I can't believe I didn't already know this...

[lakedude]

MODs, sorry if this is the wrong place.

So I never knew you could use a Windows repair disk to access the hidden reload partition and reload a computer.

I've done similar things many times over the last 20 or 30 odd years of building/repairing computers.

I've hit the right key combo to get to the hidden partition. I've reloaded entirely from disks. I've used Drive Image, Ghost, Macrium, Acronis and Parted Magic (and others I'm sure). I've used the startup repair function on the Windows repair disk.

I just never knew that the Windows disk was such a good tool to start a rebuild from the OEM partition. It was amazing actually.

The issue came up because I was having trouble reloading an Acer laptop. No combination of "f" keys did the job. The Acer restore disks only seemed to have the ability to load the whole shebang from disks. I got desperate and tried the Windows disk and it worked just like I was hoping for. It opened the door to a Acer restore utility that rebuilt the system like new with no need to swap half a dozen disks out.

Later I used the Windows repair disk the same way again to reload an Asus to factory condition.

I'm sure this is old news to most everyone...

 

[whm1974]

I just learned something new today. Thank you for mentioning this.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I knew that. I think that this started from Windows 8 onwards. They use a WIM-based recovery, and you can start the recovery process, from within the installed Windows, or, as you found out, a boot media.

I don't think that this applies to Windows 7 or Vista. At least, not that I know of. I'd love to be surprised though.

 

[lakedude]

Oh yeah, the Asus was W7 for sure. Don't remember what was on the Acer but I expect it was also W7.

 

[lakedude]

The W7 install is actually easier once you get it started because there is only 2 partitions, the hidden restore partition and "C:". Windows 8 has all those extra funny little partitions...

 

[mikeymikec]

Are we talking about invoking the reset feature from Windows setup? If not, can you be specific as to what you did?

 

[lakedude]

I think the disk is officially called a Windows System Repair Disk. I've used such disks to fix startup problems as that is one of the options available.

What I'd not used the disk for was to access a hidden OEM partition on the hard drive which allows the system to be like factory new again. I've accessed said partitions using some combination of "f-key" hits with no disk required in the past.

What makes this time unique for me was that the Acer OEM system restore disks did not seem to allow access to the hidden partition (the Acer restore disk wanted to continue the process using still more Acer optical disks which I had but they are a pain and they were for a different model so I was not sure they would work).

I would have thought that the Acer disk would access the unique Acer recovery partition but it took the Windows System Repair Disk to do this job. The whole business was surprising because you start in in an obviously Microsoft style environment and at some point it hands you over and you are then in an Acer environment.

I had another (Asus this time) computer to restore so as an experiment I tried the Windows System Repair Disk again and once again I was able to easily access the hidden OEM restore partition. Once again the system started in an obviously Microsoft style environment and at some point the system transferred over to an Asus environment (which was quite different from the Acer environment).

BTW I'm talking about completely blowing away all software and data on the system drive and starting from scratch, not just going back in time to a restore point. It is unfortunate to be using the word restore in both cases...

 

[PliotronX]

I never looked into it because I prefer to install fresh without the bloat anyway but I learned something too, thank you

 

[VeryCharBroiled]

back maybe 5-10 or so years ago i remember using some partition program that would show the hidden restore partition on dells, compaqs, maybe some others. just had to make it Active and when the os rebooted that hidden partition would have a drive letter and you could run stuff from it like a factory reset so it would be just like it was when you bought it.