I upgraded Windows 8 to Windows 8.1 via the Windows store and so. Do not have a DVD or any media to do a refresh or recovery ... I need to refresh Windows 8.1 as many of my apps do not open.
I tried this from this site here. All went fine but when i went to refresh windows cannot find any media again.
How to: REFRESH your Windows 8.1 installation without installation media.
I have a new Sony vaio duo 11 running (or not) Windows 8 64 bit. I was away when it arrived. Number one son decided to set it up for me so that it would be working on my return. I now need to refresh or recover but am being told that some Windows files are missing. I have no media disk or backup. So how do I go about getting the missing files?
Every web site tells me to stick the Windows 8 media in. This doesn't seem to be a rare problem so why don't Microsoft make them available online? Alternatively, if I was to buy a Windows 8 64bit pro upgrade and install over, would this provide me with the missing files?
For some reason Windows 8 Pro keeps corrupting after installing updates i have used the DVD to refresh in the past but i can't boot into Windows so i can refresh without media ie copying install.wim to C drive
I'm dual booting Windows 8 Pro With Windows 7 VHD.
Its corrupted 3 times now each patch Tuesday.
I recently did an update of my machine from Windows 8 to Windows 8.1. The update process did not show any errors or warnings and by the time it finished I was under the impression that everything went smooth.
After the update I was testing the environment and discovered that one of my desktop applications stopped working, I went to the developer's website and indeed I found there is a known issue with their software on 8.1 and to solve it, I had to completely uninstall the software and then install it once more. So I went to Programs and Features in order to do so and to my surprise the Uninstall button was missing from the interface. Right-clicking an item and selecting uninstall from the menu gives a warning message suggesting that the application might have already been uninstalled and asks if I wanted to remove the application from the Programs list. However, clicking OK or Cancel just closes the message box and nothing happens.
So I went and tried to Refresh My PC; Once I clicked Refresh My PC the verification process started and indeed it told my that some system files are missing and that it should take care of it provided I insert my Windows disc. Now since its an OTA update from Win 8 to 8.1 I thought that MS knows that some people will not have a physical copy of 8.1 and so I inserted my Windows 8 Pro System Builder disc hoping it would work, but sadly as you might have guessed, it did not. It told me that I needed the 8.1 recovery disc.
Now I have been looking everywhere for a recovery image to download and use to fix my problem, everywhere I go it suggests that I make my own copy. But how am I supposed to do that if my Windows is faulty and has missing files. I really don't wanna go back to Windows 8 and re-upgrade to 8.1. I have a monitored internet bandwidth and I cannot go and download the 3 GB 8.1 update once more.
How can I repair my 8.1 machine?
I came across this article describing how to get an ISO image for 8.1 with a Windows 8 product Key. However, entering my Windows 8 Pro System Builder (OEM) key in the box fails and tells me that the key I entered is not for this product.
Does not show up anywhere, device mgr etc. The only way I can see it is to adapt it to a usb connection.
View 9 Replies View RelatedMy PC started off on Win 8 and I upgraded to Win 8.1 .
I want to do a completely fresh installation. I do not mind going back to Win 8 and redownloading Win 8.1 afterwards.
My problem is that when I go to PC Settings > "Remove everything and reinstall Windows", I get the error: "Insert media. Some files are missing. Your Windows installation or recovery media will provide these files."
I have a partition on my computer "HP_RECOVERY (F:)". It states 1.24 GB free of 10.6 GB. When I open it, it contains a folder called "Recovery" and "HP_WSD.dat" -- the .dat file is 1 KB. When I open the folder, it says that it is empty (hidden folders and files are set to be shown). If I look at the folder properties, it states that it contains 1 file, 2 folders. The size is 69 bytes.
I have not touched this recovery partition ever since I got this PC. I have, however, run a partition software before because I split my (C:) into (C: and D:). I do not know if this may have somehow corrupted my recovery partition.
What is the best way for me to quickly and cleanly format my PC without losing my registration key? I do not have a copy of Win 8 or Win 8.1 on a CD or USB.
I opened up cmd as admin and typed in "reagentc /info" and it output this:
Code: C:WINDOWSsystem32>reagentc /info Windows Recovery Environment (Windows RE) and system reset configurationInformation: Windows RE status: Enabled Windows RE location: ?GLOBALROOTdeviceharddisk0partition3RecoveryWindowsRE Boot Configuration Data (BCD) identifier: 8fc8db37-7d80-11e3-91ec-faa553f3f5b4 Recovery image location: Recovery image index: 0 Custom image location: Custom image index: 0REAGENTC.EXE: Operation Successful.
I did a PC Refresh and Reset and it's stuck at 1%
View 3 Replies View RelatedNew Windows 8 Pro with WMC install to a new Intel SSD on an old Dell Inspiron 530. I got everything activated and working fine, and then I swapped the SSD for the old HDD to finish getting all my data. But when I swapped the SSD back in, I can no longer get Windows 8 to boot--it goes into automatic repair, but none of the options are available to me. Refresh won't work, reset won't work, I can't even get system restore to work (it shows me two restore points available, but it won't let me select them.)
This was a clean install, so it has the 350MB recovery partition. I believe the RAID is set properly (I have no straight up AHCI option in BIOS, but I installed Windows 8 under RAID [it shows "AHCI Bios enabled!" during POST], and remembered to change to IDE mode to boot the HDD, and back to RAID before trying to boot the SSD).
I've always been able to troubleshoot these sorts of problems under XP or 7, but I'm just not familiar with these Windows 8 processes (or SSDs/AHCI/RAID stuff) yet. I've got all the linux tools, Hirens, etc. available, and can verify that the files on the SSD appear to be fine. I could reinstall if necessary, but really don't want to have to deal with the upgrade and re-activating--and even if I do have to reinstall.
Have decided to take the plunge to reset my computer (because Windows Store would not open). Booted from the installation disk but cannot Reset or Refresh, I get "The drive where Windows is installed is locked. Unlock the drive and try again."
View 6 Replies View RelatedCan not do factory setting or refresh it says error 0x80073bc3 and also i have to press 0 when booting then it goes to the windows. In bios Hdd is the first line.
View 1 Replies View RelatedMy PC fails to boot into Windows and launches Automatic Repair to attempt to repair Windows. When i try to refresh or reset alway get msg " there is a problem resetting your pc, no changes are made" My PC is preinstalled so no I don't have recovery CD/DVD Here pics
View 9 Replies View RelatedYou have Windows 8 or Windows 8 Pro installed on your PC. Your PC fails to boot into Windows and launches Automatic Repair to attempt to repair Windows.
Automatic Repair is unable to repair your PC and you select "Advanced options". After selecting "Troubleshoot", you choose to either "Refresh your PC" or "Reset your PC".
In this scenario, recovery may fail and you are returned back to the main WinRE screen. This issue may occur if the System or Software registry hives have become damaged or corrupted.
To attempt to resolve this issue, follow the steps below. Following these steps should only be used if you are attempting to use the "Refresh your PC" or "Reset your PC" options in Windows RE because your system is in a non-bootable state.
-After Automatic Repair fails to repair your PC, select "Advanced options" and then "Troubleshoot".
-Select "Advanced options" and then select "Command Prompt".
-If prompted, enter in the password for the user name.
-At the Command Prompt, go to the windowssystem32config folder by typing the following command: cd %windir%system32config.
-Rename the System and Software registry hives to System.001 and Software.001 by using the following commands:
ren system system.001
ren software software.001
I did all that but when I tried to rename the Software.001 file the system responds: "The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process" ...
I tried to create a Ubuntu start up usb key so that i could maybe get in and rename the file but that presented more problems.
I'm trying to understand the licence on my Windows 8 Media. I bought Windows 8.0 last year, not an upgrade, and not with a PC.
It's got a section on installing on a PC for personal use. I want to un-install/remove from 1 PC, and install it on a New PC.
It's not clear how I achieve this.? The only 3 things it's say's I cant do:
- Use as upgrade
- Legalize a non-genuine install
- License more than 5 copies for commercial use.??
So is there a method to follow to avoid activation issues.? And it telling me this is already installed on another PC.?
I have in my possession an HP Pavilion a1230n desktop compulator. I was told that it crashed some time ago and was only used for simple things as it was deemed not trust worthy and stable. It was running Windows xp until about two weeks ago when the power at the person's house went out suddenly and the ntldr was corrupted and wouldn't boot, obviously the solution to that was to do a clean install but as xp is to be dead soon, the decision was made to go to the Windows 8.1.
It seems as if this is genuinely possessed by an evil spirit, as I was told by the owner, because LITERALLY NOTHING I've done is allowing me to install Windows 8.1, not even booting into the USB installer of 8.1, or even trying to run Windows 8.1. Normally I deploy Windows through DISM and my custom .wim file onto the hard drive and I boot into WinPE or a neutered Windows installer USB and apply boot files to the drive and it works just fine. That hasn't worked. I had 8.1 on the target drive, was actually able to get the DVD installer to run, although this was the second time since the first run of it didn't even find a hard drive when I plugged it back in, and apply boot files successfully. I restarted, but it ran for about a few seconds and ran into continuous reboots before it said that the install needs to be repaired.
Then I tried to actually run the DVD installer of straight up vanilla Windows 8 to see if maybe there was a CPU requirement not being met, but the installation failed about 47% through. I THINK the error code was 0xc0000221, not sure though. Next I tried remaking a THIRD USB installation of 8.1, but EVERY single time when I boot off into the USB drive, it takes at least five minutes (normally it shouldn't take so long) before any activity on screen shows. But EVERY time, it hangs up and restarts. The error code I got for sure with that was elxstor.sys 0xc0000221. In one of the failed attempts of installing, it was the same thing but with a different .sys file.
The thing is I KNOW for sure my .iso images of Windows are perfectly fine I was just recently used the previous USB installer to deploy 8.1 onto a laptop just yesterday but doesn't work on this PC. The compulator in question is 64 bit capable and as far as I know meets the Windows 8 CPU requirements. I've disconnected EVERY peripheral even the keyboard, and obviously reconnected the keyboard and ran it again. I've cleared the CMOS. I have the USB and keyboard connected to the motherboard's USB ports and not the headers. I've also gone to the extent of using a third party, non-partisan hard drive with Windows 8.1 deployed on it to try and install boot files on that to see if hard drive issues may be present from the PC's drive. That also didn't work nor did installing Windows onto that separate drive from the DVD work either. I've checked the PC's hard drive for errors, everything is ok.
I've installed Windows at least over 100 different times from VMs to many different PCs, but this is literally the first one to cause such an issue I can't even think of why. Although, thinking about it, I do remember once with a slightly older HP desktop when I was trying to run a Windows 7 To Go drive off of it, it just wouldn't run whatsoever and I had to fix the bcdboot files for it run again.
All of a sudden I can't reliably play any video media on my Win 8 64bit computer -- was working fine yesterday and AFAIK nothing (other than perhaps Windows automatic updates) changed. My first thought was to try and restore but even though I'm sure I created a restore point it tells me there isn't one. Sigh.
Okay, so then I try to perform a reset (but keeping all my files) and it tells me some files are missing and to insert my recovery media. All well and good, I actually have that (and know where it is) but when I insert the disk it tells me it is NOT a recovery disk.
It is, of course, precisely that -- a Windows 8 Recovery Media for Windows 8 Products 64 bit. I am running an official copy of Win 8 (well, 8.1, but I have no media for that since it was a free update). Yes, it's OEM (Dell) but that shouldn't make a difference. And, more importantly, what I am to do now?
I have a windows 8 laptop. I bought a SSD and want to move windows to the SSD and use the HDD for media and games.
How do I do this without windows forcing me to the error page
I installed Windows 8.1 Pro Update using the MSDN iso (untouched) of Windows 8.1 Update (Multiple Edition).
Now, I would like to add the Windows Media Center feature. How should I do?
Is it possible to add this feature even if your computer does not have an Internet connection?
I have upgraded my system from windows 7 to windows 8 through digital delivery (no dvd). later it was upgraded to 8.1 pro now its in 8.1 pro with media center. Now i want to do a clean install of windows 8.1 pro with media center but i have no media, i have only windows 8 purchase product key and current product id.
View 9 Replies View RelatedI am trying to install a oem copy of windows 8 64 bit onto my desktop, using a microsoft install dvd. I've installed xp, vista, and windows 7 onto it without any issues whatsoever, however when trying to install windows 8, I keep getting an error in windows setup that states the following:
Load Driver : A media driver your computer needs is missing. This could be a DVD, USP or Hard disk driver. If you have a CD, DVD, or USB flash drive with the driver on it, please insert it now.
Since I'm using an actual microsoft disc, and the hash checks out okay, I'm not really sure how to proceed, as it doesn't seem to be the disc image.
The solutions I've come across are vague, and usually relate to USB/VMware installs instead of using a retail DVD. How I can get past this error?
My system:
EVGA Z77 FTW Mobo, updated firmware/bios
Intel 3770k CPU
Antec Quattro 1000 PSU
Kingston HyperX 3K SSD
EVGA GTX 580 3GB GPU
LG M-Disc Super Multi DVD/CD Reader/Burner
I did a factory reset on my windows 8, and it messed up, not completing. so it is now stuck on a cycle of 'preparing automatic repair' and 'diagnosing your pc'.
And I today recieved the windows 8 cd to reinstall the os.
But after I've chosen language, I get error message saying I'm missing 1 of the media drivers.
Computer: alienware m14x r2 laptop
I installed Media Center & now I can't download a key for it!
I have 2 computers running Windows 8 Pro. I got the key for Media Center on one computer & everything works!!
I then loaded Media Center on the other Windows 8 Pro computer, but it will not let me download a key for it. It insists that I have downloaded a key!
I tried to reactivate back to my original installation & refuses to accepted that valid key!
I don't know how they know I have downloaded a key.
What do I do know? Reinstall the original Windows 8 Pro? There must be a way!!
My computer crashed(?) and wouldn't go past the setup utility screen. I finally got my Windows 8 installation disc, now my computer is telling my it can't find a media driver.
View 1 Replies View RelatedCan i move old activated Windows 8 Pro with MC key to new computer (complete new build)? And how?
View 5 Replies View RelatedMy touchscreen stopped working when I updated to 8.1, but the Dell I bought came with no media.
Do you know if there is some way for me to revert to the factory install of Win 8 (not 8.1) in this situation?
Does Microsoft provide any official channels for obtaining vanilla Windows 8 media without the OEM bloatware, the way they did for Windows 7?
View 9 Replies View RelatedNot sure if it's Lenovos only, but trying to migrate Windows 8 OEM to an SSD has been a huge pain in the ass. This process should not be as difficult as Lenovo/Microsoft has made it.
I purchased a Y400 along with a 256G SSD. I'd like to clean install Windows onto the SSD, I did not want to copy image. I went through forums for hours trying to put a recovery system on a usb with no luck (even with the instructions given by a Lenovo moderator on their website), I kept getting "missing partition drive". I broke down and paid Lenovo the ridiculous "shipping charge" of $59 for the recovery disks.
These are my steps so far:
-My SSD is installed and I removed the HDD (until Windows 8 was installed, I'd then format it)
-Put Disk 1 into the optical drive (Disk 1 states it's the format sequence and starting point for restore, Windows 8 actually on disk 2, I believe)
-Pressed the "Novo" button on the left side of the machine (gives options of Normal Startup, BIOS Setup, Boot Manager and System Recovery)
*FYI - Boot Manager lists: Windows Boot Manager and 2 EFI volumes (when HDD is plugged in, just the EFI's when uninstalled)
System Recovery only works with the HDD installed and it's Lenovo's One Key Recovery which just restores to a restoration point.*
Went into BIOS setup
Tabbed over to "Security"
Disabled the "Secure Boot"
Tabbed over to "Boot"
Changed the Boot Mode to "Legacy Support"
Changed Boot Priority to "Legacy First"
Saved then exited.
Pressed the "Novo" button once more, went into BIOS setup
Tabbed back to "Boot"
Boot device priority was now displayed with SATA ODD, SSD and Network Boot.
I reordered to boot from SATA ODD
Saved and exited
Upon restart, I pressed F12 (select boot device), and chose the SATA ODD
It went into a DOS looking screen and gives "No Bootable Device - Insert boot disk and press a key"
I've also tried variations of the above procedures for a few hours with no luck.
I have not tried to boot from "Lenovo Recovery System" (which is only available with the HDD installed), I figured it would default to the HDD and not let me chose to install onto SSD.
I have the need to have Media Center Pack as a separate package so that I can install it without the Internet.
View 5 Replies View RelatedHave a couple of different problems with my 8.1
When I try to use the tutorial,I get as far as the Product Key entry.
The install was an original 8 I downloaded when it first came out.
I then installed 8.1, probably from the Store.
I recently downloaded and install 8.1 Media Center Pack.
Had a real problem with activation.MS Support finally had me go to where there was a long activation string and then he gave me a new Product Key, which is now on the machine and Activated.
When I get to the "Product Key" page and enter the Media Pack key, "This product key didn't work. ....."
There is an app here that, when opened, causes all AutoPlay optical media settings to revert to "Take No Action."
Is there an AutoPlay setting that can thwart this, in the same manner that a file can be set to READ ONLY?
For some reason, Windows 8.1. downloader package refuses to see my 8GB SanDisk flash drive as a target for creating bootable Windows 8.1 installer USB media. A 16GB Patriot drive is detected and processed properly, but 8GB SanDisk is ignored. The same is true for the Windows 7 USB/DVD tool.
What could be causing this?
When I create the media on the 16GB drive, only 3+GB is used, which means that 8GB drive should be sufficiently large.
UPDATE: It appears that the SanDisk drive is not detected as "removable", so neither Windows 8 downloader nor Windows 7 USB/DVD tool see it as a valid target. There are quite a few reports of that issue on the Net. So, how do I create a bootable Windows 8.1 install media from that SanDisk drive?
I want to create a bootable flash drive after upgrading from Windows 8 to 8.1.
Instructions say you need a Windows 8.1 product key. I downloaded 8.1 from the MS Store. Will using my original Windows 8 product key work?