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Creating Windows 8 recovery media

A

ArisVer

Golden Member
I bought a notebook (HP 650, used) that came with Windows 7 Professional that is not activated.
The BIOS says that the factory installed OS is Win8. There is also a sticker of Windows 8 on the notebook (picture below).
The recovery option in the BIOS does not work. Not a surprise as there is no recovery partition on the disk. There is the system reserved and the OS partitions.
I have extracted the BIOS key code through some programs but I still don't know which version of Windows 8 it is.
When I run the mediacreationtool (from http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/create-reset-refresh-media), it asks which edition to create. And it is Windows 8.1, and not Windows 8.
Which version should I download? There are 5 versions. Windows > 8.1, 8.1 N, 8.1 Pro, 8,1 Pro N, and 8.1 Single Language (what is this last one?).
Does it matter if it is 8.1 and not 8? Is there a webpage to download Windows 8 and not 8.1?

 
It should not matter if its 8 or 8.1 as 8.1 is a free upgrade to 8.

For the version of 8, it would be Pro non-N

So Windows 8.1 Pro
 
I have already downloaded the pro version and will try that first. If it does not work I'll try the core. Right now I am in the process of dismantling it as I have a BIOS error message about the fan not working; it also needs cleaning as it is dusty and I have also noticed that one of the wireless cables is missing (I hope it's underneath). The keyboard is very hard to remove on this one as it needs a lot of pressure. It booted fine and the temps were about 60 C without doing much.

Can I ask you guys how can you know whether it's the core or the pro version?

And can you clarify how the pro version will install the core instead if it's the right one? This saves me from downloading the core version.
 
Actually I believe its is Core, for some reason when I saw the HP 650 I was thinking of the ProBook 650 which has Pro.

The Win8/8.1 sticker on the laptop tells what version of windows it is
For Core - it looks like your picture.
For Por - it says Pro on the sticker

So your machine in Windows 8/8.1 Core


The install media actually has both Core and Pro on it, so it should install with out an issue. The new mediacreationtool, now works on OEM installs like your laptop. Before it would not read the key that is in the bios, and select the proper version.

If it still gives you an issue and you do not want to download the core version. You can try the following

If you make the usb install media, if you add a file called EI.CFG into the sources folder with the following info, it should make it so it can install pro or core

Code: 
[EditionID]
[Channel]
Retail
[VL]
0
 
Nice info there, thanks. I didn't know about the sticker differences. I have already downloaded and burned the Pro so I will try that with your suggestion.
 
The modification did not work. I have burned the downloaded Pro ISO with the Windows 7 USB/DVD Tool using Windows 7. Then I created a file with notepad and added the code; renamed the file to EI.CFG and added it in the /sources folder. No options were given during installation.

I did install the Pro and entered the key which was rejected. Since the modification did not work I'll download the Core edition.

One more thing to ask. The notebook's BIOS is UEFI and it's the first time I have encountered it. The only way I could boot from the USB flash disk is when I had Legacy Support Enabled. Is that the right way to boot the installation?

According to its BIOS, quoting,
"When Legacy Support is enabled, BIOS will load Compatibility Support Module (CSM) to support Legacy OS such as Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP and DOS.
When Legacy Support is disabled, BIOS will boot in UEFI Mode without CSM to support newer OS such as Windows 8."

If I understood correctly I should have been able to boot the installation with the Legacy Support Disabled. However trying to boot like this gives me the error message:
"Boot Device Not Found
Please install an operating system on your hard disk.
Hard Disk (3F0)"

Do I need any kind of disk preparation for the installation with UEFI?
 
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For booting Win7 on UEFI, on the install media you have to move a file, I cannot remember which at the moment.

For Win8 on UEFI, it should just work and give the options. Also you have to have the drive format FAT32 for it to boot UEFI. It cannot be ntfs

give you two options, boot from UEFI or Boot from Legacy, or something along those lines. Might show it as EFI Boot -> list of option Legacy Boot -> list of options

As for the EI.CFG file not working, not sure what happened there. Might have to test it again, as i do not have a win8 system handy.
 
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Just checked and my drive is NTFS. Windows 7 USB Tool formats the drive when you use it and I thought it was actually formatting it to the proper filesystem. It probably just cleans the drive. I will try again and see if I can boot from the UEFI.

Edit. I have formatted the flash disk to FAT32 and Windows 7 USB Tool actually reformats the flash disk to NTFS during the ISO burning process.
 
Last edited:
An update for anyone interested and for a thank you note @ Dahak.

I have tried Rufus before I have even seen your post as I have seen it mentioned a lot of times at Microsoft forums and it looks like a nice tool with formatting options. Using Rufus I have tried the Pro ISO with the modification and did not gave me any options again. Maybe some more code is needed or maybe I am doing something wrong.

The good news is that I have tried the Core edition (8.1) and just installed it without any problems; didn't even ask for a key. Thanks for your help.
 
Dahak said:
Also you have to have the drive format FAT32 for it to boot UEFI. It cannot be ntfs
Click to expand...

I have one more question here. Using FAT32 isn't a step backwards? What is the reason that NTFS cannot be used for UEFI?
This is only for knowledge as everything works quite perfectly on the notebook.
 
Puffnstuff said:
For either win 7 or 8 set your installation drive to the uefi listing and it will install using the uefi bootloader.
Click to expand...

I didn't pay much attention to your post since I have managed to install W8 but now that I am reading it again, I would like some more information on what is the UEFI listing and how can I set the installation drive there.
 
ArisVer said:
I have one more question here. Using FAT32 isn't a step backwards? What is the reason that NTFS cannot be used for UEFI?
This is only for knowledge as everything works quite perfectly on the notebook.
Click to expand...

The quick answer there is no NTFS drivers in the UEFI spec to allow reading of ntfs filesystems
 
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