Windows 8 Windows 8 Installation Issue

[Navaeen]

I have an ASUS vivobook S500Ca which came preinstalled with Windows 8 Home Premium in Oct 2013. I had made a USB for the purpose of reinstalling it at any point. Name on this USB is 'Recovery'. It has around 13 GB size with 6 .swm files of around 2GB each.

So it happened and my hard disk crashed such that I can't even go to BIOS without removing it. I replaced it. Now when I insert this Recovery USB - it boots however it gives me option only to 'Troubleshoot' and nothing to 'Install' windows. [If I choose 'troubleshoot' I get 'Refresh your PC, Reset your PC and Advanced options'. Under 'Advanced options' I get 'system restore, system image recovery' etc however they don't work saying 'Can't find a system image on this computer'. ]

I looked on the Net and can't find a the Win 8 installable to download. Everywhere it's for 8.1. Moreover it asks for the license key to download on Microsoft site. I believe in my case key'd be built in BIOS.

Can you please help in this situation - either to be able to install thru my USB drive or find a Win 8 installable download. Ultimately I'd like to upgrade to 10. Your help will be appreciated. Thanks Naveen

 

[ussnorway]

What software did you use to make the recovery usb... If it was just the default windows tool then that's where your problem started

You still have your msdn key because that sits on the motherboard but without the factory reset partition you now need a w8 iso... Have you or someone you know got another w8 retail copy?

If yes then you can download it free from Microsoft, or if download isn't an option you can ask a computer shop or tech school to make you an iso copy... The key point here is that you only need the install files

 

[ussnorway]

I looked on the Net and can't find a the Win 8 installable to download. Everywhere it's for 8.1. Moreover it asks for the license key to download on Microsoft site. I believe in my case key'd be built in BIOS.

p.s. yes with the release of Windows 10... Windows 8 is not the second system and can't now be downloaded for ome (msdn only) any more...To be clear, Windows 8.1 can still be and/ or a retail W8... you waited too long, sorry mate.

 

[Saltgrass]

Since you have a Dell you may have made a Dell Recovery drive. That drive may not boot normally but needs to be used with the DELL recovery options, which is an F1 key or something similar. It would probably show "SYSRECOVERY" for a label.

If you made the Recovery Drive using Windows, it should boot and allow you do to a Factory Reset.

A system Image recovery is a different thing and would have required you to create that backup at some prior point. It sounds like you need to use the Reset option. That will use the Factory Image from the .swm files.

Did you replace the drive with the same size, or possibly larger?