to 10 mins and the HDD led is constantly on; making the sytem completely unstable and stuck.
I have the following conf: Dell Inspiron 14R N010, Core i3 (1st gen), 4 GB, 500 GB Hdd (45% free), Win 8 Pro
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Jun 25, 2013
I have spent most of the past 12 hours trying to restore my win8pro system from a system image. the image was saved to a usb hard drive. win8pro system image recovery won't see the usb hard drive. I tried copying the backup to a drive on my network, but recovery won't see that either, even when entering the exact path to the backup using the network option. I then tried to copy the backup to a second hard drive, installing that hard drive directly into the machine. no go, wouldn't even recognize the drive.
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Mar 10, 2013
I'm having a problem with Windows System Image Backup just when I try to do a image backup it will say that it has failed and suggest to do a disk check. I've searched and some users say to use third party backup programs should I run the disk check first or just go with a different backup tool.
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Mar 28, 2014
I bought a new laptop with a Windows 8 Pro x64 pre-installed on it.
Then I upgraded my OS to Windows 8.1 Pro from Windows Store.
After that I thought I'd create a backup of my system so I don't have to re-download the Windows 8.1 upgrade and at the same time having the option to reset my laptop to it's old operating system in case I want to, so that being said, I created a system image backup using Windows' Imaging Utility and pointed it my external drive. It took a couple of minutes and the image was successfully created.
I double checked the image file and I can see it on my external drive saved in a folder called 'WindowsImageBackup'. The backup files is approximately around 35 GB.
I also tried using the System Image Recovery option from BIOS to check whether the backup file I created really works, and it did because it was recognized by the system through the dialog box "Re-image your computer".
My mind was set that if anything bad happens to may laptop, whether if it got infected with a virus or the operating system crashed or even if the hard disk gets broken I could simply put it back to it's previous state using the backup image I created. So I played with the partitioning of my laptop, I even installed other operating systems for educational purposes, but when I finally wanted to bring my laptop to its previous state I failed...
The System Image Recovery from BIOS that once recognized my backup image throw an error at me saying the 'Windows cannot find a system image on this computer'. How can I fix this error? Is there still a way to recover my laptops previous installed OS or is it gone for good?...
1. Download bootable USB 3.0 drivers and tried to load the drivers on the during System Image Recovery. I think I got that tutorial here in this forum also but not sure, anyways it says that my external hard disk might not properly load because windows does not support usb 3.0.
2. I tried installing macrium free to re-image the vhd files from my backup image and tried to use the new image created by macrium to backup from. Re-imaging and backing up from the macrium image is successful but when I restart my laptop to check whether the backup works, I got an error saying 'Your PC needs to be repaired... Error code: 0x0000225'. I boot from my rescue disk and open up the command prompt to run a command like 'bootrec /scanos' but the result says detected windows installation is zero (0)...
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May 14, 2014
Over a month ago, I noticed that my system had started to become very slow, taking a long time to switch between apps, or between tabs in Chrome (even with only a few tabs open).
I've constantly had Resource Monitor open to try and track down the source of the problem. Initially, I thought this was a problem with Chrome or my pagefile, because Chrome was often at/near the top of Disk Activity, manipulating pagefile.sys. However, it seems like the amount of data being manipulated isn't very large; typically well below 1 MB/sec. I tried moving my pagefile to a secondary hard drive to no effect.
I've downloaded and run multiple programs to check hard drive health, and none of them have found any problems. I'm not talking about simple S.M.A.R.T. diagnostics, but in-depth scans.
Thinking that it might be a problem with Windows 7 at the time, I wiped the drive and installed Windows 8.1. I installed the latest motherboard drivers and disabled Windows search and file indexing. The problem remains. The fact that the problem persists after wiping the drive had me thinking it's likely a hardware problem. Alas, various hard drive scanners haven't found a problem.
I have 8GB of memory; rarely is more than 4GB ever in use. Both of my hard drives have plenty of free space (400+ GB each).
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