I have a USB HDD for my laptop (About 1TB). If worse comes to worse, is it possible to restore from System Image that I create on that USB HDD, or does it have to be a USB flash drive?
View 8 RepliesI'm mostly a Linux user, but I recently bought a laptop with Windows 8 on it. After a few days dual booting I decided it wasn't for me, so I decided to delete the windows partitions and usa just Linux. I would like, however, to keep the recovery partition, so to be able to easily reinstall Windows again if I felt like I needed to, but I'm not sure what partitions should I keep. Here's a picture of my hard drive partitions as of now:
Do I need more than the restore partition? Can I get rid of the boot one? What about the recovery one? And the one flagged msftres?
Final steps in my recovery process. I'm running a Windows 8 recovery disc off of a USB, and I'm trying to restore, refresh, reset, anything at this point.
But I go into all the troubleshooting options and advanced options and it doesn't allow me to "choose a target operating system" as nothing appears such as my Windows 8.
I'm on an Asus laptop, I've backed-up my files to an external hdd, so at this point I just want to get my laptop running again.This all started with the "automatic repair loop" to which I've used EasyRE to purchase a recovery disc, backed up my files, and now I'm at this point where I can't finalize the process.
Also how should I be booting from a USB properly?I hold F2 on start up, switch to "Boot" and set "Launch CSM" to Enabled. Then switch to "Security" and set "Secure Boot Control" to Disabled. Then restart and hold Esc for the Boot menu and boot from the USB.
I'm willing to do whatever to simply reset my laptop. Tried everything that I've found, text in that black command box (I'm really not too flash with computers) like the chkdsk and it all came out fine. It's just when I go to try to recover/restore/reset ANYTHING when I've booted from the USB it tells me there isn't an operating system to do so from.
I have recently Dual Booted my Computer with Win 7, XP and Windows 8.1.
I now cannot boot into Windows 8.1
I installed Easy BCD and was able to make a bootloader but i can only boot into Win 7 and XP
I have dual booted my lappy with win7 ultimate and Windows 8 pro using vhd.i have installed windows8 on vhd,but due to that i can't use the fast start and system rating in Windows 8.so i want to restore my Windows 8 vhd to my hardisk. I have 4 partitions on my hardisk i can use any one of them to recover win 8.
View 3 Replies View RelatedHere is my situation:
-I have now installed and using two sata hard drive (Drive C "500GB" for OS and other programs and Drive D "1TB" for Games and other Documents)
-I also have SYSTEM IMAGE created before and saved it on my external hard drive.
Now I want to RESTORE that SYSTEM IMAGE saved on my external hard drive to the Drive C "500GB"
My asking is HOW TO DO IT CORRECTLY:
>Should I disconnect/unplug the SATA Cable for the Drive D 1TB before I proceed with the system image restore?
(By the way I have no problem with the procedures on how to do the system image restore)
>OR is there a RISK if I just continue with the system image restore with both SATA CABLES for both HDD not removed?
I would like to reinstall Win 8 on my ASRock UEFI motherboard in the UEFI mode. I have Win 7 OEM and the downloaded Win 8 Pro upgrade. I have the Win 8 Pro upgrade burned to an ISO disc. I also have the hard drive backed up to Acronis 2013 and have an Acronis WinPE rescue disc to boot with to restore.
Several questions.
(1) If I convert to UEFI and format the drive to GPT, will Acronis restore to the GPT (from MBR)?
(2) If Acronis won't restore, will converting to UEFI/GPT affect installing or activating the Win 7 OEM and/or the Win 8 Pro upgrade (I assume I'll have to install Win 7 and then upgrade to Win 8).
(3) Will a UEFI system read other hard drives that are MBR formatted?
Is it possible to create restore discs that return the PC back to factory state (just out of box, never turned on)?
View 6 Replies View Relatedthe hard disk of a Samsung Ultra 5 crashed. I have got a new hard disk. How do i restore windows 8 and Samsung drivers to the new hard disk? My friend has an exact notebook. How do i copy the recovery partition from his pc and use it on mine?
View 9 Replies View RelatedI have 10 computers with identical hardware that all have their own oem license. What I want is to have the same setup on all 10 computers. What I remember from previous Windows versions is that you had to activate Windows individually with its own oem key for every computer you restored with a preferred disk image. From what I read the product key procedure is a bit different in Windows 8 and that the key is stored in the bios? The activation should also be handled automatically by Windows, is that correct?
So what I really wonder is: Do I still have to activate every restored pc manually or will Windos 8 do this for me?
A second related question: Are there any imaging/cloning software that can be set up to promt me for a new computer name in the restore process?
Although I have been able to make a full disk image using the built in "system image" option, I can not find any way to restore it. The recovery options only point to system restore and refresh PC. I'm navigating to <control panel> and then <file history> to access the recovery options. I can not find any restore from system image option anywhere.
Am I missing something, or is it deliberately missing in the Enterprise editions ? If so is there any way I can restore the backup image ?
I used to use Windows Easy Transfer to backup my settings and files before reinstalling/reimaging...etc - now that doesn't exist, and File History really doesn't cut it when it comes to apps and settings.
A system image really won't work either, as I need to reinstall windows 8.1 on a new system with different partitioning...etc.
Are there any Windows 8.1 native tools that will do it? If not, are there any freeware apps that perform the equivalent?
I have checked out Paragon Backup and Recovery (more all-or-nothing) and D7 (freeware version doesn't have automated restore - but it does create registry dumps...hmmm) but neither seems to work as simply/well as WET used to.
I have tried just saving the User profile folder, but unfortunately, that doesn't save anything that's in the registry (outlook profiles, app settings...etc).
my OS is Windows 8.1 64-bit. It boots just fine, but I suddenly found out that something wrong happened with my BCD store. Tried more workarounds but none worked. The last I found How To Restore Windows 8 Boot Options Menu ended on bcdedit error mentioned below. The problem indicates with following signs:
- bcdedit /enum prints error "The boot configuration data store could not be opened."
- bcdboot C:windows prints error "BFSVC Error: BcdOpenSystemStore failed with unexpected error code, Status
= [c000015c]"
- msconfig's boot tab shows empty OSes list (nothing on the tab is clickablle)
- the same with System Properties, Advanced tab, Startup and Restore dialog (OS dropdown has no entries)
- Trying to enter diagnostic boot by Shft + Restart doesnot seem to offer full recovery menu. It boots to GUI boot menu offering Continue or Troubleshooting, Troubleshooting submenu offers Manage UEFI options (this brings me to BIOS setup after reboot) and Shut down. No manage boot options, no other choices.
All of this point me to that my booting configuration is somehow ill (I wonder a bit that Windows still can start).
I am selling my Acer acer m5-481pt-6644 and want to do a factory image restore so the buyer can set it up for themselves.
I have done plenty of image restores on Win 7, but always gone all the way through.
Can I turn the laptop off at some point before I fully set it up, so the buyer will get to set it up for themselves?
My computer has been running fairly slow lately, and I want to do a full system restore. I've done this on my old Windows 7 computer with no problems, but I can't seem to do it with Windows 8.1.
My laptop didn't come with an installation disk, Windows 8 was already installed when I got it. And I can't seem to make a recover partition drive.
I bought a Windows 8 laptop, ASUS Q500A, and reformatted it with Windows 7.
I went into the BIOS and used "Restore Defaults" and now all Boot Option Priorities are deleted.
Each time I boot the laptop, it automatically goes to BIOS (or UEFI).
I tried inserting the Windows 7 disc so I can access Startup Repair or Command Prompt but it freezes before it could get anywhere even when I tried it with an external CD/DVD drive.
I cannot get the laptop to boot to the hard drive or CD drive at all,
how I can reset the boot option priorities so it will be boot to the hard drive again.
I have Dell XPS 8300 and made a set of dvds when I got the machine. I don't remember if I made them before or after a Dell tech deleted my recovery partition.I have since made a Win 8 dvd from the downloaded iso file and using the library, moved to Win 8.1.
I am asking if there is a way I can restore or obtain the recovery partition.I have the original Win 7 cd, the 2 dvds I made when I got the pc and the Win 8 dvd I created.If the recovery partition is not in the Win 7 dvds(as I said above) is there any way to get that partition back?
When I moved from Win 7 to 8 with the disc I did not see any opportunity to create this recovery disc. I thought if I selected 'custom' after 0 unallocated space, then 'drive options adv', 'new' and 'apply' it would be automatically created.I never saw anything like that so just 'next it' to Win 8.
P.S. I have a Dell Laptop which is similar to the desktop and it has the recovery partition.
Factory reset on windows 8.
My son decided to reset his windows 8 laptop to original factory settings, during the reset process his mom decided it was taking to long and turned off the laptop.
Now when its turned on it shows the message "restoring your computer", this message will then change to "diagnosing your computer", the screen will then go blank and it start all over again.
I can boot it from a USB drive, but when I click on "repair" i get an error message that it cant repair the computer. When i try to run restore from the USB I get a similar message.
is there anyway to run the system restore from the DOS prompt?
I was installing Windows 8 at my desktop pc.Suddenly power cut occured and it caused the compute to shut down.Then when I restarted my pc again a messege appeared saying that the installation has been corrupted and it can't be continued and it doesn't log on.After that when I tried to re-install Windows 8 the setup got stuck at the "setup is starting" window.I waited overnight for it to go and the installation to start.But it doesn't happen.I have tried to re-install several times but the same problen happens again and again.So neither I can log into my computer now nor I can re-install windows.I don't know what to do.
View 9 Replies View RelatedI am using Windows 8.1x64 in UEFI mode. My motherboard is Gigabyte H77M-D3H. My hard disk is configured to use AHCI. A few days back I needed to use system restore from my repair disk because of a system crash. To my horror when I selected System Restore from my Windows repair disk it showed-:
"To use System Restore, you must specify which Windows Installation to restore. Restart this computer select an operating system, and then select system restore."
Now I don't have multiple Windows installations but I do have Debian Linux x64 dual booted with Windows 8.1. the Debian Linux also boots in UEFI mode. Is this problem caused by the fact that I am dual booting ? Has Linux dual booted, check if you can system restore from the windows repair disk.
I can perform a system restore from the inside of the OS fine. But I need it working from the outside also. What I have tried is running diskpart from the repair disk and selecting my partition on which Windows is installed and then running system restore but this had no effect. Can I boot up windows and then select to boot from my CD ? Like, before Windows completes booting I can have the repair disk boot up or something. Could it be that I am booting my CD in legacy rather than UEFI ?
PS-: My Windows 8 was upgraded from an installation of Windows 7. But I have already deleted the Windows.old folder in C drive.
Running Windows 8 on an Inspiron 15 and the hard drive crashed (cannot boot). Of course, I did not make backup Recovery DVDs, and I am beyond the warranty period so cannot get them from Dell. However, I was able to boot the system running Linux, create a RAW image file of the OS partition, and then was able to recover my data files. Which made me wonder--are there files in separate partitions that could be recovered to create a recovery/restore disk? My goal is to replace the hard drive and reinstall Windows 8 on the new drive (assuming that the product key, which I do not have, will reactivate automatically.)
I haven't seen anything in the forums about this approach to generating reinstall disks.
My alternative, since I have been able to recover my user files, is to purchase a new laptop.
Automatic Restore Points is not working in System Restore. Task Scheduler is empty during last 30 days.
View 9 Replies View RelatedI have a Lenovo G585 laptop that I installed with Linux (tried dual boot) and accidentally wiped out the Windows 8.1 restore partition. Now I want to restore it to Windows. I also have a Dell desktop Windows 8.1 that I can use to to create a USB restore image, can I use a restore image from a desktop to fix a laptop?
View 2 Replies View RelatedHere: [URL] .....
Somewhere in that link it says:
During POST enter "BIOS Boot Selector Menu" by pressing F7.
Intel says: <F7> No uefi setup option in boot selection
Others say: <F8> No uefi setup option in boot selection
I say: <F12> No uefi setup option in boot selection
Lenovo Z580, my brand new laptop that is, its UEFI based and vymrdal's ISO from MSDN is also created to be installed as an UEFI Install.
Here's my issue; I am a math and science teacher in a public middle school and am outfitting my class with thirty brand-new Lenovo touch computers. I consider myself above-average savvy with computers, having worked with every version of Windows extensively since the late 80s and DOS. The only OS that I haven't spent much time on is Windows 8.
These computers are all brand-new and of course have legal copies of Windows 8 -- irritatingly, though not yet updated to 8.1. Soo...It took me a larger part of one day just to get ONE of these computers ready for class use. It involved several stages of the Windows update/reboot dance, followed by removing myriad unneeded bloatware applications, setting up multiple child accounts on the machine, and finally installing some freeware educational materials needed for instruction. It was all unbelievably tedious!
I turned around and look at all the remaining twenty-nine computers with dread. Obviously I'm trying to work out some kind of shortcut to avoid having to spend my whole summer updating each of the new machines individually. In an ideal world, I would make some sort of image of the machine that I just spent several hours updating/configuring, and then replicate that across the other twenty-nine. In terms of hardware, this shouldn't be a problem since all of the machines are exactly the same make and model. But I anticipate other problems such as, for example, the serial number of the Windows version and the computer name will then be the same on all the machines and have to be adjusted. There very well could be other issues with replicated serial numbers, etc.
I'm thinking maybe I just have to bite the bullet and work at each individual computer one of the time. And then image them individually so that when the kids mess around with them, I can do an easy restore. How I could make this work?
When I run setup I get this message:
"Something happened, We can't tell if your PC is ready to continue installing windows 8. Try restarting setup"
What can I do?
I have a Dell Inspiron 7720. I have created an uefi bootable usn flash disk with rufus 1.4b
I'm trying to boot from it so i can create a Windows 8.1 uefi installation and the problem is that the usb flash disk wont boot.
I have secure boot enabled and legacy option rom disabled.
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 RelatedI get as far as " a driver is needed to continue installation" not found, make sure its on the right media. Here is what i got done on my own..
1- BIOS setting "legacy" and U E F I" boot from USB.
2- F 9 to choose boot order.. selected USB device
3- Installation starts for WIN 7
4- Driver is needed to continue, and i have no clue what it is..some one pointed me to . f 6 f l p y-x 64 because its an HP Envy...
5- Driver not found / wrong driver..
6- Shut down restart.......................
My DVD is Windows 7 ultimate X 32, X 64..
No matter what i cant boot form my USB /U E Fl /WIN 7 pen drive.seems like its not recognized or drivers for the USB chip set not installed.. Of course using the O E M DVD of win 7 fails. because of the G P T style.
I am trying to upgrade from windows 8 pro to windows 8.1 on a samsung laptop. The download completes and installation starts.
After a while the following message appears "you cant install windows on a usb flash drive with setup"
I am not actually trying to install to a flash drive. I contacted Microsoft and after 5 hours they said that I should connect to the internet with a cable and not by wireless in order to solve the problem (this didn't work of course and I had told them that it was an install problem and not a download problem).
Until very recently i was running Windows 8 with a 240 GB Sandisk SSD as a primary and a 2 TB Western Digital Green HDD as a storage. I decided to set up a RAID 1 setup so i purchased a second 2 TB HDD and installed it.
My intent was to run windows 8 off the 240 SSD as a primary and have a RAID 1 setup for my 2TB HDDs.
I learnt that my data configuration was set to AHCI. I decided to do a complete clean install and change the sata configuration in BIOS to RAID.
After successfully creating a RAID volume using my 2TB HDDs i proceeded to install Windows off my primary. I am however having difficulties in that it will not allow me to install windows on either drive.