Setup Installation :: No Recovery Disc Made And Formatted Hard Drive
Aug 21, 2013
I bought a brand new Acer Aspire xc600 today and it had Windows 8 installed. First thing me and my husband did was to try to install win7 (as we dislike Windows 8 for many reasons)... When it didnt work with just putting in the cd and install, we (stupidly without making recovery discs as we thought we would never need it) formated the drive and made it completely clean before installing win7 (which works now). This means we have no Windows 8 recovery disc or E-recovery management program and therefor cant do factory reset and return this piece of crap pc... (We play world of warcraft and my 7year old pc has only been updated once when it comes to graphic card to geforce 9800 and still perform better outside the game).
The performance test of the whole system give the graphics a lousy 5.0 which is worse than my husbands 3yr old graphic card as well! Only numbers that have increased is the RAM and CPU.
I feel disappointed as the graphics card should be better than mine or my husbands and have better performance even if its the "laptop sized card".
So to the issue, is there a way we could restore/reinstall the computer to factory settings with Windows 8 and Acers drivers as it was when we started it up earlier today?
View 5 Replies
ADVERTISEMENT
Jul 17, 2013
I built myself a new system and I am now on my third clean install of Windows 9 Pro. The first installation was nixed due to faulty programs and the second by faulty hardware. This installation seems to be fine, at least my event log is not showing any significant errors. I really don't won't to do another clean install so the question I have is:
Can I install Windows with UEFI without reinstalling on a new hard drive formatted as GPT?
View 5 Replies
View Related
Jul 4, 2013
I need to delete a recovery partition off my second hard drive. I've seen this link: Delete and Remove to Unlock EISA Hidden Recovery or Diagnostic Partition in Vista - My Digital Life but it's for Vista and the final command "delete partition override" doesn't work in diskpart. It comes up saying "The specified command or parameters are not supported on this system"
Yes, I really do want to delete the recovery partition because it's on my secondary HDD, I still have the recovery partition on my C: so I'm really not losing anything ....
View 9 Replies
View Related
Apr 26, 2014
Windows 8.1
pc bought in 2013 with windows 8 bundled (so no installation DVDs, no activation key communicated).
upgraded to windows 8.1 in 2013.
I made a recovery USB (system image) on 1st April 2014.
If I need to boot on this USB, my PC will be again exactly as it was on 1st April 2014?
View 7 Replies
View Related
Jun 14, 2014
From many days i was trying to make backup but i was not able to make than i found that my Master File Table it corrupt which located in System Reserved.
Than i thought of Re-Installing Windows than i Formatted System Reserved Drive & My C Drive.Now I am not even able to Install Windows.
Error Shown by the Windows Setup - Setup was unable to create a new system partition or locate an existing system partition.
View 7 Replies
View Related
Jun 15, 2014
One of the first things I did when I had my new PC last year was to make a set of recovery discs. Now having used the free upgrade to Windows 8.1 I would like to make a set of backup discs for this version, however, my pc say that a set has already been made and I can only make the one set.
If things stay like this, when I want to do a recovery using either the hdd partition or the discs I made, it installs Windows 8 and then I have to install what seems like a million updates before I then have to go back to the store and do the upgrade to 8.1.
Is there a way I can make a recovery dvd's for the 8.1 version ?
View 9 Replies
View Related
Jun 20, 2014
If you have a recovery drive - that includes the recovery partition - made on one computer, but have a toshiba laptop with a bad drive (but the recovery partition is ok), can you replace/copy the partition on the recovery drive with the recovery partition from the bad laptop HD?
My friend's laptop would not boot, and would not factory recover, reset, or refresh. I tried to clone the hard drive before I started messing with the disc. It would not clone, but I was able to copy the recovery partition to a USB drive.
He never make recovery discs, so could not re-install, but I can borrow the recovery drive that my aunt made for her laptop.
View 5 Replies
View Related
Sep 15, 2014
OK, so I made a backup DVD of some OS related programs for my computers onto a DVD, but when I attempted to MOUNT the image from the disk to Win 8.1's included virtual drive, I get an error that the Disc Image is not formatted for NTFS file system, and cannot be mounted.
I can copy the files from the disc to a location on the desktop and execute the files from there, but it's a royal pain in the neck to do this every time.
(Yes, I understand, I probably will need to build a new image and burn it to a new DVD, but I want to make it one that I can run the disc from my optical drive and it will work!).
USB is volatile storage, and can be erased. I prefer hardcopy backups for this reason.
View 1 Replies
View Related
Jul 16, 2014
I just purchased an Asus R510CC notebook with windows 8 and I bought a SSD drive to replace the current one.
I used Recovery Drive in Windows to create an USB boot drive with the recovery partition on it. I then installed the SSD and booted from the USB. When I get to the option to reset my computer I encounter an error with the following message: "Unable to reset PC. A required drive partition is missing". I already did a bit of research and BIOS tweaking but I can't install Windows onto my SSD.
View 9 Replies
View Related
Sep 15, 2014
I have a HP Envy 4 Ultrabook and I want to install Windows 8 from scratch, I put the installation files on a flash drive from a DVD of Win 8 I had, but when I go to install it, it says the "We couldn't find any drives". I have tried using DiskPart within the CMD as well, but it only finds my flash drive when I run list disk. Also, my drives are completely formatted, and I accidentally wiped the recovery partition. I tried with a USB of Win 8 Pro, and it was fine, showing all of my drives correctly, but that version is linked to another PC, so I can't install it. Also, I booted into a Linux Mint live CD and tried to install it, it sees my hard drive correctly, but the Windows install does not, I can't figure this out, never encountered it before. Is Linux my only option at this point?
View 1 Replies
View Related
Sep 15, 2014
I have a windows 8 laptop and wanted to re install a whole new windows 8 on it. I'm going to use the generic product key than once installed use the one that i found with magic belly bean key finder. I am just worried that it might say something went wrong than have to buy windows 8 so could i partition the hard drive and than once i know the new windows 8 is good than delete the other?
View 2 Replies
View Related
Jul 7, 2014
I wiped my pb eastnote TE. I was restoring it to factory settings, i thought id just have put in my usb and it would reinstall everything for me, but it hasnt.. what to do, error mes im getting it ;there was a problem while resetting your pc, all I am getting is a blue screen, but the options they are giving me are not working...
View 7 Replies
View Related
Nov 28, 2012
I just bought a lenovo Z580 with windows 8 and I also have a new hard drive coming. The first thing I tried to do was create factory restore disks so that when the new hard drive gets here I can remove the old hard drive and replace it with the new one and put the pre-installed windows 8 that came with the laptop on it. I can't however find a way to create factory restore disks. Is this still possible and if not what are my options for replacing a hard drive for this laptop and using the same windows install that originally came with it? I would prefer to not have to clone the hard drive because the new hard drive is an SSD so I will want to install windows with AHCI mode on.
Ultimately, I want to do a clean install of windows 8 on the new laptop using the existing pre-installed windows 8 key. I imagine this would be pretty simple if I had windows 8 install discs but I don't have those either as they didn't come with the laptop. what my options are to make this work?
View 9 Replies
View Related
Apr 16, 2014
I am currently using windows7 in a 1 tb harddrive. I have another internal harddrive that im not using that has windows 8 on it but is only 150gb. How do i bring windows 8 to the 1tb harddrive i am using to replace windows 7?
View 6 Replies
View Related
Aug 12, 2014
For some odd reason my laptop decided to not boot into windows anymore; It would be stuck "boot looping" with my MSI laptop logo and a loading sign (rotating circle). I had Kali Linux and Windows 8 installed on the laptop and neither one would work. So I formatted the entire HDD with all 3 partitions, windows partition, even my storage, and kali's partition because the automatic repair wouldn't work as well; it'll be stuck on Preparing automatic repair and wouldn't get past that screen. I have formatted my HDD with my other windows 7 machine by just right clicking -> format.
I have downloaded a torrented version of Win 8 iso (just for the purposes of installation, my laptop came with a Serial # and I have purchased an product key only version as well). I have burned a DVD of win 8 via winISO and changed my boot options to boot from DVD as well.
Now my problem is, when I am prompted to press any key to boot from CD/DVD and I press a key I am redirected to Preparing Automatic Repair and back to square one of my problems. I believe the recovery/backup partition is still on there.
I have tried being in both LEGACY and UIEF. UIEF sends me to Preparing Repair and LEGACY takes me to the windows 8 logo with the rotating circle underneath with nothing after that (not sure if it takes a VERY long time or not)
New laptop MSI ge70
View 1 Replies
View Related
Jan 27, 2013
I have a brand new system with an OEM version of Windows 8 installed (Core not Pro)
ASUS CM 6870
2 TB HD
16 TB RAM
ASUS P8H77-M Pro Motherboard
The new system works well but I have also purchased an OCZ Vector 256GB SSD and intend to install it as my primary hard drive.
ASUS didn't and will not supply a recovery disk.
ASUS provides an activation key for a downloadable version of Acronis True image. I tried that but their version is not compatible with Windows 8. I managed to get a newer version but it didn't recognize that the SSD was installed.
Next, I used Win 8 to make a recovery drive USB drive thinking that I would be able to do a clean install of Win with it. I had the 2TB HD disconnected and the SSD installed but the recovery drive refused to install Win 8. I either got the message "The drive where windows is installed is locked. Unlock and try again." or "The drive is too small to format" (the wording on the last may not be exact)
I was able to "find" a Windows 8 ISO file. I burned it to a DVD and was able to install Win 8 but it was not a UEFI installation. There were only 2 SSD HD partitions: 1. System Reserved - 350 MB NTFS. 2. 238.13 GB NTFS Healthy.
I then deleted these volumes and followed the UEFI installation instructions in the thread:
UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) - Install Windows 8 with
Windows installed but it was not a UEFI installation. I got the same partitions as above. At step 6, I only saw the 2 partitions. I tried this process twice with the same results.
The USB stick was prepared using the instructions in this thread:
UEFI Bootable USB Flash Drive - Create in Windows
I think that the USB drive should have had 4 partitions on it but it only has one:
7.47 GB FAT32 Healthy.
View 2 Replies
View Related
Jul 16, 2014
My Acer Aspire A7600U-UR24 came with windows 8. I made a recovery drive by choosing "create recovery drive" in windows 8. After making the drive i installed windows 8.1 from DVD. Some time later I tried to restore it back to factory with my recovery usb. Every time I try I get "windows cannot find a system image on this computer" even though my flash drive is plugged in. I tried booting from the drive, doesn't seem to work. Not sure if my windows 8.1 version not being activated has anything to do with it (I installed 8.1 on 2 computers from the same dvd didn't realize i couldn't do that) . but I think I should still be able to boot from the drive.
I was thinking if the problem is my flash drive, can I somehow transfer the system image from one flash drive to another?
Here's the screens: at this point there should be an option for windows 8 but there's not.
View 4 Replies
View Related
Jul 18, 2014
I recently upgraded capacity of my hard drive (from 350GB to 500GB). I'm wondering how can I install my windows oem license from my previous hard drive to my new one. My laptop is Compaq Presario CQ58 and OS is Windows 8.
View 9 Replies
View Related
Dec 18, 2013
I tried to reinstall windows on a second hard drive, but it won't accept my product key, assumedly because I am already using it for the current windows installation on the first hard drive.
How do I transfer my license to allow a reinstallation on the second hard drive? That's the best option, so I can go back to the first drive if I want to.
Second option: If I wipe the current windows partition clean, will that enable me to reinstall on the second hard drive?
View 9 Replies
View Related
Jun 18, 2013
I just bought a 1TB hard drive and want to install windows 8 on it (since I'm used to it already) I have the files for windows 8 on my computer ready to be put on the new hard drive, but thing is, how would I do it? would I just use a simple USB stick and plug it in? or would i have to burn the files on a disk?
Amazon.com: WD Blue 1 TB Desktop Hard Drive: 3.5 Inch, 7200 RPM, SATA 6 Gb/s, 64 MB Cache - WD10EZEX: Computers & Accessories.
View 3 Replies
View Related
Jan 9, 2013
I have a Windows 8 DVD(got it from a tech seminar in our college)and a license key from Dreamspark. I ran Upgrade assistant and it showed some compatibility details, beside those apps and sidebar these are my concerns:
1.Secure Boot isn't compatible with your PC
Your PC's firmware doesn't support Secure Boot so you won't be able to use it in Windows 8.
2.Dell Stage
Fingertapps
What really is Secure Boot and is it really necessary after I installed windows 8?
My second concern is that I have unpartitioned hard drive, there's only C drive which has about 60 gb free space out of 581 gb. I'm confused because I used to format my old windows xp PC now and then and it has three drives and during the format process I would choose windows xp to install in C drive and in order to do so I would follow the delete partition process. I knew very less about what I was doing when I used to format it. I just memorized the steps. So i was wondering if during the upgrade process it removes all data from C drive and installs windows 8 in an empty drive like it used to be during XP installation. I'm upgrading win 8 in my Dell inspiron 15 R with genuine win 7. It's a 2 yr old laptop so I guess it has UEFI, not sure though.
View 9 Replies
View Related
Nov 6, 2012
OK, long story short. I did a clean install to Windows 8 Pro 64. Because of the System Reserved partition, it showed both Win 7 and Win 8 available and would prompt to do a dual boot. I cleaned it up by following the instructions on the below link.
Dual Boot - Delete a OS - Windows 7 Forums
It now no longer dual boots, and Windows 8 is fine. The only issue remaining is that my primary drive in drive management still has unallocated space. Disk 0 has 351MB Unallocated space, and 465GB of system boot, page file, etc...
In the instructions, it says to "Right click on the partition that contains the OS you want to delete and Delete Volume. Then right click on the deleted volume and Delete Partition. Now you should have "Freespace" where this partition originally was."
Well, I can't do that. When I right-click on the unallocated space, all I can do is: New Simple Volume, Properties. Everything else is greyed out. I also can't extend the other partition, the "extend" option is also greyed out.
I'm now on Win 8... How to put that 351MB onto the main partition?
View 6 Replies
View Related
Sep 15, 2014
I do this day in and day out with Volume Licensing but never with OEM installs...
A user that works at our company brought their personal laptop in, the hard drive failed hard drive tests so we have put one of our spare hard drives in and now we need to re-install Windows 8 x64.
Where do i get the installation media from if the users doesn't have a disc? Is it possible or do we need to order a disc?
View 7 Replies
View Related
Apr 2, 2013
Can i install windows 7 or 8 to an external hard drive so i can take it to another computer, select it from the boot menu and it will boot up?
View 7 Replies
View Related
Jan 2, 2014
Basically at the moment i am using Windows 7 Home and will be upgrading to Windows 8.1 in about a weeks time. I currently have Windows 7 installed on a 60Gb SSD and i have a secondary 500Gb Seagate Barracuda for other files. What i am wondering is if i clean install Windows 8 onto the SSD only will i still be able to use the 2nd drive in Windows 8? Basically this drive has a fair amount of music / videos etc and i would like to make to make sure i can use these. I would like to do a clean install and not an upgrade btw.
View 3 Replies
View Related
Jul 2, 2014
Reloading windows 8 or 8.1 on a system that the product key is embedded in the Bios.
Scenario only concerning windows 8 or 8.1 any version, also data recover is not a concern: Systems are coming in that are built by a manufacturer (Dell, Toshiba, HP, Compaq, Emachine ect.) the system(s) are out of warranty, They are either in a boot loop, blue screening when loading windows or the hard drive has crashed and isn't loading windows at all. The customers never created recovery disks, nor can we due to windows not loading. We can not get to advanced mode and even if and when we can, creating recovery media is not available.
So let us be clear: We have a system that had windows 8 or 8.1 preinstalled by manufacturer, it was used for multiple months, no recovery media create, now the operating system is not loading, recovery partition corrupt or not accessible, refresh not available, windows product key is embedded in the Bios and is out of warranty.
What we have tried: System with failed hard drive with windows 8 sticker on it. Ran software that extracts product key from BIOS, Inserted an OEM disk for windows 8 and 8.1 when asked to input key, we used the key that was extracted, the installation tells us that the product key is not a OEM key. We do not have a skip button to continue? How in the world can we reload windows 8 or 8.1 on these systems? We have gone through all of the BIOS settings and have tried everything we can think of. If the product key for windows 8 or 8.1 is embedded in the BIOS what do we need to do to make the installation find the key and use it to continue the installation and activate.
From what we are seeing we are not the only one(s) asking this question, the problem is that the reply(s) are: use system refresh, use recovery partition, use recovery media? We understand the reasoning behind having the product key embedded but it shouldn't be this hard to use what the system already has?
View 6 Replies
View Related
Jan 12, 2014
I recently bought a laptop with Windows 8 and have erased the hard drive while trying to install another OS (not a good move, I know). This caused problems and now I'd like to re-install windows 8, except I have no way of doing this without knowing my product key, which I cannot access through my computer now. Is there a way to re-install windows 8 without having to purchase it again?
View 8 Replies
View Related
Jan 23, 2013
I am about to upgrade another PC (about 4 months old) currently running Windows 7 64bit. The PC is set up so that although the PC has the OS and programs on the SSD (C drive), all other data and info is on the 2Tb hard drive. Their is only a single user with no password and the PC was setup (configured) so that the user profile knows to put that user info and data on the 2Tb hard drive.
I want to do a clean install and am happy to clear everything on the C drive (SSD) and the hard drive. When installing Windows 8 from the ISO image on a DVD, how do I create the similar situation that I had for user profile when running Windows 7?
Also is it possible to be able to boot up straight in to the user without having to enter a password, as I can currently do on the Windows 7 boot?
I have just upgraded an older Windows Vista PC to Windows 8 Pro through a clean install and that went perfectly, but only had a single 1Tb hard drive (C drive).
View 1 Replies
View Related
Feb 18, 2013
I purchased a new laptop with windows 8 and used the options in windows 8 to create recovery media and chose the usb drive option. I was wondering if I would be able to copy the files in the usb drive onto my external HD; then if I ever need them I could put them back onto a usb drive and reinstall windows 8. I took a screenshot of the files on the usb drive.
View 5 Replies
View Related
Oct 27, 2013
I purchased a Lenovo laptop with Windows 8 Pro preinstalled. It came with 500 GB HDD. I changed the DVD Rom with SSD/HDD tray to use for additional drive. I put an SSD in there and installed Windows 8 on it using a USB Recovery Drive, which I don't have anymore. So my current setup looks like this:
After upgrading to Windows 8.1, the license of some software I'm using got messed up and I couldn't manage fixing it, so the only option I've got left is to reinstall/reset Windows. But since the Recovery partition is on another drive, when I go about creating a Recovery Drive, the option "Copy the recovery partition from the PC to the recovery drive" is greyed out. I've got stuff on my HDD, which I can't currently backup so I don't wan't to format that drive. I'm perfectly fine with formatting the SSD, that's what I want.
How can I reinstall/reset my Windows? The only option I see is to install Windows on the Hard Drive (by doing a backup and formatting it first), and then create a usb recovery drive and reinstall again on the SSD, but that's a lot of hassle and I'd need to find an external hard drive for the backup.
I intentionally left the Hard Drive in the original bay (as Disk 0) because of the better protection against falling compared to the added bay in place of the DVD drive.
View 4 Replies
View Related
Jan 15, 2013
just upgraded to 8 from XP. I have a recovery drive for XP. Can I reformat this recovery drive so I can use it to install & recover Windows 8 instead if I have a problem in the future?
View 1 Replies
View Related
