Windows 8 Windows will not reinstall.

Pepperfreez

New Member
Ok here's the thing, I wanted to install zorin (OS) dual-booted with windows 8. I accidently in the process deleted a lot of partitions that should have been deleted. I want to reinstall windows but I cannot get past the screen that says "a required partition is missing." I have tried all of the free recovery bootable discs in the world and they have not fixed it. I am fine with losing all of my data if it means I get windows 8 back. My computer came preinstalled with windows 8 already on it and I do not have a recovery disc, but I did try to make one on my sisters computer which mirrors mine but it did not work. Any help whatsoever would be greatly appreciated. Oh and please talk in terms a tech savy 15yr old could understand. Thank you and God bless!

-Pepperfreez
 
Hi Pepperfreez,
unfortunately it sounds like you've accidentally deleted the partition that contained the copy of Windows 8. Sometimes you can call the vendor who supplied the machine and they will send you the actual install disk, might be worth a try? Failing that do you have/know your actual Windows 8 activation key? It might even be on the machine, look for a Microsoft sticker. Let me know if you have a key.
 
I never do a dual boot on the same harddisk. But as kemical said, you have deleted your recovery partition. Did you create a recovery media on USB?

Sent from my HTC One X using WindowsForum mobile app
 
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Hi Pepperfreez,
unfortunately it sounds like you've accidentally deleted the partition that contained the copy of Windows 8. Sometimes you can call the vendor who supplied the machine and they will send you the actual install disk, might be worth a try? Failing that do you have/know your actual Windows 8 activation key? It might even be on the machine, look for a Microsoft sticker. Let me know if you have a key.

I do not, it was embedded in the bios and it is supposed to automatically fill in the product key but I am afraid it got deleted.
 
I never do a dual boot on the same harddisk. But as kemical said, you have deleted your recovery partition. Did you create a recovery media on USB?

Sent from my HTC One X using WindowsForum mobile app

I did not. I made one on my sisters computer (same brand, same OS, same specs) and tried too run it on mine but I just got to the recovery screen.
 
I do not, it was embedded in the bios and it is supposed to automatically fill in the product key but I am afraid it got deleted.
Damn.... Probably your cheapest and legit route is buying a new OEM copy of windows 8 but remember with OEM copies the licence is tied to the one machine.
 
Damn.... Probably your cheapest and legit route is buying a new OEM copy of windows 8 but remember with OEM copies the licence is tied to the one machine.

Wow, CMD magic that could fix this? Could I copy all of the partitions off of my sisters computer and then reset ine since she has all of them
 
When it says a required partition is missing, it doesn't necessarily mean it is the Recovery Image partition. I got it once when I deleted the OS partition and tried to reset. I recreated the OS partition and formatted it and the reset completed. It might also be related to trying to Reset with different OS versions, such as 8.0 and 8.1.

Does that system have an OEM recovery option, some key combination you can use at boot time?

It is hard to advise as to your situation when there is uncertainty about exactly what partitions are available. Looking at the drive with a third party partition manager might give us some clues, such as Partition Wizard (do not use EaseUS) and take a picture of the partition configuration. If you can get into a command prompt, you could also use
diskpart to show the partitions.
 
When it says a required partition is missing, it doesn't necessarily mean it is the Recovery Image partition. I got it once when I deleted the OS partition and tried to reset. I recreated the OS partition and formatted it and the reset completed. It might also be related to trying to Reset with different OS versions, such as 8.0 and 8.1.

Does that system have an OEM recovery option, some key combination you can use at boot time?

It is hard to advise as to your situation when there is uncertainty about exactly what partitions are available. Looking at the drive with a third party partition manager might give us some clues, such as Partition Wizard (do not use EaseUS) and take a picture of the partition configuration. If you can get into a command prompt, you could also use
diskpart to show the partitions.

No it does not.

I read that if you bought windows 8 and upgraded to windows 8.1, that messes up the reset because it is looking for the windows 8.1 recovery partition but it only sees the windows 8 one. I also read that you could make a windows 8 reinstall disc but I don't know if the OEM product key would be inputted into that or would I have to find it or buy a new one.
 
The OEM key is in the UEFI bios, you cannot delete it. If you reinstall the same version, 8.0 core or pro, it should pick it up during an install.

The condition of your Recovery options are in doubt. Knowing your current configuration may help, as I mentioned. An upgraded 8.1 system may be able to reset back to Windows 8, but it needs the special workaround added during the later 8.1 updates. If you still have the Recovery Image partition, there may be hope. If not you will need some recovery media such as something from the OEM or possibly an 8.0 core .iso, which I don't think is available. Since you did not state you had updated to 8.1, can we assume you did?
 
Yes I did update to 8.1
The OEM key is in the UEFI bios, you cannot delete it. If you reinstall the same version, 8.0 core or pro, it should pick it up during an install.

The condition of your Recovery options are in doubt. Knowing your current configuration may help, as I mentioned. An upgraded 8.1 system may be able to reset back to Windows 8, but it needs the special workaround added during the later 8.1 updates. If you still have the Recovery Image partition, there may be hope. If not you will need some recovery media such as something from the OEM or possibly an 8.0 core .iso, which I don't think is available. Since you did not state you had updated to 8.1, can we assume you did?

Yes, I did update to 8.1.
 
If you get hold of a windows 8 iso (disc or usb) then the oem key will kick in automatically when you install the system…

1. Without an efi partition you will then need to get all the 3rd party drivers from the net but this will always work even if the hdd was completely formatted back to unallocated data.

2. Can you post a screenshot of your hdd partisans as that will clear up what partitions are missing… a Linux disc manager will do this.

p.s. Once you have windows 8 installed again you will be able to upgrade it to 8.1 the same as before.
 
Hi

You could try this, if you are comfortable doing it.
Take the hard drive out of your sisters computer and plug it into yours.

See if your computer boots.
If it's really just like yours it may work.

If it does then put it back in her computer and make a clone of it.

There are a number of free cloning tools that are supposed to work with Windows 8.
Read through this...

http://www.disk-partition.com/windows-8/clone-hard-drive-windows-8.html

If it boots, I still suspect you will have registration issues but since you have a legitimate serial number you can probably iron that out with a phone call to Microsoft, they check mother board numbers etc, so they will know that the OS is on a different computer.

As far as saving your data, you can boot your computer using a Ubuntu boot disk and copy all of your data off of it, before restoring the drive.

http://www.ubuntu.com/download/alternative-downloads

I recommend version 12.04.4 32 bit for max compatibility.

Or you can buy a USB converter to plug your hard drive into your sisters computer and copy the data from it that way.

I had to do this recently when my wife's laptop died.
I just copied everything from her old hard drive to her new computer, this is the device I used.
It works great...

http://www.amazon.com/Apricorn-Driv...62321&sr=8-12&keywords=usb+hard+drive+adapter

I've used it many times and it fits virtually any hard drive.


Mike
 
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Hi

You could try this, if you are comfortable doing it.
Take the hard drive out of your sisters computer and plug it into yours.

See if your computer boots.
If it's really just like yours it may work.

If it does then put it back in her computer and make a clone of it.

There are a number of free cloning tools that are supposed to work with Windows 8.
Read through this...

http://www.disk-partition.com/windows-8/clone-hard-drive-windows-8.html

If it boots, I still suspect you will have registration issues but since you have a legitimate serial number you can probably iron that out with a phone call to Microsoft, they check mother board numbers etc, so they will know that the OS is on a different computer.

As far as saving your data, you can boot your computer using a Ubuntu boot disk and copy all of your data off of it, before restoring the drive.

http://www.ubuntu.com/download/alternative-downloads

I recommend version 12.04.4 32 bit for max compatibility.

Or you can buy a USB converter to plug your hard drive into your sisters computer and copy the data from it that way.

I had to do this recently when my wife's laptop died.
I just copied everything from her old hard drive to her new computer, this is the device I used.
It works great...

http://www.amazon.com/Apricorn-DriveWire-Universal-Adapter-ADW-USB-KIT/dp/B000QY9KIS/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1401562321&sr=8-12&keywords=usb hard drive adapter

I've used it many times and it fits virtually any hard drive.


Mike

I would do this except for the fact that I do not want to take apart my laptop, but I am trying the bootable disc.

Is there an .iso I could get of windows 8? I can't make one because it requires a product key which I don't have because mine is an OEM computer.
 
We can’t really give legal advice but as a rule of thumb, any windows 8 iso will do.
In my country (Australia) you can go to a computer shop or any school with an it department to get hold of an iso… note that this is just the install files and you still need your own key.

If (as I assume not) you don’t have access to an iso but do have decent internet & the key is a retail then the last available pick is the official Microsoft download tool… read the instructions very carefully and make a backup before trying it.
The website is http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows-8/upgrade-product-key-only
Basically there are 4 legal ways to get a w8 iso from Microsoft and they are not free $60- thousands
Read this; http://pcsupport.about.com/od/windows-8/f/download-windows-8.htm

Microsoft provided you with a working system that had some backup software pre-installed which you decided not to use before formatting the drive so they are covered under US law and any extra expense is on your head but I have to wonder whether the guy whom signed off on this policy is the self-same crack head responsible for the messy ‘programs folder’ security system that makes the “programs folder” into the last place any sane person would install their programs into.
 
Hi

A Windows 8 ISO is hard to come by.
We went round in circles trying to find one a while back.

I don't know if things have gotten better.

Unfortunately all the ways I know to get one requires a Product Key.
You could probably do it on her computer during the upgrade process using her number.

You can chose to get an ISO file during the Windows 8.1 upgrade process.
At some point there is a place to check a box that lets you download an ISO instead of doing the auto install.

But you would have to be very careful, if you go to far in the process it will wipe your sisters hard drive.

You can check these out...

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/18309-windows-8-windows-8-1-iso-download-create.html

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Windows 8 Installation Media
OEM/Retail
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?linkid=271128
Upgrade
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=262204

Note-you'll need to download from a PC with the same Architecture (64/32bit) as the Target Machine.
There are no known legal d'loads for OEM nstalls...


The other option is to clone your sisters hard drive and then copy it to yours without knowing if it will work or not.

I'm not going to encourage you to remove the hard drive from your sisters computer if you aren't comfortable with it but maybe there is someone who could do it for you any local computer shops?

In a laptop it's usually pretty easy on the ones I've had, just remove a panel on the back and unplug it.
They should be able to swap them in a few minutes.

If you want to make a clone of your sisters computer you will need something big enough to save it on. So you would need a large USB drive.

If everything she has is on her C:\ drive it could be very big.
My disk images are a little over 100 GBs.

http://www.amazon.com/PNY-Attache-128GB-Drive-P-FD128ATT03-GE/dp/B00CE5QOIG/ref=sr_1_11?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1401593018&sr=1-11&keywords=usb flash drive

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It may be that your best bet is to contact the company that built your computer and see if they can give or sell you a copy of the recovery media.

What brand of computer is it?

Here's a Dell link.

https://www.dell.com/support/diagno...260354&lid=4803075&DoNotRedirect=y&redirect=1

Here's a video from Dell, that tells how to create it from a working computer.

http://www.dell.com/learn/us/en/19/videos~en/documents~esupport_windows_8_recovery_media_us_en.aspx

Mike
 
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