I installed Windows on my friends MacBook Air using Bootcamp a few months ago. At that time I made a Windows Image to an external hard drive, not really sure if it was even feasible to restore it. How to do a restore in a situation like this, or if it is possible?
View 3 RepliesI have two desktop PCs, both of which are 5-7 year old Intel Core 2 Duo-based with 2-4GB of RAM.
I performed a clean install of Win 8.1 Pro onto the first partition on a freshly cleaned disk and all went well. Booted up and ran MS Update to get the whole system up to date. Then installed all of my apps. Then I used Acronis TrueImage to create an image backup of the Windows/App partition.
Then rather than going through the entire process on my second PC, I simply partitioned the drive in an identical manner to the first PC then restored the image backup from the other PC onto the second system. Then I rebooted the system and it came up without any issues. I ran MS Update and it downloaded and installed a couple of drivers (GFX, audio, etc) since the second system was slightly different hardware-wise. The only thing I changed on the second system was to give the PC a different name and also change the default user account name, to avoid networking conflicts.
That was a couple of weeks ago. I've been running both systems (seemingly) without any problems. I have two Win 8 licenses, but only used the first. I haven't been nagged or warned about the same licensing key when running essentially the same system on two different machines.
Aside from the obviously licensing issue, are there likely to be any other problems that may crop up?
I did a restore of an image backup of Windows 8.1 and now I cannot open web links or from short cuts of a web page. How do I reconnect..
View 5 Replies View RelatedMy old Sony Vaio broke the other day, so I've just got a new laptop. The Vaio was Vista, but now I'm on Windows 8.
I'd been backing up my Vaio to an external harddrive, but all I ever did was run the backup and let it get on with it. So for example, within the external harddrive now it just has a list of the dates I ran a backup, followed by 'Backup files 1', 'Backup files 2' etc. I'm hoping these include some of the documents/files I had on there, but I can't be sure. What exactly will have been backed up here?
I've been trying now to restore these files on my new laptop, but I can't seem to find a way. Is it possible?
Using the built in Windows 8 function. Using a User Profile tool and experimenting with copying profile settings, I managed to corrupt my Windows 8.1 install. I thought, no, problem, I'd made images of the system partition and I would restore one of those.
Upon attempting to copy one of those image files back to the system partition, I found my machine unbootable.
I used Aomei Partition Assistant to create the image and to copy it back. Aomei though requires that the destination partition be deleted before it will copy and I think that's the root of the problem. I suspect that Aomei destroys the hidden UEFI partitions in the process which renders the machine unbootable. I did check with Diskpart and could see that I no longer had four partitions after the above which does indicate that Aomei did trash one of the other partitions.
I have now used my bootable install media to make a new windows 8 instal on the machine. I can see with Diskpart that the machine again has the four UEFI partitions.
So, now I'm ready to try again to copy my backup system partition to the new system partition. I had put in lots of work updating to 8.1, installing software, and customizing settings, etc. so I'd rather not reinstall everything again!
The question is how to do this without messing it up again. By the way, windows own "restore from image" function will not allow me to select my Aomei created drive image.
My thought right now is to find a different partition copy tool which will allow me to OVERWRITE the new system partition on the machine (as said Aomei Partition Assistant does not allow this). The old version of Norton Ghost would do that, but my only copy is floppy based and this new MOBO doesn't even have a floppy connector.
I do want to maintain the setup as UEFI and I'm wondering whether there's anything else I need to know about UEFI installs that would suggest another approach.If indeed I can solve this by overwriting the partition (instead of deleting and creating a new one), any recommendation for a bootable tool (USB or CD) ....
I bought a sumsung Ativ smart pc about a year ago, recently had to take it in for repairs (still under warranty), before taking it in I used the "windows 7 recovery" system (despite being in windows 8) to create a system image, I then reset my computer to factory settings
Have the image on a USB drive, just got the computer back, however I cannot restore my computer. Not sure why but whenever I select the restore option it wont let me pick a local folder or usb drive as the location of the backup image, it seems to be looking exclusively for networked drives/machines
I've read I may need a restore cd to get this working, however my tablet only has 1 usb drive and no disk drive, what should I do?
0xc000000e at restoring backup image at mbr.
I backuped windows 8.1 x64 of MBR with 'Terabyte image for windows', and restored this backup image on gpt hard disk drive.
At booting screen, I got this error message. 0xc000000e
I'm trying to get my existing installation of windows to boot as an external hard drive. I had it installed on an internal drive, then removed the hard drive and put it in an external enclosure. Then trying to boot off the drive results in windows loading the recovery screen and giving me a bunch of options. The only thing I can do is restart the computer with all the other options (refresh, reinstall) saying that the drive is locked. Putting the drive back into the computer will allow me to boot normally from it, but I want to be able to boot from it via USB 3.
What can I do to either create a fresh install of windows on this drive that can be booted by usb or migrate/modify my existing installation to work.
I'm trying to install windows 8.1 to an external hard disk (solid state drive 128 gb usb3).
I've tried easyUFEY WinToUS creator and AOMEI Partition Assistant Standard(Windows to go) with no luck.
My bios has UEFI option only(no legacy). On my old laptop it works just fine(I had the legacy option) but now, I cannot do that anymore.
I'm pretty sure it's a bios boot issue and I don't know how to fix it. I've tried using GPT partition instead MBR, Still nothing.
The laptop is a sony vaio duo 13 and I have no legacy option in bios
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 RelatedSo I'm creating a Windows 8 image with custom software installed, but now i'm stuck on the next steps, I've captured the image but the below link send me in a bit of confusion on the next steps! With win 7 in the past I used to be able to just capture the image and replace the original boot.wim file. Windows 8 doesn't seem to want to let me me do that. it will boot to install but a licence key field appears and doesn't like any licence I use (VLK by the way) What steps should I try and follow next?
View 3 Replies View RelatedI set up Windows 8 Consumer the way I like it -- had to create a custom inf for the screen of my Dell Mini 10 among other things.
I then created a system image on another computer on my network.
Next I wiped and reformatted the disk in the Mini.
But now, when I try to restore from the system image on the network, Windows 8 can't see or recognize the backup. I can browse to the location on my network perfectly well, but no matter what folder I browse to, from the drive letter of the backup drive to the folder named "Backup 2012-03-14 015251," I keep getting a message that there is no image there.
I have been doing so research lately into system imaging and deploying said image across multiple devices.
I want to image Surface Pro 3s (about 40 of them) with several dozen apps from the app store. My understanding is that if I want to use an image across multiple devices I have to use sysprep to generalize the image. The problem is any app off the app store is account specific and cannot be generalize. If you try to sysprep with apps installed you will get a Fetal Error, and you cant install apps from the store while in audit mode either.
Are there any options available to me, or will this have to be done manually?
I have two laptops, both Samsung, one mine and one my sisters. My one is Windows 8 and her one is a slightly older model so Windows 7. Now both are are very similar in spec, being 4GB and Intel Pentium 2.3GHz models. She recently asked me if i could sort out her laptop with Windows 8, so I said yep should be no problem.
I went and bought a Windows 8 Pro 64bit and was at first going to just do a plain install. But then had a bright idea and thought why not do an image of mine and recover it to hers, and then when started up just enter the key of the new one. that way she gets a full original Samsung install along with all the apps and everything.
At first I tried the samsung built in Recovery software but had no luck as it was just a complete nightmare. Not booting the USB I put it on for the first few times, then eventually after changing the BIOS setting to UEFI and formatting her Disk to GPT it started but then said no image found. In end I tried the old way by using the Windows built in File Recovery Image tool which made me a repair disc and 3 discs for the image itself.
This booted first go and went all way through the recovery, and then did the usual "restarting in X seconds ..." But after it rebooted to my horror the Samsung Logo screen appears and then after that it just stays blank.
It does every few seconds momentarily flicker on the screen but then just goes bank again. I cant even get into the BIOS anymore or boot from anything.
I want to reformat the hard drive in Windows 8 - Factory Image - in an HP Notebook computer.
HP sent me 3 disks.
So I'm using linux on my hp laptop where was previously windows 8. I have made backup of Windows 8 with HP recovery manager on a dvd and completely formated hdd. Now I want to install windows 8 but only on external hdd. I have tried using official windows 8 iso but it says that my key cannot be used to install retail version of Windows 8.
View 2 Replies View RelatedI bought a toshiba satellite with a preinstalled win 8.1. I formatted all that partitioned caos and installed my beloved well known Win 7. Now I have installed win 8.1 again via recovery discs, in order to have a dual boot. Is there a way to install the last image that I created of C:/Win 7 in a new partition? When I try to install it the only chance that seems to be is that of replacing C:/win 8.1. Software, change of Drive letters (how?).
View 5 Replies View RelatedI am sure I have recovery images. Factory, and refresh. Asus shipped no recovery media. I obtained a copy of windows 8. I found out what my product key is. I have attempted every which way i can think of to get my system to recognize my recovery images exist. If i try to use "reset your pc" option it tells me unable to reset your pc. A required drive partition is missing.
If i choose system image recovery, hit cancel because it thinks the partition that definitely exists, doesn't, choose select a system image. Gives me a blank list. Choose Advanced...install a driver (you don't need to install sata driver as it recognizes my hard drive and Is listing it to choose a driver from should need be) i get an error installation had failed.
Internal error occurred (0x8007054F). No matter which driver IM trying to install. Usb, sata, dvd etc... So can't get my system image from my 32 gig stick, or my hdd.Image won't fit on dvd's. Worried i won't be able to do a clean install, as Asus's backups seem do reliable in mysituation(sarcasm) that i will lose all functionality like DVD playback, smart gesture touchpad, and some driver related setbacks.
I have checked and rechecked, and i have three system images to choose from. Total of six partitions.
Ive used pirated bootables with preinstalled product keys in the past but am now on the straight and narrow, wanting to add my product key to my legitimate copy of windows 8. This way I wont have to worry about having it written down, losing it or entering it incorrectly, since it will be automatically entered for me. How I can add the product key to my bootable image?
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 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 ?
Some time ago Installed Windows 7 on one of my Windows 8 computers. But during the install i had to delete all partitions and that was the recovery partition that had he recovery software on it. Well now I want to go back to Windows 8 and I don't really want to send my PC to Samsung for re imaging. But I have the image i made with the software before I installed Windows 8. All I need is to get the recover partition back with the software on it. I have 2 other Samsung computers that have the same software on it but I need to find a way to make a image of the recover partition so i can use my backup image for the computer.
View 2 Replies View RelatedI 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?
I had a windows 7 laptop which finally died but before it did a made a system image backup to my external hard drive so I have all the files. How do I load that onto my new windows 8.1 laptop so I have all my files there?
View 4 Replies View RelatedI created restore disks for my new laptop. It gave me the option of using a USB drive, but I chose the option to create DVD disks instead. This went fine up until disk 6. I was able to finish, but the system has a problem reading the 6th disk. I cannot recreate the disks because HP, for some reason, made it so you can only do this once. I want to recreate the image on an external USB drive. Is there any way around this? HP will sell me a recovery set, but apparently only on disks.
View 3 Replies View RelatedI got two laptops today, one with Windows 7 and the other with Windows 8, both 64-bit machines.
I don't have a windows 8 dvd around and I don't have the internet to download a windows 8 .iso image.
All I have is a USB stick. I'm not sure how creating a system image works but from the last article I read, both computers must have equal disk size or larger and the destination disk of the laptop for the process is a tad smaller than the source partition.
How to Backup Windows 8.1 ? I can not find the option to repair disc and system image .
View 9 Replies View RelatedRecently i upgraded my system to windows 8..N after clean install i backed up the copy of my C drive (Includes System Image) to my external 2TB Hard Drive.. It took around 250GB of hard drive space..Now since i am running out of space i decided to delete the back up copy from My hard drive.. I deleted WindowsImageBackup and all associated files using control panel..But around 150GB space is missing(not visible) from my external Hard Drive..
As You can see from attached pic that 125 GB free out of 1.81TB..But size of all files including hidden files is 1.53TB..
Win 8.1 ProThe system allows system image backup done on either external hard drive ( which I do every week ), or on DVDs. Why it does not allow USB flash drive ? I tried to use a 32 GB flash and it refuses to do backup on it.
View 11 Replies View RelatedIssue: I need to boot camp Windows 8.1 onto my Macbook for school software.
Details:
A) I purchased the downloadable version of Windows. [URL] ....
Note how they do identify it as a full version, although they say that Windows XP and Vista can not access it.
B) I now have the .exe file for downloading Windows and the product key. Macs can't use .exe files.
C) The most straightforward course of action is to transfer the .exe file to a USB, complete the download as an .iso, and bring it back to the mac to bootcamp with the .iso. Unfortunately, I don't have access to ANYONE nearby with Windows 7 or up.
My family whom I live with use macs. My brother's coworkers in a software firm ALL use macs.
The PCs at my college and at the library don't grant me administrator privileges, so I can't do it there.
What do I do? Are there any workarounds or viable alternatives? I've experimented with Wine and VMware a bit, as well as using this shoddy little laptop with windows XP, but nothing seems to have worked out.