windows 8 disk image restore

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Gilco2

1556 posts

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#133549 26-Oct-2013 09:14

Well obviously I am doing something wrong as with 4 computer with windows 8 none of the disk image created works.
Not a major problem as the windows 7 image s work so can reimage then upgrade to Windows 8. Just a pain doing that then going through activation again.

With each one I used Windows 7 File recovery from Windows 8 control panel. Created disk image and then the rescue dvd. The image saved to external hard drive.

Start computer with the recovery disk choose troubleshoot advanced and system image recovery.

Thats where the problem is. It cant find the recovery with any of the computers I backed up. If I copy a Windows 7 image backup to the drive it finds that alright.

HTPC Intel Pentium G3258 cpu, Gigabyte H97n-wifi motherboard, , 8GB DDR3 ram, onboard graphics. Hauppuage HVR 5500 tuner, Silverstone LC16M case, Windows 10 pro 64 bit using Nextpvr and Kodi

sidefx

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#922082 26-Oct-2013 15:12

I've done 2 of these in the last week or so. Both seemed to go relatively smoothly, though in neither case was I using a USB harddrive for the backup. My HTPC I had to restore from a network image - no issues there. I also had to restore my desktop from an image on the secondary harddrive. Also went smoothly, although annoyingly it won't let you use a Windows 8 repair disc for restoring an 8.1 image. The full windows 8.1 DVD (from ISO) worked fine though.

I do seem to remember having issues with an external harddrive in the past though - I think I ended up just plugging it into a second computer, sharing it from there, then using the network option on the target machine.

"I was born not knowing and have had only a little time to change that here and there." | Octopus Energy | Sharesies
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Gilco2

1556 posts

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#922084 26-Oct-2013 15:24

Have tried on external copying on external drive and also on unused drive in the computer apart from the image and no go.

So I restored the Windows 7 image and upgraded to Windows 8 Pro. When I bought this version the key wouldnt work said it was already in use. After a while got a new key from Microsoft and installed.
Now I have reinstalled and upgraded to 8 pro the 2nd Key Microsoft gave me wont work just gives red message this key doesnt work. Doesnt even get to checking key. So I tried the original key that I bought and this time it worked.

So now I wont use Windows 7 file recovery but will get paragon backup or Acronis and use that instead

HTPC Intel Pentium G3258 cpu, Gigabyte H97n-wifi motherboard, , 8GB DDR3 ram, onboard graphics. Hauppuage HVR 5500 tuner, Silverstone LC16M case, Windows 10 pro 64 bit using Nextpvr and Kodi

Gilco2

1556 posts

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#922251 26-Oct-2013 22:08

well this is a real headache. Can see why some pirate it would be easier.
As above the backup is not visible to the Windows 8 rescue dvd created when creating the windows 8 image using windows 7 file recovery.

So restore using windows 7 image then upgrade that to Windows 8. Windows activated. Use the media center product key to obtain media center all good.

ahm NO. It now says windows not activated. Okay I re enter original key no go. Okay I have 1 key for Windows 8 and 1 for media center never used. It wont accept those either.

Now the EXTREMELY weird part. On the pc settings where it says not activated it shows the last digits of the current activation key. Well the one shown definitely was not entered and I got the papers out and it is for my laptop in the lounge. How the heck is it saying thats the current for the one in bedroom that I definitely didnt enter and no I didnt restore wrong image as the windows 7 backup image was on a spare hard drive in the computer.

Got me stumped.

I really liked Windows but this has me pulling what little hair I have left out and now seriously going to have to consider switching to Linus if I can get media player and tv tuner working on it and the remote to switch on and off. Thats where I really like Windows for ease of setup

HTPC Intel Pentium G3258 cpu, Gigabyte H97n-wifi motherboard, , 8GB DDR3 ram, onboard graphics. Hauppuage HVR 5500 tuner, Silverstone LC16M case, Windows 10 pro 64 bit using Nextpvr and Kodi

sidefx

3711 posts

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#922255 26-Oct-2013 22:26

Sounds odd that it's the wrong key.

Reactivating is very painless though - my desktop just did that too because I just upgraded the Mobo and CPU. Ring the 0800 number, if it goes through the automated process and says the key has reached it's limit, press 1 to speak to someone and they will walk you through the reactivation. I guess in your case you might need to put in the key that you think it should be though.

I also found some driver issues after the mobo upgrade. Initially I started on the process of doing a full reinstall of windows, then I remembered the new "refresh windows" feature of windows 8. That's why I restored from the image, so I could try the refresh windows feature. It actually worked very nicely.

I tried the linux route, but it just didn't quite work out. XBMC was extremely good on it, but it was lacking (IMO, I'm sure others will disagree) in the PVR area, and I also need our HTPC to run skype.

"I was born not knowing and have had only a little time to change that here and there." | Octopus Energy | Sharesies
- Richard Feynman

Gilco2

1556 posts

Uber Geek

#922310 27-Oct-2013 07:38

I hate phone activation. Last couple of times I ended up hanging up in frustration as neither of us could understand the others accent. I ended up through their online help but cant remember where it was now.

edit to say i spent 4 hours to copy the windows image backup to external hard drive and the system image still cant be found. frustrating i made an image and the program that made cant find it but can find the windows 7 ones

HTPC Intel Pentium G3258 cpu, Gigabyte H97n-wifi motherboard, , 8GB DDR3 ram, onboard graphics. Hauppuage HVR 5500 tuner, Silverstone LC16M case, Windows 10 pro 64 bit using Nextpvr and Kodi

Regs

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Snowflake

#922641 27-Oct-2013 20:04

if you type "slui.exe 0x3" into a start/run dialog it should ask you for the product key to be re-entered.

why are you 'recovering' 4 computers anyway? did something go wrong on all of them?

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Snowflake
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Gilco2

1556 posts

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#922667 27-Oct-2013 20:17

didnt recover 4. Just like to have a reliable backup in case of hard drive failure. One I tried to recover was after update to Windows 8.1 the screen would black out when scrolling and had error message on windows update and had network disconnections so wanted to go back to Windows 8.

The main one with problems was actually my htpc. The imon utility was very slow on windows 8 and after the disaster to Windows 8.1 on the laptop didnt want to go that route so went back to Windows 7. However I found I had got to like the live tiles like weather app, the calendar app that syncs across computers.

The htpc when the disk image couldnt be found I recovered windows 7 with the disk image then updated to windows 8 and activated and all went well. BUT when restarted after installing Windows Media Center with the bought key it failed windows activation.
Searching on google I see many of these problems but no actual solution.

HTPC Intel Pentium G3258 cpu, Gigabyte H97n-wifi motherboard, , 8GB DDR3 ram, onboard graphics. Hauppuage HVR 5500 tuner, Silverstone LC16M case, Windows 10 pro 64 bit using Nextpvr and Kodi

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Snowflake

#922692 27-Oct-2013 20:53

did you get the free windows 8 media center key? if so, did you activate it by using it on a windows install prior to the 31st Jan?

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Snowflake
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Gilco2

1556 posts

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#922706 27-Oct-2013 21:05

all bar 1 I activated.
So 1 hadnt been used but 2 had and 1 of those was then relegated back to Windows 7 till now.

I guess I should learn to install then leave alone and not install other programs and try this and that then restore to saved image. Could do it with Windows 7 but Windows 8 reports image successfully created but when you want to restore that image it cant find it.

HTPC Intel Pentium G3258 cpu, Gigabyte H97n-wifi motherboard, , 8GB DDR3 ram, onboard graphics. Hauppuage HVR 5500 tuner, Silverstone LC16M case, Windows 10 pro 64 bit using Nextpvr and Kodi

Regs

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Snowflake

#922713 27-Oct-2013 21:11

i normally split my OS and data out onto separate disks, and install the OS using VHD boot method. that way i can:

* simply back up the VHD file if i want to backup the OS
* i can install a new OS into a new VHD without wiping the original one, just in case
* wipe the whole C:\ drive without losing my data on the D:\ drive

VHD Boot: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/dd758779.aspx

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Snowflake
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about.me/nzregs
Twitter: @nzregs

beehappy

104 posts

Master Geek

#923011 28-Oct-2013 13:19

Hi hope OK to use this Forum

I recently reset my laptop to windows 8 using a usb Recovery disk which went really well

Question = now I have updated to Windows 8.1 should I redo my recovery disks or will they still be Windows 8 (just wondering as will save time if recovery is also 8.1)

Many thanks Peter