33 replies to this topic

[stanmarsh14]

Got a similar issue of sorts, but involves windows v8.1 on a Toshiba that a neighbour has asked me to sort.

Needs a factory reset, tried to go through the normal steps, looks like the HD has been totally wiped and can not even get Hirens Boot CD to work on it, so I am a bit stuffed on this.

Also I have a hunch UFEI is enabled too, which makes the job all the more harder

Oh, I can order recovery media for it, but Tosh wants £40 for it LMAO.

[stardust]

Oh, I can order recovery media for it, but Tosh wants £40 for it LMAO.

 

I had a similar experience when my HP Touchscreen decided it needed to be formatted...

 

Apparently, without me knowing, I had removed the recovery drive, because it was formatted on a GPT partition, and when I had formatted it into NTFS and lost the UEFI boot - the recovery had gone too!

 

To make it genuine (as indeed I had only just brought it)... I sent off to HP and it cost £36 for the original recovery to be delivered, which it was within 3 days, on a Microsoft flash drive.

 

Dear mistake - definitely - but at least now I have a genuine, full recovery, should I wwish to remove Windows 10 and recover it back to Windows 8.1 (although I would sooner rub my fingers up and down on a cheese-grater! )

[Magz]

You could, of course, just install Windows 8.1 from a standard install disk/key. The issue is that a lot of Win8.x boxes have their license key encoded onto the system so you can't get the key to license it. The manufacturer installed recovery / install media is able to access the key from the board.

 

All is not lost however. If you download RW (portable) from:

 

http://rweverything.com/download/

 

You can then go to ACPI Tables and then MSDM and the key is displayed there.

 

You then enter that in activation and you're all set.

 

Of course you'd still have to add all the drivers and other bits but it saves spending out on the disk from the manufacturer.

 

You'd not have the recovery partition, but you could (and I often do) simply use Redo Backup to make an image of the drive once it's ready and then just restore that image if you needed to wipe the box for any reason (or revert a Win10 update).

[stardust]

You could, of course, just install Windows 8.1 from a standard install disk/key. The issue is that a lot of Win8.x boxes have their license key encoded onto the system so you can't get the key to license it. The manufacturer installed recovery / install media is able to access the key from the board.

 

All is not lost however. If you download RW (portable) from:

 

http://rweverything.com/download/

 

You can then go to ACPI Tables and then MSDM and the key is displayed there.

 

You then enter that in activation and you're all set.

 

Of course you'd still have to add all the drivers and other bits but it saves spending out on the disk from the manufacturer.

 

You'd not have the recovery partition, but you could (and I often do) simply use Redo Backup to make an image of the drive once it's ready and then just restore that image if you needed to wipe the box for any reason (or revert a Win10 update).

 

…too bloody late now! lol

[stanmarsh14]

You could, of course, just install Windows 8.1 from a standard install disk/key. The issue is that a lot of Win8.x boxes have their license key encoded onto the system so you can't get the key to license it. The manufacturer installed recovery / install media is able to access the key from the board.

 

All is not lost however. If you download RW (portable) from:

 

http://rweverything.com/download/

 

You can then go to ACPI Tables and then MSDM and the key is displayed there.

 

You then enter that in activation and you're all set.

 

Of course you'd still have to add all the drivers and other bits but it saves spending out on the disk from the manufacturer.

 

You'd not have the recovery partition, but you could (and I often do) simply use Redo Backup to make an image of the drive once it's ready and then just restore that image if you needed to wipe the box for any reason (or revert a Win10 update).

 

Many thanks for that bud...... think I am at the point of either somehow using something portable that will work with UEFI so I can see this dam hidden partition so I can nab the ISO off it and from that do a re-install, or at the very least have something that can give me the installed CD key, so I can use it to run a re-install using an ISO I can get from MS themselves.

[Magz]

Belarc advisor will give you the currently installed key if you need to find it.

[stanmarsh14]

Belarc advisor will give you the currently installed key if you need to find it.

 

It will for sure..... if you can get the OS to boot in the first place mind.

[No1Stoney]

Can you run a .bat fie? I have a BAT file which reveals installed windows 10 key

[No1Stoney]

Actually scrap that, its a VBScript.

[Magz]

 

It will for sure..... if you can get the OS to boot in the first place mind.

If you have another system that you can mount the drive into you could use JellyBean to scan it:

 

https://www.magicalj....com/keyfinder/

[stanmarsh14]

If you have another system that you can mount the drive into you could use JellyBean to scan it:

 

https://www.magicalj....com/keyfinder/

 

Now I have a PSU sorted (Managed to find my multi-tap one), be able to see what is what.

Problem is, that it's got UEFI enabled, and taking that off in the BIOS, just shows a blank drive.

However, one idea I am considering, is a Linux Live Disk that is compatible with UEFI, hope it shows the recovery partition, go grab the recovery ISO that should be there, and do a complete re-install from that.

I was hoping to do something like this using Hirens Boot CD, but this bag of nails will not play ball..... just waiting to hear back from my IT mate in Queensland to give me a few ideas how I can get at this recovery partition.

[stanmarsh14]

*** Update ***

Managed to boot it with a copy of Arch Linux (It allows full booting in UEFI mode, in either Live CD or full install mode), which unfortunately shows me that all the file tables etc are gone, as in like the drive has been wiped..... BOLLOCKS!

 

Resorting to an old data recovery trick I have used in cases like this before (It don't write to the drive, which is important), and fingers crossed I can grab the recovery ISO from the rescue partition that way.... Failing that, will be time to hand over £40 to Toshiba..... fortunate that the lappy is not mine, but still not good news.

Edited by stanmarsh14, 01 October 2015 - 11:09 PM.

[Magz]

To go back to the original issue, this chap has created an "app" that gets rid of the update for you.

http://blog.ultimate...tly-remove.html

 

Worth a look as MS are now pushing the Win10 upgrade along with normal updates...

[nails]

basically i went through the upgrade procedure, clicked yes to install - then it installed and corrupted. when i salvaged the install, it reported it was imminently upgrading.

 

the solution was to remove said updates, delete the win10 directory THEN continue with the upgrade. win10 dir has gone so the upgrade fails.

 

now remove and hide the updates and windows only shows the free upgrade as an option you can hide. job done

 

 

 

thanks for all input and replies!