Windows 8 Windows 8.1 clean install help needed

I seem to remember that you don't use the native system image backup program.
But I also recall that you use a 3rd party program for image backup.
If so, why don't you just simply use the image backup file to go back to "pre- update 1" state ?
Does it have to be so drastic to do clean install ?
( I know why you ask because I was the one who told you about the possible danger of having installed the leaked win 8.1.1 a week or 2 ago.)

I actually tried that last week. 8.1 started acting weird and wouldn't boot. Windows wouldn't recognize the image. Thus, I did a clean install.After that, I reformatted my external hd and I now only have a image of 8.1 with the upcoming update on it.

I am not well versed enough to give advice on this subject.

The MVPs and MCCs will cone along soon.
Good luck.

Yeah, me either, at least on this one.

Q1. Can I just format the windows and leave the recovery alone?

A1. Yes.

Q2. Will windows see the recovery drives after I get it up and running?

A2. Yes but you might have to reformat before using it if the sizes are different.

Q3. Is doing that a good idea or something you would recommend?

A3. No.

The point of having a recovery drive is to be able to retreat into it when the shit starts spitting out of the fan and IMO a recovery drive built around an unstable copy of windows is more trouble than it's worth… having said that, I'm a bit of a hypocrite because my laptop was upgraded to 8.1 but still retains its old 8oem recovery image so that I can reset it back to factory before selling it should that become necessary in the future.

***SOLVED***Forgot to mark this solved earlier. I just did the clean install wand formatted/deleted all the partitions first. Deccided to put my old Vertex 3 Max IOPs 128 GB. back in, along with adding a 2nd video card for sli.Even though, I do all the maintenance daily, the pc is running better. The Samsung 840 Pro 256 GB. got too small for all my games. Now all Steam games are on the Vertex. Origin and GFL are on the Samsung. 3D Mark score jumped up 3100 points, just by adding a 2nd card.